Guitar with Christopher T.

Chris is a singer and songwriter who has been a performing solo artist for over 15 years. His first album of original material is on iTunes and Pandora Internet radio. In 2011, Chris was nominated as a Southwest Regional Finalist in the Mountain Stage New Song Contest for one of his original songs. He has traveled and played music from his home state of Alaska all the way to Key West, Florida and in 2010 he settled down in Austin, Texas where he continues to perform and teach guitar. Chris graduated from the University of Alaska, Anchorage with a Bachelor of Music with an Emphasis in Music Education in 2000. His major instrument of study was the classical guitar. In 2003, Chris received his K-12th grade Alaska State teaching certificate for music from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. From 2001 to 2005, he taught K-6th grade classroom music and 5th and 6th grade band in Homer, Alaska at the end of the road system while working towards his Professional Teaching Certificate for the State of Alaska. He continued his teaching in the Alaska public school systems from 2005 to 2008 by moving to the Anchorage School District and teaching Middle School Orchestra while continuing his music studies at the University of Alaska. Chris holds current professional teaching certificates for K-12th grade music in the States of Alaska and Texas. With over eight years of teaching experience, Chris really enjoys sharing the gift of music and he tailors each lesson according to each student’s interests and needs whatever their age or background. He is a patient teacher with great communication skills who likes to keep things light-hearted and fun in each lesson. “I really enjoy teaching for Take Lessons and I continue to grow as a teacher and as a musician by sharing my passion for music in a great community.” *** Lesson Details *** I make each and every student feel comfortable in each lesson. I cater to my students by coming prepared with a lesson plan that has a specific goal for each lesson. I am a laid back teacher but I also have clear expectations of each and every student to practice outside of each lesson. My curriculum is a text called "Guitar Studies" that was written, developed and published by my professor who was in charge of the Guitar Program at the University of Alaska, Anchorage. I also teach "Music Theory for the Guitarist" using a different text that was written also by her. After 3 months of taking lessons with me, you will be reading notes, playing melodies of different songs and understanding and playing chords in different harmonic progressions. *** Studio Equipment *** Living Room: couch, 4 chairs and table, parents can sit in on lesson *** Travel Equipment *** I provide my own instrument and my own music stand. My students should have a functional instrument, a music stand and will have to provide their own book after the first couple of lessons. *** Specialties *** I majored in Music Education and used Classical/Spanish Guitar as my main instrument of study so I specialize in fingerstyle and classical technique for the guitarist. I also specialize in Music Theory for the guitarist.