ONLINE LESSONS

Reach out today for Rates & Availability:
info@otmaroruiz.com

I feel fortunate to have had a rich history as a touring and recording musician for 40+ years across many different styles. I also have a true passion for transferring this knowledge to students. “Music Educator” has been on my CV as both a private group, individual, and Master Class instructor & lecturer, and also as higher learning faculty, e.g. USC Thornton School of Music for 7+ years, Cornell School of Contemporary Music at Shepherd University for 7+ years, etc.

Despite the many roads travelled since I myself was a student, I look back with a clear recollection of my past as an aspiring musician in Venezuela. I yearned for a time and place where I could access the caliber of mentorship I required. Both the over-mystification and the excessive, “casual” tone of available instruction was completely frustrating.

Therefore, my Personal Mission is to be a clear, supportive teacher – to articulate concepts in as many ways as possible so that any student can process and apply them. The über-talented, “all-ears” jazz pupil will simply not assimilate information the same way a PhD Classical Pianist does; it’s my responsibility to customize presentation of material to match how each student learns optimally.

The scope of our lessons can cover anything from:
• Basic – yet vital – piano technique and relaxation drills
• Jazz harmony
• Impromptu re-harmonization tips
• Improvisation (traditional jazz, no-BS-modern, crossover and beyond…)
• Specific, “to the point” content applied to Fusion, Afro-Cuban and Brazilian musical traditions; this can encompass practical application, plus theory and historical context, as desired.

Our meetings can be structured as Lectures or Coaching [for those who are already looking for different perspectives to be applied to on-going projects]. I can address specific concerns & questions or design a specific course of action. “Flexibility” being the operative word, without sacrificing substance or objectivity.

Next Steps:
1) Reach out today for rates to info@otmaroruiz.com
2) Decide on lesson frequency: weekly, bi-monthly, monthly, etc.
3) Schedule a mutually available time(s)
4) Pick a platform: FaceTime, Zoom, Skype, etc.

I truly look forward to sharing some music with you!!!

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COMING SOON – ONLINE VIDEO COURSE SPECIFICALLY FOR VOCALISTS – STAY TUNED

Are you ready to overcome fear and to leap into the over-mystified territory of spontaneous music creation while bringing your improvisational singing to new levels – without the heavy load of music theory?

This course is for singers (okay, instrumentalists too!) that don’t want to dive into the murky waters of theory but want to bring some tangible substance into their singing and playing beyond what you can currently hear.

We’ve known stories of great singers and musicians that have developed incredible careers without any knowledge of theory and harmony. While true, times have changed, and the immediacy of information on the Internet as well as in structured university-level jazz programs has brought this knowledge to thousands of new artists and young talents that are “on it” at this very moment. Besides, being limited to “what I hear” is a tricky way to limit ourselves. We want to be able to “hear more,” more colors, more interesting and “edgy” notes, but never coming from a merely speculative angle and with the full conviction of true command.

Some of us don’t have the luxury or the time to go back to school, but we acknowledge that deep need to do things “right.”

For the last 40+ years I have accompanied and recorded with some of the most amazing and varied singers of our time. From jazz icon Dianne Reeves (with whom I traveled extensively for over six years) and multiple international tours with pop-jazz legend Gino Vannelli, to sublime improvisational vocalist Rhiannon and rock stars Jon Anderson, Robbie Robertson and Steve Winwood, I have worked with singers all across the musical spectrum.

These artists have found their own way of doing things, sometimes based on true natural talent, sometimes based on lots of homework. I’ve found commonalities in their process that I can articulate and elaborate upon, explaining the most crucial concepts in a clear fashion combined with “low-impact” progressive drills designed to practice and apply to each new sound I will bring to your bag of tools.

Are you ready to dedicate just a few minutes a day to improve your creative singing skills for real and stop fishing?

Let’s do it!

Master Classes

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