Damian Szidiropulosz

Damian Szidiropulosz was born in 1975 to Greek-Hungarian parents in Budapest Hungary. His family defected from the communist country in 1976 to begin a new life in Toronto, Canada. Exhibiting natural musical ability from an early age, he began playing piano at age four. By the age of seven, he had won several piano competitions, most notably taking first place in the 16-under classical piano division at the esteemed Kiwanis Music Festival in Toronto. He continued his piano studies until the age of eleven, giving him a solid background in classical music and theory. His piano studies also helped him gain entry into Claude Watson School for the Arts, a school for children with accelerated artistic abilities.

At age thirteen, Damian began studying the guitar. Influenced by jazz greats such as Sonny Rollins and Wes Montgomery, he committed himself to mimicking their style and grace. While in high school, he was a member of the Agincourt Collegiate Institute stage band, which won first place at Musicfest Canada multiple times. During his senior year, Damian was chosen to play in the Musicfest Canada All-Star band, which assembles the best high school musicians in the country on one stage, directed by Rob McConnell. From the age of sixteen, Damian began playing the Toronto jazz club and festival scene. He also had the opportunity to study with jazz saxophonists Bob Mover and Grant Stewart. During his time on the Toronto jazz scene, he had the opportunity to play as a sideman for Bob Mover, Grant Stewart, Jake Wilkinson and many others.

In 1997, Damian returned to his native Budapest and began learning Greek bouzouki. During this time, he studied independently in Budapest as well as making numerous trips to Athens, Greece to study with bouzouki master Manolis Mihalakis. During his stay in Hungary he played on television, radio and in local venues with various jazz and gypsy ensembles. Some notable performances include the RTL Klub and the Benko Daniel Show. He remained in Budapest until 2000, when he returned to Canada.

In 2004, Damian got married and moved to the United States. He began playing Greek music in the Atlanta area and teaching both bouzouki and guitar privately. As of 2010, his primary focus has returned to jazz guitar and he currently plays gigs in the Southeastern region with some recent performances in New York City, offering him the opportunity to play with phenomenal musicians such as Dmitry Baevsky, Phil Stewart, Alexi David and Clovis Nicolas. He continues to teach privately in the Cleveland, Tennessee area.

Damian considers some of his primary jazz influences to be Sonny Rollins, Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Duke Ellington, Wes Montgomery, Grant Green, Kenny Burrell as well as many others. He continues to strive to master his instrument and best sums up his music career in these words:

"My life's journey through music has been a long, rich and colorful one. I have been lucky enough to experience first hand the music of many different cultures and have had the good fortune to be mentored and encouraged by some of the best in the world. Much like my personal cultural heritage, my music experiences are rich and varied. I believe this translates into every piece of music I play, proving that music is truly a universal language."

Classes new!

Starting in August Damian will be offering classes at The Camp House in Chattanooga:

• Classes affordably priced at $99 a semester (3 months)
• Each class is 1 hour long and is scheduled once a week.
• Classes scheduled for Mondays 11am-12pm and Tuesdays 5:30pm-6:30pm (subject to change based on enrollment)
• Book included!
• Instruments are not provided however rentals are available via a recommended music store (inquire at registration).

and the best part of lessons at the Camp House...

...you can pamper yourself with one of these while you're there. Right across the street from the classroom is the Camp House coffee shop where you'll find some of the best tasting coffees and other treats. As you can see from the picture (fyi that was a spontaneous image taken on a cell phone not a planned promo shot), the baristas there really go the extra mile to elevate your treat to high art. For more info click the Camp House logo below.

Private Lessons

Damian is available for private instruction on the following instruments:

• Guitar (all levels and styles)
• Bass Guitar
• Piano (beginner to intermediate)
• Bouzouki

As an instructor, he puts an emphasis on teaching students to read notes and rhythm, as well as proper technique. His focus as a private teacher is to make his students the best musicians they can be. If interested in private instruction, fill out the contact form or call for rates and available lesson times.