Max Allard
About
(Important notice about booking: please message me privately here on Lessonface to book a lesson. My schedule is unpredictable as a freelance musician, and for this reason I don't offer a public schedule on Lessonface for students to book from. Thank you!)
Max Allard is a banjoist, multi-instrumentalist and composer from Chicago. His musical influences span from bluegrass to electronic music. Max’s solo debut album, Odes / Codes was released in January 2022 and produced by Jayme Stone. He released his project March Maxness in 2023, which was 31 tracks written in 31 days of March 2021.
Max is a member of the progressive bluegrass chamber ensemble EZRA. Formed by multi-instrumentalist and composer Jesse Jones, the core quartet also includes Max on banjo, Jacob Jolliff on mandolin, and Craig Butterfield on contrabass. The debut album EZRA released March 2024 with Adhyâropa Records. The second album Earth to EZRA dropped September 2024 with Cantaloupe Music, and the third album Froggy’s Demise was released May 2025 on Adhyâropa Records.
Max is the winner of the 2018 RockyGrass Banjo Competition and the 2019 FreshGrass Banjo Award. Max was awarded the inaugural 2022 J.D. Crowe Scholarship from the IBMA Foundation.
Max holds a B.M. in Composition from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music.
Teaching Style
Max stresses the importance of individuality and takes a student-lead approach with his teaching style. Max has over 6 years of teaching experience, and has found the most success when he has a clear understanding of his students' goals, and does his best to help them achieve said goals. Max is a believer of internalizing music, and is a proponent of learning music by-ear, while still using sheet music and tablature as secondary sources for learning music, if desired by the student.
Curriculum
Max's method of teaching depends on what the student wants to learn, and thus it can vary greatly, but he uses his own curriculum/pedagogy for specific practices and exercises, and references the famous Earl Scruggs transcription book for teaching the common repertoire banjo tunes that beginner bluegrass banjo players should learn. Max offers custom tabs/sheet music for students.
Credentials & Affiliations
B.M., Oberlin Conservatory of Music.
1st Place, 2018 RockyGrass Banjo Contest
1st Place, 2019 FreshGrass Banjo Award
1st recipient of inaugural J.D. Crowe Banjo Scholarship (2022)
Teacher and Co-Founder of Oberlin Banjo Society.
Lecturer at 2022 Fretboard Summit.
Freelance Private Banjo Instructor (2019-present).