GLJ Teaching
Gary Lee Joyner works to restore the true meaning of "practice" in his own artistic life and that of his students, letting it be a vital exploratory part of natural daily living rather than an artificial activity performed in preparation for some imagined "real" condition or skill level to be experienced at a future time. He has seen that artificial activity such as this leads to frustration and fear-based work. Improvement and accomplishment take care of themselves most quickly when one is fully engaged in the present moment.
Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago has called GLJ "one of our favorite teachers on the planet." His workshops are effective in music schools, as well as with groups of people interested in exploring personal creativity using the guitar as a tool-businesses, churches, Zen centers, etc.
• Guitarist/singer/performer since 1967. (Earlier music studies included accordion, cello, trombone, and harmonica. Began performing at the age of 6.) Performances in countless venues of every stripe.
• Guitar teacher since 1972.
⇒Currently teaching in private St. Paul studio. Lead workshops and offer private lessons several times a year at Old Town School in Chicago, Blue Bear School of Music in San Francisco, Gryphon Stringed Instruments in Palo Alto, and other venues in an expanding market.
⇒1996-2000 Board member of the Minnesota Guitar Society
⇒1993-1996 Staff teacher at Blue Bear School of American Music, San Francisco. (Songwriting, acoustic guitar, fingerstyle guitar, music theory, performance, and harmonica.
⇒1999-2002 Creative writing teacher, The Loft, Minneapolis. (Performance, songwriting, monologue writing, review writing.)
⇒1997 Seminars at Music Tech, Mpls
⇒1995, 1996 Extension teacher at the University of California, San Francisco.
⇒1972-1980 Private and group lessons in the Twin Cities at Schmitt Music, Torp Music, Park Music, Trestman Music, Music & Things, Herb Wigley & Associates, YMCA.