Classical Guitar with William R.

Thank you for visiting my profile and for your interest in studying music! Some of my greatest privileges have been studying and performing with master musicians from around the world in various styles, and I hope to be able to pass on what I have learned over the years. My history with music My lifelong love of music began early. Coming of age in the early 90s grunge rock era, I began letting out my teenage angst and adrenalin as a rock, punk, and metal guitarist in high school. While I became interested in jazz and classical midway through high school, the real turning point for me was seeing Leo Kottke play live for the first time. I was greatly inspired by his ability to play melody, bass, and chords all at the same time on one instrument, and it broadened my horizons as to what the guitar was capable of. I promptly went home and spent half the night practicing finger-picking and getting my hands to move across the fretboard. Fast forward years later, I devoted my education to the study of music education and classical guitar at the University of Vermont. I have always believed in the value in improving myself holistically as a musician, so in addition to classical guitar, I also studied jazz guitar, classical and jazz piano, performed saxophone in concert band, sang in large and chamber choirs, played in percussion ensembles, and routinely performed bluegrass, Appalachian, shape-note singing, and Celtic music with an old-time music group. I am currently finishing a master’s degree in ethnomusicology from the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, where I have been studying various Asian and Polynesian music traditions from Japan, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Hawai'i. I have also done fieldwork in Japan, studying traditional Japanese koto, shakuhachi, and ichigenkin music. Drawing wisdom from so many places and people I feel has helped me develop strength and versatility as a musician and as an educator. As part of my undergraduate degree, I worked at Burlington High School in Burlington, VT, teaching and conducting concert band, leading small jazz ensembles, and teaching music theory and composition. I have over ten years of experience teaching private lessons with students ranging from five-year-old beginners to advanced adults; from children with special needs, to non-native-English students. My inspiration and philosophy As a teacher, I like to keep lessons fun, relaxed, and flexible. I use different teaching materials depending on the style of music my students wish to pursue. I use Aaron Shearer's books for students who know they want to train in classical guitar, but I use a variety of other supplemental books and methods for students with other interests. For young and beginner players, I find it essential to work with familiar songs and melodies to keep lessons engaging. Regardless of skill level or musical interest, I always develop each day's lesson and each student's curriculum to fit the needs of each student. I often create my own exercises to address individual concerns that students have. I make it my purpose as a music teacher to gently guide students to developing the technique and discipline to achieve their individual musical goals. Ultimately, I believe that music--whether listening or creating--is an essential part of human experience. I am inspired by the power of music to bring people together, to foster passion and creativity in individuals, and to nourish the body and soul. It is my dream to pass on the many music traditions that have inspired me and brought so much meaning and wonder to my life. If I seem like a good match to help further your musical goals, then I would love to hear from you!