About Jacob
At the age of 15, Jacob received his first guitar lesson from his uncle, who introduced him to “three chords and the truth.” Largely self-directed in his musical education, Jacob developed a deep appreciation for structured learning and effective practice methods, which now form the foundation of his teaching. Becoming a teacher was an unexpected but very welcome turn in his life, and it has made him a much better musician along the way. With a background in computer science and mathematics, he approaches music analytically while maintaining a strong focus on creativity and musical expression. Since he began teaching, he has expanded his musical abilities by learning bass, drums, and keyboards. Every day brings new opportunities to learn, grow, and watch his students develop into confident musicians.
Jacob’s teaching philosophy is rooted in the belief that music is a system of self-expression and connection, and that true musical fluency comes from deeply internalizing fundamental concepts and skills until they become second nature. Musical communication and improvisation are especially important to him, so music theory is thoughtfully woven into lessons while fostering each student’s curiosity, confidence, and love of learning and performing music. Drawing on his background in computer programming, Jacob also develops custom tools and exercises that help students strengthen their sight-reading, rhythm, and technical skills.
Performing live alongside fellow teachers and students has given Jacob many opportunities to demonstrate what applied musicianship looks like and how the skills learned in lessons translate to real-world performance.
His musical interests span a wide range of genres, from jazz fusion and soft pop to metalcore, including many international artists such as Stromae and El Cuarteto de Nos. Rather than adhering to a single style, his own compositions and musical experiments often explore whatever concepts he is currently studying or teaching. His greatest inspirations include Steve Howe, Victor Wooten, Danny Carey, Lol Tolhurst, Tyler Joseph, Adam Neely, and many others.
Outside the classroom, Jacob is an avid reader, creative writer, moviegoer, and hobbyist programmer. Nearly every moment not spent teaching is dedicated to learning, creating, and exploring new ideas in both technical fields and music.
