Learn more about our teacher of the month, Piano and keyboard teacher Max Somerville. Check out the new album from Max’s band Wreckloose here. 

What kind of music do you like to play?
When it comes to playing music, my favorite kind is the kind you play with other people! Whether it’s with a band of friends I've been playing with for years, or someone I've just met, music has always been my favorite form of communication. If I had to pick a genre though I would probably say funk/soul. It's just really fun to play!

How did you get into music?
My father is a pianist and a songwriter and he introduced me to The Beatles White Album when I was five. I dug it so much that I asked him to teach me the piano for the only Ringo Starr song on the album "Don't Pass Me By". But it wasn't until I was 14, when my friends told me they needed a bass player for their band (I truly didn't know what bass was at that time) that I really got into music. I started writing music for the group, and I realized I had an application for everything I learned so far. I used the piano as a tool to write music and it all just started making sense.

What's your favorite thing about being a teacher?
My favorite thing about being a teacher is getting to talk about, listen [to], and play music with so many people! As a teacher, I am still constantly learning about music, and many times, I find myself learning something new while teaching something I thought I already fully understood.

Any advice for aspiring musicians out there?
Be fearless! Know that you're capable of achieving anything you put your mind to. Music doesn't have many roadmaps, and that can be confusing and intimidating. But that's also why it's great. You really have the freedom to create and communicate in a way that's completely your own.