Michael Backus | Instructor Bio

What is your teaching philosophy?
Anyone can play music if they are willing and able to practice and open to trying new things.

Talent is a starting point and needs to be developed. Everyone has a different amount of natural talent. We all learn and grow at different paces and the key is to fulfill your own potential.    

Learning music takes sustained patience and effort. For most of us the process is slow and that’s okay. Just keep it going and eventually you’ll look back and realize how far you’ve come. 

The world is increasingly distracting and you’ll want to carve out a little time each day for your music in a quiet place. Being alone with your instrument and the music is introspective and meditative. Inside that space you’ll learn so much about yourself, and in doing so you’ll discover the artist deep within. 

Find the instrument that’s right for you. It’s easy when you find an instrument you love. You won’t want to put it down.

How long have you been teaching music? At YMP?
I have taught the guitar for 20+ years in Portland public schools, colleges, private schools, guitar shops, and from my studio. I have also been with YMP for 10 years. YMP is amazing and the mission of bringing music to all is something I’m happy to be a part of. 

What is your favorite thing about teaching music?
I enjoy connecting with students and helping them find their own voice on the instrument. Sharing something I’m passionate about is rewarding and I learn a lot from my students too.

What do you expect of your students in classes/lessons?
Students should be ready to practice and try their best. While making music together, students should be encouraging and supportive of their bandmates. It’s my responsibility to help create a positive environment for students to thrive and make learning possible. Younger students will especially benefit from having a parent help with practice reminders and coaching.

About Michael
I started music as a teenager when a close friend showed me a few chords on his guitar. I couldn’t believe that he had learned how to play a song in a few weeks. It was pure magic! I had loved listening to my father’s record collection, but never considered making music until then. The sound of the guitar was instantly inspiring.

Not long after that, my dad gave me an old Stella guitar with rusty strings, and I tried to figure it out. My parents couldn’t afford lessons so I learned by playing along with albums or the radio, and asking anyone who played guitar to show me something.  Like a treasure hunt, I would listen to the records and try to pick out a chord or a little melody. I played every day for hours whenever I could because music was the best thing I had going. Getting lost in an ocean of sound is healing and meditative. Through the good times and especially the hard times of early adulthood, music took care of me and I tried to do the same.

Following high school, I landed a job at a music store selling guitars and repairing instruments. At the store I began studying with Duane, a local music professor and mentor. Before meeting Duane I had always played by ear, he showed me how to read and write music, and understand music theory. He was a jazz player and helped me prepare for music school auditions. Duane also encouraged and mentored me as a teacher and even gave me my first few students. Soon after I received a scholarship for guitar, moved to Portland, and have been here since. I finished up school with a degree in jazz guitar performance. Portland has a vibrant music scene and I’ve soaked up a lot from my teachers, peers, bandmates and the local music gurus. 

These days I play all kinds of music like folk, blues, rock, soul, country, and even a little classical and jazz. I’ve played music around the states and in other countries too. I never imagined music or teaching would become a career. It has been rewarding to work in the arts with this community. I’m grateful to help others learn by passing down the things I’ve picked up along the way. I continue my own education by diving deeper into the guitar and trying new instruments. Recently, I have been learning drums with my son and mandolin. Music education never ends, there is always a new record to spin and part to pick!