FAQs
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
When I begin teaching a new student, I like to ask about their previous experience with music and the guitar, what music they're interested in learning, and (most importantly) what their goals are in music. Depending on the answers to those questions, we may start doing anything from learning how to play a major scale, to writing our first song, to jamming and improvising over chord progressions. Every student is different not only in what they want out of music, but also in what learning material will inspire them the most to develop an intimate relationship with their instrument. My main goal with a new student is discovering what teaching material creates a creative spark to explore music.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have over 5 years of teaching experience with students of all ages and skill levels. I've taught all sorts of styles as well as all areas of music theory depending on what the student wants to learn, including harmonic progressions, scales, improvisation, and other aspects of composition and performance. I have also been a member of the teaching staff at Allegra Music Academy since February 2022. As a guitarist, I have been playing guitar for nearly 18 years. I began for the first 12 years or so as a classical guitarist before focusing primarily on jazz music from 2013 to the present. I have a bachelor's degree in jazz guitar performance from the University of Texas at Austin and I am currently attending CalArts as a jazz guitar MFA student. I have played hundreds of gigs both in Austin and Los Angeles. In case you want to hear what my music sounds like, I have an EP of original music on Spotify and other streaming platforms entitled "Cosmic Music" as well as a YouTube channel where I occasionally upload videos of various performances (the channel name is "Telesmar Sanchez" for those who are curious).
- How did you get started doing this type of work?
My interest in becoming a guitar teacher primarily grew from my personal music studies under different guitar teachers over the course of my life. I've observed firsthand how important a private music teacher can be in making music liberating, inspiring, and gratifying. I've also unfortunately experienced how, without the right mentorship and support from one's teacher, music can easily feel confusing, overwhelming, and even stressful for aspiring musicians. Ultimately, I became a teacher because I want to have a positive impact on students beyond showing them how to play the guitar through contributing to their self-confidence and helping them discover their unique artistic voices.