BIO
Brett grew up in a rural town on the outskirts of Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he spent most of his time learning riffs from Van Halen, Led Zeppelin, and Beatles records or building instruments from whatever junk he found lying around the house. His obsession with the guitar led to an interest in composing and recording. And, since you can’t make a rock album with guitar alone, Brett picked up the drums, bass, and keyboards to complete his projects. He eventually became interested in jazz, and in high school he earned a seat in the Wisconsin State Honors Jazz Ensemble for all 3 Years that we was eligible. He also received the Luis Armstrong award from his high school in Pulaski Wisconsin.
Brett attended Northern Illinois University on a full scholarship, where he studied under renowned Jazz and Classical guitarist, Fareed Haque. After earning his his Bachelor of Music degree, he said goodbye to the cornfields of DeKalb and moved to Chicago.
Over the years, he has lent his talents as a performer and composer to a variety of local bands, theater productions, corporate events, weddings, and independent film scoring projects. He has been teaching guitar & bass, to students of all ages, for over a decade. In addition to private lessons, Brett has taught groups of middle and high school students; leading ensembles and teaching Master Classes in Music Theory and Ear Training. A jack of all trades, he also professionally repairs guitars at Third Coast Guitar Service in Chicago.
Brett lives just west of the city, in Berwyn, with his wife, son and dog, Ringo.
When he doesn't have a guitar in his hands, he likes to build Legos with his son, hike, bike, play tennis (although you won't see him at Wimbledon), practice Tai Chi, play with the dog, read (Murakami & Sedaris are favorites), eat good food and listen to good music. He also enjoys his wife's baking and general presence.
Contact Brett VanDonsel
