Teaching

A qualified teacher, Mike Barris hosts programs, clinics, seminars and workshops on musicianship, the guitar, the music business and music in general. He also teaches guitar privately at his Long Branch, N.J. studio.

Credits

• WBJB-FM Annual Guitar Show, Brookdale Community College, Tinton Falls, NJ (clinic on stage and performance techniques);
• Division of Business and Community Development, Brookdale Community College, Tinton Falls NJ (courses on having fun and making money as a guitarist-singer; course on the music of Frank Sinatra)
• Monmouth County Library, Shrewsbury, NJ, branch (workshops on performance tips for musicians, promotion and publicity tips for musicians);
• North York and East York boards of education, Toronto (substitute junior high school band, orchestra teacher; programs on Depression-era songs, the Swing Era);
• Guitar instructor, Mike’s studio, Long Branch, N.J.
• Summerfolk, Owen Sound, Ontario; Golden Link Folk Festival, Honeoye Falls, N.Y.; Thomas Homestead Festival, Savona, N.Y.; Coburg Waterfront Festival, Coburg, Ontario; Turtle Hill Music Festival, Spencerport, N.Y. (workshops on swing guitar; blues + jazz = soul; rhythm guitar; the art of accompaniment; Swing Era songwriters)
• Toronto Wellness Centre, Toronto, Ontario (program, Making Life Swing, a look at the value in applying the spirit of the jazz musician to life in general)
• New Jersey Center for the Healing Arts, Red Bank, N.J. (program, Getting Past the Blues, a look at the power of music to lift our spirit)
• Monmouth Arts Foundation, Eatontown, N.J. (program, Let Me Entertain You, a humorous look at the decisions a performer makes in entertaining an audience)

Press Reviews

Click here for a press review of Mike’s programs.

"Mike Barris Troubleshoots for Musicians"

Evaluations

Some student evaluations of "Have Fun and Make Money as a Singer-Guitarist," Mike’s course at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft, N.J., in March, 2002:

"Good teacher interaction and information." -Gerry

"Mike’s openness and honesty is what I liked best. I learned more about connecting with my audience and to look for more variations in my style." -Art

"Honest, constructive criticism. What I learned was to stress everything. Every movement, every word to the crowd in a song or talk is part of the performance. I learned how to read the crowd and adjust the performance, if necessary." -Michael

"I enjoyed the instructor. Easy to understand." -Dave

"The thing I liked best was the instructor’s stories describing how to handle situations during gigs. Also, the instructor’s playing." -Andy

Correspondence

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MIKE BARRIS & DELTA SUNRISE: SWINGBILLY BLUES

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• About the CD

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Upcoming Classes

Salute to Sinatra

Have Fun and Make Money as a Singer-Guitarist