2015 McCallum graduate Alex Lew spent the last decade studying classical guitar at an intense level, earning multiple degrees including a Doctor of Musical Arts, DMA, in guitar performance. Now, he’s back in Austin, working as a teaching artist and occasionally giving lessons to McCallum students.

For senior guitar major Beck Hartman, working with Lew is a completely different experience from what he expected. Hartman has played guitar for seven years, starting in fifth grade after his parents gave him a guitar for Christmas. 

“I didn’t actually ask for it,” Hartman said. “But I did really like music, so I stuck with it.”

After years with a more traditional, structured teacher, Hartman started taking lessons with Lew at the beginning of this school year and the difference was immediate.

“I remember he was very nice,” Hartman said. “And very easygoing about figuring out what I want to practice and work on.”

That flexibility stood out the most to Hartman. Instead of sticking rigidly to a set curriculum, Lew builds lessons around what the student is interested in, even if that means changing direction in terms of song choice entirely.

“There’s no pressure to keep on with the same thing,” Hartman said. “There was one piece we started that I didn’t like that much, and I told him, and we just switched.”

Recently, the two have been working on transcribing music from a video game soundtrack, something Hartman says wouldn’t have happened with his previous teacher.

“For six years, it was always just solo after solo,” Hartman said. “So it’s been really nice that he’s willing to work with the stuff I’m interested in.”

Even though Hartman doesn’t plan to pursue guitar professionally, he says the experience still changed how he approaches the instrument.

“Before this, I had the same teacher for about six years,” Hartman said. “So it was nice to have a fresh set of eyes on my playing, he gave advice that I hadn’t heard before.”

Senior Emily Piper also worked with Lew, though in a different setting. Piper met him through the Austin Classical Guitar Youth Orchestra, where Lew served as an intern during her sophomore and junior years. 

“He is a very good teacher,” Piper said. “He’s very detail-oriented, which I appreciate. Very kind.”

Although she only had one private lesson with Lew, Piper said his musicianship stood out immediately.

“He’s also one of the best guitarists I know,” Piper said.

Piper believes Lew’s playing and teaching style have influenced her own development as a guitarist.

“I think he’s definitely an inspiration for me as a guitarist,” Piper said.

Lew’s perspective is shaped not just by his years of study, but by the fact that he’s been in the exact same place, McCallum, as his students.

“I really loved working with Mr. Clark,” Lew said. “And honestly, it was the culture. All my best friends were in that class, that’s where I found my community.”

That sense of community is something he tries to bring into his own teaching. Now working with Austin Classical Guitar, Lew gives lessons to students across AISD, including at McCallum.

“It’s really cool to come back,” Lew said. “I’ve played for the class before and given a master class and it’s kind of surreal, just seeing how much the program has grown.”

For Lew, guitar started early, around age eight. He was partly inspired by his dad and by playing Guitar Hero. From there, it became something more serious in middle school and eventually turned into his career path.

“I realized I could do it in college,” Lew said. “I just kind of followed that path.”

The path took him through an undergraduate degree at UT Austin, a master’s degree at Yale, and eventually a DMA back at UT. Along the way, he dealt with the same challenges many students face, such as figuring out independence, staying motivated and avoiding burnout.

“It’s one of those things where you’re 18 or 19 and living on your own,” Lew said. “You’re just navigating life.”

Despite the intensity of that journey, Lew says what kept him going was a genuine love for the craft.

“There’s really an infinite ceiling,” Lew said. “You can never stop learning.”

That mindset shows up in how he teaches. Instead of pushing every student toward a professional track, he emphasizes enjoyment and his own growth. Hartman says this made a big difference for him.

Piper says that the same balance of skill and encouragement is part of what makes Lew effective as a teacher.

“At a certain point, I realized I didn’t want to be a professional guitarist,” Hartman said. “With Alex, there’s not really any expectations, it’s just to enjoy playing and improve.”

Lew didn’t always plan on becoming a teacher, but after starting to work with students during his time in school, he realized how rewarding it could be.

“It felt like things came full circle,” Lew said. “I started guitar because of someone coming into my school to teach and now I’m doing that.”

That full-circle moment isn’t lost on his students either. For Hartman, having someone who once sat in the same classrooms and even had the same teachers makes the experience feel more personal.

“He knows what it’s like,” Hartman said. “He knows how much homework we have, he doesn’t mind if I miss practicing for a week.”

As Hartman prepares to graduate, he’s planning to take a break from guitar due to burnout. However, the lessons he’s learned, both musical and personal, will stick with him.For Lew, that’s exactly the point.

“I think the biggest thing is to be patient with yourself and to love the process,” Lew said. “If you don’t love it, it’s going to be tough, but if you do, it’s really rewarding.”