Exclusive Interview with
Scott Tennant
By Piper Henriques / ClassicalGuitarShop.com |
Watch
Scott Tennant and LAGQ Live: Pachelbel's 'Loose' Canon!
A founding member of the World renouned Los Angeles Guitar
Quartet(LAGQ), and one of today's leading American guitarists,
Scott Tennant is the author of the guitar technique best-seller
Pumping Nylon video, Pumping Nylon book and Supplemental Repertoire
books, Scott also teaches and is a faculty member at the University
of Southern California School of Music.
ClassicalGuitarShop.com: What
is one of your most memorable moments playing guitar?
Scott Tennant: The things that stand
out in my mind would have to be playing for Andres Segovia, in
two master classes in 1981 and 1986, both times at USC. He had
these thick glasses that made his eyes look huge and he reminded
me of a grandfather. He was the last living link to the other
century, to me. he knew all the composers of a long time ago,
he knew poets, musicians, and writers of a different time. That
was a thrill playing for him, that was great.
ClassicalGuitarShop.com: What
do you enjoy most about teaching?
Scott Tennant: I love teaching,
I find I really grow as a person and as a player. I learn a lot
as I teach, I feel teaching is an art form in itself. I try to
really focus to be the best teacher I can, I think it's a responsibility
for those in the art form like that to give back and impart what
they've learned to other people who want to learn it.
ClassicalGuitarShop.com: Do you
have advice for students who have been studying guitar and would
like to audition for college?
Scott Tennant: The big tip of the
day for auditioning for our university (USC) or any university
is: Get all the material you can about the school, see if you
can talk directly to an instructor and find out exactly what
they like to hear. At our school, we like to hear a mix of things
like Bach, contemporary, classical, sight reading . . . I definitely
suggest getting directly in touch with the school and talking
with whoever you can.
ClassicalGuitarShop.com: What
if you're a beginning student and you're interested in pursuing
the guitar, how can you get into a college program?
Scott Tennant: Go to a junior college
(community college). A junior college is a transition point between
high school and a larger university - it's higher education after
high school without spending big bucks for a university. At a
junior college instrumentation is really good, but it's not the
extension and depth of a university.
ClassicalGuitarShop.com: What
do you hope people are gaining from your books & video?
Scott Tennant: Hopefully playing
techniques and how to practice better.
ClassicalGuitarShop.com: Have
you always wanted to play the guitar?
Scott Tennant: I've pretty much
always wanted to play guitar. When I was a little kid, I wanted
to play guitar and be an archaeologist. Then, I wanted to be
a hockey player and play guitar. As my teacher at the time pointed
out, it wouldn't work to be a hockey player and a good guitarist.
I always wanted to play guitar. I'm extremely lucky and honored
to do it as a living now.
ClassicalGuitarShop.com: What
is your favorite part about playing guitar?
Scott Tennant: I especially like
recording stuff, commercials or movie spots. Music is put in
front of you and it's fun and challenging. I've played on the
film, "Joe Versus the Volcano," with Tom Hanks and
Meg Ryan, I played the ukelele and the guitar, and I've done
commercials.
ClassicalGuitarShop.com: When
you were younger, did you think you would be doing this now?
Scott Tennant: I thought I would
be doing it. I graduated from high school and in 1980 I came
to California, I met the guys in the quartet (LAGQ) - we've been
together for 20 years - we planned to do this and we stuck together.
Thank you Scott for taking time from your busy schedule to
share your thoughts and insight with us.
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by Piper Henriques-ClassicalGuitarShop.com |
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