James P.

General Info

• Certified Music Teacher

  Certified Music Teacher

  Our rigorous hiring process requires a completed application; an interview with our professional recruiting specialists; personal and professional reference checks; and annual criminal background checks for the duration of each teacher's employment with us.

  
• Background Check Complete

  Criminal Background Check

  In order to ensure the safety of our students, all teachers undergo a thorough criminal background check, which includes: Social Security number trace, multi-state criminal search and a nationwide sex offender registry search.

  
• Levels: Beginner to Advanced

• In-Home Lessons: No
• In-Studio Lessons: Yes
• Ages: 5 & up

Subjects Taught

Guitar, Classical Guitar, Flamenco Guitar, Music Theory

Education

New England Conservatory of Music - Classical Guitar Performance - 09/08 - 05/10 (Master's degree completed)
Northern Illinois University - Classical Guitar Performance - 08/05 - 05/08 (Bachelor's degree received)
College of Dupage - Musical Studies - 09/02 - 08/04 (Associate degree received)
St Francis of Assisi - High School - 08/98 - 06/02 (High School diploma received)

Specialties

I am fluent in teaching and performing rock, classical, heavy metal, blues, jazz, funk, and R&B.

Lesson Details

My first goal as an instructor is to get an idea of what the student's goals are as a guitarist, and then we start working towards that goal. This means that while the basic concepts are covered (chords, some sight-reading in most cases, scales, etc), no student curriculum is exactly the same. After a few months of studying with me, no matter what style of music, we will have learned notes, chords, and songs that are of interest to the student. Then, we will discuss how all of those elements ... tie together and map out a practice routine. A goal I have for every student is to create a realistic, efficient, and enjoyable practice routine that produces results.

Read More »

« Read Less

About

I began taking guitar lessons at the age of 11 with blues/jazz guitarist Tom Castonzo, a frequent performer, bandleader and teacher in and around the Chicago area. My studies with Tom lasted for many years and covered various musical and technical aspects of many different styles ranging from jazz to classical and everything in between. Throughout this time, I co-founded the progressive hard rock band Dream Haven, which performed with notable acts such as Mastodon, Fear Factory, Walls of ... Jericho, & Enuff Z'nuff. In 2003, Dream Haven released an EP entitled "Nostalgia is Five Frame." In 2002, I began performing in pit orchestras for various musicals including Jesus Christ Superstar, Les Miserable, The Wiz, Little Shop of Horrors, and Seussical the Musical.

After high school, I attended the College of Dupage (COD) and began studying jazz guitar with Dr. Zvonimir Tot. Towards the end of my studies at COD, I developed an interest in classical guitar and took lessons from Steve Ramsdell. After I received my Associate’s Degree in Music from COD I started teaching private guitar lessons at various suburban Chicagoland locations. In the fall of 2005, I started my Bachelor’s studies in Classical Guitar Performance at Northern Illinois University (NIU) with Fareed Haque. During my time at NIU, I co-founded the rock/funk/progressive band The Unit Theory and performed a multitude of shows, both solo classical guitar and with The Unit Theory. The Unit Theory released a full-length album entitled “Seed” in July 2008. I graduated from NIU in May 2008 with a Bachelor’s degree in Classical Guitar Performance.

In June 2010 I received my Master's Degree in Classical Guitar Performance at the New England Conservatory in Boston, under the tutelage of world-renowned guitarist Eliot Fisk. As an active performer in the greater Boston area, I made it a goal to bring the classical guitar to unorthodox venues such as senior centers, local TV, hospitals, dialysis treatment centers, and even juvenile halls! My master's recital was a tour-de-force of virtuosic classical, acoustic, and electric guitar pieces. Now back in Chicago, I am very active in performing, teaching, and writing original music for the guitar in all styles.

Read More »

« Read Less

James's Photos

James's Videos

Average Rating