“Hello, I am a musician, a music teacher, and a former career counselor who has had the great fortune of traveling the world playing music.

I absolutely love music and I believe my love is infectious. I truly believe that anyone can play music, and play it well, as long as they are determined and willing. I usually teach beginning students how to read music and how to understand melody and rhythm. With students who have played before, or are past the beginner stage, the emphasis is less on understanding music notation, and more on developing a firm musical repertoire. After that, the emphasis is on creating a musical identity of one's own. In this stage, improvisation is studied, as is music theory and composition.

I feel that everyone should have a creative outlet. Music, to me, is the most immediate and universal of all the arts. It is a wonderful language to learn.

I teach lessons in person and online.

Below are some testimonials written by my students, and some of their parents.
Also included are some interesting articles regarding music and intelligence. ”

Articles on Music and Intelligence

A Musical Fix for American Schools, Wall Street Journal

Is Music the Key to Success, New York Times

Boston’s Prominence in both Medicine and Music isn’t an Accident, Boston Globe

Testimonials

I met Russell when I was in third grade and took lessons with him until I was 17 and graduated high school. What I liked most about taking lessons with him was that not only would he teach me songs that I wanted to learn, he would also introduce me to new music and teach me new techniques while doing so. He would never get upset or disappointed and was always a cool and level headed person to go to. I remember I used to involuntarily say sorry if I made a mistake while practicing something during a lesson and he emphasized to me that I didn't need to say sorry. He taught me that mistakes happen when you learn something new and that's normal. I think one of the most stressful times I had was when I was in my junior year of high school and was part of the school jazz band. I didn't know any of the music and had trouble learning an enormous packet of multiple songs by myself. But every week I'd bring that packet to my lesson with Russell and we'd sit down and go through them page by page. I still hated jazz band but he helped me get through it without being totally inept. I'm 22 now and while I haven't taken lessons with Russell for close to five years now, I've kept in regular contact with him since then. He has been a good person to talk to about anything in these past few years. He's been able to give me advice and has been someone to listen to me talk about whatever I'm going through. Not only was he an understanding, kind, and interesting guitar teacher, but he has been an invaluable friend to me as well.

I had a fun and productive time with Russell! He works by allowing the student to lead. When he gave my guitar lessons, he would teach me the basics of playing guitar through songs that I wanted to learn how to play. He has an excellent ear where he could write me the tune of a song by ear. He is very respectful and thoughtful of the student.

Russell is an amazing player who takes the time to teach you patiently and with great insights on what you are learning and how it relates to not only the song but the theory behind it. He'll amaze you with his ability to teach you anything you throw at him no matter the style of music.

My son was involved in the band program which Russell lead through Medfield Makes Music. Russell was excellent in organizing the program and the kids … he realized each child’s strength so they were able to excel individually and as a group. He earned the kids’ respect by working them as a teacher and as a member of their band. My son thoroughly enjoyed Russell and the program.

"I have been playing guitar my whole life and Russell showed me there is always more to learn about your own playing! Russell is an incredible and unique guitar teacher. Within' the first half of our first lesson, he had pointed out how I could get better dynamics out of my right hand picking style. He helped me prepare some guitar solos I never thought I'd be able to play. His lessons gave me confidence I needed to tackle some serious gigs:) Guitar playing is fun again! "

"I've been a happy student of Russell's for over 2 years now. I began knowing rudimentary chords and not much more. With his guidance, I now have a growing repertoire and am at the point where my family actually enjoys listening to me play! He has a great ability to teach the style of of music that's most motivating to me, so I leave every lesson enthusiastic about the week of practice ahead. Russell is a passionate and accomplished musician, but also an extremely effective teacher. Whether you're 8 or 58, I strongly recommend you give him a try! "

"Russ Chudnofsky taught my son guitar for six years. Always patient, reliable and down-to-earth, he did an excellent job tailoring the lessons to my son's interests and keeping them fun. Beyond teaching him to read and play music, Russ nurtured his composition, vocal and showmanship skills, encouraging my son's overall creativity. "

"Russell has a great feel for the guitar beyond just the notes and chords. He really helped me to get more out of the instrument, and made me more comfortable in translating songs for the guitar that I could play and be happy with, both for myself and in public. "

"Russell has been teaching guitar to my nine-year-old daughter for a couple of years. She was initially stubborn about learning an instrument and about daily practicing, but has become thoroughly engaged with guitar because of Russell's teaching style. She describes him as "funny, kind, and patient." I would describe him as "devoted, creative, and passionate." Because of his willingness to push her beyond the basics, she has become quite proud of what she's able to accomplish week after week. He also organized a band for both my daughters to perform in: an exceptional experience that they would do again in a heartbeat. "

"Russell Chudnofsky has been a valued private guitar instructor at Medfield Makes Music (MMM) for over 10 years. The experience of his students as musicians has ranged from beginners to advanced players and from those aged 7 to adults. He has also led our band program for the last 5 years. Russell’s students clearly thrive under his instruction and it’s wonderful to see how long lasting his relationships with his students are. Most of his students continue to study with him for many years as he successfully supports and navigates them through all the stages and challenges that arise for young musicians. The feedback I get from parents on his behalf is always appreciative. He touches his students’ families in many important ways, so much so that one family asked him to take part in the Big Brother program to mentor her son. Russell is one of the most reliable people I’ve ever worked with. His commitment to his work is amazing. He has almost never cancelled lessons, is always on time and quickly communicates with his students if an emergency scheduling conflict arises. In the 10 plus years that Russell has worked at MMM, I have never received a complaint about his teaching or his management of his teaching schedule. As a business owner, I take great comfort in knowing that my clients are in good hands when they are studying with Russell and I enjoy watching his students excel. "

"My son Jack has been taking electric guitar lessons with Russell from the moment he showed interest in the instrument 5 years ago. Russell has been a fantastic teacher for my son---patient, creative, fun and highly skilled. He is masterful at adapting his style to the needs of his students, including video taping himself playing a song on my sons iphone so that he could replay it and learn while he is practicing at home. "

Student Videos