About

Derek Day has been teaching guitar well for decades. His teaching methods and style are designed for students of all ages - beginners through advanced - to learn and grow, playing well in virtually any style. He began learning with lessons at age nine and has been performing professionally since age fifteen. At his high school graduation he earned a scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music, then transferred to the University of Miami. Majoring in Studio Music and Jazz Guitar, Derek studied at UM with Randall Dollahon and Ron Miller and won a DownBeat DB award for Jazz Performance.

His performance career led to being based in NYC, Charlottesville VA, Baltimore/D.C., Lubbock TX and Buffalo NY. With extensive performance experience, some of those whom Derek has performed with include Red Rodney, Junior Cook, Natalie & Lloyd Maines (of Dixie Chicks), Delfeayo Marsalis, Drew Gress and Jeff Coffin (of Dave Matthews Band & Bela Fleck). He served as Lecturer in Guitar at McDaniel College near Baltimore from 1983-93.

One of a lucky few, Derek was fortunate to study with the legendary Jim Hall (jimhallguitar.com). He is ecstatic about teaching at Music & Arts, and since 2004 he has served as Professor of Guitar at SEBTS in Wake Forest & the adjunct faculty directing Guitar Studies and teaching Jazz Studies at UNC Pembroke. Derek received his Master of Music, Guitar Performance, from State University of New York - Buffalo and his Bachelor of Music cum laude, Guitar Performance Concentration, from Texas Tech University.