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 2928 West 13th St. Ashtabula, Ohio 44004 phone: 440-964-3396 |
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AAC Welcomes New Guitar Teacher:
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Posted: Friday, December 13, 2002
After 21 years traveling on the road, playing in duos or bands across the country, Keith Palmer has “retired” to his hometown to teach his experiences to students at the Arts Center. Palmer will offer guitar lessons, charging $15 for a 45 minute lesson.
Palmer, a 1973 graduate of Ashtabula High School, has been playing the guitar since the age of 12. He began lessons in classical guitar at age 14, and later graduated with an associate degree in music from Mt. Aloysius Junior College in Cresson, PA, where he was a guitar performance major.
When not traveling the country, Palmer previously taught lessons at Simon’s Music Store in Ashtabula, and also Villa Music Store in Denver, CO, where he regularly saw up to 60 students per week. All total, he figures he has been teaching guitar off and on for about 20 years.
He is proficient in both classical and electric guitar. Palmer’s teaching philosophy is that he will teach students whatever they want to learn, and will change his teaching style dependent on the student’s learning style.
“I try to teach the kids to be students first,” says Palmer. “They have to learn how to practice. Playing can really take off when you know how to practice.”
He says that many of the students he sees want to learn how to play their favorite songs they hear on the radio. He will teach students these popular songs as a trade off for doing lessons in a book.
“I get them started reading music and learning about their instrument,” he says. “Then I have them find a song they want to learn. We’ll learn that song, then do a lesson in the book. We’ll go from book to songs to music to ear training, and so forth.”
Palmer also teaches kids about his experiences in bands, including how to handle sound equipment, how to break into the recording industry, and inside information on record labels.
“I want to take my experiences and pass on the good stuff,” he says. “Learning guitar came really hard to me, and I admired a lot of local musicians when I was younger. I see myself in my students. I still feel 16 when I get up and play.”
Keith Palmer will begin offering guitar lessons this month. Contact Music Coordinator Lyn Savarise at the Arts Center for more information.
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