Ryan Groff - Owner
I have been a musician and only a musician since I discovered my musical ear and other musical tendencies at 17. I happened to become friends with some musical theater people and some long-haired Pink Floyd lovers at the same time during my junior of high school. I knew right away music was my path, and I've spent the last 20 years chasing it in the ways that have felt right. I put in six years from 1999-2005 getting my Bachelor's in Music Composition from Eastern Illinois University in my hometown of Charleston, IL. This included intensive voice, piano, composition, & theory study, as well as film music and creative writing. In 2004 I formed my band Elsinore, which is still together today. We're about to release our fourth full-length record and will continue to release singles & videos regularly, as well as tour efficiently to supplement our online promotion & social media presence.
I built this studio because I was teaching a pretty solid number of lessons out of our dining room and basement before our son was born in 2012. While my wife was pregnant I researched studio construction, dreamed up my ideal studio environment, and found a contractor I thought I could trust with my vision. Thirteen months later, in December 2012, Perennial was officially open!
I have what feels like a unique and inspired way of working with aspiring musicians. My musical interests have never stopped growing, and I've developed a skill set over time that has given me an ever-sharpening perspective on how humans experience music, whether it's listening, writing, or playing. I want to be the person who gives other people a musical path. I want to push people to find their own way to make music the thing they rely on to find instant happiness. I want as many people as possible to feel the way I do about making music, whether it's writing songs, playing in bands, discovering a new casual hobby, or even just listening to music they love with smarter ears.
Lessons
I offer instruction & exploration of the following: acoustic & electric guitar, voice, beginner to intermediate piano/keyboards, ukulele, bass guitar, music theory, songwriting, & recording/engineering/production. The majority of my roughly 50 regular lessons are weekly for 30 minutes. But, a handful of people meet weekly for 60 minutes, with a smaller handful meeting every other week on a more flexible basis because of scheduling or budgetary reasons. I keep my world flexible to meet the needs & expectations of almost anyone looking to became a better musician. And I also know that sometimes people just need a weekly block of time to chat about cool things or blow off some steam. I'm all in for all of that!
* If you're looking for advanced/classical piano lessons, you should contact Mark Woolwine: quanuum@gmail.com
** And if the drums seem like your current passion, James Treichler is the man for you: jamestreichler@gmail.com
Rates
My rate for lessons is $35 / 30 minutes or $70 / hour.
I accept cash, check, Zelle, PayPal, & Venmo. And you're welcome to pay on a lesson-by-lesson basis or for the upcoming month in advance, whichever works best for you. I also have a 24-hour cancellation policy wherein I ask that you give me a day's notice if you'll miss a lesson or pay me for the lesson as a courtesy. I don't expect payment, of course, if you need to miss due to illness, notice or no notice. Yes it's a business, but I'm also a human who cares greatly about other humans.