Guitar Instruction by Brian Phillips ... 303-803-2181 ... brian@guitarbybrian.com
Background
I was born in Houston, Texas and lived there until I was 19 years old. I moved to Denver with my parents in the early eighties. I graduated from Arvada West High School here in the Denver Area. I bought my first guitar when I was sixteen using money from my first paycheck from my first job at Six Flags, Astroworld in Houston. That guitar changed my life. I still have the guitar, it hangs on the wall in the Highlands Ranch studio. I have never been without a guitar since. I have several now.
Music has always been a big part of my life. When I was young my parents never had to worry about me watching too much television. I was much more into listening to my records and tapes and the radio. Long before I got the guitar I used to dream of being a guitar playing rock star! Once I got the guitar I went to work on learning how to play it. I got pretty far on my own but a group guitar class in High School really helped me make some huge strides. I didn't get really serious about it until my late twenties but the guitar was alwaysa part of my life. I could always play it and forget about all my troubles for a while.
When I was 29, I got a rare second chance to go to college. I took advantage of the opportunity and started classes at Red Rocks Community College before transferring, with an Associate of Arts Degree, to the Music Program at the University of Colorado at Denver. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Music with an emphasis in Music Business. My degree program included courses in Music business, performance, engineering, and finance.
I have been working steadily in the music business for over fifteen years as an agent, talent coordinator, guitarist, singer, music director, music editor and teacher. I love being a guitar teacher and performer. As a teacher, I try to maintain a schedule of around 40 students or so. As a performer, I currently play with three bands regularly. I'm the Singer/guitar player in A.K.A. (modern rock) and I am the lead guitar player in both HollowPoint (classic rock) and Almost Famous (Variety Rock). In addition to the three bands, I also do a solo acoustic show. I occasionally will run sound for various performance companies and bands around town.
When it comes to teaching, I consider myself a music teacher who happens to teach on guitar. My approach is to help students to enjoy music and the guitar for the rest of their lives. I do not push them in any particular direction but do introduce them to many different styles and ideas and let them decide what appeals to them. If they want to get into serious study and get into a college music program, I can get them there. If they want to learn how to play particular songs to jam with their friends I can do that too. I keep them working on their interests and find openings within that context to give them the musical knowledge they need to grow as musicians.
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