Q&A with Leopoldo Delorenzi, Lessonface's 2024 Teacher of the Year

We asked Lessonface Teachers of the Year about their process and goals for 2025. Here are the responses of Leopoldo Delorenzi, our overall teacher of the year for 2024, as well as the Flamenco and Classical Guitar Teacher of the Year. 

What are some key lessons your students have learned this year?

For me, a very important concept that I convey to my students is that learning music requires memorizing everything you play. It is the only way to be able to "own" the music , work on its articulation and focus on the technique. It is an extra effort that the student has to make, but it is the most effective way to make the most of practice time. If you practice poorly, no matter how much you do, progress will be slow or non-existent, and that inevitably leads to demotivation.

As a flamenco guitar teacher , it is a great achievement for me when a student starts accompanying flamenco dancers and interacting with other flamenco artists in the city from they take their lessons with me, and this year several of my students started doing so! For me music is about that, not just studyng alone, but also sharing with other students or artists, meeting new people with the same goals and having new experiences.

What’s one lasting takeaway you hope your students will carry with them from your teaching, even years from now?

Many students come to my lessons thinking that they have no talent... talent is a minimal thing in the learning process. Perhaps talent helps to progress faster at the beginning, but finally a musician is formed through study, perseverance, dedication, knowing how to share and learn from other artists and being humble without losing the passion. I love to convey that in my lessons because I think about it in every aspect of my life.

What’s the first song you ever learned to play?

First song I learned: " Hope of Deliverance " by Paul McCartney.

If you could jam with any musician, living or dead, who would it be and why?

I really enjoy playing with any musician, so I don`t have a favorite artist to jam ... it could be with anyone, whether recognized or not.

What exciting goals are your students chasing in 2025? 

Always my main object on my lessons is not only the student learn how to play the guitar and flamenco music with the best technique as possible, but my final object is that the student, if they want to do it and with humility, became a musician and meet other flamenco students or artists in the city or area they live (whether dancers, singers or other guitarists) and live different experiences beyond playing and studying guitar in their house.

Learn more with Leopoldo Delorenzi.