Music Performance with Andrew S.

Hello! I'm a multi-instrumentalist with a strong classical background. I started on cello in 5th grade and by 10th grade had permanently switched to upright bass in orchestra. When I switched to bass, I picked up bass guitar within weeks to play with my friends in a band. This has been how it has gone for my entire career as a player; picking up genres on bass guitar while playing lots of classical music. The two have crossed paths, with Jazz band while I was in college and a 2 year stint playing in an acoustic duo with a very talented female singer and acoustic guitarist. Because of the bands, I started dabbling on guitar early on and realized I was pretty good at it. I managed to squeeze guitar lessons in during summers at home as well as a couple semesters with the jazz guitarist at my school. From early on in life I sang. I didn't know if I was all that good until I was placed in the top choir at my high school my senior year. I continued to sing in college in the choir and took semesters of voice lessons and pedagogy to help me be a better singer. Ironically enough, with all of this schooling, I didn't finish my music degree and when I transferred, I realized I was too busy being a professional musician to finish a degree in music. I did go and finish a psychology degree with the goal of quickly getting out of school and using all the skills I learned from both paths to be a better instructor and possibly an orchestra teacher as well. I am eligible for certification thanks to a local Alternative Certification Program as well. *** Lesson Details *** For each instrument I teach, I have found specific books that I really love teaching from. It varies for the age group and goals of the student. Lessons always have a focus on proper technique and reading. Proper technique, regardless of instrument, guarantees a lifetime of enjoyment from the instrument. In many cases, bad technique can lead to pain and pain leads to either less or no practicing. The other thing I push, especially with guitar students, is fundamental knowledge of the instrument and reading. I've told many students that we can work on one song for 6 months to learn it or spend 6 months learning how to play and understand music and be able to play many songs. I'm pretty laid back in lessons but am very clear about expectations from week to week. Practice is vital and is always outlined. For younger students, I believe parental involvement is important and they have to be the motivator at times for practicing. *** Travel Equipment *** my instrument. Student will need their own instrument and a music stand. *** Specialties *** I teach jazz and classical upright bass. I teach everything from basic classical guitar to jazz to heavy metal on guitar. Cello, I teach mostly classical but like to spice it up with Apocolyptica type things.