Learning to play and make music enriches the lives of all of us, no matter what age. It challenges us, fosters creativity, reduces stress, improves memory and coordination, and, as a result, has a real positive effect on our well-being. 

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Too often, however, learning an instrument can be a frustrating experience. Memories of strict and dry childhood music lessons can be off-putting. Too many students give up because it’s just too much like hard work!

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I decided to take a different approach. Using my years of experience as a performer my lessons are informal as well as informative. They are tailored to my student’s needs and goals. And most importantly my lessons are fun.

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Encouraging creativity is an integral part of the teaching process. It can be important to learn the discipline of reading the notes written on the page, but those notes haven't always existed as someone had to be creative enough to write them. I teach the rules and structures of songwriting, then at a given point tell the student to go ahead and break them. Creativity is paramount to music as art.

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It's also important to remove any hint of negativity from lessons. Mistakes will be made, and it's important not to be frustrated or obsessive about mistakes. As in life, we should be calm and learn from our mistakes, they are what make us human. A struggle to master a particular chord change should be looked upon as a challenge to be embraced. When you move from one chord to the next your only thought should be that next chord, nothing else matters. 

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For those who want to learn performance and stagecraft techniques I focus on enjoying the moment, helping students to cope with stage fright. I can also help bring a new and fresh approach to seasoned performers. 

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