About
Chris Elliott is an Award-winning Banjo educator and performer in Boulder Colorado. Chris has performed Internationally with bands such as The Blue Canyon Boys, Ragged Union and is an alum of Spring Creek on Rebel Records. He is currently playing in national touring band Chain Station and Foggy Mountain Spaceship. Chris has been teaching banjo for over 18 years and has taught banjo camps and workshops around the world. Chris has also performed in Steve Martins prestigious Broadway Musical, Bright Star in Denver Colorado. Elliott has studied Banjo at South Plains College in Levelland Tx under the instruction of Banjo legend Alan Munde. He has also worked closely with Pete Wernick in Colorado as his jam camp assistant and considers both musicians to be important mentors. Chris is a winner of 2007 Telluride and Rocky Grass band competition and is the 2007 Colorado state banjo contest winner. Chris has a passion for teaching banjo and is dedicated to passing the musical knowledge he has learned onto his students.
My teaching method is based on creating a non-intimidating, friendly, patient environment for the student. I work to gauge each student's needs and personal learning style, and focus on giving encouragement as well as tips and techniques. It's so easy for beginners to get discouraged with their instrument. The important thing is to make it simple and fun so the joy of Bluegrass music comes through early on. My intuitive sense of student mastery gives me the ability to modify each session toward the students short-term and long-term goals. I feel that the students should have a firm grasp on the traditional Bluegrass banjo method so they can participate in jam sessions, which is the basis of the Bluegrass community. It's my responsibility to instill enough confidence and competency for the student to play in a jam session regardless of whether they go on to aspire to higher musical goals. I teach my students how to read music using banjo tablature which is the most common form of banjo sheet music. The student will also work extensively on ear training, improvisation and composition so they can write their own banjo tunes. I play and teach multiple styles of Bluegrass Banjo including Scruggs, Melodic and Single String.