John Alvey

University of Louisville (Major: Jazz Studies) Marching percussion: W.G.I and P.A.S.I.C finalist. Over 10 years of teaching experience.

What do you love about teaching?

I have a few students that I have taught for 7-8 years, and in that time I have seen them grow and mature and come to love not only music, but also to become more confident, goal-oriented people. It is a personal joy to watch this transformation.

What is your favorite musical style, band or song?

Album: Bill Evans “Sunday at the Village Vanguard.”

Please describe your teaching style. What can a parent expect their child to learn?

I was fortunate to have great private music teachers and mentors, and they did the central most important thing that all great teachers do: Their enthusiasm for music became a shared enthusiasm and ultimately became my own enthusiasm for both music and the creative process.

Although the technicalities and challenges of learning to read and play music are at the center of my teaching process, I hope that every student will take with them a love of being a creative person; of the importance of focused discipline in achieving this, and that each student will have a new skill that he or she can use to enjoy art and ultimately bring that joy to others.

For drum set students, I focus on teaching all styles of music, differentiating between them, and expanding beyond the strictly rock drumming foundation that most drummers start from. Expect to learn blues shuffles, jazz phrasing, Afro-Cuban/Brazilian styles and a lot of Motown and R&B of the 60s and 70s.

For Lessons:

• (615) 430-2641
• Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
• Email John