Alonzo H. TakeLessons Instructor Music, Voice, Piano, Theory Boston, MA

As a recent faculty member of the Berklee College of Music family, Alonzo shares his knowledge of the music with students daily as assistant professor of music in Harmony, Contemporary Writing and Production, and Voice. He is also an active performer and member of A7 composed of him and his five brothers. He is the music director of the band as well as keyboardist/ pianist, background vocalist and producer. With skillful ingenuity, Alonzo adds distinct flavor to the group’s production.  His musical gifts extend beyond merely singing and playing the keyboard; he is also a songwriter, arranger and composer and has written for Malaco recording artist gospel legend Dorothy Norwood and many other recording artists as well.

Alonzo H. has obtained a Bachelor’s of Music degree (B.M.) in Creative Music Technologies from LaGrange College and a Master’s of Music (M.M.) from New England Conservatory of Music with a concentration in Contemporary Improvisation - piano and voice. Alonzo has distinguished himself as an accomplished producer, composer, arranger, songwriter, and musician. For the past six years, he has served as the producer and music director for the urban inspirational soul vocal band, A7. He has appeared as soloist, tenor, and accompanist for the LaGrange College Singers. Alonzo has been involved in various CD projects including Faith Unscripted:  Dr. Bobby Jones Celebrated 33 years of Gospel Television, The A-Boyz Project, Mechanical Butterfly Vol. 3 and Vol. 4, Darkness to Dancing, Standing on the Word (Malaco records), A-7 aka A-Boyz, and the self-titled A7 debut album.

Alonzo H. has had the esteemed privilege of working with industry professionals such as Grammy Award-winning producer/ songwriter Michael E. Mathis, MacArthur Award-winner, Ran Blake, Stellar Award winning rap artist, Irocc, Betty Wright, Julius Williams, Prince Charles Alexander, Shirley Ceasar, Dorothy Norwood, Dominique Eade, Chris Willis, Lee Johnson, Bobby Jones, Hankus Netsky, and D.J. “D-Sharp” Wilson. His unique musical ability has been heard throughout the United States and Canada in a range of genres and venues, including frequent performances in local churches, college events, various concert venues and media (television and magazines), including BET, TV ONE, TBN, WORD Network, the Angel Network, local television stations, the Gospel Connection magazine. Alonzo works endlessly to produce and co-produce stage productions and performances including, community outreach events, concerts, and performances. He shares his professional knowledge academically through an original course, Urban Contemporary Music, a course in which was developed upon arrival to the SUNY Oneonta Music Industry faculty in Fall 2006.

Alonzo has also earned recognition for his compositional skills. In 2003, he won first place in the Goliard Competition for his composition “First Impression.” He received a Music Department scholarship award his freshman year, and thereafter has been the recipient of the Polly-Smith Moore Music Scholarship and the Martha Estes achievement award throughout his undergraduate career.  Upon his admittance to the Master’s of Music program at New England Conservatory, he received an NEC scholarship for two years in a row.  As of summer 2007, Alonzo is featured in the LaGrange College Columns Magazine as one of the most successful alumni of LaGrange College in the area of Creative Music Technology.

Alonzo's professional experience includes professor of music at State University of New York at Oneonta, assistant professor of music at Berklee College of Music, Acton Music Center, online SPCS instructor for Northeastern University, International Instructor for the Seoul Music Institute Summer music program, keyboardist, music director, producer, and background vocalist for national recording artist, A7, accompanist and workshop assistant during the Gospel Music Workshop at Berklee College of Music 2006 and 2007, assistant music director of the LaGrange College Gospel choir, student assistant engineer for the LaGrange College Music Department, band director at A House of the Living God, Church of Jesus Christ (Manchester, GA), resident organist at St. John A.M.E. Church, keyboardist at New Mountain Top Baptist Church (Atlanta, GA), music director at Deliverance Temple Church of God, and pianist for New Dawn children’s choir of Eliot Church of Roxbury (Boston, MA), Music Director and organist at Massachusetts Avenue Baptist Church (Cambridge, MA) and keyboardist for the LaGrange College Chapel band. Alonzo also keeps busy as a music educator/ professor, touring keyboardist/ pianist and producer/ composer for A7, INC and producing for Subb Zero Entertainment, a production company in which he co-founded.

Alonzo enjoys sharing his gift of music to the world.  He believes that what is from the heart, reaches the heart. Therefore, Alonzo shares his music from his heart as he touches the lives of many.  It is among Alonzos highest hopes and most earnest prayers that his future is pregnant with more opportunities to exercise his love of sharing this gift and that men and women continue to be informed and blessed by it.
philosohy

I adhere to a more collaborative philosophy of teaching. The student brings something, I bring something to further his/ her learning, and we both find success. In an academic setting, I view music as a progressive art from that is developed from ritualistic principle. It is therefore important to observe and intuitively study what it is, where it came from, how it is developed, how it progresses, and why. Whether it is harmony, composition, production or even performance, students must be actively involved in what they are learning. Such curriculum includes an active progressive study of music production with a focal point of standard compositional thought.

In order to produce music in a contemporary genre, music preceding it’s style must be observed and studied closely. In light of such curriculum, nothing should be set apart in a musical sense. I believe in a philosophy that I like to call practical musicology. Through such philosophy, a music student can develop the resources necessary to gain positive results in terms of music practice along with a foundational theoretical approach.

I specialize in contemporary music styles such as, jazz, R&B, Blues, Gospel, Folk, Country, Pop, and Neo Soul. I also am a classically trained vocalists, pianist and organist. So, my improvisations and compositions reflect both side to the musical spectrum.

Christian Way Academy - - 1996-2000
LaGrange College - Creative Music Technologies - 2000-2004
New England Conservatory of Music - Contemporary Improvisation - 2004-2006

Music, Voice, Piano, Theory