Meet Jon Shields

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jon Shields. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Jon, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

This seems like a cop-out, but I truly just took the path of least resistance for me. Guitar (and music for that matter) has always come naturally and made sense to me. Not to say it was easy. It definitely was not, and is not, easy. I can remember long practice sessions specifically at University. Now, practice sessions can be as challenging as I want them to be, which may be another reason I enjoy guitar. It’s always up to give me a good challenge, but I digress.

I was in piano at a young age and didn’t want to read music. However, I could get through early lessons just using my ear, and that was a sign of things to come. Later on when I was 11 I switched over to guitar, and while the basis of theory concepts still live on piano in my mind, guitar has been my instrument ever since. From then on, it just made sense. There was no “finding my purpose,” because it just “was.” That’s the only thing that was clear.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I’ve been fortunate enough to perform on various musical stages, from orchestra pits for beloved musicals like Aida, Little Shop of Horrors, Footloose, Godspell, Mamma Mia, Legally Blonde, and multiple productions of Showboat. Sharing the stage with legendary artists like Mary Wilson of the Supremes has been one of the many highlights of my journey. My guitar has resonated in venues ranging from the intimate Bluebird Café to the grandeur of national festivals, performing arts centers, and even Broadway in Nashville.

As an educator, my mission is to not only share my passion for music through performance but also to help nurture the next generation of musicians. I believe in the transformative power of music, and I take pride in guiding others as they explore their creative paths and diverse musical expressions.

In recent years, I’ve been busy with exciting projects. One of the most memorable experiences was embarking on a Chicago-Michigan tour with my brother, Graeme Shields, founder of the Vital Organ Project. Together, we performed as a rare and captivating guitar-and-organ duo. I also explored new creative outlets, including the release of my first book.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Rather than three things… I’ll split the question in half and do two.

For me as a musician – I’d say Music Theory has been the number one area of knowledge that’s helped me. Having the technical abilities to do something is so important, but if you also know the concepts of why it works, why it sounds the way it does, and where it can go, it can open up plenty of opportunities. One great example is understanding chord structure and being able to learn a new genre of music just based on your knowledge of progressions and popular scales in a genre.

As an instructor – the most important skill that I’ve gained and used is adaptability. Not every student is the same, therefore every student shouldn’t be taught in the same way. We know there have been studies done on different learning styles (visual, auditory, etc) but how many music instructors actually put it to practice? I see it as a clear destination with different routes to get there. For example, the end goal could be to learn play a jazz standard. For me, as a musician, I would start with listening to the song, then figure out the chords, then the melody, and finally soloing over the form. However not everyone thinks like that. For someone else it may make more sense and be more efficient if they were to start with learning the chords, then the melody, then listen to a recording to hear a different interpretation of what they played, and finally a solo. Neither is “correct” they’re just different. That’s just one example, but applying adaptability to a teaching structure has many benefits for everyone.

What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?

I started a YouTube channel at the end of 2023 with a goal to create videos all year long for 2024. The release schedule has been 2 videos a week (Tuesdays and Thursdays) plus an extra video at the end of each month. Thing are looking great and at the time of writing our little community has grown past 1200 subscribers! I’m just happy that there people out there that are interested in Jazz, music theory, and music history still.

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