Christopher Gorcik
Christopher Gorcik, Upright and Electric Bass
Preferred student age: Any age is OK
Preferred student level: Any level is OK
What do you want to impart to your students through your teaching?
The joy of playing music. My goal is not to make someone the next musical genius, my goal is to help my students discover how much fun learning and playing music can be.
Are there specific methods or techniques that you use in your teaching that may be important to share with prospective students?
I try to tailor my teaching method to each specific student, as every student learns differently, and I rarely work directly out of any one particular book. I also tend to be heavy on music theory, as that is a vital area for bassists to understand in order to learn how to create their own basslines in contemporary music.
What do you enjoy most about teaching?
Seeing the "lightbulb" moment when I explain a concept to a student 100 times, and then on the 101st time, they finally get it and are able to apply the concept to their playing.
Briefly describe your musical pursuits outside Sherwood:
I perform in a number of different contemporary musical styles including jazz, rock, blues, country, folk, reggae, etc. all around Chicago and the Midwest area.
What is your earliest musical experience or memory?
Listening to my mother play Fur Elise and Moonlight Sonata on our family piano. She taught me how to read music about the same time I learned to read words, so music was always something I just intuitively understood ever since I was very young.
Please describe one of your favorite teachers or mentors:
I’ve been lucky to study with many great teachers including Larry Gray, Fareed Haque, and Marlene Rosenberg. I think my favorite teacher though was Greg Sarchet, my bass teacher for three years in college at NIU. He turned me from a mediocre musician to a solid, confidant bassist like no one ever has before or since.
Who is your favorite composer, or what is your favorite musical period?
Although I have a deep appreciation for classical styles, my heart still lies in more modern contemporary music. It’s impossible for me to pick out one composer as my favorite because I have a new favorite every day depending on my mood.
Preferred student age: Any age is OKPreferred student level: Any level is OK
What do you want to impart to your students through your teaching?
The joy of playing music. My goal is not to make someone the next musical genius, my goal is to help my students discover how much fun learning and playing music can be.
Are there specific methods or techniques that you use in your teaching that may be important to share with prospective students?
I try to tailor my teaching method to each specific student, as every student learns differently, and I rarely work directly out of any one particular book. I also tend to be heavy on music theory, as that is a vital area for bassists to understand in order to learn how to create their own basslines in contemporary music.
What do you enjoy most about teaching?
Seeing the "lightbulb" moment when I explain a concept to a student 100 times, and then on the 101st time, they finally get it and are able to apply the concept to their playing.
Briefly describe your musical pursuits outside Sherwood:
I perform in a number of different contemporary musical styles including jazz, rock, blues, country, folk, reggae, etc. all around Chicago and the Midwest area.
What is your earliest musical experience or memory?
Listening to my mother play Fur Elise and Moonlight Sonata on our family piano. She taught me how to read music about the same time I learned to read words, so music was always something I just intuitively understood ever since I was very young.
Please describe one of your favorite teachers or mentors:
I’ve been lucky to study with many great teachers including Larry Gray, Fareed Haque, and Marlene Rosenberg. I think my favorite teacher though was Greg Sarchet, my bass teacher for three years in college at NIU. He turned me from a mediocre musician to a solid, confidant bassist like no one ever has before or since.
Who is your favorite composer, or what is your favorite musical period?
Although I have a deep appreciation for classical styles, my heart still lies in more modern contemporary music. It’s impossible for me to pick out one composer as my favorite because I have a new favorite every day depending on my mood.