As an exchange student at Belmont Hill from Bishops Diocesan College in South Africa, starting guitar lessons has easily been one of the best decisions that I have made so far. Having only picked up and started the guitar a month prior to coming to Belmont Hill, and quite successfully so, I was definitely looking forward to starting something new, even if I was quite a novice. My excitement grew exponentially when I learned that I would be able to practise at Belmont Hill with the help of an instructor as well as have my very own guitar.
Around my second week of exchange, I decided that I wanted to try the guitar and was advised to reach out to Mr. Patterson regarding how I would schedule lessons. Very swiftly (and enthusiastically), Mr. Patterson arranged for me to have lessons with Mr. Wright every Tuesday.
Seeing as I had barely gotten to strum the guitar in the preceding weeks, I was delighted to know that Mr. Wright would help me begin from scratch rather than go off of my bare-bones knowledge and the white noise that I believed was guitar music. He quickly helped me learn a few chords, but this wasn’t before correcting a few technical errors. I recall Mr. Wright asked me “what my thumb was doing” as I fumbled to hold the guitar in a comfortable yet functional position.
From there, I learnt a few chords and went onto different progressions, which I have been practising regularly ever since. Looking back approximately four weeks after I started, I can definitely say that starting guitar and, ultimately, being in the music building have been a privilege and joy. It has been easy to assimilate and blend in with all those that frequent the music building, thanks to its welcoming atmosphere and the presence of such friendly and accommodating teachers and personnel.
The music building (and any vacant room that is available for me to use) has now become a place and space that I regularly frequent in most of my free time due to how great the facilities and people are, as well as my newfound inspiration and genuine interest in guitar. Guitar as a whole has been a fantastic and enriching experience, especially in the way that it has helped me figure out that I really enjoy it and have a great fondness for it.
