Joseph W
Instruments: Guitar, Bass Guitar, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Styles: Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, Funk, Hip Hop, Reggae, Latin Jazz, Punk
Joseph W
Instruments: Guitar, Bass Guitar, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Styles:
Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, Folk, Funk, Hip Hop, Reggae, Latin Jazz, Punk
Where I Teach:
Ages Taught: 5-80
BM, Columbia College Chicago, Music Composition, Magna Cum Laude
2016 - Guest lecturer at Interlochen Center for the Arts 2015 - Graduated Columbia College Chicago Magna Cum Laude Made Dean's List, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Fall 2015 2013 - Tri-M Music Honor Society 2012 - Louis Armstrong Award
I have been involved in music for most of my life; it is simply who I am. From teaching and composing to arranging and producing, all aspects of this art intrigue me and give me great satisfaction to share with others. I graduated from Columbia College Chicago in 2015 with a Bachelor of the Arts in Music Composition and a minor in Management. It has been my pleasure to perform all over the city of Chicago, from the House of Blues and the Bottom Lounge, to Chicago Acoustic Underground and Reggie’s. I recently moved to Los Angeles, California and brought my enthusiasm for teaching with me! I never take for granted an opportunity to share my musical knowledge with others, and look forward to answering every question that I can from my students.
I first began teaching private lessons on my summer breaks from college back in 2013. What began as a way to make side money quickly grew into a passion for sharing my knowledge with others. The look on a students face when I see a concept "click" in their brain has become a driving force for me, and keeps me passionate about spreading musical ideas to those who truly want to learn. I have found that when a student has incremental goals laid out, it encourages them to take music from an abstract idea to something they truly enjoy doing! Watching them showcase their progress in a live performance setting is something I have been lucky enough to witness, and do my best to facilitate. By taking each students' individual musical tastes and using them to illuminate common musical concepts, both my students and I have a good time learning!
With younger students and those new to their instrument, I start with the basics, laying out simple chords, scales, and arpeggios, showing them how they are used in their favorite songs. Once an understanding of these concepts is reached I move on to how to incorporate them in real-time, and show the student how incorporate these ideas using their own unique voice. For more advanced students, I strike a balance between practical technical knowledge of the instrument and the music theory that drives the decisions their favorite artists make. I also place an emphasis on the ability to improvise and compose original music.
During my first meeting with a new student I ask them questions about their prior experiences, current knowledge, and musical aspirations. From there I tailor a unique learning strategy geared towards their goals, personality, and aptitude. I always try to use music that the student enjoys to spotlight the concept we are covering, and encourage the student to think about it while they listen to their favorite songs. The greatest payoff I can think of is when a student gets the immediate satisfaction that comes along with hearing an audience cheer for them after a good performance, and I do my best to curate these opportunities!
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