call us 206-634-1662

Guitar Private Lessons

 

John Calvin

Guitar (steel string & classical)

Teaches at Dusty Strings: Thurs. Afternoon, Thurs./Fri./Sat. Morning,

Ages taught: 7 and up

Levels taught: All Levels

Teacher Biography: For more than twenty-five years, John has sung and played guitar, and has studied folk, classical, jazz, blues and Celtic guitar styles. Currently, he performs and records with the acoustic music duo Moonset. He has taught hundreds of guitar players, from absolute beginners to skilled performers who are looking for new ideas. He offers patient instruction, encouragement and lots of support for all students, whatever their level. When teaching children, his intention is to create a safe, fun setting where a child can explore his or her musical nature. www.moonsetmusic.com.

 

Carolyn Cruso

Guitar, Hammered Dulcimer, Flute

Teaches at Dusty Strings: By appointment, call for details

Ages Taught: All ages

Levels Taught: Beginner to intermediate

 

Teacher Biography: Carolyn is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and touring musician. She has recorded six CDs of her own music and one of traditional music from Ireland, Scotland, Brittany, and various European countries. She studied classical flute in her teens and has a degree in Environmental Conservation. Carolyn has extensive experience as an environmental educator teaching both youth and adults, and has brought many aspects of this experience to her ten years of hammered dulcimer teaching. Carolyn essentially taught herself to play the hammered dulcimer, and is now known as an innovator, taking the instrument to new places through experimentation and development of new techniques. www.carolyncruso.com

 

Orville Johnson

Guitar, Slide Resonator Guitar, Dobro

Teaches at Dusty Strings: Tuesday

Ages Taught: Adults

Levels taught: All Levels

Teacher Biography: Orville Johnson is a singer, instrumentalist, record producer, songwriter, session player, teacher, the top dobro player between Seattle and Nashville and, above all, an instinctive and sensitive musician. Orville is also known as a patient and insightful teacher of music. He teaches any kind of dobro playing and fingerstyle and flatpicking guitar styles. He’s comfortable with many genres and prefers to tailor his lessons to the student’s interest rather than a certain method. He enjoys sharing his knowledge, and the only thing he requires in a student is self-motivation and willingness to practice. www.orvillejohnson.com.

 

Erie Jones

Guitar, Banjo, Ukulele, Singing, Bass Guitar,Songwriting, Ensemble Playing,
Percussion (pitched and non-pitched)

Teaches at Dusty Strings:
Thursday, Friday, Saturday

Specializing in Young Learners, 4-1/2 & up
Levels Taught: All


Teacher Biography: Erie Jones has taught music for seven years in Seattle Public Schools to children from pre-kindergarten to seventh grades, including percussion circles, marimba and steel pan ensembles, vocal work, guitar, bass guitar, ukulele, songwriting, and audio recording. He plans lessons so that students experience success right away, making a “joyful noise” even with just a few notes – all the while setting a foundation for growth in musical concepts and skills. There is no one right path, but there is a great feeling of “rightness” when music is made that grows out of an individual’s creativity and aspirations. This is what he seeks to nurture in his students.

 

Dave Keenan

Guitar (including electric)
Banjo (Bluegrass)

Teaches at Dusty Strings: Saturday, Sunday

Ages Taught: 10 - Adult

Under 10 taken provisionally

Levels Taught: All

Teacher Biography: Dave Keenan is a multi-instrumentalist who can be heard locally on guitar with Jo Miller, The Buckaroosters, The Rolling Blackouts, Miles & Karina and Suicide Jack. His style has earned him the moniker 'Twangmaster' owing to his rootsy, melodic, country-blues sound. Dave is a busy music camp instructor, performer, composer and theater musician. He likes to teach: Carter style, bluegrass, twangy telecaster/steel, rockabilly, western swing, and honky-tonk, and he uses a combination of ear, demonstration, and tablature in his lessons. www.davekeenan.com

 

Yusuf Kilgore

Guitar - Gypsy Jazz, Bluegrass, Beginning

Teaches at Dusty Strings: Sunday, Monday

Ages Taught: 7 to Adult

Levels Taught: Beginner-Advanced


Teacher Biography: Yusuf Kilgore is an accomplished guitarist, teacher, and composer known for his versatility. He earned a B.A. in Folklore & Ethnomusicology at Indiana University, studied at the IU School of Music, played at cafes in Paris and Berlin, and now plays a variety of styles including Brazilian choro, gypsy jazz, Americana, Latin jazz, and bluegrass. He likes to explore music from each student’s perspective, and works to help them improve in the areas which need it the most. He also helps them recognize their strengths so that they are able to assert their best qualities and become confident and savvy performers, whatever their playing level.

 

Eric Madis

Guitar - Electric, Acoustic, and Slide

Teaches at Dusty Strings: Wednesday afternoon, Thursday morning/afternoon

Ages taught: Adults

Levels taught: All Levels

Teacher Biography: Eric Madis lives in Seattle where he performs  solo, with his own blues and jazz ensembles, and with Seattle Swing Trio. Eric has accompanied Hawaiian luminaries and many of the Northwest's finest blues and jazz artists. He has taught guitar since 1975, and is a dedicated instructor who teaches in a simple, logical manner, emphasizing major progress in small steps. He believes that all musicians, professional and amateur, want to perform, even if only performing for themselves in their bedroom. Eric's areas of expertise are blues (including bottleneck slide), jazz, country, and Hawaiian slack key. www.ericmadis.com.


Barry Pollack

Guitar - Classical, Fingerstyles, Arranging
Beginning Guitar, Music Literacy

Teaches at Dusty Strings Wednesday,  Sunday

Ages taught: All ages

Levels taught: All levels

Teacher Biography: Barry is a world-class guitarist who has appeared with the Seattle Symphony, Ray Charles, Jeff Beck, Bo Diddley and The Joffrey Ballet. He is the author of Popular Guitar Music (Prentice-Hall, 1987), one of the first texts to teach guitar skills and music theory using transcriptions of recorded guitar playing. Barry has been teaching guitar in the Seattle area for over thirty years. He is happy to work with beginners of all ages to help them get started with the best possible personalized approach. He is also available to work with experienced guitarists and professional players. www.modernclassicsguitar.com.

 

Tai Shan

Guitar, Singing, Songwriting

Teaches at Dusty Strings: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

Ages Taught: 6 to Adult

Levels Taught: Beginning to Intermediate

 

Teacher Biography: Tai Shan is a songwriter known for unusual chord voicing, wide sweeping melodies, and detailed lyrics. She graduated cum laude with her B.A. in Music from Cornish College of the Arts, and has performed throughout the West Coast and on nationally released CDs, international videos, and local TV and radio stations. Tai’s teaching often focuses on a combination of singing, playing, and songwriting, and she encourages students to record their songs onto CD. She specializes in folk, rock, and jazz styles, and has won praise for her supportive approach – as one student stated, "Tai gave me the courage to go out and perform.” www.taishanmusic.com 

 

Peter Spencer

Peter Spencer

Guitar, Voice, Songwriting, Electric Bass

Teaches at Dusty Strings: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday

Ages taught: 8 and up

Levels taught: All Levels

Teacher Biography: Peter Spencer was a founding member of the Greenwich Village Songwriters' Cooperative and contributing editor to the group's magazine Fast Folk, now being distributed through the Library of Congress. He is also a renowned fingerpicker and songwriter whose work combines jazz, blues, and folk in a unique way. Peter's lessons follow a path defined by the desires and directions of the individual student. His goal is to create players and singers who can have fun making music with their friends, their families, and in public, with a wide range of pieces available for them to play. www.peterspencer.com.

 

Charlotte Thistle

Guitar

Teaches at Dusty Strings: Monday
Ages taught: 6-Adult
Levels taught: Begining to Intermediate


Teacher Biography:Charlotte has taught guitar for 8 years. She graduated with honors from Shoreline Community College’s Music program, and recently completed the Music Together teacher training for early childhood music. She performs regionally as a singer/songwriter/guitarist, and her recent CD, "Wild Wind", received critical acclaim and had chart success throughout the country. Charlotte teaches basic acoustic guitar skills as well as music theory, ear training, and more. She invites students to bring selections of music they would like to learn. Although primarily a folk artist, she's also a classic rock fan, and can cover virtually any popular or folk style. Some of her guitar tabs have received top ranking on UltimateGuitar.com. www.guitarangel.org