Curriculum and Philosophy

Branden has spent over a decade dedicating his life to teaching students of all ages. These students have ranged from 5 years old to adult level. From these diverse experiences, he has developed many methods in accommodating the different learning styles of each student. Beginners will be introduced to a basic understanding of the guitar. They will focus on becoming familiar with movement and navigation around their instrument. It is important that beginners learn to read music and develop fundamental musicianship skills to create a strong foundation in music. These skills are universal to all instruments. The goal is for beginner students to develop good instincts in approaching repertoire and trust their intuition. Experienced players will be taught more advanced skills, techniques, and concepts that are genre specific. These skills include improvisation, advanced chord voicings, complex fingerstyle, and composition/arranging. They will also delve into a deeper understanding of the music they are playing. As students progress, they will have the opportunity to explore many different styles of music including contemporary genres, jazz, and classical guitar.

Students will be asked to come up with their own long term goals. They will be encouraged to share music that they enjoy as it could be a future project for them to work on. Part of the students' responsibility is to collaborate with the instructor in developing lesson plans. It is important to bring out the most in the students by allowing them to be involved in their own education. This is a key factor in motivating a student to reach his or her goal.

Please CONTACT Branden for further information including rate and availability.