GuITAR/bAnjo/bass/compostion
I began teaching guitar professionally back in 2004 in Calgary, I knew right away it was something that I would be doing for the rest of my life. Teaching has brought me into contact with many great people, and has lead me to new interesting music, plus it gives me a platform to speak about what I love.
I have experience teaching all ages (well, from about 8 to 80), a broad swath of genres, and pretty much every experience level imaginable. I have a diploma in Jazz performance, a Bachelors in Music Composition, have ran School of Rock style summer getaways for both adults and children, toured across Canada and the States in various Punk and Prog groups, hosted Bluegrass Jams (see below), adjudicated University level Jazz combos,.....
My teaching philosophy is based on interest and understanding. As in, you should learn what you love, but you should also have an understanding of why you love it and how it works. I work on stoking the passion my students bring in, and make sure they know why it's important to learn what we do. Oh also technique, that's important too.
Anyways, check out my Private lessons, Classes, Jams and Workshops listed below. E-mail if you have any questions.
devonelaschuk@gmail.com
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Private Lessons
Currently I teach both from my home in Lichtenberg (Right beside Lichtenberg Station), and in Neukölln (Near Boddinstr. U-Bahn).
Lesson rates are at my home are:
135 euros per month for hour long lessons on contract.
220 euros for five weekly hour long lessons.Groups/semi-privates/half hours all available. Email for more info.
devonelaschuk@gmail.com -
Jams/Classes/Workshops
Bluegrass Slow Jam
On the last Friday of every month I host a Bluegrass “slow” jam in Neukölln. 19:00-20:00 (6 euros to take part).
Each month I bring in new Bluegrass tunes, and we play through them at a nice easy pace. The idea is to provide a fun nonjudgemental place to learn tunes and play music with others. Open to beginners or anyone who wants to work on their jamming and/or bluegrass skills.
Afterwards, we have a normal “full speed” jam session.Send me an email if you are interested in being put on the mailing list!
Classes/Workshops
I sometimes offer group classes and workshops. For more info or dates, drop me a line, I generally post classes on Ebay Kleinanzeigen
Bluegrass Banjo for Beginners:
For absolute beginners who want to learn.
4 hour long classes.
Banjo for Guitarists:
Banjo for people who have played guitar (or any other fretted instrument), but want to learn from the beginning.
4 hour long classes.
Jazz Guitar for the Uninitiated:
Learn the basics of Jazz on the guitar. From Modes and chord construction to Comping and improvising over changes.
4 Classes. -
Online Courses
I currently have a couple online courses on offer:
Banjo for Beginners
A class designed to show the basics of banjo playing to newbies, but also to be useful to intermediate players as well. -
It is so easy to find tabs to learn tunes, or videos that explain music theory, but I wanted to make a course that helps banjo players to learn how to think on the banjo, to jam and to come up with their own arrangements…
*more information on the online course page
Melody of the Week Program
During the Covid lockdown I created an exercise for my banjo students in which we arranged short melodies together. I make dozens of video warm ups where I explain different ways to arrange these melodies, and saw real improvements in my students playing.
The videos are easy enough for relatively new students and complicated enough for more advance players to practice new techniques.