 Tom Clippert is one of the busiest guitar teachers living in the Chicago area. He is currently on faculty at the prestigious Merit School of Music, the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, and several colleges in the Chicagoland area. When not mentoring the next generation of classical and jazz guitarists, Tom is an avid performer of new and experimental music written for the classical guitar.
Tom took time out of his busy schedule to talk to us about the importance of mentorship in music education and how he has been able to achieve success on the modern music scene.
MW: How did you get your start as a guitar teacher
TC: Teaching was always something I knew I wanted to do. It was never a fall back for cash between gigs. I realized as an undergraduate that guitar education was lacking in technical and musical fundamentals, especially compared to other instruments such as the piano. I struggled a lot as a student to try to get my skill level on par with other musicians. I knew I wanted to teach so future guitarists would not have to encounter my same struggles.
MW: Did any of your teachers have an influence on your private teaching approach?
TC: This would be another part of the answer to question one. I had such an amazing experience studying with Benjamin Verdery. His passion and energy for teaching would make anyone want to become a teacher. He is still a dear friend, and always a tremendous source of inspiration.
He was so enthusiastic about sharing his ideas, and so encouraging about conquering barriers. As a teacher he made you feel as if the sun would rise and set around you during a lesson, and he is a world class performer with a lot on his plate. When I lived in New York and studied with him outside of academia, it felt as if he had adopted me into his family; it was almost like the Indian Classical tradition of the guru. I feel obligated to pass on to my students all that he so generously passed on to me.
MW: As someone who draws from many influences in their playing how do you encourage students to explore different genres and styles of music?
TC: I am very much inspired by John Williams in this realm. He is at the top of the game in terms of phenomenal hand mechanics, and moving the fingers well, to say the least. The pay-off for him is that things like style and genre are a mere afterthought. As a classical guitarist, he has always boldly branched out to things other than the solo classical repertoire for the better part of his career.
The more a student can hear music in terms of a big picture, the more great music the student will make. It’s exciting when we can make these big picture connections. The vibe of William Walton’s fourth Bagatelle is straight from “Kind of Blue,” even though he probably did not have that in mind. The energy of an all sixteenth note Bach allegro can be the same energy as a Mclaughlin or Martino solo. The passion and expressiveness of the guitar’s Spanish repertoire can be the same passion and expressiveness as Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s songs. A Baroque gigue has to have the same rhythmic energy as a Celtic gigue.
I do encourage all of my students to improvise, not just within the Jazz realm. Improvisation is so vital because it forces us to connect with our instruments and our imagination in an indescribable way.
MW: In your opinion how has technology, especially the internet, changed the landscape of guitar education in recent years and where do you see it headed in the future?
TC: I think it always becomes easier to be a student. The resources are always improving. Another of my former teachers, Phil de Fremery, dates from the days when it was hard to get your hands on sheet music. Luckily for him, he has deadly sharp perfect pitch, so he would transcribe solos repertoire from Segovia’s recordings, down to the string and finger! With the internet, we can now track down virtually any printed score. I end up ordering things from overseas quite a bit.
Technology has made it easier and more convenient for student to record themselves, or their lessons. YouTube has been an amazing savior. Broadcast television does not provide the students with many examples of high level guitar playing. Ted Greene never saw the light of day on standard TV, but YouTube has home video footage of him at a restaurant gig. Despite the constant economic worries and struggles, it’s a very exciting time to be a musician. The internet is uniting us, just like the rest of the world.
MW: You are such an experienced and accomplished performer as well as an educator. How has your teaching experience influenced your performing and vice-versa?
TC: One of the biggest lessons and concepts that I pass on to my students is how to practice. How to practice is a constant work in progress that has to evolve and conform to whatever demands are presented to the performer. I strive to pass this on to my students in capital letters, and my own performing career provides me with new problem solving discoveries that I always pass on to my students. Just when I think I know how to memorize a piece, I get an opera gig where I have to be on stage and in costume, or I get a George Crumb gig where I have to walk across the stage and play (banjo) at the same time. Things like these take me out of the comfort zone of the recital chair.
I learn a great deal from my students. They have life experience that shapes a performer, things like sports, theater, and debate. They share with me how they would prepare for these types of occasions, and we relate these ideas to musical performance.
MW: What advice do you have for people who are just starting to teach guitar?
TC: Always be helpful and productive. Remember that your student is also a fellow musician, but is lacking your experience.
MW: What advice do you have for students when they are looking for a private teacher?
TC: The teacher should be able to help the student reach his or her goals. A student with the clearest ideas of their goals will have an easier time selecting a teacher. Don’t be shy about requesting a trial lesson, and try to make it as clear as possible to the teacher what it is you hope to accomplish in your studies.
MW: Thanks for taking the time to talk to us today.
TC: My pleasure.
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