Cupertino's Music Coaching
Meet your coach
Hi, I’m Lucas - a Bay Area native, lifelong musician, and someone who believes that music is meant to enhance your life, not your resume.
I’ve spent over 13 years immersed in music, from classical piano to country fingerstyle, jazz harmony to pop songwriting, and everything in between. My main instruments are Piano and Guitar, but I love dabbling in anything that make cool sounds.
In 2023, I earned a scholarship to attend the world renowned Berklee College of Music, where I majored in the Songwriting and Performance programs. I also studied guitar under the tutelage of wonderful professors such as Tomo Fujita and Brooks Robertson. I’ve been honored to receive awards such as the 2018 NorCal Ukulele Festival Youth Scholarship and the 2024 Rocky Mountain Guitar Camp Youth Scholarship. I also hold a Level 11 CAPMT certification in classical piano.
But honestly? None of these accolades were things that I actively chased. I just followed my passion, and the opportunities followed. That’s why I teach - to help you do the same. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing a student blossom in their passion and potential.
When I’m not working on my musical craft, you’ll probably find me sparring at my MMA gym, adventuring deep in the Sierra Nevadas backcountry, or learning cool things about philosophy and psychology. I’m a huge believer in self-discovery, and try to bring that into everything I do - especially teaching.
If you’re looking for someone who’s more like a coach than an instructor - someone who will meet you where you’re at and help you unlock your artistic potential - we might be a great fit.
about music coaching
who is this for?
You’ve come to the right place if you:
- Want to learn guitar, piano, songwriting, or any combination of those
- Feel constrained by traditional music lessons and rigid structures
- Want to develop your own unique voice as a musician
- Value deep understanding, nuance, and artistic mastery
- Care more about the art than the accolades
my story
My journey through music has taken me through many genres, instruments, and teaching styles. I’ve trained with rigid classical teachers, studied hours of jazz theory in dingy classrooms, jammed and chilled at rock n roll camps, and taught myself in the wild frontier of the internet. I’ve seen nearly every corner of music education - the beautiful, the limiting, and the downright frustrating.
The deepest insight I’ve gained:
There is no “right” way to learn music.
There are only tools - and each has its place, depending on who you are and what you want.
This insight led me to create my philosophy of music coaching - a flexible, nuanced, personalized and holistic approach to learning music that prioritizes you over any textbook ideology.
beyond traditional music lessons
So what exactly is music coaching?
It’s a fundamentally different kind of mentorship - one that transcends the rigid, cookie cutter pedagogy you’ll find with many music educators.
I chose the word “coach” deliberately. Because in the world of sports, the best coaches are so much more than instructors. Of course, they teach technique. But they’re also strategists. Mentors. Problem solvers. Motivators.
A great coach isn't just didactic - they help you understand the mechanisms and first principles behind the craft. They don't just sharpen your skills, but also your artistic passion, confidence, and clarity.
That’s exactly what I aim to do with my students. Whether your goal is to master expressive technique and make people cry, write songs that make people dance, or simply give your friends a good time around the campfire - we’ll make a personalized game plan to get you there. Or, if you’re just starting out - or feeling a little lost - we’ll dig deep into your soul and find a vision that inspires you.
I’ll draw from the countless methods I have experience with - but I’ll never force you into a box that doesn’t fit. This means if the tools that work best for you don’t exist, we’ll create them. We’ll experiment, adapt, and evolve together, and transform you into a true artist.
P.S. for the hustlers
To all the Bay Area college-maxxing overachievers: let’s make passionate music cool again! Let's make music about expression rather than a line on a resume. Let the awards be epiphenomena of your passion. When you love your craft, the accolades follow. Ironically, that’s what makes the strongest application anyway.
“placeholder.”
-joe mamba