Paul Russell

Dave Goodheim

David has been a musician since the age of six beginning on piano,  then playing woodwinds in school (flute, saxophone, clarinet), and finally his main instrument guitar (since 1996, theory, songwriting/composition, improvisation, classical, electric (rock, blues, experimental, ambient, jazz), and steel-string (folk, American, country, fingerstyle)). David also is a young maestro playing the classical music of northern India since 2003, having studied within the preeminent Maihar Gharana on sarod with Ustad Aashish Khan and Pandit Rajeev Taranath and earlier on sitar with Ustad Roshan Jamal Bhartiya. He attended the University of Colorado (Phi Beta Kappa honors, EPO Biology ’08) and received a BFA performer/composer degree from California Institute of the Arts in 2008.

Music pedagogy has been an important part of David’s life both as a devoted lifelong student of broad musical interests and as a teacher first offering guitar lessons to students in 2003. He has taught lessons, classes, and workshops in California and Colorado for schools, educational organizations, and as a private instructor. David fosters enjoyment of music and practice by tailoring repertoire and selection of pieces for practice for each student, or by supplementing a student’s choice of musical repertoire and style with further and deeper exploration thereof. Lessons and assignments emphasize:

• development of good technique,
• facilitating understanding of the fundamentals of music theory and
• musicianship as applicable (if desired),
• close listening and ear training to foster and support musical growth, musical improvement, and enjoyment of playing, practice, and music,
• instilling good habits and tools for the practice of practicing music,
• utilizing students’ strengths and tailoring lessons and take homework to address areas where improvement will benefit students on their individual path,
• and teaching students to be good learners with their own tools, skills, and knowledge for continued growth and improvement beyond lessons.