Jack vavrinchik

---

Jack Vavrinchik is an experienced, dedicated, and passionate educator. He has a diverse pedagogical background, working with students of all ages and skill levels in music, sports, writing, and the humanities. He is also trained in ADA accommodations and online teaching styles. 

Having played guitar and bass since age 11, Jack has experience in a variety of musical genres. In college, a portion of his time was dedicated to studying percussion instruments and playing in jazz ensembles. Since then, Jack has been an active music teacher, tutor, and performer in the Chicagoland area. He also coached teen hockey and ice skating lessons for children aged 3-5 at the Elmhurst YMCA. 

A 2019 graduate of Elmhurst University, he double-majored in History and Philosophy. His undergraduate philosophy thesis, "Aesthetic Flow: The Neural Correlates of a Goal-Directed Aesthetic Experience," examined the brain states of musicians in flow state, in part demonstrating the therapeutic benefits practicing music has on the human brain. It was published in Compos Mentis: The Undergraduate Journal of Cognition and Neuroethics in 2020. Jack is now completing his Master's in US and Global history at Northern Illinois University, where he has been appointed as a Teaching Assistant for various US history classes since 2020.   

"As a guitarist, I believe my deepest inspiration comes from the work of Nels Cline. Of course, it's hard to choose a singular musician who inspired me the most, but Nels's dedication to crafting his sound is unmatched. His artistic vision is diverse, ranging from jazz and neo-classical compositions to his albums with Wilco. Throughout his entire body of work, he is able to ride the line of being an abrasive lead guitarist and a node for soundscapes in a group. All the while, he maintains his individuality, placing his unique creative stamp on everything he does. This last point is what motivates me in my studies and what I hope to bring out of all my students: the ability to express a deeper relationship with themselves through music."