Guitar
Justin Kephart has been playing music since 1989, and has been performing, composing, teaching, and recording in Denver since 1999. In 2005, he earned a B. A. in Music from The University of Colorado and taught Music Production and Performance for 5 years at The Spot Music Studios (an art based youth center). While at The Spot and from his home studio Justin has taught kids and adults how to play instruments (guitar, bass, drums, and keys), how to perform music with other musicians, how to improvise, and how to compose, produce, and record their own music.
Justin loves teach all ages and levels, whether you already play and you want to hone your skills and overcome your limitations, or if you’re completely new to the guitar. Lessons focus on each individual’s interests and ability. Students are always working on a song of their choosing, either instrumental or with vocals, exercises to develop their hands and minds and to begin to understand the landscape of the guitar, and improvisation (the ability to make music in any moment or musical situation). More playing, less talking, students learn what they want to learn. How to shred killer guitar solos, how to play chords and sing their favorite songs, how to write riffs, how to get that awesome guitar tone, etc.
For kids Justin has a very enjoyable and effective program to get kids playing music fast (his own 6 year old son plays the drums, sings, and is now learning violin). The program is designed to develop ability, appreciation of beauty, self-discipline, and a refined sense of creativity through the act of play. The program requires parents to be intimately involved, even learning a little guitar themselves and playing recorded music that the child will be learning around the home. We focus on simple songs that the child already knows to teach different aspects of musicality including tone, rhythm, melody, touch, and a sense of beauty in expression. Justin also spends a lot of time exploring music with improvisation as it accesses the child's innate individuality and trains the mind in creative thinking.
Justin has been playing Rock, Pop, Metal, Blues, Folk, Classical, and Jazz for over 20 years, and he has studied Flamenco and Classical Guitar with legendary local guitarist Rene Heredia, Rock and Jazz Guitar with many great teachers, and he has also studied Classical Indian Music for over a decade, even spending a year in India studying music with some masters of the East. Justin also has audio production experience and has recorded and produced albums of rock, hip hop, dancehall, and electronic music for local artists as well as his own original music. He also currently performs solo and with local groups Bloom and Kulkukan.