John S.

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

Piano, Guitar, Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet, Music Performance, Music Theory, Songwriting

Education

Univ of Memphis - Music Composition - 1980 - 1983 (Master's degree received)
East Texas State Univ - Music Composition - 1977 - 1980 (Bachelor's degree received)

Specialties

I play keyboards professionally in jazz, RnB, rock, reggae, Latin rock and other styles. I can help the student who has only had traditional lessons branch out and learn how to read chord charts, which in turn teaches them theory.
I am a certified Orff teacher as well.

Lesson Details

I can teach keyboard to beginners and up to advanced students. On guitar and woodwinds I can teach beginners and up to intermediate level students.
My teaching style is fairly relaxed and very positive, but I will try to keep the lessons on a course that is going to benefit you the most. For younger piano students and beginners I prefer the Alfreds piano system. The songs in the Alfreds books allow for immediate playing and note reading without any tedious memorization. The beginner books ... contain a lot of fun songs that kids really gravitate toward.
For older students I try to gear the lessons toward whatever musical style you prefer. For students who have only had traditional piano lessons I can teach you how to read pop and jazz chord charts, as well as how to turn those chord charts into fully arranged music. I can also teach improvisation and the skills that are required to play specific styles of music in a professional band.
For my younger guitar students I have a variety of beginner material I have collected over the years, but for my older students I prefer to work on songs of their choice.
My beginner woodwind students will work with a Yamaha method book, while older students can learn improvisation and theory if they like.
I also can lead Orff styled tuned percussion ensembles. The Orff style of music performance allows for students from entirely mis-matched musical backgrounds to play music together, even on their first day of class.

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About

I have been teaching young people and adults how to play musical instruments for over 20 years. A lot of my students are well on their way to a rewarding future with music, some as professionals and others as hobbyists. In addition to being a teacher, I am also a professional performer who has worked in a wide variety of styles and I have a Masters degree in music composition and theory.
One of my main specialties is working with very young students and total beginners. There is a special ... skill to teaching young children that can only be developed through experience. For the older student, or the student who already has a musical background my specialty is helping you learn the styles that have always been of most interest to you. I can also help older students gain a broad understanding of music through some basic music theory.

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