Robert Parrish

My name is Robert Parrish. I am a classically trained guitarist who has been versed in jazz guitar. I have played guitar for 30 years in November and have taught guitar and ukulele for the past 6 years in September at Piano Central Studios in Greenville, South Carolina.

At Piano Central Studios I am currently the only studio location guitar instructor. This has been the case for 5 out of my nearly 6 years at the time of this post. As the only guitar instructor, I had to learn, not just how to play, but how to properly teach all styles of guitar playing. As a rather "pigeon-holed" classical guitarist, my work was cut out for me. I quickly learned tricks and systems that helped my chords, scales, and modes become rock solid; most importantly however, I put together a thought process that covers three key elements that are essential to being able to play music that traversed all styles. Simply put...it came down to three things for me. I needed to understand what I saw and read (externalization), what I heard and remembered (internalization), and the sensations I felt at the time both literally and metaphysically (proprioception). This heavily inspired how I teach the instrument now as I find that the most crucial part of learning the guitar in any capacity is to understand music, the guitar as an instrument, and the musician that is playing it.

It is an integral part of the program at Piano Central Studios for our students, and staff to have recital performances. I always offer to accompany for both students and instructors during these times, essentially making me a stage fixture. I stay on the stage for my students recital and accompany most all of them (and sometimes sing if we have a song with sung lyrics). The most recent staff performance I played 13 pieces in total with a piano, violin, clarinet, and one solo tune.

I studied Musical Performance with a focus on Classical Guitar at The South Carolina School of the Arts at Anderson University from 2013-2018. I studied under Lyman Golden, whose guitar lineage traces back to Andres' Segovia, and Bruce Helgeson, who was a student of William Leavitt. I received many accolades during my time at Anderson University and was called upon quite often to perform for various functions (sometimes at random). Most of these were outreach programs for Anderson University, master classes, or end of the semester performances for the donors. The biggest performances of my college career were the Honors Recital at the South Carolina School of the Arts in April 2017, a concert for an accreditation board at the same place literally a week later; and also in 2017 I was the 2nd guitar in the musical production of Big Fish at Anderson University which made me realize the importance of being comfortable while playing for extended lengths of time. The absolute biggest performance of my college career, however, came in May 2016 when I performed at Carnegie Hall in NYC; which was an overwhelming and positive experience to say the least.  

 I'm currently a staff musician at First Presbyterian Church in downtown Anderson, South Carolina. I'm in several solo and group acts there and I perform every week in some capacity. The styles vary from week to week as the musical tastes of our church members is a bit eclectic, so I have proverbially learned to paint with a wide brush. I have played classical solos, made and played various hymn arrangements and chord melodies, accompanied various singers (myself not excluded from that list) and a couple of violinists, and have even played guitar and ukulele with some bluegrass musicians in our congregation. Outside of the church, I look for various collaborations with fellow musicians in my area to have fun and perform in various venues. Some of the more exciting of these are working with a pianist to record Andrew York's "Sakura In Six Perspectives," and a clarinetist to play a Movie Medley for guitar and clarinet. Both of these musicians are coworkers, colleagues, and friends of mine.

I love to play, perform, and share my gifts with everybody who is interested; and I'd absolutely love to meet with and teach anybody interested and willing play the guitar or ukulele. Thanks so much!