Berklee Graduate with two degrees in Music and a Conservatory diploma. I love teaching and I have been doing it professionally for almost two decades. I can teach any level and most popular genres, as I have been working as a session musician in Los Angeles and helped hundreds of students reach their goals for many years.

My whole method book starts and ends with listening and ear training and rhythmic work and playing. In the end, if you really are serious, you need to know ALL the nuts and bolts. Music theory is essential if you want to take it to a high level. But it's not hard. Why? You see, when you were a kid, you talked before you could read and write, correct? So we learn the fun stuff, listening and playing first and then you easily grasp the theory of music. And we make sure you get it all so you are a well-rounded pro. Oh, and you will have had so much fun that you will actually still be studying music instead of having quit because you were bombarded with paper at too young an age! The English language has 26 letters. Music has 5 lines and 4 spaces. Piece of cake!

In this course, the students can expect to deepen their knowledge of music, which will help them to master instrument of their choice, understand structure of the compositions, and start composing their own music. Music theory and solfeo lessons provide structured approach to fundamental concepts musicians use to understand, analyze, and compose music. The elements that form harmony, melody, and rhythm are all covered in this course, as well as compositional elements such as song form, tempo, notes, chords, key signatures, intervals, scales, and more. Ear training and music dictation is an integrative part of the lessons. This course is recommended as a complimentary course to studying any instrument. To broaden your knowledge of music even further, please consider signing up for our "Ancient-to-Modern Music History" and "Ancient Harmonies “courses.

I love music theory for it's ability to organize and clarify the rich and complex musical world, and I often find myself getting as excited about theory as I do about performance. I have studied traditional theory and jazz harmony as well as George Russell's Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization. I often use theory to demystify very many styles of music from pop and rock to classical and jazz to the exotic sounds of North Africa and Eastern Europe.

Originally from Colombia, Juan has been a resident of New York City since 2008. His music blends classical, modern, and avant-garde elements. He draws from his experience as a recording and touring rock guitarist in Colombia and Miami, his studies of East Asian music, inspired by interaction with musicians and artists in China, Japan, and Indonesia, and his teaching practice. He recently released the album “Preludes and Etudes for the Guitar.” His composition “Reino Incierto” has been performed at Carnegie Hall and the Sounds of the City Concert Series in New York. His Three Movements for Guitar Quartet is included on an album of prominent Colombian composers titled “Entre la huella y el grito.” His guitar sonata Schwarzfahren is being published by Cristiano Porqueddu for Edizioni Curci. Juan earned a master’s degree in Composition from the Manhattan School of Music. He has recently studied classical guitar with Mark Delpriora. His mentors include composers Susan Botti, Reiko Fueting, and electronic music pioneer Joel Chadabe. He earned a Bachelor of Music from the University of Florida, where he studied jazz guitar with Tom Lippincott and composition with Susan Epstein-Garcia. Juan is also an avid cartoonist, collector of rare books, and long-distance runner. *** Lesson Details *** Guitar teaching encompasses many disciplines. One has to be a bit of a psychologist in order to gauge a potential student's needs and musical sensibilities. The mathematical aspect of musical notation and rhythm makes us part mathematicians. In the end, there is also a self-actualizing aspect to guitar teaching in the sense that we are always witness to those moments that made us decide a career on music. During my years of guitar teaching I have encountered many types of students, and I have learned from them as much as they have learned from me as they make me question aspects of music that I would have never thought about. I have learned to not take for granted the definition of concepts such as rhythm and harmony, and to look at guitar technique from different perspectives as I find ways to accommodate to a student’s capabilities. Ultimately, it is also a job that requires a lot of planning and structure. My first step, generally, is to assess the student’s ability and interest to find material suitable for them. Then, I proceed to familiarize with the student’s musical tastes and sensibilities to assign practice material accordingly. For example, if the student is interested in rock or pop music, we will work on a particular song that fits his level and also solves a particular technical problem. During that process I will answer any of the student’s questions, and provide insight into musical terminology. We will also work on basic concepts of rhythm, melody, and harmony. My training as a composer and jazz guitarists also enables me to tap into the student’s creative side. In that case, we would start with a basic blues progression and blues scales, and work on the basics of improvisation or songwriting. *** Studio Equipment *** Basement studio w/ small keyboard, amp, acoustic guitar, 3 electric guitars, music books w/ seating for parents and lots of magazines! *** Travel Equipment *** I provide music sheets, students should have an instrument, tuner, paper, pencil, and a metronome. *** Specialties *** I teach fundamentals of music theory, principles of jazz improvisation, classical guitar technique and repertoire, song writing, pop songs, sight reading, and overall musicianship, as well as Jazz, Rock, Blues, Bossa Nova, and other Latin Styles.