Lessons

Lessons by Harry KoizumiHarry teaches music in a non-traditional method, teaching students to learn to “jam” and create music before teaching them to read.

Harry’s Philosophy

“As a Music Major in college, I noticed that many of the other classically trained musicians could read or memorize music, but if you took that music away they didn’t know what to do. Most people who are taught only to read music give up very quickly because they are learning to read something they don’t understand. It would be like teaching someone to read a book, but not teaching them vocabulary or how words go together.

So I teach my students how music functions and how to put notes together first. They learn to improvise within a structure and most can usually “jam”, or create their own music, before the end of the first lesson. Choosing the person’s favorite style of music makes learning a fun thing to do. The more fun you have, the quicker you learn. And through the lessons, my students learn to read music.”

The Details

Harry teaches guitar and ukulele in many styles of music, including Rock and Roll, Hawaiian Slack-Key, and Classical guitar.

His private studio is inside Coconut Grove Music — Oahu’s great little neighborhood guitar store, located in the heart of downtown Kailua, above Hawaiian Water Sports, across the street from Bob’s Sports Bar (167 Hamakua Drive, #200, Kailua, HI 96734).

Harry teaches individual 30 minute lessons, since everyone learns at their own pace. Fee is $40.00 per half hour lesson.

Lesson days are Monday through Saturday, between 10:30 and 6:00 pm. Please call his studio to see if the time you’re looking for is available. If it is not, Harry keeps a “Wait List” and when someone cannot make their lesson, he will call the next person on the Wait List to see if he or she is available to fill in for that week.

It is not required for you have your own instrument, but to get better at playing, you will need to have something to practice on at home!

Call Harry’s studio at 808-262-3734 or send Harry an email to sign up for lessons!

Have you ever studied music? Harry teaches guitar in a different way. Click here to take a look at string instruments and why they are a great instrument to learn on.

Click here to see Harry demonstrating and discussing the history of ki ho’alu (Slack Key guitar), in particular Taro Patch or “G” tuning”