Tim Schumacher
Tim Schumacher is a musician/guitar player in the Philadelphia area who was born and raised in Binghamton New York. Although, he is largely known for supporting roles, in 2001 the Tim Schumacher Trio emerged. In 2003 the first trio CD entitled 'there' was released. That can now be found on iTunes and other digital music sites.
The name Shue or Shuey (pronounced shoe or shoey) seems to just fit. "Eventually, where ever I have been, somebody thinks it could be cool, funny or at least easier to call me Shuey," says Schumacher, "Sometimes I tell them that every guy in my family has been called that since before I was born. Yep, when I was a very small boy folks called me 'little Shue'. It goes on and on."
Guitar Lessons
After over thirty years’ experience teaching guitar for clients from age six to eighty, Tim Philosophy is that of an expert instructor. Whether you’re a seasoned player or simply looking to begin, sessions with Tim do not start with an explanation, lesson or syllabus.
Tim begins by asking questions. What does excellence mean to his students – including those without any prior musical experience? How would they like to pursue it? A lesson in the arts shouldn’t be about an agenda on the part of the teacher: it should be about what the student wants to achieve, whether it’s the backbone of classic rock or the nuances of professional slide guitar. Alert to the endless variety of individual students’ taste, skills and talent, Tim always proceeds with a conversation that allows him to tailor the program to his student’s goals.
This individualized approach to teaching provides for a variety of learning styles, and after decades in the business, Tim can offer a non-traditional approach for the advanced player as easily as he can provide by-the-book structure for a novice – it all depends on the student’s preferences. Tim offers the building blocks of musicianship in any style, including basic 6-string guitar, bass guitar, jazz and classic rock styles, folk, country and slide guitar as well as more exotic Hawaiian lap steel and Flamenco-flavored alternate open tuning styles.
Weekly half-hour individual sessions at Keswick Music Works begin at $100 per month, and Tim is also available for private lessons by personal request.
As a professional musician, Tim takes pride in technical skills, but a deeper connection to the power of music always underlies his work. With a brother affected by Down Syndrome, Tim witnesses firsthand the way music touches everyone, including those with cognitive and emotional disabilities. For his brother, music is more than an enjoyable interlude: “music literally changes his life moment by moment.” It’s a deeply human quality Tim hopes to uncover in anyone who is drawn to music.
“Tim teaches with thoughtful patience,” says internationally known guitarist Aaron Dugan, a former student of Tim’s who has gone on to appear for David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel and Conan O’Brian. Dugan touts Tim’s help in getting hands-on experience on Philly’s stages. “His warm demeanor and expertise made me feel comfortable and confident.”
