Alexandria, VA Banjo Lessons

Dominic Castillo, a graduate of Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, who was a student of Jerry's as well. After studying under these talented musicians, I went on to pursue my education in music and received my BA in Music from San Jose State University in 2004. I started teaching music privately during my time with Jerry and Dominic and continued to teach during college up until the present, and have taught hundreds of students since. I now live in San Diego where I teach, work as a freelance musician, and play in local funk/jazz/rock group Science Fiction Jazz and gypsy/kickstomp outfit Quel Bordel!

*** Lesson Details ***
I am a very easy going, friendly individual who believes that learning music is built upon a strong relationship between teacher and student. This relationship involves good communication, honesty, open mindedness, and most importantly the desire to LEARN and have FUN. I approach teaching music by knowing and understanding the student's musical goals, and teaching fundamentals, theory, and technique through the style(s) of music that the student wants to learn. For beginners, I tend to teach basic techniques and chords through simple songs to get the student playing music as quickly as possible.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Living Room: couches, table and TV, music stand, student can borrow instrument for first lesson, parents can sit in on lesson

*** Specialties ***
My main musical styles that I perform and teach are rock, blues, jazz, funk, R&B, and reggae. I studied jazz in college so I also have extensive knowledge of jazz theory.

new skills, learning with and from each other, there's little chance they will give up playing music. I'd say they're hooked -- on bluegrass! More people spending less time in front of a TV, and more with each other. Wholesome fun. A bigger, thriving bluegrass community. A better world!

*** Lesson Details ***
I believe that anyone learning bluegrass should first learn the chords to favorite easy songs, and a simple way of accompanying. Playing songs smoothly in real time while using a songbook (or a fellow picker) for the words, is easy, fun, and builds a rhythmic/chordal foundation and repertoire.

Easy jamming is highly recommended and will be part of the learning program. Good sounding rhythm techniques can be added easily as they are learned. Through this process, overall technique is expanded and the music sounds more interesting. Once we have the chords and rhythm, different types of soloing can be added. The easiest method is to "fake it" by just playing simple licks and rhythm techniques while following the chord changes. The next step up might be to play an exact tabbed (a form of written banjo music) basic solo, or (better) a self-composed one featuring melody. This phase is exciting to enter, and of course it creates motivation to really improve and master those solos we all want to play. Since all students come to bluegrass banjo with their own unique skills and experience - I will design a program just for you to ensure you reach you playing goals.

*** Travel Equipment ***
Little equipment is required for bluegrass banjo other than the instrument.

*** Specialties ***
5 string Bluegrass Banjo

m the Florida Department of Education. I have taught in Florida as a preferred substitute for general music classes, K-12. In college, I have given study sessions for music theory levels ranging from 4-part writing to post-serialism.

Degrees:
Doctorate of Musical Arts: Guitar Performance; Shenandoah University, expected May 2017/2018
Master of Music: Guitar Performance; University of Akron, May 2014
Bachelor of Music: Guitar Performance; Stetson University, 2011

While giving lessons:
I ensure that every student receives fundamental foundation pertaining to the subject. While learning the basics, I advise that the student organizes their lessons and materials in a way that displays progress over time. With the proper knowledge, we can treat the heart of a subject with refinement in order to grasp it's purpose and reason---whether its music or math.

Why?
My students have grown with confidence through a sense of accomplishment. Success does not only affect a person's well-being but can also impact other dimensions of their lives.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Equipment available if needed:

Foot stools
Music stands
Pencils
Complete home recording studio
Computer/tablet/smartphone w/ internet
Speakers and playback devices
Reference books

*** Travel Equipment ***
Each student is expected to bring with them (if applicable):

Notebook or log
Reference/score materials
Instrument(s) and case
Accessories
Portable sound recorder (optional)

*** Specialties ***
Classical, Jazz and Rock Styles.

Performance, Music Theory, Arranging, Composition.

Elementary Math, Pre-Algebra, Algebra, Geometry, Statistics, Trigonometry, Pre-Calc.

best.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Guitar, instruments, keyboards recording equipment, waiting room, seating for parents

*** Travel Equipment ***
Music stand, foot stool, cables.- Teacher
Own instrument, amplifier if needed, notebook.-Student

*** Specialties ***
I have been teaching for about 25 years and am well versed in Jazz, Classical, Rock, Blues and Country genres. I focus on anything from note reading, theory, improvisation and composing.

ory that I knew how much I not only loved the thrill of playing music but the discovery of how it worked. With this experience I can show you or your child why learning an instrument can be not only an exciting experience but an interesting and enthralling one as well.

I have been teaching music for over 7 years and have had the privilege of teaching children as young as 4 to adults in their late 80's. I am a very attentive teacher who can not only help get you moving in the right direction but keep you on that path until your are a self-sufficient musician. A level of musicianship that simply means you can learn whatever you want on your instrument on your own, whether it be for business, pleasure or for mere self-improvement.

Through my own student career in private lessons I had the chance to study with graduates of the Musician's Institute (MI), the California Institute of the Arts (CAL Arts) and Berklee College of Music. This has provided me with an inside look into how and what each institute teaches, as well as a first hand look at the techniques and ideas that the great players from these remarkable schools have come to produce.

My formal music education consists of 2 years at Pasadena City College where I obtained my general Associates Degree (much of the studies included music) and a semester at California State University Long Beach as a Jazz Guitar Performance Major. Additionally, I completed a great deal of California State University Long Beach's teaching credential program (focusing on the teaching of history/social studies), where I learned strategies and theories of how and what to teach my students - making me that much more knowledgable of my craft. At Pasadena City College I studied with jazz/classical guitarist, Ron Berman, who has played with such jazz greats as Herb Ellis and Jimmy Wyble. At Cal State Long Beach I studied with jazz guitarist Ron Eschete, a former teacher at MI who has toured with the likes of Ray Brown, John Dizzy Gillespie and Jim Hall.

Most importantly I hope to show you or your child a new way to love and appreciate music. And to provide you with the ability and know-how to have the most fun on your instrument as possible.

*** Lesson Details ***
Throughout my lessons, I always encourage basic skills including scales, sight-reading and technical exercises. But what I hope to give all my students is a basic understanding of music and their instrument, providing them with a practical ability to navigate the vast world of music for a lifetime.

Beyond these skills, I always have songs, styles and theory for you to work on but I am often more interested in what you as an individual want to learn on your instrument. Getting to learn concepts that you have chosen yourself will help encourage practice and will make the finished product all the more the rewarding.

I can custom tailor a teaching curriculum and/or style for any of my students: we can focus on learning songs, learning to read, how to write music, how music works, and even how to play specific styles of music (including funk, rock, jazz, Latin, flamenco, classical, country and blues). I also self tailor my own worksheets and set weekly goals with my students to help encourage practice, understanding and progress. For students interested in more advanced concepts, I can also teach ear training, music theory, advanced jazz improvisation as well as advanced playing techniques.

All this in a friendly and easy-going teaching environment.

*** Studio Equipment ***
Located in my home garage, it is equipped with a small stage, an upright piano, an electric keyboard, a PA system, amplifiers, a drum set, a lap steel guitar, a pedal steel guitar, 2 cellos, multiple guitars, 3 mandolins, a dobro, a 5-string banjo, a 4-string tenor banjo, 2 ukuleles, 2 accordions and 2 electric basses.

*** Specialties ***
Styles: Jazz, Rock, Reggae, Metal, Funk, Progressive Rock, Classical, Folk, Bluegrass, Country, Various forms of Latin Music, Blues, and a few others.

Instruments: Beginning to Intermediate - Drums, Accordion and Piano.

Beginning to Advanced - Guitar, Mandolin, Cello, Banjo (5 String), Irish Tenor Banjo (4 String GDAE), Tenor Banjo (4 String CGDA), Electric Bass, Ukulele, Dobro, Lap Steel Guitar (6 String C6 Tuning), Slide Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar (10 String E9 Tuning).

I also teach the beginning and advanced concepts of:
Music Theory, Ear Training, Sight Reading, and Song Writing.

on on Redleg Husky visit: http://redleghusky.com. In 2016, the group performed 223 shows alone. For more information on Redleg Husky visit: http://redleghusky.com