Ian Lee Music

Barry Harris, the great Jazz pianist, and educator says, “I have such a ball in my classes, and I learn so much from my students. They probably don’t realize that I come to school here, too. I’m just the oldest member of the class. I wish everyone could experience the blessing of learning new things all the time.”

The above statement describes how I feel when I am teaching. I have been playing and performing for over 25 years in many capacities, and still, music continues to teach me new things every time. Not only do I want to share that experience with you, but I also want to guide you into having that experience for yourself.

In teaching, I meet each student where they are. I do my best to listen and bring humility to each lesson. Teaching is a strange phenomenon; it would appear the teacher knows all; however, the more I teach, the more I learn. I am always and forever a student of music. As the french moralist and essayist Joseph Joubert once said, “to teach is to learn twice.”

Music is a profound force in life. It affects so many of us one way or another, even in what appear to be the simplest and smallest moments of our lives. My love for Music stretches back as long as I can remember. I cannot remember a time when I wasn't singing, tapping, or dreaming of sound. My philosophy is to make the world a better place through the Music I play and teach; of course, "making the world a better place" can mean many different things to different people. Therefore, all I can state from here is that I wish to bring more kindness, joy, light, love, laughter, and dancing to the world through Music, whether that is in the heart of a show or teaching another whose desire is to play. I guess it feels like a kind of service, not by force or for good credit, simply because I love it, and I wouldn't know what else to do without it. Thank you Music, and many thanks to YOU for taking the time to read this.