Ocean Bluff Music Lessons

ies ***
rock, jazz, experimental, composition, rhythmic approaches, improvisation, musical notation techniques

Please feel free to get in touch and ask questions!

The review posted on my profile was from when I used my English name, Ricky.

than 30 years, I am currently the Director of Worship for the chapel at Gordon College, a small Christian school north of Boston. I'm often involved in city-wide music events in Boston’s faith-based community and in demand as a featured musician for church services, parties, concerts and other events.

I hold a Masters of Music from New England Conservatory in Jazz Piano and am comfortable and fluent in a number of musical styles. In addition to private lessons and performing, I do music transcription, workshops, and all forms of vocal and instrumental arranging. My passions include morning coffee, finding new guitar chords, creating killer PowerPoint presentations, and trying to figure out how to use my smart phone.

*** Lesson Details ***
My priority as a teacher is to make the learning process fun, life-giving, and productive. I teach with patience and humor, at a challenging but not frustrating pace.

Some quotes from my students:
"I absolutely love learning from Bil! I've watched my playing and the playing of others at church vastly improve as a result of his training."

"[Bil] is filled with a large amount of knowledge, so while sitting under him you not only learn about how to play but you learn about music history and theory. Beyond being a good teacher he is genuine and friendly and cares about others."

"I have really enjoyed working with Bil. His patience and wealth of knowledge has helped me come out of my musical shell and has encouraged me to discover my musical voice."

"Bil makes learning theory fun! His deep understanding of music is complemented by his contagious enthusiasm."

"Bil has taken me to a different level. I went from tab and basic guitar chords, to building jazz chords and a far greater understanding of music theory."

There are at least two ways that might set me apart from other teachers.

Firstly, I have honed and developed "people skills". I am an ordained minister and have held positions where I was formally and informally in a mentoring/pastoring role. I bring that sensitivity to my music lessons, understanding that personal and emotional issues can be triggered by the engagement with the music and skills being worked on.

Secondly, I've had a remarkable broad base of experience. My coursework has exposed me to a wide breadth of ideas and tools; my work life has been long and varied; I have had extensive experience in many different cultural contexts, both musically and otherwise; and I work well with many age groups and skill levels.

Regarding my teaching approach:
For beginners, I have a fairly consistent set of topics and skill sets to cover. Generally, in a few months, piano students (particularly those in middle school through adulthood) should know how to play major, minor and seventh chords, how to read simple chord charts and some very basic accompanying skills. Guitar students should know a dozen open chords and have been introduced to barre chords, and to have learned several styles of finger picking as well as strumming. Bass students should know how to find notes on the board and will have begun to learn how to fill out a song with an expressive but non-obtrusive bass line.

For intermediate students, the pace, direction and focus on lessons depends upon the goals and passions of the student along with the amount of time he or she has to practice. My goals for students at this level and beyond is to learn how to learn. I will use outstanding recorded examples of particular skills or stylistic idioms to help my students understand and master each new concept. I often will check in with my student to make sure that we are on track with what they are hoping for.

For advanced students, we will generally target very specific objectives. I also try to add elements of theory, history, culture, and even life lessons to apply to the topics we address. Because of my background in pastoral ministry, I can serve as a mentor addressing the emotional and relational issues of playing music as well as its technical aspects.

*** Studio Equipment ***
upstairs music room: fender Rhodes piano, keyboards, amps, drum set, seating for parents

*** Travel Equipment ***
if for guitar or bass, that instrument; I expect piano students to have an available keyboard and for other students to have their own instrument(s).

*** Specialties ***
strong in jazz, rock, pop, gospel, sacred, R&B.

, Turkey, Canada, and the Czech Republic. He has a firm knowledge of German, Italian, and French vocal repertory, diction, and languages while specialising in English diction for the non-native speaker and/or singer.

During his time in Orange County, CA, he held his own music studio. While there he taught over thirty students (Ages 5-45+) voice and piano privately. Additionally, he taught as a TA for UC Irvine int he subjects of Music Theory, Voice Performance, and an introductory music course for non-majors.

Hampshire, where he was coached by Cynthia Yeh of the Chicago Symphony, and Michael Burritt from the Eastman School of Music. He also attended the Cloyd Duff Timpani Masterclass at the University of Georgia where he studied timpani with Tim Adams of the Pittsburgh and Atlanta Symphonies, as well as Tom Freer of the Cleveland Orchestra.

Austin has performed hundreds of shows in the Northeast with various bands and ensembles, from classical music and musical theater, to pop, jazz, and heavy metal. He has additionally performed at festivals like South by Southwest, and around the US on 7 different tours -- sharing bills with artists like Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys, Dawn Cantwell from Wicked on Broadway and Sting's The Last Ship, jazz-trombonist Bob McChesney (Ray Charles. Michael Jackson, Shakira, Arturo Sandoval), Jason Treuting of Sō Percussion, and more.

Austin has worked with Grammy-nominated engineers (Jeff Lipton of Peerless Mastering, and Benny Grotto of Mad Oak Studios) who have recorded or mastered material for artists like Aerosmith, Bon Iver, Arcade Fire, LCD Sound-System, Jeff-Tweedy, Ben Folds, Weird Al, City and Colour, and Dropkick Murphys.

rnational Competition in Greece, Third prize in Nodar Gabunia International Competition in Tbilisi, Semi-Finalist in Gina Bachauer International Competition in Salt Lake City, and Semi-Finalist in Astana Piano Passion festival organized by well-known Russian pianist Denis Matsuev. I have also taken many master-classes from notable musicians from all over the world, among them are Boris Berman (Dean of piano department at Yale University), Robert Benz (the chair of the jury at Ettlingen International Competition), Aleksander Korsantia (professor at New England Conservatory), Fabio Bidini (professor at Colburn Music School), Jura Margulis (professor at University of Arkansas), Ian Fountain (professor at Royal Academy of Music in London) etc. I achieved musical mastery under the mentorship of well-known pianist and pedagogue Armen Babakhanyan in Yerevan State Conservatory (2010-2013).

ted to Berklee College of Music with full scholarship. In 2008 he won the Albert A. Natale performance award. In 2009 he won the Arif Mardin award. In 2008 he played with McCoy Tyner with Berklee Concert Jazz Orchestra in Montreal Jazz Festival. He had the opportunity to play with Benny Golson in 2008 and with Steve Smith in 2010 with the same orchestra. Same year he weas selected to a quintet formed for Jack Dejohnette and had the opportunity to play with him. He performed with Boston Beantown Bigband, Eguie Castirillo Bigband, Christian Scott, Christian Karam and Berklee Jazz Revolition band in Canada, Newyork, Miami and Boston. Considered one of the legends of trombone history Phil Wilson defined Gulen in a radio program as "the young Turkish trombone player who impressed me the most lately"

Gulen took part in many music festivals. Istanbul, İzmir Jazz Festival, Kosova, Ankara, Montreal, Alanya and Akbank Jazz Festival are among them.
Between 2012 and 2014 he gave lessons in Hacettepe University Ankara State Conservatory Jazz Department. Since 2014 he is giving trombone performance lessons in Bahçeşehir University Jazz Department. Besides the many projects and concerts he took part he also worked for his own project. In 2015 Gulen's first album "SU" was released by A.K. Music which consists of his own compositions. The musicians who took place in the album are Şenova Ülker on trumpet, Önder Focan on guitar, Can Çankaya on piano, Engin Recepoğulları on tenor saxophone, Ozan Musluoğlu on bass and Ferit Odman on drums. Currently he is a master student at New England Conservatory in Boston.