Note-worthy Experiences Music Studio
F E A T U R E 
Interview with Kai Lance

When did you begin studying music?
My dad was a professional musician, and a large sector of our community in rural North Carolina played music, so I was always around music growing up. When I was around 8, I took a few guitar lessons, but didn’t get into it too much. Around two years later I picked up a guitar that was laying around the house, and started to mess around with it. From there on I started back up with lessons again, learned some things from my dad, and played along with records. I was lucky to grow up in such a rich and supportive music scene, where really amazing older musicians would let me get up on stage with them at a really young age, when I had no idea what I was doing. I would sit in with my dad’s band at local music festivals, and play at blues jams. Over the next few years, I started getting more & more into playing. After my first year of high school, I went to a summer camp in Kentucky where I got inspired to start learning about jazz, and after that I began studying with Scott Sawyer, an amazing local guitarist, who became a very important mentor and friend throughout my high school years.

Who are some of your favorite composers or musicians?
At the moment; Taj Mahal, Sonny Rollins, Jazzmeia Horn, Reverend Gary Davis, Ralph Stanley, Bob Marley, Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald, Mulgrew Miller, but I go through different phases and my list is changing all the time. I usually gravitate towards listening to a lot of older music which has its benefits and shortcomings.

When you're not teaching or performing, what do you like to do?
When I get any sort of free time, I do my best to get outside in nature. I love hiking & being in the mountains. I also grew up fishing & boating a lot, and always appreciate any opportunity to get out on the water.

What do you hope students learn from studying music?
My main goal is for all my students to find a path through music that feels fulfilling on a personal level. This is something I am still working on for myself, and probably never stops. Playing music throughout my life has led to so many amazing opportunities for me, and there is so much room to put your own unique experience and personality into the music you make. Even more importantly, I am just excited for more people to have fun making beautiful music.

What is your favorite musical memory?
There are a few; any of the times listening to music with my dad growing up, he turned me on to so much incredible music. We had a rule that if Bob Marley was playing in the car you had to wait till the song was over to get out. Also going to Moogest and hearing crazy electronic music when I was around 12. These were some of my first bigger concerts. We saw this woman, Pharmakon, who just screamed into the mic very intensely as loud electronic music was playing. I was standing right in front of the speakers, and at one point she stood up on the speakers, towering above me. This was a very powerful and wild experience, even though I had no idea what was going on. Also last year I drove down to NY to hear one of my mentors, Ran Blake play a 3 hour solo piano show. This was incredibly special. 

Learn more about our Guitar teacher Kai Lance in his Teacher Page.