Cello Lessons With Trevor – Interview!
Cello Lessons with Trevor – Red Pelican Music
Please enjoy our interview below, with Trevor, cellist extraordinaire. Trevor. Trevor is wonderful with classical and pop-oriented cello students of all ages. He gives in-home cello lessons in the Los Angeles area, and also teaches from his studio in Playa Del Rey, and virtually, worldwide! To get started, sign-up for cello lessons or give us a ring (310) 893-0776.
Got your coffee? Great! Time to learn about Trevor . . .
When did you start playing? I started playing the cello around age 7. Growing up, there was always lots of music around the house thanks to my dad, who plays a number of instruments and was always making music of one kind or another. He did have a cello and played it here and there, although it wasn’t his main instrument. Not sure exactly what it was that drew me to the cello in particular, but I do know it was my idea!
Instruments and styles you teach? Specialties? I teach the cello across a pretty wide range of styles. My background is classical, and I’d say that’s still the bulk of what I teach, but I love integrating folk, jazz, and rock styles into my lessons as well if the student is up for it. I consider my versatility to be my strength as a teacher.
What was music like for you as a kid? I fell in love with music from a very early age, mostly thanks to my dad. He played various instruments and sang professionally for years before I was born, and he was constantly playing and listening to music around the house while I was growing up. I studied classical cello pretty seriously from about age 7 on, but I also started playing in bands, writing songs, and taught myself some basic guitar and piano as well. To this day I love working in all kinds of musical styles.
Tell me about your educational background I grew up studying classical cello and playing in youth orchestras in the Boston area. I was pretty serious about it, and ended up attending Berklee College of Music after that, where I branched out to learn how to play cello in all kinds of other styles of music, and also studied a bit of songwriting.
What advice would you give a beginner? Technique is important, because it gives us the tools we need to speak as musicians, but it’s also important not to lose sight of why we’re playing in the first place! Making music should be rewarding and fun, and sometimes that’s easy to forget that when we’re so busy learning where to put our fingers, proper bow hold, posture, etc.
Tell me about some of your favorite instructional books. I like the Suzuki books as a starting point and a foundation, but I’m always open to mixing it up and introducing folk/jazz/rock-influenced repertoire to give us a break from all those Bach Minuets. 🙂
What are the essential things for a beginner to have? Cello and bow of course, probably rented at first, especially if it’s a younger student who needs a smaller instrument. Also a music stand, rock stop/endpin anchor, and some sort of tuner and metronome (these can easily be found as apps on your phone these days if you like).
Tell me about your teaching approach/philosophy. I try to strike a balance between traditional classical study, with its strong technical foundation, and integrating non-classical repertoire and embracing the cello’s role in the modern music world…especially if the student is particularly interested in mixing it up more.
Do you offer in-home lessons? Online lessons? Studio lessons? I’m open to all three! Online lessons have been a wonderful way to keep things going during the pandemic, but I think most students would agree that they simply can’t match the experience of working in person.
Favorite thing about living in Los Angeles? It’s pretty hard to beat the weather and the incredible natural beauty of Southern CA!
What do you enjoy doing, when not teaching? I love good food and drink, very much looking forward to dining out more frequently again as the world opens back up! I also love hiking, traveling, and the ocean.
Well that’s all folks! Hope you enjoyed our interview with Trevor. If you’d like to start cello lessons with Trevor, please drop us a line, (310) 439-9798, or sign up!