Porter Music Lessons

recitals every year- one for Christmas and another in the spring, at the end of the school year.
My schedule only allows for weekly lessons. Requests for every other week cannot be accepted.
*** Studio Equipment ***
Separate room dedicated to teaching with upright piano.

graduates of Juliard and other top music schools where they studied with some of the most famous violin teachers of the 20th century including Ivan Galamian and Josef Gingold. I have also studied with Texas String Teacher of the Year winner Henry Rubin.

I teach violin from my house in north Houston and I can travel to your home as well (prices vary depending on location). I teach beginner through advanced. If you are interested you may call or text me.

ORCHESTRAL EXPERIENCE

~Interlochen Philharmonic
~Texas All Sate String Orchestra
~Highland Lakes Orchestra
~Sub Violin for Symphony of Southeast Texas

NOTABLE TEACHERS

Henry Rubin

Laura S. Camacho

Steven K. Leonard

Ara Sarkissian

Timothy Shiu

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Violin performance

Studio recording

Violin/Viola teaching

ink.

Kingwood, Texas
Voting Grammy member

I was born in New Jersey, and soon after moved to St. Louis where I began to play guitar at age 6 at the Mel Bay Studios from Mell Bay himself, and later from the person who taught him to play. After attending music school for a while, I moved to a recording studio in Houston Texas, where I was a session player and learned the art of recording and producing from major label producers and engineers. During this time I recorded on albums for Freddy Fender as well as other pop acts, and started my publishing company with BMI. After which I moved to Milwaukee where I meet John Tanner, an original music jingle writer, and worked with John on his projects as a guitar session player, singer, composer, audio engineer and producer.

In the middle 90's I meet up with another singer songwriter Noel Crowder during a jingle recording session. We discovered that our voices blended very well together, and decided to write and record music together. We soon added a drummer Steve Comeau, and started work on our first album which we released on our own under the band name "Feet Of Clay". During this time I met up with Stacy Heydon who was David Bowies former guitar player and a gold and platinum awarded producer, and started to play guitar for his production work with groups he was producing.

After a favourable review in Billboard Magazine, Feet Of Clay signed with a record label that had worldwide distribution through RED {SONY}. With the help of our newly acquired manager John Lay, whose English managerial team included The Police, Squeeze, The Greenberry Woods, Love Nut and Feet Of Clay, we soon completed a new album which was released worldwide via the Sony distribution system and received AAA radio airtime around the United States, Canada and Europe .

After our record deal, I resumed my session playing and private guitar instruction along with live performances in musical theatre. It was at this time I began composing, recording and performing original music for national and regional TV and radio ads on my own, as well as music for film including a Katherine Heigl movie "Side Effects", released on Warner Brothers, and became more involved with the Recording Academy, of which I am a voting Grammy member as well as being a guest speaker at the university level on the music business, score to picture, session playing, recording and music publishing.

I have recently moved from Wisconsin to Kingwood Texas with my wife in search of a warmer climate leaving behind our horse farm. My interests are animals, especially horses, history,science and anything pertaining to music with an emphasis on helping young artist within the Recording Academy with my Grammy voting member duties.

Guitar Instruction Technique

Check out the video that has been added to MTV that I play guitars on below.

In my guitar instructions I always use methods where the student will not become bored, as I combine songs the student likes to learn, and songs I feel would be beneficial for the student to move on to the next level, and at the same time teach the theory behind the songs. If the student shows interest in recording and or composition I will also teach those as well, as I have an extensive recording background. My styles are pop, rock, alternative, folk and a little country for the most part, and I enjoy teaching children just starting out and intermediate players but have had students performing at a higher level. I also bring a portable Pro Tools recording system with me for recording performances. But most importantly I like to keep the lessons fun and interesting and tailored for the individual student, as that's what music is all about.

"Billboard Magazine" calls the music of Milwaukee-based band Feet Of Clay, "Knowledgeable musicianship working together with skilful songwriting, breathy vocals, aching harmonies and irresistible melodies.

Secured international/national recording contract via RED/Sony with Feet of Clay.

Critically acclaimed articles/endorsements in internationally recognised music magazines including Billboard Magazine, Boarders Books as well as Music and Pro Sound News magazine.

Wisconsin Area Music Awards nominations including Best Songwriter and Guitar Instrumentalist.

Scored, preformed and recorded original music for the Katherine Heigl movie "Side Effects" released on Warner Brothers.

Voting Grammy member (Recording Academy}.
BMI writer
BMI publisher

Music and the Spoken Word.

In 2013, I became a member of Sweet Adelines International and currently sing with The Woodlands Show Chorus. I recently wrote an article published in the April 2016 Sweet Adelines International magazine, The PitchPipe, entitled What Makes Warm-Ups So Important. I continue to sing barbershop and compete along with my sisters. We are currently ranked 7th place in the Region.

I love all styles of music, from barbershop to pop to classical. My students also have varying interests in music. In my lessons, you select the music you want to improve on.

During our first lesson, I will have you sing through some music exercises to determine your current range and abilities. My motto is: "It doesn't matter where you start as long as you are improving!" Then you will be asked to sing a piece of a song. We will also discuss your goals and motivations. I am here for you! I want you to see growth immediately, so we will mold each lesson to the skills and techniques you need.

Students will receive a free transcription of vocal warm-ups and exercises for developing sight-reading, if this is a desired goal.