Nick Di Tomasso has developed the reputation as being one of the most influential and highly respected guitar teachers living in Montreal today. Having produced countless professional guitarists over his more than twenty-five years of teaching, Nick’s students are always in the top rung of young players on the Canadian jazz scene. Nick is currently balancing his time between teaching at Vanier College, the University of Montreal and maintaining a small private studio of select students in the greater Montreal area.

Nick took time off of his busy schedule as a teacher and performer to discuss his approach in developing young musicians to be better prepared for the twenty-first century music scene.

MW: How did you get your start as a guitar teacher?

ND: I was playing guitar in a performance of Leonard Bernstein’s Mass for Orchestra and Choir. At the end of the concert, Peter Freeman, the former associate director of The McGill Conservatory of Music who happened to be present also playing in the performance, asked me if I would be interested in a teaching position at the Conservatory.  I hadn’t thought much about teaching before but decided to give it a try, and have continued ever since.

MW: Did any of your teachers have an influence on your private teaching approach?

ND: I’ve been teaching for the past twenty-five years and still feel that all my guitar teachers were important in molding my teaching approach. From some of them I learned important lessons about technique and reading music, while others I learned about the emotional and interactive nature of music by simply listening to them play. All of these aspects of music are important, and, as a teacher, I try to include all of them with my students.  

MW: As someone who draws from many influences in their playing how do you encourage students to explore different genres and styles of music?

For beginners, I encourage them to listen to as much music as they possibly can. At an intermediate level, I get the students to transcribe pieces from selected repertoires. I find that learning from recordings and historically significant performances is an important aspect of any players’ development.

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?

ND: I view technology and the internet as an extension of my teaching. Students can easily refer to different internet sites for examples of material covered in class, as well as different interpretations of pieces/tunes. It’s a great place to discover new players as well as rediscover older ones. I would go as far as saying that it could become the school of the future for musicians, certainly for those who are self-motivated. With the use of this and other technologies, I believe that music educators and students are heading towards a new era.         

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?

ND: As a teacher I am always learning and having to keep up to date with my knowledge and performance ability. As a musician I am also always learning. I guess the way I play is the way I teach.  I believe in clarity both as a teacher and as a player.  I also practice what I play. My message to all students is: don’t practice for your teacher but for yourself.

MW: What advice do you have for people who are just starting to teach guitar?

ND: Give the student clear musical and technical goals. Be prepared to modify your work plan during lessons; if you feel you need to add or leave something out for another day, go ahead and do it. Encourage the students at all levels; give them the opportunity to perform their short single line melodies or their arrangements of pieces/tunes. Be patient but firm. Most importantly, they need to know that consistent practicing and good listening habits are extremely important in order to achieve a higher level of playing.

MW: What advice do you have for students when they are looking for a private teacher?

ND: My first advice would be to find a teacher that has common interests, for example if you want to play folk music find a teacher who likes folk music. Make sure that the teacher is qualified, knows the instrument well, and is enthusiastic about teaching. A teacher should understand and respect what it is the student wants to accomplish as a musician, but at the same time, the student should also be ready to examine different material and explore new musical directions assigned by the teacher.

MW: Thanks for taking the time to talk to us today.

ND: No problem, anytime.