David Joseph Powderly LRSL, ALCM(TD), is an Irish guitar teacher with 31 years playing experience. He has taught internationally in four countries and is currently an Examiner in Australia and New Zealand for the Registry of Guitar Tutors and the London College of Music.

How It All Started As a Guitar Teacher

David gave his first lessons at the age of 15 and loved the teaching experience. Because of this, he decided to specialise in music from an early age, and graduated from Pulse Recording College in Dublin, Ireland in the top percentile. He continued his studies with the Institute of Acoustics in St. Albans, UK, attaining a Diploma in Acoustics.

Professional Accreditation

David studied under the Registry of Guitar Tutors syllabus, achieved high marks in guitar grades and specialised as a guitar teacher. He attained his Diploma and Associate Diploma accredited by the London College of Music.

He attained a Licentiate in Music Teaching from Rockschool in 2015, which is currently the highest internationally accredited instrumental teaching qualification available, and is awarded by the AMEB in Australia. David continues to further his studies in pedagogy by researching current developments in the psychology of learning, special needs education and music theory, and has a keen interest in all styles of music from the 1600s to the present day.

Business Experience

David co-founded Meath Music Academy in Ireland which grew from strength to strength. Within four years the school grew from a two teacher partnership to having eleven teachers in ten musical disciplines with over 300 students It became one of the most respected music education hubs in the North East of Ireland. Meath Music Academy is also the first music school in Ireland to have two Music Examiners from two different countries as permanent partners.

Teaching For Success

David teaches students of all ages, levels and learning styles, from complete beginner to professional musicians and teachers, from Elementary and Preliminary grades to Licentiate level, from 7 years old to 70. Tailored curriculae for students with special needs are also available.

Previous students include Britain’s Got Talent entrants, professional rock and contemporary guitarists, recording artists, singer/songwriters, jazz and session musicians, and touring artists.

His love of music always rested in sharing knowledge and discovering new and exciting material both for, and in conjunction with his students. He has over 25 years experience as a guitar teacher and has taught music in Ireland, the UK, Australia and New Zealand. He also has a current international student roster online.

Learning From Heroes And Australian Masters

David’s heart has been in Australia since 2002 after he travelled and worked in Cairns and Sydney. He returned in 2007 and again in 2014, and after travelling extensively he decided to settle in Wollongong, New South Wales in December 2017 and work as a guitar teacher and examiner.

Whilst Irish tenor banjo was the first instrument he learned to competency, his main instrumental love and primary means of expression is the guitar, an instrument he first started to play when he was ten years old. After hearing Dire Straits ‘Money For Nothing’ as a child he became fascinated.

However his musical journey did not stop there. He became interested in the rock and metal genres as a teenager and to this day credits James Hetfields fingerpicking as his catalyst into classical guitar, although a timely episode of The South Bank Show which showcased the abilities of Australian guitar master John Williams showcased what was possible with application and study. Therefore he studied classical guitar technique an developed a love of the masters of composition, both old and new.

Another Australian, Tommy Emmanuel C.G.P. influenced his playing greatly, and again showcased the possibilities of the guitar, albeit the steel string acoustic. Because of the influence of these guitarists, he developed a high degree of musical sophistication and plays all modern styles.

Davids influences on the instrument are many:

• Mark Knopfler, Johnny Cash and Leonard Cohen,
• James Hetfield and Mark Morton,
• John WIlliams, Julian Bream and Ana Vidovic,
• Joe Satriani, Kirk Hammet and Kerry King,
• Tommy Emmanuel, Rory Gallagher, and Liam Clancy,
• Bach and Beethoven,
• Ed Sheeran to Mårten Hagström,

These are, and remain influences in his playing and work as a guitar teacher. However, the list grows longer each day, with something new to be discovered just around every corner.

Teaching Philosophy

His philosophy in teaching always revolves around the needs of the student.

“The greatest gift we can hope to teach is a love of music. Not just for music, but for the exploration of music… for the joy it brings and all of the emotions it reflects and accentuates, and the minute you pick up an instrument and play, nobody will sound like you. It’s yours. Your voice. Your emotion and your joy. Nobody can take that away from you.”