Guitar, Banjo, Mandolin, Dobro, Bass
Dan Goett began exploring the world of music after receiving a guitar from his parents as a gift for his 11th birthday. That guitar was a 1968 Gibson SG Jr. that his mother had taken lessons on when she was a kid, and it had since been stored away in a closet at his grandparents’ house for 25 years. Equipped with a family heirloom, he was quickly enrolled in lessons at a local guitar store in Peoria, IL. The skills he learned there enabled him to play in the jazz band in middle school and high school, while also playing in rock bands in basements and garages as a teenager in central Illinois.
Dan attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL, where he studied music business and classical guitar under the tutelage of Joseph Breznikar. There, he was able to learn solo and ensemble playing for classical guitar, reading music, music theory, music history, composition, aural skills, and more. Studying formally at the university equipped Dan with the necessary skills to push his own musicianship to the next level, while giving him a fundamental understanding of the building blocks of music to allow him to pass this knowledge on to his own students.
Beginning in 2004, while studying at the university, Dan began teaching private lessons at local music stores and from his home, while also playing in a multitude of bands and other ensembles in his local music scene. The wide array of performance opportunities mixed with the large variety of students he encountered every week gave Dan the opportunity to expand his knowledge base and expertise into a large variety of styles, including, but not limited to: Blues, R&B, Rock, Bluegrass, Country, Western Swing, Gypsy Jazz, and Classical.
Living in a region that had a very strong affiliation with Bluegrass and Folk music gave Dan the opportunity to expand his knowledge base even more, by participating in weekly “jams” and learning to be proficient on a multitude of other stringed instruments, including the banjo, mandolin, dobro, and bass. All of these skills combined provided Dan with the opportunity to take his talents on the road, performing at concert halls and festivals all over the United States from 2006-2010, and also at prestigious venues such as The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C.
Dan has always felt that his greatest skill is teaching. His ability to effectively connect and communicate with his students and patiently guide them through the tough hurdles of learning has always set him apart from his peers. With over 14 years of teaching experience, working with 30+ students per week, Dan is very excited to share his musical knowledge and experience with all of the aspiring musicians of the Denver area.