Joshua Salazar
Lesson Feesfrom $25.00 / 30 Minutes
Promotions Available
About
Overview:
Hi there! My name is Josh, and I'd love to be your teacher! I've been playing guitar since I was eight, starting out playing rock and roll, then focusing on classical training for my college career. In both undergraduate and graduate school, I studied classical composition as a classical guitarist, covering repertoire spanning from the Renaissance through modern solo and ensemble guitar works, and completed a thesis on Bossa Nova music in modern composition. My repertoire today covers a broad range of music, from the lute suites of Bach to the modern Bossa of Marco Pereira, and from the classic rock of Eagles to the modern hard rock and metal of Avenged Sevenfold.
In my previous position at Vanderbilt, I taught music technology classes, and was involved in the occasional performance with other faculty members as a classical guitarist. I've only recently returned to teaching private lessons, which is something I used to love doing before my position at Vanderbilt, and I'm excited to build up my studio again!
Degrees & Experience:
2016-2021: Adjunct Instructor in Music at Vanderbilt University's Blair School of Music in Nashville, TN.
2014-2016: Teacher at Franklin Brentwood Arts Academy in Franklin, TN.
2015: Master's of Music from Belmont University in Nashville, TN.
2013: Bachelor's of Music from Belmont University in Nashville, TN.
To me, learning any instrument is about balancing the exercises with the fun material that makes you want to keep playing. I am a technique-focused teacher insofar as making sure any student of mine is avoiding bad and sometimes unhealthy habits in their playing. I do, however, try to find fun ways to work on technique, with the end goal being playing repertoire that is fun for the student. I believe technical exercises have their place in learning any instrument, but that it's important to spend the majority of your practice time on material which is ultimately enjoyable to play.
I do have certain sets of books I like to follow depending on the student's interests and age, but I am always happy to tweak the lesson plan to fit the student's needs. I also tend to supplement whichever books I'm using with material of my own, to make sure we're also covering important topics such as music theory and maybe a bit of relevant music history in the process.
Master's of Music from Belmont University, Bachelor's of Music from Belmont University
For all young students, I always recommend starting with a series of books called the FJH Young Beginner Guitar Method. These consist of core lesson books, as well as supplemental books which allow for the student to branch out as they discover what they're interested in learning. The books focus on building good technique and learning to read music, both essential for the young beginner. Importantly, they're not necessarily focused on any one style of music, but rather intended to give a good foundation to pursue whatever the student is interested in.
For adult students, I prefer the Frederick Node Solo Guitar Playing books, as they focus on learning material more directed toward adult audiences, and take a pace more appropriate for adult learners. These books also focus on building solid fundamental technique and building reading skills. These books are definitely classically-minded, so I tend to supplement these books with additional repertoire as we go, depending on the pace the student is looking for and what sort of music the student wants to play.