September 21, 1994

BEST GUITAR TEACHER

Tobias has honed his teaching techniques down to a science. He's got a file cabinet full of resource sheets, with scales, chords, picking techniques answers to every question you could possibly have about the guitar. He's got a library full of music and magazines and books, which he'll generously lend out. He's got a studio full of equipment, including an extra effects system for students with electric guitars so they can play through the same sound system he does. But most important, what he's learned in his eight years of teaching guitar is that lessons work best when a student is having fun. Instead of adhering to some strict methodology, he caters each lesson to the desires of the student. We like it that way. When we first started taking lessons a few months ago, we couldn't even play a chord. Now we can play ... well, a whole bunch of chords. But we're inspired. We're excited. We can't wait to learn more.

June, 1996 * Issue #141 * Vol. 13 #6

excerpt from
The Guitar Wizardry of
 Tobias Hurwitz

Who exactly is Tobias Hurwitz and why have you yet to hear about him? Aside from being named 1994's "Best Guitar Teacher" by City Paper (Baltimore's top alternative weekly read, for you cave dwellers and out-of-towners), the Hurwitz name also appears regularly in ads all about town for his prospering guitar tutoring services.

You may remember him as the musical director of the Ocean City, MD-based television show, Beach Party, or perhaps even from a brief spot on the David Letterman show. And if, by chance, you haven't caught him mugging in any of those places there is a likelihood you may have seen his pro guitar column in a couple of Annapolis and Southern Maryland-based fanzines.

He sings, he writes, and he plays a mean guitar. He even rides a damn unicycle-- very well, I might add. And for those seeking even more identifying characteristics, he's unleashed the Tobias Hurwitz band -- Baltimore's latest quiet storm. And yes, dear readers, hurricane season is upon us.

A graduate of California's heralded guitar school, GIT, Hurwitz has gone on to teach some of Baltimore's best guitarists (among which are an old Music Monthly alumnae, a local from the now-countryfied WGRX, and the head of Merkin Records.

"I've had a lot of students that are in bands, cutting records, or doing something with the local industry," he explains.

Hurwitz, along with Chris Dardozzi, Nick Costa, Jeff Russo and Tom Ginsberg comprise the Tobias Hurwitz Band.

Alfred Publishing has added several titles to their Basix book/CD series, including Blues Guitar Techniques and Jazz Guitar Concepts ($11 each). Tobias Hurwitz's Learn How To Transcribe ($20) offers a 30-page introduction to notation and ear training, then asks you to transcribe music from the included CD and then check your work against the books answers. 
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