Mike’s Story

There is nothing more thrilling than seeing your pupils grow into accomplished, confident musicians. It gives me the greatest pleasure to share an incredible success story that showcases the transformation that occurs when dedication meets proper guidance.

Meet Mike, one of our pupils, whose musical prowess has soared to new heights since taking guitar lessons with Classical Guitar Academy.

The first few months

Mike joined Classical Guitar Academy in November 2020, seeking to improve his guitar skills and pass his graded exams.

Mike travels a lot for work, and I believe he was living in France when he commenced lessons. Being unable to visit the studio in person, he opted for online guitar lessons with CGA.

When he first started lessons, Mike was working at approximately Grade 3 standard, following the ‘This Is Classical Guitar’ syllabus. Little did he know that his musical journey was about to accelerate at an astonishing pace.

After a short time teaching Mike, it was clear that this was a pupil who took in everything that was discussed in his lesson. Attentiveness and an open mind are key components to success as a musician. This made my life easier, as I knew all I had to do was assess his strengths and weaknesses, construct a long term plan which addresses the areas to improve and provide the right content in stages when appropriate.

I created a technical suite specifically tailored to Mike’s needs. I always recommend doing some form of technical work at the beginning of each practice session. This helps to focus the mind on how we should play from the outset, rather than trying to cram some technical practice at the end and thinking, ‘ah, so that’s what I should have been doing for the past hour…

We coupled this with some deep dives on his repertoire, focussing on all elements including organisation, technique, style, playing expressively and a little performance craft.

Mike experienced rapid progress pretty much immediately, which surpassed my initial expectations. His dedication and determination were unwavering, leading him to a remarkable milestone in April 2021 when he passed his Grade 5 with Distinction.

Success breeds success

But he good news doesn’t stop there… Fuelled by this achievement and determined to progress further, Mike knuckled down once more.

Having laid the groundwork effectively at Grade 5, the path through Grade 6 was much clearer.

The technical changes Mike made to his playing meant that he was better able to deal with the rigours of Grade 6. His regular practice routine meant that he kept up the momentum that carried him through with ease.

Mike chose a balanced programme of pieces at Grade 6.

A beautiful Bach Sarabande which required a deft touch and impeccable phrasing, not to mention pinpoint accuracy to avoid any buzzes that would detract from the performance.

He also chose Romance by Carulli, the rhythm of which provides plenty of technical challenge if all voices are the be balanced and phrased well.

His final piece was El Viaje, wonderfully arranged by Gary Ryan. Fiery and passionate, this piece is a rich with Argentinian harmony and laced with melodies so typical of the great Astor Piazzolla.

In July of the same year,  Mike passed his Trinity College London Grade 6 examination, also with Distinction!

“Your tireless focus on the musicality of my playing I’m sure has been the backbone of my success in these exams in order to achieve these top marks, and has left me a confident and skilled guitar player.”

Mike

The Dizzy Heights of Grade 8

But Mike’s story doesn’t end there.

After such great success at Grade 6, we discussed the options going forwards and decided that we should set our sights a little higher for the next one and aim to go straight for Grade 8.

By this point we both had a clear idea of the task ahead. Grade 8 is no walkover, with a number of pieces required at this level being played worldwide in concerts and recitals by professional musicians.

In other words, if Mike were to pass this exam, he would be of the required standard to pursue a professional career in music, should he so wish.

Lessons at this stage get hyper detailed.

One of the greatest challenges we faced by this point was developing a musical ear and a heightened sense of musicianship and understanding far beyond what was required at Grade 6.

We discussed the intricacies of each melody, the relationship with the harmony. Tension and resolution, dissonance and consonance.  The meaning of it all.

This intense focus on Mike’s musicianship was coupled with another technical programme of exercises to bring Mike’s finger dexterity and coordination up to Grade 8 standard.

It was exciting to see Mike’s playing develop with each lesson, with flashes of genuine top level musicianship and accomplishment now on show. I was quietly confident that a positive exam result was just around the corner, but I was still astonished when it landed in April 2023…

Let Us Help You Too

Are you looking for a guitar lessons that can genuinely help you to improve your playing and achieve your goals?

Guitar tuition is the cornerstone of Classical Guitar Academy. It’s how we started and is an integral part of our mission here at CGA – to provide outstanding classical guitar tuition to everyone who would like to access it.

Book a lesson today and let us show you how we can enrich your guitar playing journey!

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