Lessons

Private Instruction Comments/Reviews

"Thank you for teaching me guitar all these years. You are an amazing teacher, and I'm very lucky for you to be my teacher. —Samiya Thakur, Dec. 2021

"Well, I couldn't be more fortunate than to have Daniel Roest as my instructor. The man is so well trained in the guitar (and other instruments), he is extremely professional, very relaxed and extremely patient. I'm on my second set of 10 lessons with him. And in that time, I have learned to play what I thought I knew in more than one way and better. I have also learned that I have a long way to go because there are many things I don't know. But the things I am very grateful to Daniel for are the following: learn to relax; continually practice the basics; practice all that I learn; build up my speed; and gain my self-confidence. I have such respect for his talent and for him as a person that I hate not being prepared when I meet with him for a lesson. He is a class act." —Joseph Butchart, Martinez, CA

"Hi Daniel,

You have been such an outstanding teacher for Matthew, and we have enjoyed coming to your house over the last 4-5 years. Matthew, Troy and I have such great respect and admiration for your talent, as well as your teaching style, etc., and appreciate the time and effort you have given to him and us. Thank you, again, for helping Matthew pursue his musical interests. We are forever grateful for all that you have done... You are the best!!!" —Cheryl Dun, Folsom, CA

Note of appreciation: "in the years we have the gift to live, we meet many people... MANY... But, just a few that we will remember forever.

Every time you share with Karen your talent, you are taking the place of those few people that SHE will remember forever... and every time that she makes me cry by listening to the sweet sound of her guitar, or watching her tiny little fingers move so fast that it is impossible to believe, she reminds us that you are one of those few people that WE will remember forever...

Thank you for every note and every sound... Sincerely, Nico and Tami Kacevas" [Folsom]

"After reading your writing I am more excited than ever to have you teach my students. Your teaching is the most inclusive of the essential details I've seen to date." —Gordon Rowland, GuitarWork

"Hi Daniel,

Just wanted to take a moment to thank you for the wonderful guitar lessons you are teaching Prateek - I see a marked difference in his guitar playing as well as general focusing abilities. Many thanks for nurturing his guitar playing skills - we all love the way you teach!"—Monika Sane, Folsom, CA

"We've been with you for several years and I have been so pleased with your teaching. You are a patient, kind and talented man., Thank you for everything!!!...My best, Stacy" —Stacy Thompson, Folsom, CA

"Hello Daniel,

I really wanted to thank you for all of your encouragement and support of Adara. You are a great teacher - thank you!! She is really enjoying learning the guitar, and I am learning a lot too. Also, this evening we put in the DVD and Adara is really working hard on the whole thing and especially the B A G change. Thank you so much for all of your patience!! Have a great rest of your week!! Thanks again, Sarah"—Sarah Lix, Folsom, CA

" Hey Daniel, I really appreciated the thought of showing me the audio sample on your page! After practicing on my guitar today for about an hour, it was rather pleasant to listen to the masterpiece performed at its best. I noticed throughout the way you played it, your tremolo was as smooth as water from beginning to the end. I also took care in noticing the great amount of precision yet, flowing texture, elegantly emphasizing the tones. My father and I did applaud a lot. I studied the sheet ''Take Control of the Expression Dials on your Guitar' you passed out to the students in your masterclass from a while ago and I find it so useful! I really examined it and without it I probably would be struggling a lot more than I am now. Thank you for thinking of me." —Esma

POSITIVE REVIEW - FROM SACRAMENTO METROPOLITAN ARTS COMMISSION ARTIST RESIDENCY INSTITUTE

Observer: Chelsea Hunt, Arts Education Training and Partnerships Associate, Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission. Session: 6/18/08, Folsom Public Library "Musical Expression Workshop for Teens"

Daniel, your lesson was very well thought out and executed. The students all responded with intrigue and respect. Using the continuum line to demonstrate concepts and vocabulary words throughout your entire lesson was incredibly effective. The students understood it, kept referring to the vocab words on the wall and responded on many different levels to the visuals you provided. The exercise in which you had them gradually increase their volume was effective and fun. The students were all engaged and determined. There were moments in which there could have been more student involvement as opposed to sitting and listening such as your question and answer and the exercise in which you passed out words and asked the students to place you on the line. What if you asked the students to stand up and stand on the line themselves? Also, there were some questions that you posed such as “How loud is your world…is it louder than it used to be? You didn’t give the students very much time to ponder this or answer the question. This may be a great point in which to have them brainstorm in small groups for just a couple minutes to involve more students in the act of generating ideas for this topic before you posed the question and explained your thoughts on it. Overall though, your distribution of information and examples were all very clear and thoughtful.

A. Excite element of the lesson: The artist captures the attention of the student. Does the Excite element incorporate the art form?

I apologize for being late…I turned on the wrong Natoma street….(the first one) and that is why I was late. But, I entered the room and you were speaking of a musician, so I just assumed you had played them something as your excite?

B. Delivery of Facts or Directions: The students receive information from the artist. What is the information? How clear are the directions?

Your directions were very clear. Your visuals and examples played on your own instrument were all very constructive. Everything flowed very nicely, your delivery of facts to your student involvement.

C. Performance or Presentation: The artist demonstrates a professional level of the art form. How does this occur?

Yes, you demonstrated on your own instrument often and spoke about your musical history in relation to several topics (one of them being hearing loss…which I think was a very subtle way of sharing your own experiences with it while warning the students about damaging their own ears). You also interjected personal philosophies and your own experience with listening to the world around you. It was enlightening and a great way to open the minds of the students to the sounds around them that they may not pay attention to.

D. Question-and-Answer: The artist asks and responds to questions. What are the purposes of the questions? How effectively are questions phrased?

Your questions were phrased well. I did notice that you didn’t give the students much time to answer them. In a couple situations you answered them yourself. See above opening comments for suggestions. There were also moments in which you asked the students to define a vocabulary word. In these moments you did allow the students to respond and they knew the answer.

E. Discussion, Brainstorming, or Review: The artist helps students explore, elaborate on, or re-visit information or procedures.

All of your activities helped the students explore and elaborate on the topics of the lesson. There were also several points in which you reviewed something discussed last class. See above comments for brainstorming ideas. In your lesson plan you had written that you would do a paired sharing activity (Learning Activity #5). This paired sharing is a great idea for increasing student involvement and personal expression and would balance out the amount of listening versus doing for the students.

F. Modeling: The artist demonstrates an action or activity while students observe.

Yes, you modeled the concepts throughout the lesson on your own instrument and in your description of things. Students love to hear about the professional life of an artist. You demonstrated that very well in your discussion of yourself in a band and at the end when you brought up the articles you are writing.

G. Participation I: The artist leads students in an arts activity.

Your engage activities were very well scaffolded into your main activities. Again, the main activity of gradually increasing the volume from student to student on different instruments was very effective in helping grasp the concept of levels and how much that can vary from instrument to instrument. The students loved it! Your reaction to the student with the electric guitar was also fun…

H. Participation II: The artist supervises, circulates, or observes as students work independently on an arts activity.

The activity placing emotions on the line between pppp and ffff was very effective. See above comments about student involvement. I also enjoyed your comments about personal style and playing passionately.

End Element: Your end element was a nice way to close class and well scaffolded into the lesson’s concepts.