Testimonials - Oakville Guitar Students
Dear Peter:
We just wanted to take this opportunity to let you know that we were thoroughly pleased with you as our son’s guitar teacher. We chose to enroll him in music not only to have fun but also to learn all he can so that he can take music to whatever level he chooses. This year our son won a scholarship for his performance at the Merriam Music Festival, and we believe that the extra time you took to help him prepare for this had a great deal to do with his success. You have created a great foundation for our son to continue on with, and we thank you for that.
The comfortable environment of your lessons allowed our son to maximize his abilities and feel at ease with his shortfalls. He always felt very comfortable to ask you any question no matter how simple. Your lessons were always well balanced with fun and the essentials necessary to ensure his development. You always well prepared our son for recitals, school performances and exams and often went above and beyond what we felt you had to do as far as accommodating our needs.
We will miss you greatly and wish you all the success in your new venture. Your future students are lucky to have you!!
– Greg & Dawn Pierog
Peter Smith is an amazing guitar player and teacher. I had the pleasure of studying with Peter for 5 years, and in those 5 years he helped me to grow and discover myself musically. Peter is a very versatile guitar player, and he can help you improve your playing in any style; jazz, rock, blues, classical, and everything in between. Peter helped me develop my technique and skill through the study of repertoire. This allowed me to play exactly what I enjoyed and it kept me interested and excited. Peter is very supportive and encouraging, and he will teach you anything you want to learn. Whether you're learning guitar just for fun, or taking it to the advanced level and striving to become a professional musician, Peter is a wicked awesome teacher!
– John Hagley
Peter Smith is a fantastic teacher! Having been friends with one of his old students – one of the best guitarists my age, and through seeing the development in myself, Peter Smith’s teachings are ideal for any guitar player! His jazz influences combined with his vast knowledge of the guitar fret-board makes his playing style one of a kind - a style that any guitar player no matter how advanced could learn from.
– Eric Marcotte
In two short years, Peter has helped my knowledge and technical abilities on the guitar reach a level I never expected myself to achieve. I learned something new and important at every lesson, which to this day I still use all the time in my own writing and improvisation. If you are serious about advancing your musical abilities with not only guitar, but music in general, then Peter Smith is my number one recommendation.
– Alex Pley
I started taking lessons with Peter as an adult, with no prior music experience or training. Today, I can play several songs and are in the process of learning the fretboard using Peter's unique system of exercises that makes learning fun! I found that Peter teaches guitar in a way that keeps things simple to understand and easy to learn. He was able to write down the guitar tab for most of my favorite songs after listening to them once! This ability constantly amazed me, and also allowed me to learn on simplified versions of songs that I really like. Peter combines the theory and practical side of music in such a way that you learn a bit of both in each lesson. This really helped to keep me interested and looking forward to the next lesson. I will gladly recommend him as guitar instructor to either beginner or experienced guitar students.
– Albert van Niekerk
Whether I wanted to learn about jazz progressions, fret board exercises or applying music theory to the guitar, Peter Smith was ready to help. Whatever I wanted to learn about, Peter would have a premade handout that he could easily teach from. Not only did this save time, as I did not have to wait for him to write out chord charts or exercises, but it gave me a clear goal to reach week after week. I never left a lesson without fully understanding what was taught and what I needed to practice. His lessons were very structured. As long as I accomplished each week's material I could move on and Peter would expand on the ideas we covered. I feel no matter what level of guitar your at Peter has something to offer you.
– Wes Palladini
I was most grateful that Peter was assigned as my son’s first guitar teacher at Merriam. He encouraged Jake to do his best, to practice and to attempt any and all music that interested him. Each time Jake came out of a lesson he was overflowing with enthusiasm for guitar and had a new goal to reach for the next week. He would invariably spend the next couple of hours after a lesson practicing the new techniques he had learned from Peter. I believe that it is largely due to Peter’s support that my son has developed such a wonderful love of the guitar. Thank you Peter.
– Heather Laidlaw
Peter is very good at keeping his students interested in learning the guitar. He is an extremely talented guitarist himself, able to teach any genre of music. During my lessons with Peter I played blues, rock, punk, classic rock, and classical music. I had a very fun time with Peter and learned a great deal.
– Jake Laidlaw
I have known Peter for many years. Peter has been a music teacher for my daughter at Sommerville Manor, and more recently, he has been my daughter’s teacher at Merriam Music. Peter has demonstrated an excellent ability to communicate with students. He easily motivates them to participate and he has the ability to create a “love to learn” attitude in them. Peter Smith carries out his music lessons in a very professional manner. He is creative, allowing my daughter to choose appropriate music that she likes to learn. He has also shown to be quite flexible in his ability to juggle time constraints. He sometimes rescheduled lessons to fit our needs. He often revised lessons to address my daughter’s musical concerns. He has an outstanding understanding of music and an excellent ability to teach it. When my daughter had Peter as a school teacher, she had the utmost respect for him. When the opportunity arose to have Peter as guitar teacher at Merriam, she promptly approved of it. My daughter has learned to love playing the guitar with Peter’s guidance and encouragement. I highly recommend Peter Smith as a music teacher to all who are considering his services.
– Ed Giovannetti
It is with great pleasure that I am writing this letter of commendation on behalf of Peter Smith. Peter is a teacher of the highest calibre, who demonstrates a considerable commitment to his students. Peter’s methodology is comprehensive and engaging and extremely professional. He has instructed my son in both piano and guitar for a number of years. He inspires his students therefore making them more committed to their love of music. Peter is a mentor to his students giving them the confidence to go forward. The one attribute that I appreciated the most was the fact that Peter taught my son to read music not just to play.
– Yvette Tetrault
Peter is the 4th outside of Public School music teacher that we have tried for our daughter. He seems to have the rare ability to teach both theory and practice and yet keep the pupil motivated. We have never had to tell our daughter to practise! Neither my wife nor I have any musical background at all . Peter has enabled our daughter become a Member of Peel Honour Guitar Ensable and part of the Gold Medal winning Junior Jazz Band at the Ontario Music Festival (while in Grade8).
– Edward Reeves
Peter is easy to work with because he is technically proficient, and able to make it understandable, and he is clearly enthusiastic about what he does.
– Adam Bernhardt
Mr. Smith is a patient instructor, who was able to teach my son the technical side of guitar playing, but also with an emphasis on having fun while learning. We were disappointed to hear that he was leaving Merriam, but wish him all the success in this new venture.
– Sawtschuk Family
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