I have a cozy room for my music. It fits me, my instruments, my reference books, recordings and one or two guests. My students sign a contract with me, and we go over the basic recommendations for successful study of music. They agree that other extra curricular activities can get in the way of lessons once in awhile, not every week.

I look for students who are burning to learn and who desire to practice new skills.

I like to give all of my students –on any of the instruments I teach: guitar, flutes, recorders, folk instruments–a couple of lessons on the piano so that the concepts of scale construction and key will be readily visible. These ideas are not very accessible on other instruments, but on the piano, they are easier. Here is a chart showing the ranges of many instruments on the full piano keyboard.

The guitar I prefer to teach on is the nylon string guitar because it is the most expressive guitar in my opinion. These are three of my favorite guitars, and I have others.

I also have this Godin Multiac Grand Concert guitar which is nylon-stringed and has MIDI capability. I can use it with a guitar synthesizer which sounds great.

Here is another one I like for jazz, the DeArmond by Guild. Joe Pass loved this shape. It is not preciously expensive and it travels well. It has a great, authentic jazz sound.

My conservatory training has given me a solid classical background, but I will teach most other styles of music, too. I have taught popular music, folk, rock and jazz. I have also given coaching for college auditions. A few of my students went on to teach music and to become professional musicians themselves. A classical background is a good foundation for learning other styles of music. Your instrument does not know what kind of music is being played on it!

I will teach on any guitar except the solid body electric. They are great, too, and I have owned some, but I favor finger picking, and that instrument usually is played with a pick, which I find limiting.

I have taught from a good number of method books, both classical and jazz, to include those by Christopher Parkening, Aaron Shearer, Matteo Carcassi, Fernando Sor, Frederick Noad, Ralph Towner, Arnie Berle, Ted Greene, Joe Pass and others. I can also write a curriculum-as-we-go for special students.

I can also teach yoga, centering and meditation for those students and families who feel they could benefit from such knowledge. Refer to my program, “YOGA FOR MUSICIANS” (TM) for schools, ensembles, bands and individuals.

Also, I have taught flutes (C-flute, alto flute, bass flute, folk flutes), recorders, hammered dulcimer, mountain dulcimer and mandolin and keyboards–to include the piano accordion, and the Theramin, all of which I have in my studio. Here are some of my recorders, all shown are Baroque recorders made by Moeck, soprano, alto, tenor and bass. The woods represented here are pear wood, ebony, palisander, boxwood, maple and grenadilla.

Please make note of this: A complete music musician will learn to read music notation and to improvise as well. No musician can be fully developed without both skills, i.e., developing musical literacy. This also means ear training and being able to write down some basic compositional ideas in standard notation. My students agree to practice regularly and we have 45-minute lessons once a week. Lesson times can be shorter for younger students and absolute beginners.

Many classical musicians have great skills, yet when you take them away from printed music, they can’t improvise. That’s not me. In addition to my conservatory training, I have played some of the most interesting engagements because I can improvise well, think on my feet, and make my audiences think, too.

I also have a good basic music library, so that I can look up any music history question as subjects come up in our lessons. Do you like records? I have a collection of over 2100 records, all arranged by the period of music and alphabetically by composer. The sections of my records are music anthologies, 20th century, Romantic period, Classical, Baroque, Renaissance, Middle Ages, individual solo instrumental recordings, soundtracks and shows, Jazz, Folk and Spoken Word albums, just as they would be arranged in the Library of Congress system.

In the Fall season, I will be teaching two group guitar classes at the Vienna Community Center. Look at my teaching schedule for more details about this. The classes are also listed in the Town of Vienna Parks and Recreation Program Guide.

I put a lot of effort and dedication into my music teaching and learning. I love it when students bring that same energy to my home studio.

Let me know what you think. Email me at jpgiunta1211@aol.com