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GENERAL
INFORMATION
Our
teachers who teach one-on-one private lessons are private contractors.
We refer students to them, and they rent teaching space from us.
They all manage their own rates and schedules. When you call or
visit the music school office for a teacher referral, we will give
you one or two names and phone numbers. If the first teacher(s)
don't work out for scheduling or any other reasons, please ask us
again, as we have a number of instructors.
Most
lessons are given in our studios at the Piedmont Piano Company,
at the corner of Piedmont Avenue and Pleasant Valley Road. Some
of our teachers also teach at another location certain days.
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GUITAR TEACHERS
(alphabetical order)
Darryl Berk
Guitarist/vocalist/music educator
and facilitator, Darryl Berk has beenan integral part of the music
scene for more years than he cares to remember. A Cleveland, Ohio
native, Darryl began studying guitar at age 12, with the innovative
and legendary jazz guitarist, Bill DeArango. This provided both
the solid foundation necessary for Darryl to begin gigging throughout
Northeastern Ohio, and continue his ongoing association with Bill
until his passing in December of 2005. While continuing to perform
regularly, he recognized the need to pursue a more formal musical
education. Noted composer and arranger for Stan Kenton, Phil Rizzo
provided a rigorous study of theory and harmony, which led to Darryl
being awarded a grant to study at Boston's prestigious Berklee College
of Music. Upon graduation he moved to New York City, where he found
himself in high demand, performing up to 250 gigs a year. His uncanny
ability to move effortlessly between musical styles such as Jazz,
Blues, Rock 'n Roll and Country has afforded him the opportunity
to share the stage with the likes of George Benson, Alabama, The
Shirelles, The Tokens, Randy Travis, The Drifters, The Four Tops,
The Judds, Darlene Love and George Strait, playing notable venues
such as Madison Square Garden, The Lonestar Café, The Felt
Forum, and The Bottom Line.
While in New York, Darryl also became involved in the world of voiceovers
and commercial production. His voice can be heard on spots for Diet
Coke, Nikon, and Volvo, and he is currently the voice of Amazing
eLearning's software training programs.
His skills and abilities as a guitarist and vocalist have also contributed
to his success as an educator and facilitator. A San Francisco Bay
Area resident since 1997, he remains in high demand as a performer,
voiceover artist, educator and facilitator.
Dix Bruce
Teaches Guitar, Mandolin, Electric Bass
Dix is a musician, composer, writer and award-winning guitarist.
Dix has written over 40 music instruction books and recorded four
instructional videos. He performs and records with a variety of
Bay Area based musical groups in varied styles from traditional
American country and folk to bluegrass to swing to rock and jazz.
He has been teaching music to students of all ages and styles since
the early 1970s in groups and in private lessons. Dix’s philosophy
of teaching is to guide the student to discovering the joy and fun
of music. Visit Dix's website.
Karl A.D. Evangelista
Improviser, composer, and guitarist
Karl Alfonso Evangelista was born in Van Nuys, California, USA,
on April 28, 1986, the son of two Filipino immigrants. His music
explores the intersection between improvisation and composition
in a multicultural, transidiomatic social space. Evangelista performs
in an improvising trio with saxophonist Francis Wong and bassist/vocalist/percussionist
John-Carlos Perea, the quartet Host Family, and the duo Grex with
partner Margaret Rei Scampavia, and has studied under many of the
chief figures in modern creative music, including India Cooke, Fred
Frith, Myra Melford, Roscoe Mitchell, and Zeena Parkins. He received
his BA in Social Transformation and the Development of 20th Century
Artforms at UC Berkeley, CA, USA, and has recently completed his
Master of Fine Arts in Improvised Music at Mills College, CA, USA.
Ben Finley
Ben Finley has been teaching guitar
since 2002 to a wide array of students, ranging in age, level, and
stylistic interests. He received a Bachelor of Music degree form
North Carolina School of the Arts in 2001 for classical guitar performance.
Prior to moving to the Bay Area, Ben spent two years teaching at
the St. Lucia School of Music in the South Caribbean, where he taught
music theory and ensembles in addition to private lessons. Ben tries
to teach his students the skills required to play music that interests
them, with emphasis on creative outlet and having fun with the music.
He currently teaches guitar at Piedmont Piano and Alameda School
of Music and collaborates with local musicians.
Leo Garcia
KinderGuitar
Group guitar classes for children 5-10. This popular program provides
a wonderful introduction to the guitar and the world of music. Small
groups enable young students to experience early success and have
fun, while the specially-designed curriculum guides them to complete
musical development. The program encourages parental involvement,
includes two seasonal recitals, and guarantees lots of fun in the
classroom. A prize-winning guitarist, Leo Garcia has earned several
degrees in music from Yale University and the New England Conservatory.
Inquire/enroll directly with director, Leo Garcia 510-547-9672.
Molly Smart
Molly is a performing musician and
music teacher, She has taught guitar, bass, piano, flute, and voice,
and received her MA from Berkeley in ethnomusicology in 2006. She
currently works as a high school music director in addition to teaching
individual lessons. Molly has worked with with several bay area
music organizations including the Marin Girls Chorus, the San Francisco
Boys Chorus, the Orinda Academy, and has also taught basic music
skills and ear training while at Berkeley. She enjoys working with
students at their own pace and level of interest, and aims to tailor
lessons to the individual needs of each student.
Barry Solomon
Barry has been playing guitar for 37 years, and teaching and performing
for 27 years. He is equally adept playing pop, jazz, classical,
rock, folk and country styles. His teaching method involves a systematic
study of music fundamentals, while at the same time being flexible
with students’ particular musical interests. Barry has vast
experience in various teaching contexts, such as schools, music
camps, workshops, and music festivals. In addition to private lessons,
Barry teaches group guitar classes for adults and teens.
Eli Wise
Eli Wise received his MA in Music Composition
from Mills College in 2006 and is a member of the Music Teacher's
National Association. He is primarily a songwriter, and so
teaches all of his lessons and classes from a creative perspective,
seeking to draw out each student's individual voice. He currently
teaches guitar and composition to students of all ages and piano
to children. When working with younger children, he focuses
on musical games, familiar songs, and collaborative compositions
to engage the student in the lesson. With older children and
adults, he teaches a balance of theory and songs so students can
understand the structure of the music they are playing. He
is also teaching a rock band class for kids 12 and under.
Ben Zadan
Ben received his BFA in music from the California Institute of the
Arts in 2002. In addition to his training on guitar and piano,
Ben has studied world music styles from many renowned masters.
He has performed countless shows throughout California with the
Balinese Gamelan Burat Wangi and Gamelan Sekar Jaya including the
Walt Disney Concert Hall, The Herbst Theatre and Zellerbach Hall.
In the spring of 2000 Ben built a classical guitar. Ben is
a fun, patient, dedicated, experienced teacher who enjoys sharing
the gift of music. You will learn the guitar or bass guitar
simply by playing your favorite songs. He stresses proper
technique and makes music theory easy to understand.
He custom tailors his teaching technique to the individual student,
utilizing all of his training to make every lesson extensive and
enjoyable.
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