Hi there!

My name is Dave and I play and teach guitar, bass and banjo in a wide range of styles. I’ve been teaching since 1997, including many high schools and music schools. I’ve also taught Alexander Technique workshops around Australia and in Brazil. I have a Bmus.Studies in Musicology (Sydney Conservatorium Of Music 2003) and .AUSTAT: Alexander Technique (BodyMinded: Sydney Alexander Technique 2016)

Teaching Philosophy-

I’ve played music all my life - violin as a child, then cello, and at 13 I discovered bands like Nirvana and Metallica, picked up a guitar, and was hooked. From that point on music has been my passion.

I began playing gigs from the age of 16, and around the same time began experiencing pain in my left arm when I played. As I pursued a career as a professional musician, I felt devastated by the discomfort I experienced, and by the need to take extended periods off from playing, often for six months at a time. Over time I’ve learned to manage these issues and now perform regularly. One of the most important elements in my recovery has been the Alexander Technique, a method of moving efficiently through improvements in coordination, movement strategies and self understanding.

Parallel to my Alexander training, I also studied classical guitar with Phillip Houghton, who had an incredibly detailed approach to teaching technique and phrasing. The combination of my Alexander Technique skills and new guitar-specific skills enabled me to get back into performing again, and my experiences mean that I can help students avoid similar issues.

I’ve been performing professionally since 1998, including national and international tours and appearances at many festivals. Lately I've been performing primarily with my jazz-metal fusion band Fabulous Contraption, and Gypsy-world fusion band Lolo Lovina.

Musical Taste-

We can study various styles including rock, metal, classical, jazz, blues, folk and world music.

Techniques taught-
Guitar:
Classical guitar technique
Electric guitar: flatpicking, hybrid and slide guitar
Folk techniques

Bass guitar fingerstyle

Banjo: three-finger (bluegrass) technique
People tend to come wanting to play bluegrass, and later on they often seek more variety. We can work on traditional material and where appropriate, we can branch out into other styles like metal, jazz, folk and world music.
I enjoy showing people how to apply standard banjo techniques to the styles they love. Learning the rules is important, and breaking the rules is a lot of fun!

Video links
Guitar duo with Dave Bova: https://youtu.be/aOQJ2bWQf8E

Lolo Lovina: https://youtu.be/0ZM4BFJPagE

Fabulous Contraption (this is an old version of the band, when it was an acoustic trio): https://youtu.be/d3MMw5wbQXw

My Educational Philosophy -
Teaching is about helping the student set the conditions to learn what they want to learn. I’m curious about what approach works best for you, with your desire at the core of the process. I particularly enjoy supporting students to find their own voice, whether in writing their own music, improvising, arranging, or simply exploring their passion freely. The lessons can go as deeply into technique and theory as is appropriate for you.

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