Introducing Dr. Travis Lewis
St. Louis Classical Guitar Announces Dr. Travis Lewis as Director of Education
Dr. Travis Lewis, Director of Education
St. Louis Classical Guitar proudly announces the appointment of Dr. Travis Lewis as Director of Education. Travis succeeds William Ash, our founder and first Director of Education, and will oversee our growing Guitar Horizons education programs. We are so excited to have him join our team!
Travis Lewis is a guitar player and composer with over 20 years of experience as a performer and educator in both the United States and Japan. “It is exciting to step into this role at St. Louis Classical Guitar,” said Travis about the hire, “Bill Ash has laid an amazing foundation and I look forward to building on top of that.”
Travis spent two years as a Teaching Artist for St. Louis Classical Guitar prior to his appointment. He also teaches at Saint Louis University, Webster University, Jefferson College, and has held teaching appointments at University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Blackburn College, KDHX Folk School, and Kure Showa High School in Hiroshima, Japan.
He received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana where he served as undergraduate guitar teacher to the jazz department under the tutelage of Lawrence Gray. Travis did his undergraduate and Master’s work under the instruction of 7-string guitarist Rick Haydon.
SLCG extends a special thank you to the National Endowment for the Arts and Augustine Foundation for their support of this position and our Guitar Horizons programs.
ABOUT GUITAR HORIZONS
St. Louis Classical Guitar’s Guitar Horizons Education program provides resources to develop classroom guitar programs throughout St. Louis. In 2015, following the unrest in Ferguson after the shooting death of Michael Brown, SLCG began two after-school guitar programs at Central and Johnson Wabash elementary schools in Ferguson-Florissant School District (FFSD). Now in 2019, Guitar Horizons supports 29 classroom guitar programs at 20 locations in FFSD, St. Louis Public Schools, Mathew’s Dickey Boys and Girls Club, and the Clayton Juvenile Detention Center.
At the heart of our education programs is the philosophy that students can create beautiful music from the very first day of instruction. In order to make this happen, St. Louis Classical Guitar provides high-quality instruments (we’ve donated well over 500 guitars to schools!), a well designed curriculum, and expert Teaching Artists to assist classroom music teachers in teaching guitar. Students learn guitar technique through 3-part ensemble music where each individual line is simple enough for even the most beginning students, but the magic happens when all three parts come together. Imagine a guitar choir and you’ll have an idea of what our classes sound like!
As the curriculum progresses, the music and techniques become more advanced, and students develop into confident musicians. At the same time, our Teaching Artists serve as Professional Development for classroom music teachers who learn how to be effective guitar teachers. This model allows us to create long-term, sustainable programs throughout the St. Louis region.
To learn more about our Guitar Horizons education programs, click here, or Contact Us today. We’d love to have you visit one of our classes!
Support for Guitar Horizons comes from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Augustine Foundation, Regional Arts Commission, and individuals like you. Click here to support Guitar Horizons today.