Brendan B.

Music is a life-giving force. The well never runs empty. With all that we gain learning about music, we should remember its giving nature. I hope to use this opportunity to teach as a way to do my part in giving back to the spirit of music while still remaining freshly a student myself. My love for music started at an early age as my grandmother is a composer and her son my uncle a funky drummer. My appreciation for my grandma's use of harmony and melody developed throughout my life but the rhythms that my uncle played captivated my spirit immediately. I picked up drums and guitar at a young age but I really stuck with guitar throughout my childhood and adolescence. I played in school of rock, folk school, and arts high school for jazz. After graduation, I played guitar and bass in a couple of indie bands and went on two tours. I took a break from music for some years while living in Seattle and focused on another one of my passions which is skateboarding. However, in the past couple of years, my yearning to be immersed in music has grown tremendously. I am currently studying under a living great jazz piano player named Alan Jay Palmer at the United Institute of Music Science. I have also been getting very into music production. I say all this to reiterate that my musical journey is far from over. With that being said, a big part of what I have been learning from my current mentor is the importance to pass music along. My goal as a teacher is to work individually with my students and to meet them wherever they are at. Music should feed our soul not take away from it. If it's learning their favorite song then we will do that. If it's learning to read then we will do that. If it's technique then boom. If it's composition... the list goes on. My top priority is that my students find their own unique voice and find joy in expressing themselves.