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Business Name: Basin Road Music Studios
Subjects Taught: Piano, Theory, Improvisation, Composition
Teaching Methods
Gary teaches students of almost any age or experience level. He teaches beginners how to play using the entire keyboard, in all key centers, starting with the very first lesson. This method encourages tactile and visual familiarity with the physical keyboard before learning to read notes. This approach speeds up the leaning process, making practicing more enjoyable and productive--especially for young children—allowing motivated adults and teenagers to achieve compentancy level in two years or less. He also teaches “applied” music theory, adapted to the student’s age and skill level, which enables improvisation and composition even for beginners.
Studio Description
Basin Road Music Studios is located in a quiet and pleasant setting, at Gary’s home in a small cul-de-sac near down-town Poulsbo and the Bond Road-Front St. intersection. His students come from all over the county: Port Orchard, East Bremerton, Silverdale, Hansville, Kingston, and Bainbridge Island, as well as one who presently commutes twice-a-month from Renton. Two separate studios house several MIDI keyboards and computers, a variety of music production and recording software and equipment, and a Baldwin parlor grand piano.
About the Teacher
Gary is a composer and specialize in teaching improvisation and composition. He “retired” to Poulsbo from Alaska in 1997 and has been teaching full-time ever since. Prior to that, he taught piano on a part-time basis for almost 40 years. Living in Alaska inspired Gary’s composition work. He imparts that inspiration and love of music to his students. After studying art and architecture in his early years, Gary returned to college in his mid-30s to study piano, music theory and speech communications, earning top honors in piano performance. He is an active member of both the West Sound and Kitsap chapters of the Washington State Music Teachers Association, and is newletter editor for all three organiztions. He is also a member of the Kitsap Composer and Songwriters Forum. |