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24 Years
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Here are just a few of the many teachers offering Guitar lessons in Philadelphia . Whether you are looking for beginner guitar lessons for your kids, or are an adult wanting to improve your skills, the instructors in our network are ready to help you now!
Instruments: Piano Guitar Bass Guitar Ukulele Keyboard Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar
Versatile, skillful guitarist and a highly motivated, charismatic educator who feels at home in the classroom. Highly proficient in Ear Training, Music Theory, Music Technology, and Jazz Studies. Adept at creating impactful classroom presentations and thought provoking exercises to promote student engagement. Possesses strong communication skills to foster efficient and meaningful relationships with students, colleagues, and administrators. Teaching history out of a textbook is one thing...teaching a student to hear the color of an altered dominant chord is a totally different beast. Read More
Instruments: Guitar Trumpet Trombone Harmonica Ukulele Euphonium Tuba Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar
For beginning students who are children, I typically start with Hal Leonard's Essential Elements, especially for brass instruments. I also tend to mix in some fun songs that are more well known using my own arrangements. Once the student has progressed to have a grasp of the fundamentals, I will begin to introduce solo repertoire appropriate for their first recital performance. For adults, I try to find out what the student is interested in, and guide my instruction accordingly to keep the lessons engaging and fun, no matter their ability level. Read More
Instruments: Guitar Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar
My style of teaching is straightforward, fun, focused and also enthusiastic with many years of real life experience behind it. I love teaching in general, and to combine that with something so creative and expressive, is a dream come true! What gets me excited and sustains my passion for teaching is when there are challenges and the student breaks through them and gains knowledge, confidence and hopefully some “life tools” they can bring out into the world. Read More
Instruments: Guitar
For children I tend to teach songs by The Beatles as standard curriculum, as well as learning to read music proficiently. The things tend to be non-negotiable unless the parent informs me otherwise. For teens and pre-teens reading music is optional as well as the types of songs you wish to learn or the theory you wish to learn. That's just a general overview, along the way we learn all types of riffs, vamps, chords, scales, etc., to which we follow my standard development method, but never neglecting your own personal interests in music. Read More
Instruments: Guitar Music Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar
I will provide students with diagrams on what is called guitar tablature, which is the easiest way to read music for guitar, for various chords and scales. Students will be able to play songs and guitar riffs by their favorite bands as well as create their own music and even create their own guitar solos and improvise over chords. I can teach students songs they want to learn as well provide music for songs that will help them learn chords and guitar riffs. Read More
Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Flute Harmonica Music Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar
My teaching style is relaxed and organic. Don't get me wrong, we will work hard! But it will be fun and enriching. I teach my students to appreciate the music they make, and to listen to themselves for what is working well, in addition to what can be improved. At the end of each lesson, the student and I collaborate to make goals for daily practice. Every few weeks, my students and I collaborate on goals for next few weeks and the next few months. Read More
Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Keyboard Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar
What advice do you have about practicing effectively?
Students need to practice at least four days a week, covering everything we've gone over in the lesson. Don't worry about mistakes - think of them as questions from your fingers that can be answered in the lesson.
How do I know if my child is ready to start lessons?
If he/she can: sit still and pay attention for half an hour,
recognize colors or
count from 1 - 5
recognize numbers from 1 - 5
When will I start to see results?
Immdeiately. For children the first lesson consists with keyboard games and simple exercises that they can do either on their own or with the help of a parent. From there we move on to simple songs that they can play on their own or with a bit of parental help. For adults, we begin with very basic exercises, and I give very clear instructions that students can follow from the first day we work together.
Did you have a teacher that inspired you to go into music? How did they inspire you?
My second teacher, Mrs. Natalie Cherney, was a tremendous inspiration. She was a great player and a fair, tough teacher. I think of her all the time and am always grateful to her.
Why did you choose your primary instrument?
Not sure with piano. I started asking for one when I was three. For guitar, I wanted to play in the folk choir at the Catholic school I went to. I thought acoustic guitars looked extremely cool and sounded incredible. I started teachimg myself when I was nine.
What musical accomplishments are you most proud of?
Putting together a tour of New England colleges (using Amtrak and Greyhound) on the strength of a demo cassette. In February, no less.
What do you think is the hardest thing to master on your instrument?
Speed and volume dynamics for piano - the mechanics of expression. For guitar rhythmic complexity is challenging.
Do you use specific teaching methods or books? (Ex: Alfred, Bastion, Suzuki, Hal Leonard) Why did you choose them if you did?
I use John Thompson method books in beginner piano classes with children. The songs are wonderfully tuneful and provide a solid introduction to the musical structures and techniques needed to play classical music. When students are done with the first grade book, I move on to the Guild Repertoire books, for a wonderful cross-section of Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern piano literature. For guitar, I use the Mel Bay method books. I love its clarity: the guitar neck diagrams and explanations of note values are very easy to understand. I also like the way they introduce string-to-string playing gradually.
What does a normal practice session look like for you?
When I practice piano, I begin with scales, cadences and arpeggios. I move onto 'warm-up' songs, usually something I'm working on with my students. I then get into the more challenging stuff that I'm working on for my own pleasure: usually a Bach piece, a Beethoven and a Chopin.
What is your dream piece to perform and why?
Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody.
If you weren't a musician what do you think you'd be doing instead?
Teaching elementary school, probably kindergarten, first or second grade.
What is your favorite style/genre of music to play and why?
On piano, baroque music. On guitar, blues and rock rhythm.
Does music run in your family? Tell us a little about your musical family members.
My paternal grandmother was a touring ragtime pianist who led her band. My maternal grandfather played by ear. My mother played a little - taught me the C major scale. All my siblings took lessons (piano, drums, guitar) so there were instruments in the house. I'm the only one to make it my profession.
When did you decide to become a professional musician? Was it a gradual decision or was there a defining moment for you?
The defining moment was when I was a senior in college. I did an open mic in Greenwich Village, and felt like I'd come home.
24 Years
Since We Started
41,456+
Happy Customers
10,769
Cities with Students
3,123
Teachers in Network
Trusted as the industry leader, for over 21 years the teachers in our network have been providing Guitar lessons in Philadelphia to students of all ages and abilities.
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