Chris Victors was a student of mine fairly early in my teaching career. I knew him through a few different people, and so we ended up connecting and starting up lessons.

To this day I still think he was one of the upbeat, enthusiastic, and serious students I’ve had. He actually did is work, and he did more than he was assigned. He was playing all the time, and learning at an incredibly fast rate. And when I think back on him both as a student and as a friend, I can say this,.. He is one of the nicest people I have ever known.

Family Support, Music EducationJimmy ClarkDecember 27, 2019Comment

Breen and Tasha: Family Support Story #19

Back in the days when I was teaching at Rising Star Music in Spotswood I had a student named Breen. You could tell her apart from any person in town when she was out driving in her mom’s car, which was painted Red, White, and Blue. That was my first impression of her, this kind of zany car. It reflected her personality as I would see in the years to come.

I worked with Breen first at the studio and then when I left that job to begin teaching privately Breen was one of the students that continued on with me for private lessons.

Family Support, Music EducationJimmy ClarkDecember 20, 2019Comment

Benny: Family Support Story #18

There are certainly some details about this story that I won’t be able to recall, but I will work with what I do remember.

Years ago I got a call from this lovely bubbly and energetic woman about lessons for her son Benny. At that time he was a teenager, but by now he’s most definitely in his mid or late twenties. Their family lived in Metuchen, New Jersey.

Family Support, Music EducationJimmy ClarkDecember 13, 2019Comment

Charlie Batten - My First Real Student: Family Support Story #17

I had been teaching to some degree since I was about 15 years old. I found that other kids in the neighborhood were willing to pay me to teach them some guitar, and I even got a few students locally via referrals. Up until then I was mostly super locally teaching.

That would change when I was referred to The Batten Family by my friend Susie. She was in the same dance program with the Batten’s daughter, and as it turned out, their son, Charlie, was interested in learning guitar.

Family Support, Music EducationJimmy ClarkDecember 6, 2019Comment

Emotionally Provocative Music

“Music has the power to transport us to different places, times, and even far away worlds. It has the ability to tap into our deepest feelings, and to instigate entire emotional and mental states. It all depends on what the composer is trying to achieve. This is at the core of scoring for soundtracks. It is also effective without the aid of a visual component.”

Music, Music EducationJimmy ClarkDecember 2, 2019Comment

The Manfre's : Family Support Story #16

I remember the first time I met Dylan Manfre. He had to have been like 9 years old or so, maybe 10, and he was this wide eyed kid with this huge blonde poof of hair. He was a little hesitant at first learning guitar, but he settled into it more and more each week. And then years went by, and even more years after that. I worked with Dylan right up until he left for college. I taught him everything from chords, soloing, to songwriting, singing; there really wasn’t a musical stone left unturned in our work together.

Family Support, Music EducationJimmy ClarkNovember 8, 2019Comment

Musical Alphabet

Over my many, many years of teaching I have encountered students of all ages, experience, musical preference, and education, and if there’s one thing that always (while also never) surprises me, is how many people beyond the beginner stage do not know or lean heavily on the importance of the musical alphabet.

Something so rudimentary, and so crucial, and somehow many teachers overlook the need to stress the value of this simple piece of info.

Music, Music EducationJimmy ClarkNovember 4, 2019Comment

The Mystery Student : Family Support Story #15

I have never figured out if I dreamt having this one particular woman student, or if I saw her once and then somehow forgot to ever get back to her. It has perplexed me for a long time.

When I was first getting into teaching, I was coming out of working at a studio. The owner was not so good at his finances, and was constantly bouncing checks, or not paying me for extended periods of time. I was frustrated, and eventually I started transitioning out of working at that studio, and a lot of my students ended up exiting with me, as I was their preferred teacher. That is when I really started doing housecall lessons, something which is still a main income stream for me to this day.

Family Support, Music EducationJimmy ClarkNovember 1, 2019Comment

Balancing Work And Play With Your Creative Partners

All Work And No Play Makes For A Dull Experience

Being in a band is fun, but it’s also work. A lot of work. So much work that it can turn into a job.. (shudders). There’s nothing wrong with that though. As long as you love what you do you’ll never work a day in your life, as the saying goes, however with work there needs to be play. Balance is crucial because play inspires work very often, and they feed into each other.

“Come Out And Play…”

Encouraging play time with collaborators is a great way to detach from the brain, and also a wonderful way to grow together. Seeing each other in an environment where you are engaged in activities that have nothing to do with work, or even if it does, but in a more passive way, helps you not only get to know each other more, but it is a terrific stimulant for new and inspired creativity. With my collaborators, I like to go to concerts, do nature excursions, see movies, and even go to events and gatherings where we aren’t going to be so inclined to promote or network. It’s good to be removed from the grind of spreading the gospel of your project endeavors.

Music, Collaboration, Creativity, Health & Wellness, Music EducationJimmy ClarkOctober 28, 2019 Comment

The Sabinos: Family Support Story #14

Early on in my teaching career, I was contacted by a woman named Teresa about lessons for her son Johnny, and so we started working together. Jonny was a bit of a hellraiser, but a good kid nonetheless, and I always enjoyed teaching him. We would play all kinds of rock and metal songs, and he got pretty good pretty fast. I had enough years on him to be a bit of a big brother type that he never took overly serious like an adult, but more as someone he could be himself without me getting all grown-up-ish when he acted like a jackass. He was definitely a rambunctious kid, and no stranger to rebellious hijinks. He was always a bit of a wise guy , but again, really a good kid at the end of it all.

Teresa eventually ended up as my hair stylist, and we became friends. She was a nice woman and a solid mother. She supported Jonny’s interests and provided all the care that he needed, and she would often.

Family Support, Music EducationJimmy ClarkOctober 25, 2019Comment

I’m In An Open Relationship.. With My Instrument

My Name Is Jimmy, And I’m A PolyAmorophonic Instrumental Non-Monogamist

“Say what?”, you may be wondering …

I enjoy describing myself this way in jest at times when the opportunity presents itself, as “Polyamorophonic” is my twist on the word Polyamory, which is a relationship practice of having “many loves”, or in other (simplified) words, an open relationship. This is how I feel about instruments. Why enjoy just 1 when you can find love with 2 or 3.. Or 4… Just like with an open relationship though, make sure you spend enough time, energy, and attention to each of your beloveds. I mainly split my time with Guitar and Piano, and though Guitar is my primary, Piano is a very close secondary. I find immense fulfillment in my interaction with both.

Why Learn 1 Instrument When You Can Learn 3?!

Music, Music Education, CreativityJimmy ClarkOctober 21, 2019Funny, PolyComment

The Demkos: Family Support Story #13

I don’t exactly remember how I originally met Maddi Demko, but she stands as one of the students I really miss working with. She took to guitar, singing, and songwriting SO fast, and so passionately, it was inspiring.

She was an early teen when I started working with her, and she excelled through a lot of the core curriculum with a sense of ease, and she would learn and write songs without me having to nag her. She just knew to :do it”, as far as developing her skills on her own between lessons. The voice she developed for herself is one that I can still hear when I think about it, she had a tone, and inflection that was (is) very distinctive. Her knowledge of music theory was also solid, which was delightful, because that is often an area of resistance with many students.

Family Support, Music EducationJimmy ClarkOctober 18, 2019 Comment

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