Grace T. says, "Kim Bloom has taught me for more than a year now, in person as well as over the internet when I was out of town, bringing me up from an advanced level pianist (Mozart, Beethoven, a little Kapustin ; ) oy! ) w/ a tiny bit of folk/bluegrass/blues guitar exposure , into>.. currently playing intermediate pieces for the classical guitar . This has added immensely to my enjoyment of retirement: rather than replay old keyboard chestnuts from my younger piano playing years, I am challenged with tackling new repertoire (studies by sagreras, aguado, sor…), new sight reading , even the numbers and letters for LH AND RH fingerings are new!! My brain is definitely being challenged. Kim has many good ideas and is always willing to tailor curriculum and Alternative fingerings to suit my rather small hands. He is good at critiquing technique, taking a close look at not only my fingers but also , knuckles , elbow and shoulder and Feet positions…clearly the mark of a good teacher who knows what works to produce good tone, trills, nimble position changes, etc. Had I thought I would be tackling LeoBrouwer’s Un Día De Noviembre (find recordings on YouTube) a year after jumping in?? Absolutely Not. I myself taught college economics for years. it takes a certain perceptiveness to break a technique into its basic pieces for a newbie to understand AND implement. Kim can do that!
Btw he also helped me choose a guitar that fit me and he is teaching me nail care to enhance good tone from my right hand on the strings. He has great stories from his SF conservatory training and master classes with top concert guitarists of the world. Life in Tucson is great: a lot bc I had this ear worm of Granados played by Segovia having relocated as a northerner to the AZ desert landscape, and was rewarded just bc I LOOKED FOR A CLASSICAL GUITARIST to teach me , and found Kim’s name from asking at the music store in Tucson.
I think He is having some fun himself bc he gets to skip teaching me basic music reading and theory. So if you are an adult with some music training, don’t hesitate! If you are willing to put in the practice time, who knows where you can go…??!!
Ps. my MD says it is a good choice bc there is clinical research showing that learning a NEW instrument builds brain power. I am 66 and feeling younger when i am tackling each new study. Kim is looking to make time for more students, so I would recommend jumping at the opportunity." Read more