Garrett Rongey
Musician and Teacher
Musician
I graduated with an undergraduate degree from Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville (SIUE) in Music with an emphasis in jazz performance in 2014. I have worked in groups and as a solo artist in the genres of jazz, classical, country, pop, and rock. While working as a musician and instructor, I went back to SIUE to get my Masters in Music under guitar instructor Rick Haydon.
I continue to play and tour in the region as a jazz artist and with a popular Americana band from St. Louis, and I'm currently working to record my first album of original work.
Teacher
With over ten years worth of instructional experience, I have taught most genres of music including rock, pop, jazz, and classical from beginner to advanced. I have also taught (and played) bass guitar and ukulele. I am comfortable teaching in a one-on-one setting, which I have done at Mojo's Music Store in Edwardsville, IL since I was 18 years old. I'm also an adjunct instructor at Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville (SIUE) where I teach class guitar lessons both onsite and virtually.
With many years of teaching, I have come up with an original curriculum of teaching guitar.
Bio
I was born and raised in Edwardsville, Illinois - just 18 miles east of St. Louis, MO. After picking up a guitar at the age of 16, I knew music would be my life-long love.
I was first mesmerized by the the iconic licks of Jimi Hendrix. I wanted to play flashy guitar solos and loud rock 'n' roll. As I dove deeper into learning about the instrument, I discovered the world of jazz and the many styles of conversations musicians can have with each other.
While my parents were supportive of my passion, I had not convinced them totally that music was a viable career choice. I'm sure they would have loved for me to be an engineer or doctor, but I wanted to play guitar. There was rarely a second I did not have a guitar in my hand or a time when I wasn't transcribing guitar solos or jamming with friends.
With all the time and effort put into learning my instrument, I was able to earn a full scholarship to Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville to study Jazz guitar under the legend Rick Haydon. There, I received an immensely strenuous but formative education that only stoked my interest, confirming that, yes, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life.
I've played, what feels like, every gig you can play - weddings, bar mitzvahs, smoky bars, private parties, music festivals, even fancy award ceremonies, etc. In addition to jazz and classical performances, I also play lead guitar for Nick Gusman & the Coyotes, an Americana band based out of St. Louis.
Contact me
For questions about instructional materials or bookings...