WHO

Hello, I'm Bryan Y. Schulz and I welcome you to my teaching website.  I'm the owner and instructor of Schulz Music Studios where I teach private piano, drum, ukulele lessons to students interested in starting out, advancing their skills or who want to pick up where they left off.  

I started my path in music as a youngster trying out the violin in grade school.  I didn't have great instruction and was frustrated, so I dropped it quickly.  Shortly thereafter, I starting taking piano lessons from Lucy Ding, my classmate's mom, who I stayed with for over 10 years.  Before high school I studied percussion and the drum set with Jake Jerger at Oakton Community College and made it to the All-State band as a junior in high school.  I went on to college at Columbia College in Chicago, where I studied music composition with Gustavo Leone and Ilya Levinson, and piano performance with Betty Coulson.  At Columbia I received my B.A. in Composition and a Minor in Piano Performance.
Since then, I’ve continued my studies with wonderful teachers such as Sol Garnier, who taught me the importance of connecting with the student, not just force-feeding stifling structure and endless, boring exercises.

Some of my biggest inspirations span a wide variety of composers from Prokofiev, Stravinsky, Lutoslawski and John Corigliano, to Hans Zimmer, Danny Elfman and James Newton Howard in the film industry.  Also, bands like Primus, Smashing Pumpkins, the Fantomas, the Mars Volta, Tool and Meshuggah. Not long ago I had the privilege of being the drummer for the Tool Tribute Band, Vicarious.

Aside from teaching private lessons, I’m pursuing my career as a composer for film, TV and video games, as well as a producer for singer/songwriters and bands.  I also love creating visual impressions through photography and video.

“I have studied with Bryan for over two years.   One of my criteria for a new instructor was that the person would lean toward more modern/contemporary music in addition to the classics.   Bryan meets that criteria. He has been effective in guiding my studies of several new and challenging pieces. He even went the extra mile of making cold contact with a  professional pianist to get some guidance on a particularly challenging piece. His musical foundation is solid, and his approach to teaching is low-key but focused and consistent.  Having also trained and performed as a percussionist, Bryan brings that skill set to our lessons and I believe my play has benefited accordingly.”

- Harold A.