Shawn Miranda
Versatile Guitarist
Shawn Miranda
Accomplished Pianist
Shawn Miranda
Gifted Composer
Folk, rock, blues and jazz form the core of my playing, but my familiarity with different styles extends to other styles of music, as well. My background in ethnomusicoloy (music cultures of the world) allows me to bring in elements from non-western music and my classical training also shows in my adaptations of classical music for the acoustic guitar.
I have always been a fan of solo performers, and my playing reflects that. So in addition to my work as a mainstream rock and jazz guitarist I have worked to develop as a fingerstyle guitarist, as well. (Think Leo Kottke!)
While I was trained to be a concert pianist, my interest in music could never be constrained to one style. After completing college I immersed myself in blues, jazz, rock and improvisation.
This has resulted in a kind of cross-fertilization that might not be obvious when I'm playing Beethoven or bebop, but becomes more apparent in my performances of my own jazz-based classical compostions.
Currently I am adding some of Beethoven's more difficult piano sonatas to my repertoire while also hoping to garner some attention for my more recent piano works.
While I have written pieces in styles ranging from boogie woogie to 20th century classical music, I am currently focusing on fusing classical and jazz styles in new and creative ways. After all, it's all music, isn't it?
Most of my compositions have been written for my students. I'm glad to say many of them have been highly successful. Increasingly, however, I am focused on creating works for advanced pianists and the concert stage.
With over thirty years of teaching experience, I work to ensure that my students have the foundation in music notation, finger dexterity, and rhythm they need that will allow them to discover music as an act of self-expression.
I am also concerned with teaching students that music theory is not just an academic endeavor, but the living language of music, and that without a solid understanding of music theory no deeper understanding of music can emerge.