Erica ~ Mom/Pianist

    

"Russ Davis is an extremely talented musician and an amazing teacher!  He started off teaching my 3 sons, Max, (age 10) and Sam and Ben (twins age 8) piano about 2 years ago.  They had no previous music experience and were able to perform in a recital after just 6 months!  He kept them interested in music by choosing relevant and fun songs - ranging from 'Smoke on the Water' by Deep Purple, to 'Animals' by Maroon 5, and they were able to play their songs by heart in front of an audience!  

 

In our second year, the boys moved on to guitar and Russ was able to take their piano knowledge and seamlessly transfer it to this new instrument.  I also decided to revisit the piano after over 20 years.  Russ has been extremely patient with my rusty knowledge and gave me the confidence to perform a wide range of material - we touched the classics with 'Fur Elise' and chose some U2 for a contemporary piece.  His ability to create arrangements purely based on listening to songs is truly amazing!  We look forward to our weekly lessons and to performing again at this years recital!"

 

 

Steve ~ Dad/Executive/Bassist/Vocalist

    

"Russ Davis began teaching my two sons - ages 9 and 11 - a couple of years ago, and now has the whole family playing! We each take our individual lesson each week, and practice together as a family band!  My wife and I could not be more pleased with how we are all playing and progressing.

    

Russ makes playing fun and interesting for all of us; he is patient, encouraging and clearly enjoys teaching and sharing his passion.  Moreover he is a very gifted musician and teacher that has an infectious love of music that has spread to me and to the boys. Both boys are enjoying their experience - as is their mom and dad - and often practice without any prompting from their parents.  If ever there was a positive indication of their feelings about music and their instruction, that has to be one!  Russ is also helping my youngest with violin techniques and reading music for the school orchestra.

    

We are truly advocates of Russ and recommend him without hesitation as a teacher for both children and adults.  So much so that we have referred him to our friends."

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Christa ~ Public Speaker/Journalist

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"My son Colin has been a student of Russ' for several years, studying Guitar, Vocals and Songwriting. One of Colin’s great accomplishments with Russ was succeeding in getting cast in “School of Rock the Musical” on Broadway, and Russ was indispensable in preparing him for the auditions, and then coaching him to higher heights in his role as Lead Guitarist on the Broadway stage!

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We credit Russ with so much of Colin's musical improvement. Russ is an extremely talented and accomplished musician, and so patient as a teacher. We are forever grateful to him for his work with Colin!"

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Jim ~ Dad/Executive/Band Leader​

    

"I've been taking guitar from Russ for about four years and think he is a fantastic teacher and musical mentor. He has a great approach, and he's a rare mix of brilliant musician and endlessly-patient tutor. He can operate equally well at the most basic walking through a simple song as he can explaining and demonstrating the theory of music. He is a believer in the importance of performance. 

    

One thing that's been especially rewarding for me is starting a band and having Russ as a resource. Russ is a good band coach, and has helped my friends and I come together as a band. He can hear the layers of the music as we play, and knows how to help each player strengthen his own part, as well as craft the strongest song arrangement for the band as a whole. Russ tactfully offers improvements and points out touches that can be the glue that holds the song together.

    

My children have also started taking from him and they are also big fans. Starting from scratch with a 7 and 9 year old, he has turned them into good players in just a couple of years, with the older one taking on rock standards and dabbling in jazz and the younger one learning some of her favorite songs on piano and drums. He has coached my son on his school violin parts, and is also taking my daughter far beyond her school music for cello, into some of the great classics and pop hits too. 

 

In sum, in addition to being great with the music, Russ is patient, versatile, persistent, and creative."

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Maggie ~ Mom

    

“My children having been taking lessons with Russ Davis for about 8 years now, all the way through grade school and middle school! Each child has a very different personality, and Mr. Davis finds a way of keeping all of them interested and enjoying their lessons. One way he does this is by allowing them the freedom to learn the music each of them enjoys.  He has shown enormous patience and encouragement, and I have enjoyed listening to my children play as they have progressed!"

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Kendra ~ Mom​

    

"I was surprised and thrilled by the quality of the year end recital. We have three musical children and have been to countless recitals, but were blown away by the talent and enthusiasm, and the immense variety of ages, instruments, and musical styles at this one.  It was the first time - in 14 years of recitals - that we happily stayed to the end of the show and enjoyed every minute.  Far from being a typical event for kids, Russ makes it into a magnificent concert!"

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Linda ~ Fraoli School of Music

    

“Russ was a teacher at the Fraoli School of Music, where he taught voice, piano, guitar, bass and songwriting, and coached performers and groups. He is a true virtuoso, and has a great rapport with his students. It gives me great pleasure to recommend Russ. His contributions to our school will be greatly missed!”

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Adrien ~ 9th Grader/Guitarist

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“Walking into my first music lesson I was nervous and had no idea what to expect. Russ is so kind and patient, because of him I can't go a day without wanting to practice music. Throughout our 5 years of lessons, he has opened my eyes and mind to the art of music in a fun, interesting way. I look forward to our lessons every day, and I'm honored to have him as a teacher!"

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Colin ~ Age 10/Pianist

 

“Mr. Davis is an excellent musician.  He makes all of the lessons fun and exciting while still managing to teach me lots of music.  I am happy I take lessons with Mr. Davis.”

 

 

Aidan ~ Age 9​/Guitar/Piano/Drums

 

“Mr. Davis can teach me many instruments and many different kids of music.  He taught me to play acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano and drums!  He also teaches me the songs I like and want to play.”

 

 

Mairead ~ Age 6/Pianist/Vocalist

 

“Mr. Davis is a wonderful music teacher and he is very nice if you make a mistake."

 

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Mike ~ College Student/Bassist

    

“My skills have grown enormously in the six months Russ and I been working together. He always takes ample time to make sure I master difficult concepts, and allows me to learn at my own pace. He is very interactive in our sessions, and I always look forward to my time with him."

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Rick ~ Dad​/Executive/Songwriter 

    

"Russ is certainly my most significant musical mentor. His skills are unique. He graduated with honors from Dartmouth, but rather than be swayed by the pressures to choose business or law school, he remained true to his calling. He has and always will live his dream, and he is a constant source of inspiration. After Dartmouth, Russ and I both studied at the Tisheff-Svetzia School of Music in Manhattan, where Russ proved to be as avid a learner as he is a gifted teacher, and quickly became the school’s star pupil. I took Russ’s influence with me to the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, MA, where I studied composition and performance, all of which I found to be simply an extension of my development through Russ, and sustained by our ongoing discussions. He taught me not only how to take on these challenges, but to express myself through them.

      

Russ has the capability to work with musicians of any level. He has a presence that appeals to a stockbroker who wants to write songs on the side, or a young student who dreams of a musical career. He is adaptable, extremely resourceful, and finds unique ways to motivate each person. Russ is very connected with his inner self, and easily connects with others, helping them find their artistic voice, so they can benefit emotionally through musical expression. He combines excellent fundamentals with a gift for teaching his students to fall in love with music… an unbeatable combination!"

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Andrew ~ Bandleader/Composer

      

"Right from the start Russ was always very supportive, and his techniques were very clear. I found it easy to practice what we learned each week. Russ was easygoing, very knowledgeable and talented, infectiously energetic yet at the same time down to earth. I could relate to him, and most important, I had a lot of fun learning. Even while practicing the most difficult fingerings or vocal passages, Russ put a positive spin on my work.

 

After graduating from Cornell, I began to play professionally, and Russ continued to guide my growth and help me through difficulties, not only in performance, but in promoting myself. In a few short years of study, Russ was able to help me accelerate my growth from total beginner to actually performing live, both with a band and as a solo performer.

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I am now at the beginning stages of a major musical career, playing concerts and festivals and attracting the interest of major record labels. I continue to seek out Russ for professional advice on promotion, performance songwriting ideas, techniques, and for inspiration. He continues to challenge me to strive for new heights in all aspects of my career, both physically and mentally, and shows me how to shore up my weaknesses and capitalize on my strengths.

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For me, a great teacher inspires and challenges students to push beyond limits. The teacher empowers a student with a means to grow and constantly expand his horizons. I have had many teachers in my life, and many role models, yet to say that

Russ is at the very top of that list is easy.

 

As a result of his great talent for teaching, his infectious energy and solid, empowering techniques, I have learned so much more about music, and myself, than I ever dreamed possible. He is an amazing and powerful personality, and any student would be lucky to receive his wisdom, expertise and inspiration."

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Scott ~ Composer/Performer

      

"Russ is an artist and a professional, a teacher and a student of music and life, with  an intense, focused technical prowess and creativity as a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, songwriter, orchestrator and producer. While some artists lead with intuition, and others with an analytical mind, Russ utilizes both, and the facets complement each other with balance and versatility.

      

I am most impressed with Russ’s willingness and ability to always look for, and bring out, the good and others, and to patiently engage in one’s total growth process through the musical modality. He is a humble and goods person, and I feel as privileged to be associated with him as I am inspired by his artistry."

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Marybeth ~ Mom of a Student

 

"It is the ability to convey the joy of a subject, whether music, math, or great books, that makes a good teacher. Add to that a true expertise in the subject, plus enthusiasm, the ability to establish a rapport with students, and the ability to communicate clearly, and you can begin to understand what kind of a teacher Russ Davis is.

      

He doesn’t just teach the lesson each week, he sets a high standard, encourages his students to make their very best efforts, and lets them have fun. He is mentor, critic, and friend.

      

My son, who studies with Russ, has put out his first CD, and will produce another this year. His band will go on tour this summer. Whether he gets a lucky break in music, or decides to concentrate on his career in science, music will be intrinsic to his life as a powerful means of self-expression, and as a limitless source of creativity. And that is a direct result of having had Russ Davis as his teacher."

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Steve ~ Dad of a Rising Artist

    

"I am writing this letter to convey my unqualified recommendation for Russ Davis of InspirationWave Music.  Our daughter Rachel has been working with Russ as her coach over the last three years to improve her (acoustic and electric) guitar playing, singing ability and in recent months, her wider grasp of music theory.  Russ has also introduced keyboard into Rachel’s musical world to help her with composition and arrangement. The growth and results over these three years have been outstanding.  Russ has successfully tapped into Rachel’s unique voice ability and love of music, performance and writing.  He has truly helped to strengthen her innate capabilities while developing new ones and instilling a deeper appreciation of musicianship.  

    

Importantly, Russ has also reinforced her personal confidence which is a consequence of who he is and how he approaches his coaching. Russ brings a calm, focused and friendly demeanor to his work which has perfectly complemented Rachel during these often challenging high school years.  He demonstrates a genuine respect and sensitivity for his students which in turn opens them up to believe in themselves and to work harder in practice.  
 

It is one thing to have professional musical knowledge and skill which Russ certainly does.  It’s another to be able to patiently develop a working relationship with someone which is built on mutual respect.  Russ takes the time to understand Rachel’s interests and listens to her ideas.  This is an ideal combination, exceptional expertise and the willingness to be exploratory while methodically drilling down into foundational basics.  Russ is never condescending or dismissive nor do you get the impression that he is imposing his own artistic will vicariously when he’s working with Rachel.  He’s totally collaborative and this generous artistic spirit is very evident in his work with all of his students.  
    

Each year Russ organizes a recital where everyone he works with from the most basic beginners of any age or skill to the most advanced all perform.  It was a revelation the first time we went to one of these lovely events.  You can see that Russ works hard to make all the performers feel special, has words of encouragement for all of them and having been to a couple, the improvement from year to year is quite something to see. This is who Russ is, not just a professional doing a job but someone with a love of music and a gift for helping others to find their own inner artist. His visible joy at seeing his students be able to perform is quite obvious.  Russ is happy for all and his calming presence allows these young children to middle aged adults the opportunity to express themselves capably and comfortably.
    

As Rachel participated in Rye High School’s Parson Street Players musical performances Russ was also able to really help Rachel develop her stage voice.  The crowning achievement for Rachel however has just become reality, acceptance into NYU Tisch School of the Arts - The Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music.  This is a unique and highly selective program that is all about the business and world of music, from all aspects, composition to performing to producing to promoting and much more.  
    

Russ was a huge help as we organized and prepared for the rigorous admission application requirements which consisted of multiple written essays and production of a recorded performance portfolio. It was a lot of work under a short deadline and Russ was there working with us every step of the way including allowing us to record at his home to make use of his professional sound system and other gear.  We recorded and reviewed the clips until we had a handful which Rachel put together for her submission.  Amongst the songs were several interesting covers but also an original piece Rachel wrote and which Russ helped her to develop.  Last point on this is that Russ wrote an extremely supportive and thoughtful letter of recommendation for Rachel which was also part of the total package submitted to NYU. We always knew Rachel was musically talented from an early age.  There is no doubt that all her hard work with Russ was instrumental in helping Rachel distinguish herself from the competition and successfully pass NYU’s very tough screening process.  

 

Bottom line, Russ Davis is not only a fine, talented musician in his own right but a gentleman, a dedicated and knowledgeable professional, an inspiring and supportive coach and someone who is sincerely passionate about seeing his students become their very best.  He operates with obvious integrity and responsiveness and we cannot recommend him highly enough."