New York, NY Music Theory Lessons

and encouraging towards my students. After all, learning to play guitar should be fun, right?? I have enough knowledge and experience to turn you into a pro level guitarist! But even if your goal is just to learn your favorite songs, play in a band just for fun, or maybe to play guitar on the worship team at church, I can help you do that!! Have you been playing for a while, but are in a major rut, and you want to take your guitar playing to the next level?, I am here to help! I use a combination of method books and lessons especially made for YOU AND YOUR NEEDS!, Stop saying "I wish I could play guitar"and let me help you turn your dreams into reality!!
"You can do it!!!
John A

*** Travel Equipment ***
I bring my guitar, music stand, and a small amp( if student doesn't have one) The student must have their own guitar, and is responsible for purchasing any books or study aids used during the lessons.

*** Specialties ***
Rock, Blues, Jazz, Pop, Classical/Fingerstyle,Gospel/Contemporary Christian, R+B Ethnic music, and more.

style while truly nurturing their unique talents.

raduate and graduate studies at Manhattan School of Music, learning from the likes of John Riley, David Liebman, Samir Chatterjee & Michael Abene.
Paul has since been able to make a name for himself among the local and international music industry as an accomplished drummer and forward-thinking composer. He has performed at several international festivals (North Sea Jazz Festival) and at some of the world's most prestigious jazz clubs in the US and overseas. Paul has appeared alongside such emerging stars as David Binney, Linda Oh, Ambrose Akinmusire, Will Vinson, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Lage Lund, Mike Moreno and Tim Collins.

*** Lesson Details ***
Whether my students are young or old, taking lessons as a hobby or wish to pursue a career in music, I tailor my lessons to meet each individual student’s needs and expectations.
I have a lot of fun teaching and I want you or your child to have fun during our lessons.
My students learn music in the most natural and intuitive way possible. I try to build on what the student already likes, listens to and has a passion for. I encourage students to bring their favorite songs and we usually end up working with those. I also like using songs by The Beatles as they provide a perfect (fun and familiar) platform to learn many different aspects of drumming and musical performance.
In addition to being a drummer and percussionist, I have a strong background in music theory and I want to make sure my students not only know how to play their instrument, but also become familiar with reading and writing music.
After a few months in the studio, you or your child can expect to have a better understanding of music and have acquired the basic tools and techniques which will allow you to play your favorite pieces of music.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Drumset, Cymbals, Practice Pads, Audio Equipment for Play-Along, Electric Piano

*** Travel Equipment ***
Practice Pad, Cymbals, Laptop, Recordings, Headphones and necessary cables, sheet music, .... .

*** Specialties ***
All styles of drumming

he played toy harmonica. Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Iridium, Bluenote, Birdland, U.N., IAJE, Cape Cod Jazz Festival, NJPAC, Sweet Rhythm, Smalls, Zinc Bar, Smoke Jazz Club, internationally: Japan, Spain, Russia, Brasil, St. Kitts, Canada, France, Bermuda, Sweden, Israel

-Toured/recorded and/or worked as sideman with Jimmy McGriff, Teddy Charles, Sonny Dallas, Victor Jones and Cultur-versy, Vince Giordano & The Night Hawks, Frank Vignola/Joe Ascione, Miles Griffith, David Pleasant, Jim Nolet (former violinist for the Jazz Passengers), Anastasia Rene, Jon Weber, Mona's Hot Four, Gordon Au's Grand Street Stompers, Michael Arenella's Dreamland Orchestra, with Jesse Gelber, Raphael McGregor, Emily Asher's Garden Party, and many other groups.

-Appears in Sam Mendes Film "Away We Go"

-Movie Soundtrack: King George.

-Guitar/banjo: "Jew Grows in Brooklyn," "Take Me Along," "The Big Apple Circus" + others.

-Banjo/Guitar Chair: "New Girl In Town" (Irish Rep Theatre)

-Author: Metallica Legendary Licks series,volume 1 & 2)
-Editor GRP chords (both Cherry Lane Music/Hal Leonard).

M.A. from the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College
(partial scholarship)

B.S. from S.U.N.Y. Stony Brook, graduated magna cum laude. Dean's list all semesters

-Published interview (book): A New Face of Jazz (Cicily Janus)

-Playing guitar/banjo on first episode of new PBS cartoon "Peg and Cat"

- Current adjunct professor at Essex College

-Guest lecturing professor at Manhattanville College

-Substitute adjunct professor at Queens College

-Winning participant: I.A.J.E. with Miles Griffith's New Ting 2007. Performance and educational certificate granted.

-Winning participant; part-scholarship award: 2004 International Jazz Workshop at BANFF Centre, Canada (dir, Dave Douglas)

-Winning participant; full-scholarship award of the 2001 JAS academy in Aspen Colorado (dir, Christian McBride (Down Beat Dec. 2001)

-Studying Bol (Indian rhythmic system) with tabla player, Pandit Samir Chatterjee 2006-2007; 2013-current

-Studied with Pat Martino, Billy Bauer, Ben Monder, Tony Purrone, Pete Bernstein, Dr. Stephen Salerno, Dr. David Belser

-Studying African Rhythms with drummer, Harvey Wirht

*** Lesson Details ***
With over 20 years teaching experience, Nick is patient with children & adults. He has a creative, unique pedagogy emphasizing hearing through singing, ear-training & natural, organic listening. Nick instills healthy absorption of music while students have fun learning their music, sight reading, internalizing with focus on rhythm and time.
As a student, you will get to work on music that you, the student select as well as work on sight-reading, technique, ear-training. We will also work out of method books and use other sources of information.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Chairs, music stands, instrument stands, classical foot pedals, classical guitar pillows, guitar amps, guitar, banjo, mandolin, ukulele, drum set. Students usually provide their own instruments but it's possible to borrow an instrument during the lesson at the studio on the first lesson. (free street parking right in front!)

*** Specialties ***
Nick's pedagogy emphasizes ear-training, singing, reading and truly hearing the music we are working on. Rather than rote teaching and guitar tablature, he instills natural listening, transcribing, sight-reading and proper technique. Lessons are always enjoyable as Nick observes each student's unique needs and listen's to their song preferences and musical goals. Students have the opportunity to learn pieces and genres they select and they are trained to figure out tunes by ear (ear-training) and transcribe.

Nick teaches:

-classical guitar and Brazilian guitar (nylon 6 string and nylon 7 string guitar)
-acoustic steel string guitar, electric 6 string and electric 7 string guitar
- jazz guitar + an eclectic mix of styles: blues, Brazilian music, Latin Jazz, Afro-Peruvian, Indian music, rock, heavy metal, funk, R & B, Motown, reggae + other genres.
- tenor banjo (traditional jazz, jazz from New Orleans, Dixieland and world music)
-5 string banjo (Earl Scruggs finger picking [bluegrass and country])
-tenor guitar
-ukulele
-mandolin
-resonator slide/Dobro.
-baritone resonator (slide)

.

ults. 2) My more expansive lessons are for beginner musicians and up. We work as basically as scales, modes, and fingerings, as well as a little bit of jazz history. As you progress, we dig deeper into jazz theory, focusing on the standards and improvisational theory. Like anything else, you get out of it what you put into it, and as long as you are willing to work towards becoming a better player, you will. 3) For NON-SAXOPHONE students with an interest in jazz improvisational techniques, I offer jazz improvisation lessons. This requires an intermediate level of proficiency on your instrument. We cover standards, different techniques to apply over different patterns of chord changes, and even basic elements of composition.

I like to keep the atmosphere light and positive during lessons, so we can have a good time and still be learning. I love to work on appropriate music that the student suggests, or has an interest in. Pending the level of the student, we may even arrange for special appearances at some of my performances.

*** Studio Equipment ***
1942 Conn 6M viii Naked Lady Alto Saxophone
Theo Wanne Durga 7 Mouthpiece
Vandoren Jumbo Java Mouthpiece
Vandoren Java Red / Vandoren ZZ Reeds
Monique Pro Series Soprano Saxophone
Otto Link Mouthpiece
CG Conn C Melody Saxophone
Akai EWI-USB Wind Synthesizer

*** Specialties ***
-Improvisation
-Jazz
-Rock
-Funk
-Soul
-Latin

Looking forward to making some music with you!

enter Out of Doors, among many others. As a composer, my work has received support from the ASCAP Foundation, Roulette Intermedium, and the Jerome Fund for New Music, and been performed on four continents. My teachers and mentors have included Mark Stewart (Paul Simon's musical director), Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Lang, and guitarist Jack Sanders (winner of the American Guitar Society's lifetime achievement award).