As a guitar instructor my primary goal is to instill a love for music in all my students. I achieve this by giving them the ability to communicate their musical ideas while raising their level of playing. In order to achieve this, I equip them with the necessary tools (technique), helping them foster and mature their musical expression (musicianship) and give them an outlet to express themselves (performance).
The study of scales, arpeggios and etudes as well as other exercises addressing various techniques are critical for guitar and music study. However, their function is to help the player execute his or her musical ideas in the most economical and ergonomical way possible. I teach my students techniques as they arise in the repertoire they are studying. For instance, I will prepare a student who will be playing a piece with demanding scale passages by first teaching the scale technique necessary to play that piece. My approach to technique also develops the student’s awareness of releasing excessive tension and to utilize large muscle groups when playing. In time working in this way will cultivate the student’s understanding of technique and mechanical awareness which will allow them to develop a technique that addresses their own body.
The basis of musicianship is to understand the dynamic and expressive indications on the page of a given score. To deepen this understanding as well as provide a foundation for an informed interpretation, I instruct students to listen to the best quality recordings of the music they are learning. I begin by exposing students to quality guitar recordings and for advanced students expand this to other vocal and instrumental recordings when applicable. I teach students to count and sing their music on letter name while learning pieces. This helps them learn the notes and rhythms as well as facilitates memorization.
My goal is to enrich the lives of my students by helping them express themselves through music. It is my job as a guitar instructor to help them reach their musical goals and professional (or amateur) aspirations by holding them to an excellent standard of technique, musicianship and performance.
~ Chris Morrison