Kosei Kubota

GMC Video Lesson Instructor

Location: Baltimore, MD, and New York, NY, U.S.A.
Date of Birth: January 27, 1968
Been playing guitar since: 1981

I first borrowed two guitars from my cousin when I was in my low teens. One was a steel strung acoustic guitar, and the other was a strat-type electric guitar.
I started learning a few chords, and then started a band with my friends.

I liked Classical music, so I picked up the classical guitar shortly after. I had been mostly self-taught until then. I wanted to study it seriously, so I went to New York to attend the Mannes College of Music majoring in classical guitar.

There, I studied with Frederic Hand and Michael Newman, and took classes for theory, ear-training, sight-reading, and even conducting. I have participated in Master Classes by Eliot Fisk, Manuel Barrueco and David Starobin, among others.

Playing and Influences
While I was at music school, I had friends who played all kinds of the instruments.

My wife is a pianist, and my daughter plays violin, and I think those classical instruments influenced me a lot - many of my ideas for technique come from my daughter's violin lessons.

The way I interpret music is inspired by my favorite pianists and violinists, such as Rubinstein and Menuhin.

At GMC
The guitar is the most versatile instrument of all, and this site proves it! That's what I like about GMC.
Also, I enjoy the great community of this site. All the instructors and students are so constructive and helpful to each other.

As I teach at GMC, I am teaching myself - it is a life-long project to master the guitar and music!

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