Teaching

‘I care about your playing’

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Already studying with me? Student resources brings together lesson materials, the studio calendar, and policies.

Lessons

I teach at my studio in Los Altos, California. Remote lessons are possible.

I specialize in teaching students of various ages and levels: from children to adults. My students range from beginners to professional musicians.

Many adults come to me with the same story: self-taught for years and stuck at a plateau, returning to the guitar after a long break, or picking it up for the very first time. Wherever you are starting from, you are welcome here. There is no wrong age to begin, and no shame in revisiting fundamentals — that is usually where the breakthrough hides. More than one student has told me they learned more in a year of lessons than in decades of playing on their own.

My availability for new beginner students is limited, so please reach out to inquire — I’ll tell you honestly what’s possible.

My approach

In addition to performing and recording for the past 30 years, I enjoy sharing my knowledge and experience with students in private lessons and masterclasses, and by coaching ensembles.

Back when I was a student, I realized there are many approaches to the guitar, both technically and musically. Some are much better than others. I am convinced that without a good teacher, students risk getting stuck at a plateau, developing bad habits, and even worse — suffering repetitive stress injuries. To consistently and efficiently improve, and to avoid injuries, students need guidance from an experienced teacher.

In my teaching, I integrate material from Aaron Shearer and Suzuki (for beginner students), and build on them with my own technical exercises to develop particular areas. I have studied guitar repertoire extensively, and have collected works that are not only beautiful, but can be used to target particular technical and musical skills. I keep abreast of new ideas in guitar pedagogy and use innovative tools that help with ergonomics, skill development and daily practice.

What lessons focus on

Technique

• Fingerboard navigation and memorization
• Identifying and releasing dysfunctional tension
• Fullness, roundness and power of tone
• Development of speed and accuracy of scales and arpeggios

Musicianship

• Music reading and sight-reading skills
• Rhythmic precision and how to use the metronome as a tool
• Musicality, including phrasing, vibrato, rubato, color and articulation

Performance & practice

• Creating practice regimens and forming good habits
• Choosing repertoire for concert programs, recordings, auditions, etc.
• Dealing with performance anxiety

In addition to technical proficiency, I try to guide my students toward a strong and convincing interpretation of their repertoire.

Student achievements

My students have won awards at the United States International Music Competition, Sierra Nevada Classical Guitar Youth Competition, Junior Bach Festival, South Bay Guitar Society Adjudication, ABRSM, and the Royal Conservatory examinations. Some were accepted and continued their studies at various music schools including the Peabody Conservatory, San Francisco Conservatory and Juilliard Pre-College. I often give master classes at various music institutions around the country.

In addition to weekly lessons, my students and I meet for monthly seminars, where they practice performing in front of an audience, share ideas, and receive constructive criticism, similar to a mini masterclass.

Recording your playing

Recording can be part of developing your playing. I bring the same attention to tone and phrasing that we work on in lessons to recording your guitar in my Los Altos studio. Audition recordings follow the school or competition's requirements; personal videos can be edited. Finished files are usually delivered within a week. Recording sessions with Yuri explains how it works, whether or not you study with me.

Not able to come to the studio?

If you live elsewhere, or you have one passage that will not come together, you can send me a video and I will send you one back with my comments. Video feedback from Yuri explains how it works. It is $75 per video.

Student recordings

Watch student recordings on YouTube →

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