I learned flamenco the old-fashioned way – by having someone show me how it’s done and spending hundreds of hours playing for dance classes. I was lucky to have some amazing teachers. I studied first in New York with Dennis Koster and then moved to Spain where I studied with Juan Fernandez in Granada. I studied with some big name players, but Juan was the one who sat me down and really got into it with me.
Once I had already been making a living playing for a few years I decided I wanted to learn how to read and write music and maybe expand my ears, so I got a scholarship to Berklee College of Music, in Boston, and had the time of my life. Of course to make a living I played flamenco – gigging, teaching, and spending another thousand or so hours playing for dance classes.
I’ve been teaching flamenco guitar for over 15 years now, and as a result of learning flamenco the traditional way and then later studying theory and composition, I’ve developed some ways of teaching compás (rhythms specific to flamenco) and all other aspects of flamenco that really seem to work for students who have been studying for a while but haven’t quite ‘gotten’ how compás works.
I’ve worked with absolute beginners, professional guitarist, and even accomplished flamenco guitarists who just need help figuring out how to navigate accompaniment of cante and baile. There’s a big difference between being able to play a flamenco guitar solo and understanding the language of flamenco. One of my favorite things is helping guitarists learn to put it all together so they can be comfortable with any singer or dancer they might run into at a gig.
I teach in my studio in Hollywood as well as on Skype (or Facetime, or whatever comes next). Skype may not be quite as good as being in the same room, but if you don’t have access to a great teacher wherever you are, it’s really the next best thing.
Some nice things my students have said
“Kai is a great teacher, he is amazingly patient, and has a way of explaining difficult concepts that makes them seem easy. His lessons on flamenco rhythms and accompanying have been invaluable. Thanks Kai!”
-Scott wolf, DMA
“I have studied with many of the very best private music teachers in Los Angeles during my career as a professional musician and I consider Kai to be among that group. He takes his craft seriously and has a very thorough understanding of his instrument, harmonic theory and how that knowledge is conveyed to the the student. I highly recommend him as a teacher.”
-Rod Rozzelle, Los Angeles
“Kai Narezo is hands down the best teacher of flamenco I have ever encountered. His thinking is organized and his explanations clear and cogent. His background, training and experience superbly qualify him to provide instruction for both solo flamenco guitar and accompaniment, a rarity on American soil. Kai seems always to genuinely care about my progress and consistently goes the extra mile for me. I will stay with him as long as he will have me.”
-Joseph Anderson, North Carolina
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