Translated by Google
Harmonica lessons of all kinds in Tournai or by webcam
From 30 € /h
The harmonica is an instrument that can be learned quickly and which can now accompany any style of music.
I offer my supervision to anyone wishing to play this instrument, whatever the style that attracts them: blues, pop, rock, swing, gypsy jazz, French song...
For beginners, I suggest discovering the instrument through pieces which are very simple and which allow everyone to progress at their own pace. Once the first steps have been taken, I discuss more well-known pieces with the students depending on what they want to be able to play. I have a well-stocked catalog to offer them and if the piece of their dreams is not there, I complete it!
For advanced people, I can help them perfect their technique and support them in the study of pieces, solos will allow them to perfect their playing. I also have very solid course material at this level.
Whatever the level of the students, the lessons are always adapted to their pace and their desires.
I offer my supervision to anyone wishing to play this instrument, whatever the style that attracts them: blues, pop, rock, swing, gypsy jazz, French song...
For beginners, I suggest discovering the instrument through pieces which are very simple and which allow everyone to progress at their own pace. Once the first steps have been taken, I discuss more well-known pieces with the students depending on what they want to be able to play. I have a well-stocked catalog to offer them and if the piece of their dreams is not there, I complete it!
For advanced people, I can help them perfect their technique and support them in the study of pieces, solos will allow them to perfect their playing. I also have very solid course material at this level.
Whatever the level of the students, the lessons are always adapted to their pace and their desires.
Extra information
To start lessons, it is best to purchase a Hohner Special 20 C harmonica.
Location
At teacher's location :
- poste, Tournai, Belgium
Online from Belgium
About Me
Sébastien played his first notes on the instrument as an autodidact in 2013. He was very quickly seduced by the revolutionary playing of the new wave of harmonica players (Howard Levy, Mariano Massolo, Carlos Del Runco, Jason Ricci…) and saw in the harmonica an instrument which allows an original and rarely heard play. Since its inception in 1820, the instrument has long been considered a predominantly diatonic instrument that was mostly used in blues and folk music. In the 70s and 80s, Howard Levy developed a chromatic game on the instrument he used to play jazz. His playing will influence many young harmonica players who will embark on the study of new techniques propagated by Howard Levy. Now, the instrument has become generalist and a new wave of harmonicists, very little known, use it in jazz, swing, bossa-nova, flamenco ...
After studying alone, for a year, the technical bases to make the instrument chromatic, Sébastien seeks the teachings of Olivier Poumay, First Prize in jazz harmonica at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Brussels, to develop his theoretical knowledge.
He then takes his first steps in musical projects that will allow him to rub shoulders with musicians from various horizons: Julien Zèle (French song), Dig Up The Cats (traditional swing), Swing That Bird (festive swing) and Rosa De Vento (world music). These projects will allow him to study many styles alongside experienced musicians full of talent.
After Olivier Poumay moved in 2016, Sébastien was unable to find a harmonica player to replace his teacher. He therefore called on Vincent Descamps, trumpeter, to guide him in his study of jazz. He is also doing an internship in the south of France to meet Sébastien Charlier, the world's best technician who mainly plays jazz fusion.
Meanwhile, the Swing That Bird project evolves and becomes more modern by mixing hip-hop and funk with swing. The project is growing and occurs on many Belgian stages such as LaSemo, Jyva'Zik, Tournai Jazz Festival… Sébastien is also contacted in 2017 by Renaud Patigny to occasionally replace Geneviève Dartevelle within his Zanzibar project , a mix of boogie-woogie and traditional African rhythms.
In 2019, Sébastien ended up requesting lessons from the Argentinian Mariano Massolo, one of the very few harmonica players playing swing, who followed the teachings of Howard Levy and Carlos Del Junco. Mariano is the director of El Instituto De Armonica, a school that employs 12 teachers and teaches 730 students around the world. It is under his supervision that Sébastien will perfect his technique and his musical compositions. Mariano offered Sébastien a teaching position at his institute, but he had to refuse for lack of time at the time.
In 2020, after the studio recording of an EP with Swing That Bird, the crisis precipitates the end of Sébastien's musical projects. Sébastien sees these changes as an opportunity to start new projects where he can play a bigger role. This is how he embarked on a duo of jazz ballads alongside Hakim Talbi, a brilliant pianist from the Royal Conservatory of Mons, and a soul-blues trio alongside Maxime Rosenberg and Mona Mio, a talented singer from the Royal Conservatory of Brussels. He also begins to prepare the recording of a solo album that Mariano Massolo wants to produce since Sébastien is one of his 5 best students.
After studying alone, for a year, the technical bases to make the instrument chromatic, Sébastien seeks the teachings of Olivier Poumay, First Prize in jazz harmonica at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Brussels, to develop his theoretical knowledge.
He then takes his first steps in musical projects that will allow him to rub shoulders with musicians from various horizons: Julien Zèle (French song), Dig Up The Cats (traditional swing), Swing That Bird (festive swing) and Rosa De Vento (world music). These projects will allow him to study many styles alongside experienced musicians full of talent.
After Olivier Poumay moved in 2016, Sébastien was unable to find a harmonica player to replace his teacher. He therefore called on Vincent Descamps, trumpeter, to guide him in his study of jazz. He is also doing an internship in the south of France to meet Sébastien Charlier, the world's best technician who mainly plays jazz fusion.
Meanwhile, the Swing That Bird project evolves and becomes more modern by mixing hip-hop and funk with swing. The project is growing and occurs on many Belgian stages such as LaSemo, Jyva'Zik, Tournai Jazz Festival… Sébastien is also contacted in 2017 by Renaud Patigny to occasionally replace Geneviève Dartevelle within his Zanzibar project , a mix of boogie-woogie and traditional African rhythms.
In 2019, Sébastien ended up requesting lessons from the Argentinian Mariano Massolo, one of the very few harmonica players playing swing, who followed the teachings of Howard Levy and Carlos Del Junco. Mariano is the director of El Instituto De Armonica, a school that employs 12 teachers and teaches 730 students around the world. It is under his supervision that Sébastien will perfect his technique and his musical compositions. Mariano offered Sébastien a teaching position at his institute, but he had to refuse for lack of time at the time.
In 2020, after the studio recording of an EP with Swing That Bird, the crisis precipitates the end of Sébastien's musical projects. Sébastien sees these changes as an opportunity to start new projects where he can play a bigger role. This is how he embarked on a duo of jazz ballads alongside Hakim Talbi, a brilliant pianist from the Royal Conservatory of Mons, and a soul-blues trio alongside Maxime Rosenberg and Mona Mio, a talented singer from the Royal Conservatory of Brussels. He also begins to prepare the recording of a solo album that Mariano Massolo wants to produce since Sébastien is one of his 5 best students.
Education
I started studying the harmonica in 2013 (it's been 7 years in 2020).
After having studied the harmonica for 2 years as an autodidact, I took lessons with the Belgian harmonica player Olivier Poumay for 2 more years. A graduate of the Brussels Jazz Conservatory, Olivier gave me the theoretical bases which allowed me to improve my improvisation skills. I stopped classes with Olivier following his move.
I then took lessons with a trumpeter for 1 year and then I did another year on my own.
Currently, I've been taking lessons with Argentinian harmonica player Mariano Massolo for a year. He is one of the few harmonica players to play swing. He followed the direct teachings of Howar Levy and Carlos Del Junco (two legends in the world of the harmonica). Mariano has given me a lot. Taut at the level of the bases (the sound of the instrument, the rhythms, the management of silences ...) than at the level of more complex techniques (vibrato on all types of notes, the playing in tongue blocking ...) and the general discovery of the instrument (deepening of the different tones on the same diatonic harmonica). I'm not ready to stop studying with Mariano who is now pushing me to record a solo album of which he would be the producer.
Apart from these regular teachings, I also took internships with big names in the field: Stéphane Laidet, Joël Hanriot, Sébastien Charlier and Jérôme Peyrelevade.
After having studied the harmonica for 2 years as an autodidact, I took lessons with the Belgian harmonica player Olivier Poumay for 2 more years. A graduate of the Brussels Jazz Conservatory, Olivier gave me the theoretical bases which allowed me to improve my improvisation skills. I stopped classes with Olivier following his move.
I then took lessons with a trumpeter for 1 year and then I did another year on my own.
Currently, I've been taking lessons with Argentinian harmonica player Mariano Massolo for a year. He is one of the few harmonica players to play swing. He followed the direct teachings of Howar Levy and Carlos Del Junco (two legends in the world of the harmonica). Mariano has given me a lot. Taut at the level of the bases (the sound of the instrument, the rhythms, the management of silences ...) than at the level of more complex techniques (vibrato on all types of notes, the playing in tongue blocking ...) and the general discovery of the instrument (deepening of the different tones on the same diatonic harmonica). I'm not ready to stop studying with Mariano who is now pushing me to record a solo album of which he would be the producer.
Apart from these regular teachings, I also took internships with big names in the field: Stéphane Laidet, Joël Hanriot, Sébastien Charlier and Jérôme Peyrelevade.
Experience / Qualifications
Musical projects in which I participated:
- Swing That Bird - Festive swing / hip-hop - Recording of an EP in the studio
- Dig Up The Cats - Festive swing
- Tarno Gadjé - Manouche, swing, bossa
- Rosa de Vento - World music, Cuban, Cape Verde, African, bossa ...
- Julien Zèle - French song
- Swing That Bird - Festive swing / hip-hop - Recording of an EP in the studio
- Dig Up The Cats - Festive swing
- Tarno Gadjé - Manouche, swing, bossa
- Rosa de Vento - World music, Cuban, Cape Verde, African, bossa ...
- Julien Zèle - French song
Age
Children (7-12 years old)
Teenagers (13-17 years old)
Adults (18-64 years old)
Seniors (65+ years old)
Student level
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Duration
60 minutes
The class is taught in
French
English
Skills
Reviews
Availability of a typical week
(GMT -05:00)
New York
At teacher's location and via webcam
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
00-04
04-08
08-12
12-16
16-20
20-24
Good-fit Instructor Guarantee
Contact Sébastien