Evan Veasey Private Lesson Studio
About
My name is Evan Veasey, I am a professional musician based in the Asheville Area. I teach one-on-one and group music lessons for students of all ages and skill levels! I specialize in guitar, but also teach beginner Piano, Electric Bass, and Ukulele. I have experience playing and teaching many genres from Pop to Jazz to Metal and everything in-between!
I have a background in numerous areas of musical study, a Bachelors Degree in Jazz Guitar from the University of Michigan, experience recording and touring nationally and internationally with indie rock band Fallow Land, Session work playing on Singer Songwriter and Pop records, performances at the Detroit Jazz Festival with world renowned jazz violinist Regina Carter, and much more!
I have been teaching professionally for the past 6 years in the Ann Arbor area in my own studio and for the past two years at the Brighton Music Academy and Canton Music Academy. In that time I have taught students ranging in age from 5 to 75 and from "never touched an instrument before" beginner to "I've been playing for 40 years" experienced players and in that work I have developed an approach based around patience, personalized goal setting, and an emphasis on musicianship. When a student comes to me, my first priority is to meet them where they are right now and work together to find an approach to learning that works best for them.
I love teaching because I have a genuine passion about the art form that I teach and more importantly about the amazing talented people I teach it to. In my time as a full time private lesson teacher I have seen amazing progress from students that come from all different walks of life and musical backgrounds. If you are interested in playing an instrument for the first time and don't know where to start, or if you've been playing for a while but can't seem to break out of an old rut, give me a call and we can get started!
I love connecting with students and learning about music with them. I am always learning about great music I haven't heard before from the interesting students I teach!
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
To me the first few lessons with a student are all about getting to know the student and assessing where they are at. Everyone has a different background in music, different goals for their playing, and different learning styles that are most effective for them. My job in those first few lessons is to determine what a student already knows (or more importantly what they don't know!), work with them to establish some short term goals, and get to know them and how they work best. Once we have an idea of where we are going we can hit the ground running!
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have been playing for the past 14 years and in that time have studied with many nationally known professional musicians (Miles Okazaki, Bob Hurst, Ellen Rowe, Andrew Bishop, Mick Dobday, Benny Green, Jonathan Edwards to name a few). I Graduated with Honors from the University of Michigan in 2018 with a Degree in Jazz Studies. Since then I have recorded at Studio Litho in Seattle, toured the country, and been hired as a content editor on Doctor Colleen Conway's book Private Music Lessons: A Manual for Teachers.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
I currently charge:
$35 a Half Hour
$70 an Hour
Group Lesson prices negotiable
How did you get started teaching?
I started teaching in 2015 near the tail end of my freshman year as a music student at U of M. I started working at a guitar store in Ann Arbor that Summer and was convinced by a co-worker to start teaching lessons in the back of the store. Though initially intimidated by the new challenge of teaching, I soon grew to love the job. As the years went on I continued expanding my studio, until in May of 2019 I transitioned to teaching as my main source of income. Since then I have taught between 30 and 45 students a week on all kinds of different instruments and skill levels. It's been a ton of fun!
What types of students have you worked with?
I have worked with students of all ages, as young as 4 years old and as old as 79 years old. I have also taught many students who have never played an instrument before, have taken some lessons in the past, have been largely self taught, and even a few professional players looking to expand their skillset. In all that experience I have found that no matter the age or the music background anyone is capable of learning music and finding joy with this wonderful artform!
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
the Coronavirus Pandemic has definitely slowed everything down for me as a performer, but a recent (ish) show that I look back on fondly was a show my band Fallow Land played on last year at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor. We were opening for the veteran indie rock band Cursive, who we had all been listening to since we where kids. The venue was packed, and the show was super fun. Many people say "don't meet your heros", but the people in Cursive were really friendly and even bought a copy of our most recent record after the show. It's these types of connections that drive me as a performer as well as a teacher.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
First off, find a teacher that you really gel with personally. Taking lessons and having your playing critiqued by an expert can be nerve racking so its important that you find someone that you feel comfortable with and that has your best interests at heart.
Secondly, I would look for a teacher that gets you excited about practicing and playing. As a student, you should leave a lesson feeling excited about spending more time working on what you just learned, at least most of the time. It should feel exciting and fun!
Lastly, I would reccomend finding a teacher with some credentials. Since guitarists and other musicians are often self taught there are some music teachers who may claim to be experts in the craft, but do not necesarily have the comprehensive knowledge needed to solve the unique challenges a student may face. Those credentials can be notable professional playing work and/or academic study at the college level in a music discipline, but either way I do think that some proof of experience is important.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
Why am I seeking music lessons?
Do I have any specific goals for my playing?
If so what are they?
How much time do I realistically have to practice?
Is there a learning style that works best for me?
What am I confident I already know?
Is there anything I am not understanding in lessons that I need further help on?