Violin, Viola, Guitar, Cello, Piano, Bass
A gifted musician and educator, Manuel De La Luz knew from the start that his passion and talent lay in teaching. With this clear purpose in mind, he pursued his formal musical education at VanderCook College of Music, where he benefited from the college's dual emphasis on teaching and performance. Manuel specialized in violin under renowned violist Dr. Hall, with a focus on the coordination technique codified by Karen Tuttle. In additional to his violin focus, Manuel studied the viola, cello, and piano while at VanderCook, receiving intensive training in both performance and pedagogy.
During this time, Manuel also fell in love with the guitar and quickly proved a natural, mastering standard repertoire within three years. By transferring methods he learned on bowed string instruments to the guitar, Manuel developed an innovative approach that has since achieved outstanding results among his students of all ages. Manuel's students are able to reach levels beyond merely the technical aspect of playing a musical instrument, growing in their overall musicianship and in their understanding of music theory.
Through his years of experience teaching both privately and in the classroom, Manuel’s communication skills, attention to detail, and student-centric focus have evolved to produce a very effective teaching style. He has studied a wide variety of methods, including Shinichi Suzuki and Coordination Technique, enabling him to create individually tailored lesson plans that are designed to help each student achieve success as quickly and efficiently as possible. Manuel strongly believes that in the right learning environment, all students can learn to play music and develop the characteristics of a successful musician. No matter your age, skill level, or musical goals, Manuel looks forward to guiding you through the next step of your musical journey!