Teaching Philosophy
To provide students with mentorship so that they can become life-long learners of music. I primarily use students’ curiosity to guide their education. We discuss why they may like a certain style, sound, or musical approach, and then we analyze the contents of those performance practices. In my experience, this encourages students to learn the various aspects of performance, develop their own identity in music, and become independent learners.
Testimonials
"As Paul's student*, I've been amazed by his talent and thoroughness. He has an inspiring ability to model patience in his teaching, securing the foundation for any possible learning. Almost like a "brain trickster", he knows how to slow down and deconstruct portions of a song as needed, until you strangely find yourself coordinating counterintuitive movements and rhythmic patterns that your bran initially was determined not to play or recognize. In his lessons, he welcomes you with a clear joy for drumming and solid musical knowledge, plus some needed humor; solidifying the commitment to return each week to learn more. As you start to develop some basic skills, he makes sure to keep you in a zone of constant learning, generously sharing and integrating multiple angles of drumming: from technique and other fundamental elements, to how to read music, how to listen and recognize styles and sections of a song, and so on. In his lessons you'll be learning about drumming, about music, and about how to learn. I'm fortunate to have been introduced into the world of drumming by him, and certain he has a bright future as musician and instructor.
*Paul has been my instructor for about 18months, starting from scratch--I had no knowledge about drums before this."
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- Monica Guzman, 35 yrs. old
"I was in my late forties when I started taking drum lessons with Paul. I had never played before and to be honest, I was a little nervous, concerned that maybe I was “too far gone” to be able to really learn. Paul put me at ease with his incredibly generous and excessively patient approach. He expertly calibrated his teaching to my level, taking great pains to break things down into fundamental, digestible, and achievable elements, all with logical builds that encouraged growth and helped build confidence. I benefitted greatly from working with Paul and cannot recommend him more highly."
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- Bumper Carroll, 47 yrs. old
Private Lessons
I am available for private drum set lessons in Chicago, IL. I also accommodate virtual lessons through Zoom. If you are interested in signing up for lessons, the first lesson is completely free. I want you to know what I think is important to learn as a musician. I also want to give you a chance to understand my teaching style. If you think that my studio is right for you, we can continue from there!
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