Guitar Lessons in Westland, PA

Instruments: Piano Guitar Drums Bass Guitar Ukulele Music Keyboard Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Once upon a time, one of my co-workers asked me to show her how to play some songs on the guitar. I can't remember exactly what those songs were, but I think it was Led Zeppelin, or something like that. Having never taught a lesson in my life up until that point, I reluctantly agreed, and later that week, she arrived at my front door with guitar in hand. As the lesson went on, I had a couple of "Aha" moments! Read More

Instruments: Guitar Voice Flute Bass Guitar Ukulele Electric Guitar

I view music education as a form of therapy. If my students continue to have a genuine desire to use music as an outlet for expression, stress regulation, confidence building, developing healthy relationships with themselves, etc, then I am doing my job. My teaching style adapts to meet the needs, interests, and goals of each individual student. I constantly strive to help highlight each student's strengths and work through their weaknesses. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Violin Cello Viola

In all of my teaching, I combine my students' interests with the leading pedagogy practices in string education to develop the foundational skills of the instrument as well as a fondness for it. There are several method books that I use such as Suzuki, Schroeder's Cello Etudes, and Fiddler's Philharmonic, however, I tailor each lesson path to each student based on student interest as well as proper sequencing. I generally start with these method books, especially for cello, for beginning students. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Ukulele Music Electric Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Although I began performing and teaching while still a teenager, I consider the beginning of my full time career to begin upon my graduation from Berklee (1979). I had taught on and off through C.A. House Music in Wheeling, WV, and also as a teaching assistant during my years of graduate study. In 1994, I developed WVU's first program in Guitar Performance, where I taught until 2018. During this period I also taught at Frostburg University, Washington Jefferson University, and West Liberty University, where I continue as an adjunct Professor of Guitar. Read More

Instruments: Guitar Bass Guitar Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar

For classical guitar students, I've found the best methods to building a good foundation as well as technique is both the Christopher Parkening and Frederick Noad methods. The student also gets a great selection of repertoire to go along with the basics of technique in each. For all other styles of playing, I've found that the Berklee Guitar Methods work well in building the fundamentals in a students playing in the beginning stages. Read More

Instruments: Piano Guitar Voice Trumpet Trombone Saxophone Flute Clarinet Drums Ukulele Recorder French Horn Piccolo Orchestral Percussion Keyboard Electric Guitar Djembe

I have experienced music in large variety of groups, from funk bands, to jazz bands, choirs, saxophone quartets, drum circles, as well as recording and mixing my own album. Music is about connections: there's nothing that the experience of music doesn't affect! When you take lessons from me, you know you are getting a great foundation of music for life, from reading music, theory, and correct technique, as well as something as broad as composition, improvisation, music technology, even dance! Read More

Instruments: Guitar Trumpet

Seeing a student progress and dive into their own passions in their music career is one of the most important things of this art. I strongly believe that each student should progress in their own time frame based on their own determination, with a strong emphasis on a regular practice schedule. Also by encouraging the student's tastes rather than attempting to drill the tastes of my own into them, it can become a very awarding process! Read More