Student who started in kindergarten and continued until she graduated high school. Ukulele, guitar and piano — Sofia:
I took lessons from Carl for over 12 years. Starting on ukulele at the age of 6, Carl was incredibly patient and taught me both fun songs and some basic fundamentals of music (like the C scale). As I got older, I started playing guitar and piano as well. Carl would teach me songs I liked that also challenged me as a musician while continually teaching me bits of music theory.
Carl is a very good teacher, eloquently relaying his knowledge about music theory and spending a lot of time working on pieces before teaching them to give me the best grasp on it possible. He is an incredibly gifted musician that covers both the fundamentals of music and teaches musical pieces that push students to their best.
Family of 3: Mom and both kids took lessons for 4 years. Guitar and Ukulele — from student and parent Kelly:
Three of our four family members took lessons from Carl for several years, and he successfully covered the teaching spectrum from age 5 to adult. Carl has a special talent for selecting music that is fun and interesting to play, even during the early lessons with just a few chords. Our kids learned to play guitar and ukulele, but they also learned to appreciate different music styles and sounds, and especially to appreciate how much talent really goes into a song by The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, or Johnny Cash. Listening to the radio in the car became a new experience, with questions and comments about the instruments, rhythm, sound, and different parts of a song. Carl took the time with both kids over the years to teach them songs to play at school talent shows, for school book reports, or for a special birthday. Listening to them practice and grow musically was a real joy, and we are grateful to Carl's passion for teaching and dedication to his students.
Adult guitar student who took for 6 years — Katie:
I decided to begin guitar lessons in my 40s because I love the sound of acoustic guitar music. I'd never even held a guitar before I decided to begin lessons. You could say I was slightly nervous, especially to go it solo rather than hiding in the comfort of a group lesson. I'm forever grateful to land with a guitar teacher that is so patient and kind as Carl. He taught me that playing takes patience. He taught me how to break down a piece of music into it's simplest form and to play slowly so that my fingers could catch up with what my brain was telling them to do. He taught me how to play notes, chords and even how to sing on key. I learned to play the notes of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" to strumming the chords of "California Stars." I loved music, but my lessons with Carl gave me an even greater appreciation for this beautiful form of art.
Piano student who took for 8 years — from parent Harrison:
Our son Neil started taking piano lessons with Carl when he was seven years old. When younger, Neil was often squirrelly, and Carl's patience and bag of tricks were always enough to get Neil ready and focused for learning. Neil enjoyed performing at Carl's yearly recitals. Over eight years of seeing Neil and the other kids perform at recitals, we saw great growth in all of the students (not only our son's); it was evident that Carl individualizes his music education to each student, as seen in the depth and variety of musical pieces performed each year. Neil says that Carl was always great at helping him get past a problem or place that he was stuck. And, also he said that Carl always knew the right time to move on from working to master one piece to starting the next. Whatever our son does with piano and music in his life, he will have a very solid foundation to build upon thanks to Carl's guidance.
Adult guitar student who took for 3 years — Ted:
Carl gave me beginner guitar lessons for a couple of years. Each session he'd assign me a song and we'd work out the mechanics, then I'd go practice for a couple of weeks. Next session I'd perform it and we'd work on it some more or move on. I went from basically zero to competently playing and singing a couple dozen songs in that time. I especially appreciated the mix of music theory, guitar skills and vocal support that Carl provided. He can do it all! Carl has a very relaxed, easy going way about him — it wasn't stressful or high pressure. Just calm and fun and informative. I truly value the time we spent together, and can recommend him without hesitation!
Sibling guitar and ukulele students — from parent Amy:
Carl is fantastic! His patience and kindness made learning the guitar and ukulele a joy for both of my children. The encouraging atmosphere has boosted my kid's confidence in playing these instruments. We're grateful for such a positive musical teacher!
Sibling piano students — from the parents: Brian and Claire:
We have two kids. Our oldest started working with Carl and enjoyed it/learned a ton. So when it came time for our youngest child to start lessons, we signed her up with Carl as well. We consistently hear from our kids that he is kind and patient. He also adapted well to remote learning during the pandemic. And we have seen tremendous progress from each of our kids in their understanding of the instrument (piano) and ability to read music. Learning from Carl helped our oldest child transition well into a middle school band program, and we believe it has helped both of them with their appreciation of music generally.
From student June:
Carl lets you go as slow as you need and, when learning songs, he asks if you feel good about moving on or not.
From student Eddie:
Carl gives you small things to write on your practice sheet that can help you know what parts of your music to focus on. This helps you fine-tune your music and skills.
Piano student who took for 6 years. Three years in Portland then continued virtually after moving to the East Coast — from parent Paul:
Carl's ability to teach students of different ages and skill sets is truly impressive. Carl taught our son, Jude, for 6 years. During this period we noticed an increased level of confidence in Jude. Carl taught Jude the difference between practice and playing and how to prepare for live performances — routines that Jude continues to apply.
From parent Erin:
Carl is a gifted and steady teacher. He's 100% there for his students and able to tune into different learning styles. He takes his students on a journey from day 1 of learning to performance. Our son has flourished in his musicality under Carl's guidance. Carl helped unearth our son's talents and provide structure to their form. I love how Carl makes our son sit and do a little breathing routine before beginning the lesson! One of the biggest things our family is grateful for is having Carl in our lives these last 7 years.
From student Jude:
Carl is very calm and very receptive to what I'm wanting to learn.
Sibling piano students — from parent Cate:
Our children (ages 6 and 8.5) started with Carl when they were 5 and 7. They have both progressed so well while taking lessons. Carl has a calm, encouraging demeanor that really works well for our kids. They feel proud of the music they have learned and love showing off for friends.
