Avram has worked with hundreds of people of all skill-levels, ages, and backgrounds, teaching beginner foundations, advanced jazz technique, and everything in between.
Avram offers lessons in:
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Flatpicked or fingerstyle guitar in almost any style and genre
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Traditional folk and jazz tenor banjo
- Popular and folk ukulele, individual or group lessons
Avram was part of the faculty at the legendary Old Town Strings from 1999 until the studio’s closure in 2008. Since then, he has taught lessons in his private studio and at Larsen School of Music.
Avram’s strength with beginner learners is his patience and willingness to work with students on their favourite material at their own pace. Beginning students can focus on basic techniques and learn to strum the chords of any of their favourite songs, while choosing to incorporate as much music theory as they want.
More intermediate students can focus on various fingerstyle techniques, learning solo guitar arrangements of classic folk tunes from artists like the Beattles and Bob Dylan, or they may choose to begin a path towards flatpicked improvisation.
Advanced students benefit from Avram’s specialized skill set in arranging jazz classics in Chet Atkins ragtime style or exploring the rich harmonies of jazz ballads, and his ability to clearly explain more complicated aspects of harmony and improvisation. Students may choose to focus on learning how to compose or arrange more complex styles of music for fingerstyle guitar.
“I was a ‘dabbling guitarist’ of many years. Avram recognized what I needed to learn and then made the learning so interesting, I couldn’t give it up. I am very grateful to him for opening me up to this beautiful instrument and improving my knowledge and appreciation of music in general.”
Bill Cordray
Student
Private lessons are available at Avram’s personal studio at 1225 Styles Street.
Interested in playing music with a group? Contact Avram for information about swing classes and ukulele classes.
McCagherty Music 