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CURRENT ON-SITE INSTRUCTORS (as of 08/07/2023)
Dennis Burns
Guitar - basic, classical, jazz, theory / Ukulele / Bass
dennis@boldersounds.com
303-419-8929

Dennis has been teaching and performing in the Boulder/Denver area for over 30 years. In 1983 Dennis received his BM degree in classical guitar performance from the University of Colorado. He teaches many styles including classical, folk, rock and jazz improvisation. Dennis has released 3 recordings - A Rose On The Lake (2005), Waltz For Oktober (2019) and most recently Way Over Yonder (2023) which is a mix of Jazz, Country and Gospel in a trio format of guitar bass and drums. He is also the founder of Bolder Sounds, www.boldersounds.com, a sound design company which creates libraries for digital samplers. Dennis also performs chamber music with A Lyric Ensemble, www.lyricensemble.com. ​


SPECIAL NOTE:
As a service to everyone who stayed at home during the pandemic, Dennis kindly created a free video tutorial
series on musicianship for anyone who's ever had the urge to learn music or to brush up on the basics.

VIDEO 1: THE MUSICAL ALPHABET. Dennis guides us through the basic building blocks of music: The Musical Alphabet.
VIDEO 2: HALF and WHOLE STEPS. In the second installment, Dennis tells us about Half Steps and Whole Steps.
VIDEO 3: NOTE MAPPING. Dennis' third video in his musicianship tutorial covers Note Mapping.
VIDEO 4: THE MAJOR SCALE. Dennis' fourth video discusses one of the cornerstones of music: The Major Scale
VIDEO 5: CHORD BUILDING. Dennis Demonstrates how to create chords from a Major Scale.
VIDEO 6: CHORD MAPPING & BEGINNING IMPROVISATION: Dennis shows you how to map out chords from your note map, and also gets you improvising on the Hank Williams song 'Jambalaya.'
VIDEO 7: RIDING THE RHYTHMIC WAVE: Dennis introduces the basics of rhythm and how important it is to incorporate it into your improvisation or jamming. Also included are tips to get started singing while playing your fretted instrument.
VIDEO 8: THE 4 CHORD - AMAZING GRACE: Dennis introduces the 4 chord in the key of C (the F chord). This is followed by playing and improvising on Amazing Grace. Also covered is the concept of a 4 bar phrase as well as learning the sound of the 1, 4 and 5 chord by ear.
VIDEO 9: TABLATURE AND RIGHT HAND TECHNIQUE: Dennis introduces us to playing songs via tablature as well as right hand technique. SUPPLEMENTAL

MATERIALS FOR THESE VIDEOS CAN BE FOUND HERE These videos can be viewed below and also appear on our YouTube channel. Woodsongs is proud to present this series and are very grateful to Dennis for his time and generosity.
Joseph Brenna 
Guitar - Acoustic, Electric, Rock, Blues, Jazz, Folk & Classical /Music & Fretboard Theory
joseph@brennamethod.com

720-564-1767 Joseph is a critically acclaimed composer, songwriter, recording artist, and teacher who's equally at ease playing acoustic and electric guitars with jazz, funk, blues, R & B, rock and folk musicians. He trained at Brown University and Berklee College of Music. Joseph invented a revolutionary new way to learn guitar that makes every note, chord, and scale visible right on your fretboard, and in sheet music and chord diagrams. The Brenna Method is a comprehensive system that teaches you songs, trains your ear, teaches music & fretboard theory, and develops guitar technique, so that you reach your full creative potential. Visit the website or click on the Brenna Method video.

VIDEOS:
The Brenna Method
Hear From a Brenna Method Student
Watch Joseph play Acoustic Guitar
Watch Joseph play Electric Guitar
Ryan Drickey
Fiddle & Clawhammer Banjo for adults
Contact for availability
For Ryan, music is not only a way of life, it's a way to experience the world in which we live. A lifelong student of musical styles, Ryan immersed himself first in classical music, eventually earning a Masters degree in Violin from the University of Colorado at Boulder. There he studied jazz in addition to classical violin, which began his fascination with American musical traditions. The investigation of his own musical roots has led Ryan back through time: from modern jazz improvisation concepts, though bluegrass fiddling, old-time American fiddle styles, and across the Atlantic to the musical traditions of Ireland, Sweden, and Norway. Ryan is a Fullbright scholar, having spent a year in Sweden teaching American roots music at the Royal College of Music, Stockholm, while learning from Swedish folk masters such as Roger Tallroth, Ale Möller and Ellicka Frisell.
Megan Cody
Mandolin & Guitar for children & adults
megancodymusic@gmail.com
303-621-6442 Megan Cody, of The Cody Sisters Band, has been a member of the Colorado music scene for all of her life. Growing up going to bluegrass festivals like Rockygrass and Pagosa Folk’n bluegrass, she remembers what it was like to learn an instrument at a young age, and incorporates this experience into her teaching style. Playing guitar, mandolin, and singing lead and harmony vocals, she has toured with her band across the United States and the UK. When she is not on the road, she is a full time college student at CU Boulder. She has experience in teaching musicians of all ages and levels, and specializes in working with aspiring bluegrass guitarists and children. She is an accomplished musician and music teacher who’s top priority is to inspire her students to keep moving forward, and to help them find a lasting love for music.

 

Will Pavilonis
Bass - upright and electric
willpavs@gmail.com
440-596-1425 Will Pavilonis has been an active bassist and music teacher in the Denver/Boulder and Cleveland area since 2016. Being surrounded by local musicians in the Cleveland area gave Will a young start to music. Beginning as a Jazz and Classical focused musician, Will developed techniques that he later began expanding to other genres including Funk, Rock, Bluegrass, Folk, Latin, Pop, and many others. Moving to Colorado in 2020 to study Jazz bass at CU Boulder, Will is now an active bassist in Boulder playing in various Bluegrass/Folk and Jazz projects. Will is an accomplished music teacher with experience teaching all ages and styles on both electric and upright bass. He specializes in music theory as well as general bass technique. His teaching style is unique to every student, and his main goal is to help them enjoy the music they are playing.
Maddie Cody
Guitar, Clawhammer Banjo, Songwriting
maddiecody21@gmail.com
303-621-6903 Maddie Cody, of The Cody Sisters, is a well rounded multi-instrumentalist and songwriter based in Colorado. Her musical journey has taken her to stages all across the United States and the United Kingdom. The band recently played the Rockygrass music festival and has played shows with Keller Williams and Todd Snider. In addition to the Cody Sisters, she also gained recognition for her instrumental talents when she won the Outstanding Guitar award at the Essentially Ellington competition in 2020. Maddie's formal training includes seven years of studying classical guitar at the Denver School of the Arts. It was during this time that Maddie discovered her passion for teaching music. With six years of teaching experience, she hopes to inspire and cultivate her student’s love for music.
Dan Buller
Guitar, Dobro, Pedal Steel, and mandolin, all levels.
dbuller8@gmail.com
970-819-5547 Dan Buller is a multi-instrumentalist living in Northglenn, CO. Over the past decade, he has performed in a variety of bands and styles on guitar, dobro, mandolin, and pedal steel. As a performer he focuses on jazz, gypsy jazz, and bluegrass. Dan holds a Master’s degree in jazz guitar performance from the University of Wyoming. As an educator Dan believes in Tailoring his curriculum to each specific student rather than using a cooking cutter approach. He understands that different genres require different skills/techniques and will work to streamline lesson plans to get students to achieve their playing goals as quickly as possible. With the abundance of online resources available today it is easy for aspiring musicians to become overwhelmed, which makes honing in on the most efficient approach vital! Dan teaches guitar, squareneck dobro, pedal steel, and mandolin to all ability levels. He can cover a variety of styles including jazz, blues, bluegrass, rock, country, and fingerstyle guitar. He is also passionate about teaching music theory and ear training to interested students.

CLICK HERE TO SEE DAN'S DEMO REEL