Private Lessons with Behn Gillece

With over 20 years of teaching experience, Behn Gillece is dedicated to helping students of all levels grow as musicians. A Malletech artist and clinician, Behn has presented lectures and workshops at schools and universities worldwide. He currently serves on the faculty at Rowan University, teaching vibraphone, marimba, percussion, music theory, and jazz ensembles.

Behn has produced more than 800 lessons and videos for educational platforms, including vibesworkshop.com, earning an international reputation as a leading jazz educator. His teaching philosophy combines deep expertise with practical, personalized guidance tailored to each student’s goals.

New — Marimba Lessons

Behn now offers dedicated marimba lessons, with a focus on repertoire, technique, and performance preparation. These lessons are ideal for:

• Junior and Senior High Region Band auditions

• Solo and ensemble preparation

• Percussion technique and musicianship

• Vibraphone/marimba crossover studies

Whether you’re aiming to perform at a high level or preparing for auditions, Behn can provide the skills, strategies, and confidence you need to succeed.

Lesson Details

✅ 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.

📩 To schedule lessons, please fill out the contact form on this site.

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

“Mr. Gillece is awesome when it comes down to teaching arranging and harmony. His lessons have helped me to see harmony at a fundamental and advanced level. He really helps you understand why your choices for the arrangement work and if not how to better improve them!

— Malachi Prillerman, Palmyra, NJ

"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

Why Study with Behn?

• Proven expertise as a performer, educator, and clinician

• Tailored lessons for jazz, vibraphone, marimba, percussion, and audition prep

• Flexible scheduling and online options for all skill levels

• Access to over 800 educational videos and resources

📩 Contact Behn today to start your musical journey.