My name is RJ J., and I am a jazz guitarist and composer currently living in Philadelphia.

I began playing guitar in 2002, and mostly focused on rock and blues playing early on. I took lessons at a nearby music store for about 3 years as a beginner. While still studying at this store, one of my teachers offered me a job teaching lessons; however, I was too young at the time to do so. This experience began to make me think seriously about making music my career. I decided to focus on jazz and classical music while in high school, and have pursued these styles more exclusively ever since. I began studying with guitarist Carol Hamersma when my interests shifted toward jazz. Carol refined my basic jazz skills, but also exposed me to classical guitar technique and repertoire very early on. While studying with Carol, I also started taking lessons with guitarist Vic Juris, a well-known veteran of the jazz scene. Vic was also tremendously helpful as a teacher, and I feel that...

I have been teaching music for 16 years. I grew up on the 2nd floor of my father's music store in Central PA and have been around music my whole life. I earned a bachelor’s degree in Music Performance from the University of the Arts where I studied jazz guitar with Pat Martino, Jimmy Bruno, Steve Giordano, and Tom Giacabetti. I was one of the original teachers during the formative years at the Paul Green School of Rock Music where I later went on to be the Music Director of the Philadelphia and Downingtown Schools. During that time, I helped many students prepare and get accepted to music schools, ran and developed music summer camps, and organized concerts where the students performed the music of Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, and many more of rock's finest band at every major venue in Philadelphia.

I have been active in the local music scene recording and playing sold-out shows at the Khyber, TLA, Trocadero, Johnny Brenda's and World Café Live with such acts as 722, Bebek,...

Learning music, especially at a young age, can have a positive impact in life. From simply playing music in the home to performing music for large audiences, the basic goal is the same: the enjoyment of being a proficient musician. I have written a bit about my experience and how I can use this to help you to become a great musician.
I began studying music when I was 8 years old. My early lessons taught me not only about music but about music teaching. As a result of these experiences, I vowed to teach students music that is meaningful to them.
Moving along, in high school I played in rock bands with my friends. I can never stress how important it is to play with other people. I always encourage my students to form bands, join music groups in school, or just find a friend to jam with. Not only does this raise the level of musicality, it is a great motivational tool.
After high school, I studied music at...

Andrew is a Philadelphia area bassist, guitarist, composer, sound designer, audio engineer, and teacher. As a recent graduate of University of the Arts with a MM in jazz studies, Andrew has had many opportunities to study with some of the best musicians that Philadelphia has to offer. Andrew performs in a variety of styles from rock to jazz and R&B. For Andrew, music is the most fun a person can have and this idea is the foundation for his instruction. Andrew aims to inspire his students, in the way that his great teachers have inspired him. He emphasizes improvisation, confidence, versatility, good habits, a strong foundation, and the concept of music as a language.

I started taking music very seriously in middle school when I began guitar lessons at a local music shop. I was inspired at the time to learn all of my favorite Beatles songs as well as the punk music I was totally obsessed with. At the time I was fortunate enough to have been learning from a college educated musician Dr. Mark Cook, director of Composition and Music Theory at Shepherd University and Gerry Kunkel, Guitar chair at Maryland University. My passion for music grew exponentially from this point on and I spent the next years playing in as many ensembles as possible in school as well as my own bands with friends, a chance for me to work on my own compositions. As my drive for music increased I began taking lessons for other instruments including piano, trombone, and voice. This constant practice and dedication to the study of theory eventually resulted in my acceptance to the University of the Arts in Philadelphia to study jazz guitar performance.
At UArts my exposure...

Ian's vast and diverse experience on the Northeast music scene has given him the background that rivals the best of many professional musicians working today. From band tours of the US, Canada, and Hong Kong and a handful of recordings under various acts, Ian remains busy in his home city of Philadelphia. Ian has performed with such acts as Jazz great Grover Washington Jr. to the Bucks County Symphony Orchestra.

Teaching Experience

Ian has taught private lessons in Bass both electric and acoustic, piano, and guitar for the last eight years in which he has also lent his talents to the esteemed Paul Green School of Rock and DayJams Summer Rock School. He is also involved with a number of after-school programs in the Philadelphia area where he teaches private lessons, music theory, and rock ensemble.

Musical Education

Ian's musical training began with piano at 7, saxophone at 9, self-taught guitar at 11, and finally electric and acoustic bass in high...

A native of Columbus, Ohio, Jordan D. has won prizes in several national and international guitar competitions - First Prize, Ohio America String Teachers Association; Second Prize, American Musicians Competition (Chicago); Second Prize, International Indiana Guitar Competition. In 2011, Jordan received the Segovia/Augustine Classical Guitar Award and the Lillian Fuchs Chamber Music Award at the Manhattan School of Music.

In 2008, Jordan attended Oscar Ghiglia's Incontri Chitarristici di Gargnano Festival in Gargnano, Italy. In 2009, he was a scholarship student in Sharon Isbin's class at the Aspen Music Festival. In 2010, Jordan was a student and featured performer at the Nashville Classical Guitar Seminar, directed by Richard Todd.

He has recently appeared as guitar soloist with the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Orchestra performing Joseph Schwantner's guitar concerto "From Afar…" Jordan has given several U.S. and world premieres of music by contemporary...

I began playing drums at the age of 9, guitar at 10, started my first rock band at 11 and I've never stopped playing music since. After playing in the concert band, jazz band and marching band in high school, I went on to Temple University where I earned my Bachelors degree in Jazz Performance on the drum set. Since graduating in 2006, I have been teaching both drums and guitar professionally all over the greater Philadelphia area.

In addition to my teaching experience, I have performed, recorded and toured the US and Europe with many different groups ranging from jazz to rock to metal.

Exciting, entertaining and energetic, Philip’s ability speaks for itself. He was formally trained at the tender age of 13 on the trombone at La Salle College High School. With the performance ability sharpened by his diverse professional experiences, Philip D. is a renaissance man in his own right. He has worked with such notable artists and groups such as; Peter Nero & The Philly Pops, Slide Hampton, Robin Eubanks, Freda Payne, Martha Reeves of the Vandellas, The Intruders, The Blue Notes, The Delfonics, The Stylistics, The Contours, as well as The Temptations. Philip enjoys working with others, he wants his students to discover their musical ability and get in touch with their creative talents. His musical influences, aside from the groups he has worked with include Michael McDonald, Earth Wind and Fire, Journey, Queen, Take 6, Stevie Wonder, Joshua Redman, John Coltrane, and the list goes on. By taking lessons with Philip you will have a diverse variety of styles and...

I am a jazz performance major on the upright bass at Temple University. Yet, I am also a guitar player and a folk rock musician that plays around the Philadelphia area. I have been playing music my whole life and one of the most important things for me is to share my musical knowledge and abilities with others. This is a concept that several of my fantastic teachers have passed on to me. Music is emotional and it would be nice if everyone was emotional about it. We might be Phillies fans, but we still understand the finer concepts of life. The following genres of music that I can cover are as follows:
Guitar- rock, blues, jazz, folk, songwriting, bluegrass, funk, country, hip-hop
Electric Bass- same as guitar
Upright Bass- classical, jazz, folk/country, blues, rock
There is no better feeling for me than to teach you something. You walk away from a lesson having accomplished something and I could even learn something from you as well.

Ryan has been playing the guitar for ten years. During this time, he studied and performed many styles of guitar playing. His earliest experiences include playing a lot of blues and rock guitar, which he still does today. In high school he played guitar in the school jazz ensemble. Ryan graduated with honors from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a Bachelors of Arts in Music Education. While in college he studied classical and jazz guitar, and performed extensively in Guitar Ensembles, Jazz Ensembles, and small chamber groups, as well as solo. Ryan has over three years in teaching experience, and is well versed in various styles of guitar playing, as well as music theory.