Eric Rutherford
Jazz-Pop Keyboardist
"I can honestly say that I’ve learned such a great amount from Thomas. Before taking his pop-jazz courses and lessons, I hadn’t ever previously conceived that there was such a wide array of knowledge available!
Being largely self-taught in a community where notions of music theory and the academic study of popular music were unavailable, Thomas's tools will serve me for the rest of my life. His explanations are completely natural and accessible, and they opened up a great creative realm of possibilities for me.
The knowledge gained from Thomas’ course and lessons is honestly invaluable, and I count myself among one of the lucky ones to have been able to study under such an amazing educator and musician."
Kathie Mills
Singer/Songwriter
“The approach that Thomas Gunther takes to teaching pop/jazz chord progressions and stylings has helped shift my playing immensely. My long-held goal of being able to self-accompany is finally seeing realization, and my palette to work from has increased. His pop-jazz keyboard class has been invaluable
for me as a singer/ songwriter.”
Nathan Niederkorn
Singer/Songwriter
"Some background info first. I took several courses with Thomas Gunther at Columbia College as part of the Contemporary Urban Music Program: Pop-Jazz Keyboards, Pop Arranging, and Directed Study (Pop-Jazz Theory).
About how he teaches
His passion for the topics he teaches is contagious!
As a teacher, Thomas is very patient but also pushes his students to do the work without discouraging or frustrating them.
What I learned from him
I learned many important topics in my classes with Thomas Gunther. From the very first day of class, Thomas taught me new ways to approach the instrument. Instead of thinking of chords on the piano as individual things, he empowered me to “see the big picture” and approach topics like progressions and harmonies in a more holistic sense. Now, when I sit at a piano to either play or compose, I can use the skills I gained in his Pop-Jazz Keyboard class to speed up my process and have a greater appreciation and enjoyment of the piano."