Private and Group Instruction
In George Russell's Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organzation

Piano, Composition and Improvisation for children and adults

Private and Group Instruction
In George Russell's Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organzation

Ben Schwendener has worked for and with George Russell since the early 80's in the editing and teaching of the 'Lydian Chromatic concept of Tonal Organization'. Ben teaches courses in the 'LC Concept' at the New England Conservatory, Longy School of Music, and privately. He has also been responsible in preparing musicians wishing to become officially certified as teachers of George Russell's Lydian Chromatic Concept.

The Lydian Chromatic Concept explains how music behaves in light of natural laws; it is a philosophy which offers the musician an open-ended, objective organization for understanding the work of creative musicians through the ages, while helping to uncover new sounds of the future.

George Russell's Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization was the first all-encompassing 'modal' theory to arise from the jazz tradition. Miles Davis told George in 1947 that his musical aim was "to learn all the changes". It was from this statement that Russell began an intuitive exploration - a quest for 'chord/scale unity', and eventually realized that it is the Lydian mode, not the Ionian (Major scale), which exists in a state of 'absolute unity' (oneness) with its tonic tone and tonic major chord. The Lydian Scale, essentially derived from a ladder of six intervals of a fifth, clearly identified the phenomenon of 'Tonal Gravity' (the universal law of cosmic gravity manifested through sound), and the Lydian Chromatic Concept unfolded.

The 'Concept' has grown over the past 50 years to clearly explain and provide an objective understanding of all the tonal resources as they exist in western music. The pioneering effort that Russell has devoted his life to yields a theory that applies not only to jazz, but to all stylistic genres of the Western musical tradition ..

Students of the Concept learn its principles by composing their own works, and through the analysis of great works of musicians ranging from Bird, Coltrane, Miles, Eric Dolphy, Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter to Bach, Chopin, Ravel, Stravinsky, Scriabin and Stockhausen.

To order the new Edition of the Lydian Chromatic Concept, and learn more about George Russell and his music, please visit georgerussell.com.

Ben Schwendener offers Master Classes, workshops and extensive seminars in the Lydian Chromatic Concept for groups and institutions.

Private instruction is available either in person or via phone/fax through the Gravity Arts Studios in Jamaica Plain, Massachussetts. Contact Ben Schwendener.

photo by Andrew Hurlbut

"Ben has an individualistic approach to teaching, He builds on the strengths of his students and through his powerful example at the piano, demonstrates how far they can go. Developing one's own style is important to Ben and he has encouraged me to find my own voice"

- Mary Nolan, pianist and teacher

Ben Schwendener's teaching methods derive from his background in classical, jazz, rock and world music. They are based on a broad, open-minded aesthetic aimed at helping the student read, perform, improvise, compose and listen to music. The pieces used in lessons are often custom-composed by Schwendener, along with the student, to fit each individual's unique musical tastes and abilities.

His style of music (piano) instruction is based on presenting natural elements and principles used in creating and performing music. These include the learning of scales and modes, harmony, improvisation and composition, rhythm and form, reading and traditional music notation, as well as fundamental physical skills necessary to play the instrument with a controlled sound.

In having these fundamental elements and principles as the primary focus, traditional method-based teaching approaches are bypassed, and the student (and teacher) connect directly to 'nature' through sound. Each student is encouraged to discover and express his or her own unique musical path as a repertoire of original works (as well as personalized arrangements of other artist's works) evolves over time.

Please contact for rates and availability.

Gravity Arts Studio 1 is an in-house studio and recording facility which also serves as a small performance space (35+). Two recitals are presented yearly – one in June and another in December. These serve as opportunities to showcase the unique work of Ben Schwendener's students. Guest artists such as Ran Blake, Joe Maneri, Garrison Fewell, George Russell, David Azarian and others have performed and spoken in the past at these events as well.

Gravity Arts has offered tuition assistance in the past and hopes to in the future as well. Please contact for more details.