Andrea's Guitar Arts Page

Andrea Cannon Guitar Arts Studio

Guitar Arts Studio

281) 320-9656

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Andrea's Bio

Andrea grew up in the Washington, DC area and was fortunate to begin jazz studies with former Airmen of Note Guitar Virtuoso Rick Whitehead. While living in DC, she was selected as Outstanding Soloist and named to the All-Star Jazz Ensemble at the James Madison University Jazz Festival. She also received the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award for young musicians.

She attended Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music where she majored in Guitar Performance. Her instructors included William G. Leavitt, Larry Baione and Jon Damien. She served as Berklee Alumni Regional Admissions Representative earning recognition for Outstanding Service and Rep of the Year.

As an educator, Andrea founded Guitar Arts Studio in Northwest Houston, Texas. The Guitar Arts program includes lessons, music theory classes and ensemble presented by a staff of five trained instructors. In addition, Pre-Natal and Early Childhood Music Courses are available.

Guitar Arts Studio is a National Model Program for Suzuki Guitar and one of the premier guitar programs for young children in the State of Texas. Student Awards and Recognition include: State and Local Music Teacher’s Association Performance Contest Winners; Texas MTA State Theory Test Gold, Silver & Bronze Medals.

A Student ensemble was invited to perform at the Music Teacher's National Association Session at which Van Cliburn was the keynote speaker.

Andrea is a Registered Suzuki Guitar Teacher Trainer and travels internationally for the Suzuki Association conducting clinics and workshops for teachers and students. She has given over thirty workshops in the US, Canada & Latin America and has been featured in festivals with artists including Ricardo Cobo and Benjamin Verdery.

She is a frequent contributor to the American Suzuki Journal and is the only guitar instructor in the Southwest to have earned National Certification through Music Teacher's National Association.

Performances both at home in Houston and on the road include solo guitar recitals, concerto with orchestra, jazz combos and jam sessions.

Andrea Cannon - Instructor Guitar Arts Studio - Northwest Houston, Texas

As a teacher, my purpose is to teach guitar and music theory in a professional manner in accordance with my training and experience. I desire to help each student make consistent improvement and maintain high standards for his or her playing. I teach the Suzuki Method to my young students. It's classical training based on lots of listening and on using fun and helpful teaching aids. All students learn to read music. Adult students are encouraged to branch out into jazz and blues and are placed in groups which perform ensemble arrangements.

I offer specialized lesson supplements in the following areas:

Christian Music * Country * Folk/Fingerstyle * Jazz and Blues * Rock * Worship/Church Songs.

Advanced Studies in:

Chord Construction * Improvisation/ Lead Soloing * Sight Reading * Music Theory *Songwriting

Here are some of the books I use:

Suzuki Guitar School - Books and Tapes
Melodic Rhythms for Guitar by William G. Leavitt
Twenty Studies for Guitar by Fernando Sor
Christopher Parkening Guitar Method
The Real Book
Berklee Series Publications

Suzuki Trained and Registered

I received training to teach the Suzuki Method for Guitar and am a Registered Teacher with the Suzuki Association of the Americas. That means I know some really cool and fun ways to motivate kids to learn about music. I have invented some of my own games, teaching tools and arrangements. I think Suzuki Guitar is the way to go for kids who are interested in playing. It teaches them how to practice and gives them a love for music that helps them stay motivated and into it their whole lives.

THE SUZUKI METHOD

Dr. Shinichi Suzuki began working years ago with very young children in violin studies on the following principle - children learn their native languages first by listening and later, by reading and writing. Using this approach with music, the youngsters were trained to play quite beautifully and proficiently by listening to music and playing what they heard. In time, they were also taught to read music and grew up to be accomplished performers.

One great myth regarding the Suzuki method is that students do not learn to read music. Initially, in accordance with the "Mother-Tongue" theory, listening methods are primarily used, but music theory and reading follow soon after. Suzuki students, if they are taught properly by trained teachers, become excellent readers who do well both as soloists and in group playing.

Berklee College of Music Alumni Representative

Alumni Representatives are equipped to discuss admissions procedures and give general information about the College to prospective students. I have worked for Berklee in this way for ten years. I was Rep of the Year in 1992 and received an Outstanding Service Award in 1995. I loved my experiences as a Berklee student and feel that I am still benefitting through my association with the school. Some other Berklee alums whose names you might recognize include Chick Corea, Scott and Christine Dente, Melissa Ethridge, Bruce Hornsby, Quincy Jones, Branford Marsalis and Alan Silvestri. If you want to know more about Berklee, check out their web site .