Private Lessons with Behn Gillece

Gillece has been sharing his expertise in vibraphone, percussion, and jazz for over 20 years. As a Malletech artist and clinician, he has led lectures and workshops at schools and universities worldwide. He is a faculty member at Rowan University, where he teaches vibraphone, music theory, and jazz ensembles.

Beyond the classroom, Gillece has contributed over 800 lessons and videos to educational platforms, most notably vibesworkshop.com, a leading online resource where he has built an international reputation as a top jazz educator. His dedication to teaching extends beyond traditional settings, helping students develop their skills regardless of location or schedule. He is committed to guiding each student toward their full potential.

Lesson Details

If you’re interested in private lessons with Behn, please fill out the contact form on this site. Lessons can be arranged in person or online via Zoom/WebEx. All lessons include:

✅ Personalized instruction tailored to your level and goals
✅ PDF handouts & follow-up materials outside of lesson time
✅ Jazz concepts, theory, arranging, and composition lessons for all instruments and skill levels

Behn is also available for clinics and masterclasses.

What Students Are Saying

"I've been studying jazz on the vibes off and on for a while. I've been studying with Behn since summer of '20 and am making the best progress I've made so far. Behn's knowledge of jazz theory and repertoire is deep and wide, but his approach in teaching is always pragmatic and focused on where you are at right now, and what you need to know to take your next steps with the instrument. He is also an active performer, composer, and recording artist, which gives him great insight into what material is most likely to be useful to a working musician. Behn's a great teacher for beginners and experienced players alike."
— Russell Lane, Boston, MA

"The past few months, I've worked intensely on Behn’s lessons, and this week was a highlight working very closely with him. It was a highlight, but certainly not an ending—more like a new beginning for me. Behn woke me up concerning scales. I know them, but had been passive and neglected them. I had just worked with chord tones; but he made me see what I’ve been missing. I've been thinking about it for the last two days now, and more and more, I see everything concerning music playing completely differently. Like he opened a door, and there is an entire new world. Like I've been sailing the local ponds, and suddenly know the direction to the canals and oceans. I feel for the first time that I understand how music is built."
— Stefan Vandenberg, Mechelen, Antwerp, Belgium

"Working with Behn is like having access to a superb translator of a difficult language. Behn can distill often complex jazz theory into practical application and prepare effective exercises to help me 'get it.' He listens well and explains clearly. The fact that Behn is a successful working jazz musician doesn't hurt either."
— Spike Schonthal, Chicago, IL

"Behn is a great player and really understands jazz music theory and its application to the vibraphone. Since I live in Virginia, we use Skype for lessons. With Skype’s audio and video features, I can hear and see Behn and his vibes, and he sees a similar image of me and my instrument. It was clear after the first lesson that this technology was going to be a great advantage for improving my playing with Behn’s help."
— Ed De Gennaro, Richmond, VA