Photo: Ashley Rood
“I have learned that there lies dormant in the souls of all men a penchant for some particular musical instrument, and an unsuspected yearning to learn to play on it, that are bound to wake up and demand attention some day.” — Mark Twain
I find great satisfaction in exploring music with my students. I began teaching in 2002, and over the years I’ve worked with people of wide-ranging ages, levels, and interests. My aim is to teach fundamentals of music and guitar via individually catered lessons, according to each student’s preferences. Drawing from my eclectic background, I encourage students to cultivate creativity through composition and improvisation in addition to the study of varied styles.I have taught private lessons and ensembles at music schools and studios in North Carolina, the Bay Area, and in Portland, Oregon. From 2005 to 2007 I taught at the St. Lucia School of Music in the West Indies, where I co-founded the student jazz ensemble, and in addition to private lessons, I taught music theory classes using curriculum of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. I am currently part of Portland Music Collective, a group of music teachers that shares space at St. Paul Lutheran Church (SE 39th and Brooklyn) in SE Portland. I also teach online lessons.“Ben takes a friendly and patient approach to giving you the tools to be a musician. He is good at gauging his students' level of knowledge and ability, and his commitment to his students is evident. Ben sees each student as an individual and draws upon their strengths to teach them in ways that work best for them. He customized the music and lessons to my skill while providing challenges to keep the learning process going. Not only did I grow as a guitar player but I actually gained confidence in myself. (I eventually played and sang solo in front of a smaller group of people). I highly recommend Ben, and am envious of his future students who can experience his contagious passion and love of music.”— Jack, Oakland, CA