Hello, my name is Brian and I am currently studying my Bachelor's in Music Education at VanderCook College of Music. It is the only college in the world that specializes in specifically Music Education, and has been since 1909. The school teaches us a basic understanding of 17 instruments and voice, while also teaching theory, aural skills, music history, professional ed courses, and includes a large number of various ensembles. Because of this, I'm able to teach some basic concepts on all of the band/orchestra instruments. Personally, I started taking piano lessons in 2000 and started drum set lessons in 2002. I've always had a dual musician life after that point, and was apart of the band and jazz band programs from 5th grade until now (sophomore in college). While attending Marist High School, I taught myself guitar, bass guitar, banjo, harmonica, and tin whistle. I expanded my concepts of music and genres, and find myself very knowledgeable of classical, jazz, rock, blues, and...

Nick comes from a family of four generations of music in the GREEK/Balkan repertoire. He graduated from Columbia College of Chicago with a concentration in Music Composition in December of 2009. Currently teaching and performing professionally, Nick enjoys all styles of music, but has been declared as an "old soul" by many of his friends. He enjoys playing lots of Motown, funk, and jazz, but is proficient in Classical, Rock, and Blues as well. When not playing music (rarely), he is a Board member for the GivingBackPack Foundation which provides school supplies to underprivileged children. Nick's dedication to education is shown through his music and his personal volunteer hours, he feels his diverse background gives his students an advantage to a broader perspective of music and theory.

Hi,

I have been playing the bass guitar for 21 years. I have played for Jazz Bands, Big Bands, Quartets, and Churches. The songs that I have played range from Jazz, Funk, Rock, Ska, Gospel, Straight Jazz, Latin, R&B, Pop, and Blues.

I played Music in High School and in College. Though I am more comfortable with the bass guitar, I can also play and teach lead guitar as well. I have been playing the lead guitar for 10 years. I have taught many beginner students how to play both bass and guitar throughout my music career. Many have moved on to become professional bass players.

I enjoy teaching anyone how to play - playing is what I love and teaching others to be able to play like me or better is a passion of mine. I strongly believe that if you are willing to learn you will be a successful guitarist once our lessons are over.

I look forward to teaching you how to play.

My passion is teaching! I could search my whole life, and never find anything I enjoy doing more. You could call it my "calling," for lack of a better term. That's probably why I've been so successful in my career. I've taught students as young as 4 years old, and students who are in retirement.
The success I've had, comes with years of taking private lessons, performing, studying, and always keeping an open mind to new ideas, and relating my experience with all my students.

Having played music for as long as I can remember (my father is an accomplished Jazz and Soul drummer), music has always been a key ingredient in my life much like eating and breathing. From playing the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theme on the drum set as a toddler, I have gone on to learn electric/classical/lap steel guitar, electric/upright bass, various keyboard instruments, most percussion instruments, and many old time instruments such as banjo, mandolin, dulcimer, and harmonica. I'm currently teaching myself viola.

In addition to the performing aspect of music, I am also experienced with writing/composition, recording/engineering/mixing/production, and design/manufacturing/distribution/vending of my own albums as well as those of others. However, none of these things bring me the same joy as teaching the ways of music to others. Fortunately, all of these skills integrate to bring about a clear view of the big picture in regards to music so I can better serve a wider...

I play, write, record and perform a variety of American popular music forms
including rock, folk, blues, funk, bluegrass, country, fingerstyle
guitar, and jazz.

I began my musical training learning drums as a 12 year old and a year later began private lessons on guitar as well. In the following years, while playing in rock bands and focusing primarily on guitar and continuing practice on drums, I became interested in learning other instruments: I took harmonica lessons and taught myself how to play bass guitar and keyboards. As a teenager I also began writing my own songs and teaching myself how to record music. I also play Spanish flamenco guitar and studied with master flamenco players while living in Madrid, Spain.

Today, I play guitar, harmonica, sing and write songs for my own group, while also working on a variety of other recording projects that reflect my various musical personalities. I love everything about music, and there's nothing I enjoy more than sharing...

I have played the guitar for twenty years and have studied a wide variety of music including jazz, classical, folk, blues and rock. I’m skilled in acoustic, electric and classical styles of the guitar. I have an open mind about music and can appreciate any style or type. I have a firm background on music theory, so I am able to explain what I am teaching. I excelled in all my classes in college, music and Gen Eds, with a GPA over 3.75. I also have experience in teaching guitar or bass to students ranging from the ages of six to sixty six. I enjoy taking what I have learned and passing it on to someone else to experience. I believe this is one way you can leave your mark in music. I believe the experience I have playing in bands, and learning songs with my ability of having relative pitch will make my students improve quicker. I am also a very skilled sight reader and can recognize key signatures and musical notation. I’ve also been playing electric bass guitar for 13...

Having started my performance career playing drums and guitar for Bay Area organization, Bandworks, I made a permanent switch to bass in my early teenage years. I studied drama at Interlochen Center For the Arts and was in Piedmont High School’s advanced theater program before pursuing music full-time. I've lived in Chicago for the better part of six years now, originally having moved out here to attend Columbia College's music program. During my academic career , I was affiliated with a slew of collegiate jazz ensembles and had the opportunity to study under musicians the likes of Christian McBride, Kevin Eubanks, Joan Osborne, Charlie Sexton, Peter Erskine, Fernando Jones, Chuck Webb, New York Voices, and many more. I also got to play the Chicago Blues Festival twice and open for BB King in Mississippi. I received my BA in Instrumental Performance last year. Since graduation, I've gotten to play the CMJ festival in New York City and tour cities like Nashville and San...

Howdy! I've been playing a stringed-instrument of one sort-or-another since the wee age of 6 and in a variety of contexts, from full orchestras to rock bands to world-class recording studios. I've composed original music for theatrical productions and mastered classical pieces for solo violin performance. I learned my instruments through a combination of private instruction, self-education, and years of real-world experience.

My first instrument was violin, which I started playing in fourth grade; I started private violin lessons in sixth, and continued with the same teacher until I was 20. At age 16 I started playing guitar and electric bass, and shortly thereafter picked up mandolin, ukulele. . . basically whatever stringed instrument was needed in whatever band or ensemble I happened to be playing with at the time. I've found I have an affinity for quickly learning any stringed instrument, a skill for which I owe credit to my years of private instruction on violin.

In...

Originally from Indiana, David has been teaching music in both the private and public school sectors for 12 years. Getting his start as a drumline instructor with only 4 students, David soon expanded his teaching to include both guitar and piano, which he studied under Frank Puzzulo (of Miles Davis' group) at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.

Upon graduating Ball State, David moved to Colorado to study jazz and classical music with Dr. Douglas Walter, an accomplished percussionist who is known for his versatility and multiple percussion talents. He also studied piano and guitar in his off time, jamming with several rock and jazz groups both in and out of school.

In 2006, David left the college scene with a Masters in Music and moved to Florida where he began his teaching career. In Florida, David taught roughly 70 students, ages 5 to 18, at Wewahitchka High School and Middle School. He was beloved by the town, helping out in the community as a local organist...

I have been playing guitar since I was 2005. I was 13 when I got my first guitar and I didn't know how to play. I did a lot of research through songs, a few theory online pages, and a poster and figured out how to play in key. It took me four years to finally start improving my guitar skills as a soloist and lead guitarist. I could have learned it sooner if I had everything right away and that is what I would like to teach my students.

I have been in several bands and I am currently in one so I know a lot about stage performance, and song writing. I will show you teach you a bit playing in front of an audience.

I have taken music theory at Northeastern Illinois University. I took up to music theory level 4. I have the basics and advanced theory knowledge. I will be able to teach students what they need to understand music a little more and what a song is doing.

I’ve been teaching professionally to all ages and levels for over 10 years throughout the Chicagoland area. I have been playing for about 19 years. Music is my passion. I even own and run an all ages music venue. Teaching is my biggest love and I love seeing students learn! There isn’t a style I will not teach. All music to me is fascinating:)