Village Music offers
private guitar lessons with Alan Simcoe

Basic Guitar      (Beginning age 7)

   * Basic left and right hand technique
      * Rote "by ear" melody learning for ear training, and maximum
            immediate playing enjoyment
      * Rhythm games and activities for developing good musical
            "time" and dexterity
      * Basic music reading skills
      * Song accomplishment skills

Jazz Guitar

   * Progressive Left and right hand technique.
      * Music and rhythm chart reading skills.
      * Theory and forms
      * Improvisation skills
      * Ensemble Skills

Classical Guitar

   * Progressive right and left hand technique
      * Progressive music reading skills
      * Solo literature and style through the ages
      * Theory and forms
      * Ensemble skills

Lute

  * Good left and right hand technique
     * Solo Lute Literature of the Renaissance
      * Tablature and music reading skills
      * Theory and forms

Tuition and Policies

      * Lessons are charged by the calendar month in advance at the rate of $50 per hour. Lessons are scheduled for 1/2 hour, 3/4 hour or full hour once a week. You may pay by cash, check debit/credit card.
      * 24 Hour notice in advance of a missed lesson is required for consideration of a make-up lesson to be scheduled within that same week.
      * Ensemble rehearsals are on an ad hoc basis; usually scheduled on weekends, and I do not charge for these.
      * Student is responsible for keeping, organizing, and bringing to each lesson all study materials.
      * Daily practice is assumed. Developing good practice habits and strategies is part of the curriculum.
      * Parents of school aged students are encouraged, at least periodically, to sit in on lessons.

A Word About Sports

     After 35 years of private and university level teaching, I have reached the conclusion that responsible music study and concurrent participation in competitive team sports are largely incompatible. The weekly time commitment demanded by coaches simply rules out any other focused extracurricular (and sometimes curricular) activities. One school term of one and one of the other seems to me to be a workable solution.



The following links are to printable PDF files of my assignment pages.

Frets Practice Page
Garfield Assignment Page
Weekly Practice Sheet