David Lester Music

Introduction: Hello! I have been teaching private lessons since 2006, and it's a true joy for me. I am a multi-faceted bassist active in the Baltimore/Washington area, with over 15 years of experience playing in rock/pop, funk, and blues bands, orchestras, and jazz ensembles. I also play the drums and guitar, am active as a composer and conductor, and have extensive training in music theory. I started teaching at 17 years old, when I was hired by the music store where I was taking lessons. I quickly fell in love with teaching. The best reward for me is when I’m able to help something “click” for a student, and something they had been struggling with suddenly makes sense and becomes easy. I enjoy teaching all age groups and skill levels, from total beginners to aspiring professionals. I'm proud to say that all of my students who have been college-bound have gotten accepted to the first school of their choice, including Berklee School of Music, The New School, Shenandoah Conservatory, USC School of Music, Belmont University, and University of Maryland School of Music. These students have gone on to have professional careers of their own. I teach to each student’s style of learning and thinking, and approach my job from a place of respect for the students. The most fundamental quality of my teaching style is my desire to make everything I teach relevant and personal for the students, so that they truly connect to what is being taught, rather than simply learning facts and assimilating information. Now, for my story! I grew up in a family of professional classical musicians. I started on the piano at a young age, but switched to the drums in the 5th grade when I discovered The Beatles. I started taking drum lessons, and was soon playing in bands with my friends. My drum teacher also played guitar and bass, and I was soon studying all three instruments with him. In high school, I felt more and more of an affinity with the bass, and that became my primary instrument. After listening to nothing but rock music for most of my teenage years, I fell in love with funk, jazz, and fusion in my junior year of high school. I started playing the upright bass out of an interest in jazz, but soon became a devoted student of classical bass, which was the focus of my formal education. Most recently, I completed one year of graduate study at Manhattan School of Music with Jeremy McCoy, assistant principal bass of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. As an undergraduate, I studied with Jeff Weisner of the National Symphony Orchestra. I love music with all my heart, and there is little else more rewarding than imparting this joy and passion to students.