Private teachers in The Woodlands

My review is based on two 60 minute online lessons but also on communication outside of the lessons. Mirko comes across as a genuinely nice guy. When messaged, he responds quickly. Last night I had a small question regarding a piece from our lesson, that I wished would be answered prior to our next meeting and he answered in a very timely fashion and to full satisfaction. If you're someone who wants to build a solid foundation, then I think that you don't need to look any further. Like a concrete slab floor that needs hardening prior to further construction, he doesn't rush through material but makes sure that you're ready before the next stage. As I was not a total beginner, Mirko would start at the lowest or near the lowest entry point after I showed him a range of the things that I was familiar with. So a good starting point for me was a simple I-M rest stroke alternation exercice on the first string and he gradually increased the difficulty. He also introduced me to a short piece that I haven't heard before and right now I can play 40% of it and the plan is to play it fully by the next lesson which is a very realistic goal. When it comes to conveying techniques it would be too early to make a comment because as I already had acquired a reasonably good technique, we didn't focus much on it (yet). I will conclude by saying that if you're someone who doesn't like structure and only wants a taste of everything that a guitar has to offer but not really fully digest anything that is presented in front of you, then skip this teacher. I ,for one, am happy that I found Mirko.

I studied the violin for about 2 months with Fermin and I have grown much in my knowledge of not just how to play but how to think when playing. Fermin has also helped a lot with technical struggles allowing me to break through some of the challenges that were bothering me for a long time. He is a very patient teacher but he will not hesitate to stop you and correct you (as any good teacher would) if you are not playing correctly. I personally requested that he gives me honest feedback which really helped me play better tecnically and musically. I believe he will be open to adapting his strictness upon specific requests. The time difference (Fermin being in Spain and I being in the US) has not been easy but Fermin was very willing to bend his schedule and provided several time slots to accommodate my availability. To sum up, if you are looking for a teacher that is patient in character yet unrelenting toward the goal of fully tapping your potential both musically and tecnically, I would recommend you take a lesson with Fermin.

Very clear as to what his teaching methods and goals are, how he'll help you get there - then jumps right in and gets you started with no fuss. I found myself speaking sentences in Wolof by the end of the lesson, and really appreciate the additional written material he supplied as well. As someone who has taught and learned various other languages I can tell that Dembane has a really sound methodology. I'll add to this review in a few months time, but so far I am impressed. Also glad that he is pointing out regional differences between Senegal and Gambia usage to me, as it's relevant to my learning needs. He does personalise the content for the individual student, which is good to see.