Gabriel Beistline

I’ve been taking cello lessons from Gabriel for three years and I am still loving it. I had never played an instrument prior to this and was able to progress tremendously in short time. I’d highly recommend him to anybody. He knows just the right approach to push you to get better. He has found the prefect balance of simultaneously being encouraging and challenging, and great guy too!
Gabriel has a extensive background in theory, so he’s got all the tools where you want to go, and he’s funny.

Gabriel is a phenomenal and talented cellist. He is knowleadgeable, patient, and is passionate about his profession, music, and life!
I am so glad to have studied under Gabriel’s instruction.

One day my 10 year old daughter came to me and said «Dad, I want to learn to play the Cello»… Just like that, out of nowhere. So I did what you are probably doing… I went online and looked for Cello teachers… We visited 3 – 4 before finding Gabriel and it was clear to both my daughter and I that we had found her new teacher. To talk to him, to hear him play… you will understand why we were so thrilled.
What we did not know at the time was what an amazing, fun and inspiring teacher he was. 2 years later and my daughter is in her school’s award winning advanced orchestra. She loves to play and practices just about every day (without being reminded… seriously that alone is amazing). Gabriel has such positive energy that he has instilled a genuine love and passion for the instrument with her. He treats her like an artist and talks to her like a young adult. Not only has she progressed with the Cello beyond my hopes, she has grown in maturity and confidence.
We have also seen Gabriel perform with his Trio and it is pure bliss. He is obviously a world class talent. Anyone at any level would benefit from his instruction.

I began cello at the tender (:P) age of 10 in Houston, and participated in Texas (TMEA) All-​Region and All-​State orchestras, youth orchestras, summer festivals and music camps all throughout my upbringing. When I realized I didn’t want to pursue life as a classical musician, I gave up the cello and went onto college to study other things.
10 years later, after a once in a lifetime chance to tour with an indie rock band came to a close, I decided I wanted to begin formal study of the cello again to keep my technique fresh and gain new skills. That’s when I found Gabriel.
From the 2 ½ years that I’ve known him, I would venture to say that his passion for teaching may actually exceed his passion for cello. Haha, okay just kidding.
His passion for teaching matches his passion for music overall; some performers are great performers but are unable to explain concepts or give students the tools to learn and improve on their craft. Gabriel is not only a gifted musician, but a gifted teacher — empathetic, an incredible learner, and completely patient and willing to work with students for as long as it takes to get them to the next level. He knows exactly what kind of practice will translate into great performance but leaves the ball in your court on whether you want to put in the hours to get that improvement.
Gabriel will also take financial constraints into consideration in terms of his hourly rate, although — as a musician, we’re always barely scraping by as well. Please don’t bargain him down because in all honesty, he’d probably teach for free if he could afford it. His NEC and Shepherd School credentials deserve much more than what he charges.
From the student who is absolutely serious about seeing serious improvement, to the indie rock cellist (i.e. Me) who is kind of lazy and just needs some motivation to play once a week (my lessons served more as music therapy sessions to give me a break from work than anything else), Gabriel makes a great teacher and partner in crime!

I’ve been studying with Gabriel for over a year now and I am very grateful for the advancements I’ve made. Gabriel has a way of explaining things that are clear and make sense so I can work on techniques to improve my playing in both solo and ensemble performance. Would not hesitate to recommend him as a teacher. There is nothing like having an effective teacher — it makes all the difference. Thanks, Gabriel!