|
 Nick Di Tomasso has developed the reputation as being one of
the most influential and highly respected guitar teachers living in Montreal today. Having
produced countless professional guitarists over his more than twenty-five years
of teaching, Nick’s students are always in the top rung of young players on the
Canadian jazz scene. Nick is currently balancing his time between teaching at Vanier College,
the University of Montreal and maintaining a small private studio of
select students in the greater Montreal
area.
Nick took time off of his busy schedule as a teacher and
performer to discuss his approach in developing young musicians to be better
prepared for the twenty-first century music scene.
MW: How did you get your start as a guitar teacher?
ND: I was playing guitar in a performance of Leonard
Bernstein’s Mass for Orchestra and Choir. At the end of the concert, Peter
Freeman, the former associate director of The McGill Conservatory of Music who
happened to be present also playing in the performance, asked me if I would be
interested in a teaching position at the Conservatory. I hadn’t thought much about teaching before
but decided to give it a try, and have continued ever since.
MW: Did any of your teachers have an influence on your
private teaching approach?
ND: I’ve been teaching for the past twenty-five years and
still feel that all my guitar teachers were important in molding my teaching
approach. From some of them I learned important lessons about technique and
reading music, while others I learned about the emotional and interactive
nature of music by simply listening to them play. All of these aspects of music
are important, and, as a teacher, I try to include all of them with my
students.
MW: As someone who draws from many influences in their
playing how do you encourage students to explore different genres and styles of
music?
For beginners, I encourage them to listen to as much music
as they possibly can. At an intermediate level, I get the students to
transcribe pieces from selected repertoires. I find that learning from
recordings and historically significant performances is an important aspect of
any players’ development.
MW: In your opinion how has technology, especially the
internet, changed the landscape of guitar education in recent years and where
do you see it headed in the future?
ND: I view technology and the internet as an extension of my
teaching. Students can easily refer to different internet sites for examples of
material covered in class, as well as different interpretations of
pieces/tunes. It’s a great place to discover new players as well as rediscover
older ones. I would go as far as saying that it could become the school of the
future for musicians, certainly for those who are self-motivated. With the use
of this and other technologies, I believe that music educators and students are
heading towards a new era.
MW: You are such an experienced and accomplished performer
as well as an educator. How has your
teaching experience influenced your performing and vice-versa?
ND: As a teacher I am always learning and having to keep up
to date with my knowledge and performance ability. As a musician I am also
always learning. I guess the way I play is the way I teach. I believe in clarity both as a teacher and as
a player. I also practice what I play.
My message to all students is: don’t practice for your teacher but for
yourself.
MW: What advice do you have for people who are just starting
to teach guitar?
ND: Give the student clear musical and technical goals. Be
prepared to modify your work plan during lessons; if you feel you need to add
or leave something out for another day, go ahead and do it. Encourage the
students at all levels; give them the opportunity to perform their short single
line melodies or their arrangements of pieces/tunes. Be patient but firm. Most
importantly, they need to know that consistent practicing and good listening
habits are extremely important in order to achieve a higher level of playing.
MW: What advice do you have for students when they are
looking for a private teacher? ND: My first advice would be to find a teacher that has
common interests, for example if you want to play folk music find a teacher who
likes folk music. Make sure that the teacher is qualified, knows the instrument
well, and is enthusiastic about teaching. A teacher should understand and
respect what it is the student wants to accomplish as a musician, but at the
same time, the student should also be ready to examine different material and
explore new musical directions assigned by the teacher.
MW: Thanks for taking the time to talk to us today.
ND: No problem, anytime.
|
Educational Articles 
