By: Joshua Friedman
Recently I had the pleasure of talking to Katie Cohen Landolt, a middle school orchestra/guitar teacher in Austin, Texas. I am thrilled to share a little bit about Katie and the wonderful things she is doing in her classroom. Katie has had the amazing opportunity to work with co–creator of GuitarCurriculum and Austin Classical Guitar Director of Education Dr. Travis Marcum as well as Austin Classical Guitar Director of Community Education Dr. Tony Mariano. With their assistance Katie has made and continues to make beautiful musical experiences with her students.
Click Here to check out some of her students play “Koi Under Moon Bridge” at the recent ACG Student Spotlight at the Rosette!
“This picture of my students was taken after their performance at ACG’s Student Spotlight in March. I love the connection and joy you can see after a beautiful performance!”
Katie Cohen Landolt is a musician and educator based in Austin, TX. She attended the University of North Texas where she received a Bachelor’s of Music with a minor in Education. Originally a violist, Katie has fallen in love with learning and teaching classical guitar. She is currently an Orchestra and Guitar Director for Austin ISD and a performing member of the ACG Guitar Choir. Beyond her passion for music, Katie enjoys reading, exploring Austin’s many parks and food trucks, and spending time with her family as a new mom to her son Ari.
How did you start teaching guitar?
When I interviewed for my first teaching job in the public school system, I was told that the position was 50% Orchestra and 50% Guitar Ensemble. At the time I didn’t know much about guitar and only knew about playing chords and strumming. I accepted the job and thought I would teach some guitar but really focus on the orchestra program. I quickly realized the guitar program would require a little more work and thankfully I had Travis Marcum and Tony Mariano to help me. I never expected to be teaching guitar, but now I truly love it!
What are the differences in teaching guitar versus orchestra?
One thing I love about guitar is how instantly a group can make a beautiful sound. Unlike any other instrument, guitar allows for students to create something amazing in a short amount of time. My guitar students surprise me constantly with the care and listening skills they are developing throughout the year. One day we were missing our section 2 guitars and the class instantly complained about how strange the music sounds without this part. This level of attention to the ensemble and sound around them is inspiring. The students are genuinely excited to learn the instrument.
The guitar is such an accessible instrument for students and adult learners. I think it is easier as a violist to learn guitar than a guitarist to learn viola. When it comes to theory the fretboard is laid out well enough to be much more accessible than other instruments. The guitar is so affordable students don’t have to worry about the costs of renting an instrument or fear paying hundreds to thousands of dollars for damaging an instrument.
What was your first year teaching guitar like?
I was provided with the resources on GuitarCurriculum.com and got to work with my class, I think the combination of first year teaching public school combined with first year teaching guitar was very intimidating. For the first 5-6 weeks I focused a lot on open strings and set up because I was so nervous. It took me some time to get comfortable with myself and confident in my abilities to lead the class.
How was the process of learning guitar as you were teaching it?
I was concerned the students wouldn’t respect me because I was not a great guitarist. It took me some time to learn this isn’t true. The students just needed to know I am an impressive musician. It’s important to remember that even if students know how to play more chords, solos, and styles than you, they still need guidance when it comes to playing together as an ensemble and playing musically. My students don’t need me to play the fastest or most difficult parts, they need a teacher who can direct them to understand and connect with what they are playing.
It is interesting to see the different strengths different types of musicians have. As an orchestral player my focus is on ensemble playing, reading music, and counting rhythms while my talented guitar students may lack these skills. My presence and musical ability are extremely valuable to them becoming musicians.
Click Here to watch a video of Katie’s students perform “El Chinati”
Tell me about this video.
Our local community had a social media competition where the video with the most likes would win. The prize for winning would have been a class party. Unfortunately, we lost by 4 likes. This was my advanced guitar class playing “El Chinati”. This was right after covid, my third year teaching. I am extremely proud of my students for what they were able to accomplish in such a short amount of time.
What are your favorite Guitar Curriculum pieces?
Leaps of Leaps, Minor Waltz and Koi Under the Moon Bridge
I hope you enjoyed this interview. If you would like to be featured on a GuitarCurriculum blog or would just like to connect please reach out to me at joshua@austinclassicalguitar.org