Curtis Oren
Teacher Name: Curtis Oren
Curtis’ Pronouns: they/them
Students Call Them: Curtis
Teaches: Orchestra, Band, and Rock instruments of all levels, including Saxophone, Trumpet, Flute, Trombone, Ukulele, Guitar, Drums, Keyboard, and Violin
Languages Curtis Speaks: English
Education:
Bachelor of Arts in Jazz Studies from the University of Northern Iowa
Masters of Music Education from VanderCook College of Music
Certifications: Illinois State Board of Education Pk-12 Teaching License with Music Endorsement
About Curtis:
Curtis has nearly a decade of professional teaching experience across many disciplines, age ranges, and academic settings, including 7 years with Music House teaching everything from adult trumpet lessons to PreK art. They are proficient in all manner of orchestra, band, and rock instruments with a specialization in woodwinds, guitar, improvisation, and songwriting.
Curtis has performed over 1,500 shows across North America both solo and in bands such as Porches, Tenci, Edging, and Juan Wauters, appearing on dozens of recordings and being described by Pitchfork Magazine as "captivating" for their solo work on Tenci's 2022 album A Swollen River, A Well Overflowing. When not playing music, Curtis loves biking along the lakefront, cooking from their garden, and learning as much as possible.
As a teacher, Curtis encourages their students to find the artist and educator within themselves, working together to find what's motivating and exciting about learning, and helping build a sense of voracious curiosity. Learning to play music should feel like PLAY!
