Teaching
Guitar Department Chair 2008-2012
Powers Music School Belmont MA
- Interviewed applicants for teaching positions; advised director on hiring
- Organized Department Recitals at the end of every semester
- Co-ordinated scheduling with 5 faculty members for studio space, recital times, and equipment needs
- Advised on all Guitar Department concerns, for the needs of 50-80 students, parents, and faculty
Guitar Instructor 2004 - Present
Powers Music School Belmont MA
- Private Guitar lessons in fundamental technique, reading comprehension, theory, and improvisation
- Launched ‘guitar only’ recitals at the end of every year, organized the program and scheduling with all guitar facility and students
- Studio sold out of spots, grew to 4 full days a week
- Individualized repertoire including Rock, Pop, Singer Songwriters, and Jazz Improvisation
- Banjo lessons in technique, tablature, and repertoire
- Ages six to eighteen, also taught adults from ages twenty to sixty
Guitar and Banjo Instructor 2006-2010
Community Music Center of Boston Boston MA
- Private Lessons in Guitar and Banjo, focused on the fundamentals of technique, reading comprehension, and theory
- Yearly participation in ‘Perform-athon,’ a fundraising recital crucial to the schools’ financial needs
- Participated in end of the year juries and student evaluations
- Individualized repertoire based on students’ interest
Classroom Music Teacher 2004-2010
Outreach Program; Community Music Center of Boston Boston MA
- K-5 General Music classes in Boston Public Schools
- Developed and implemented curriculum in singing, song form, notation, and rhythm notation
- Designed and taught Recorder, Percussion, and Chorus ensembles
- Organized two performances a year featuring all classroom students and ensembles
- Co-ordinated performance space, times, and programs with teachers, principles and parents
Guitar and Banjo Instructor 2004-2008
Cape Cod Conservatory Falmouth/Barnstable MA
- Private Lessons in Guitar and Banjo centered on the fundamentals of technique, reading, theory, and repertoire
- Initiated and Organized my own studio concert for students and parents
Guitar Instructor 2009-2010
Boston College High School Boston MA
- Guitar lessons in contemporary music of students’ choosing
- Responsible for organizing schedule
Music Instructor 2004-Present
Private Studio Medford MA
- Private lessons in Guitar, Banjo, Ukulele, Theory, Ear Training, and Improvisation
- Maintained and grew a studio even while balancing the demands of touring
- Hands-on scheduling, in constant communication with parents and adult students, ages 6-70
Bands and Ensembles
Lead Guitar, Band Contributor 2010-2016
Girls Guns and Glory Boston MA
- Primary soloist and improviser using the guitar techniques of country, rock, and rockabilly
- Full time touring nationally and internationally, 200+ dates per year
- Harmony vocals and Lead vocals
- Contributions to song writing, tour planning, finance, repertoire, and marketing/publicity
- Scheduling of meetings, rehearsals, and tour itinerary
Lead Banjo, Band Contributor 2007-2010
Oneside Boston MA
- Primary soloist using bluegrass techniques over rock/pop chord progressions, improvising using the ‘melodic style’ typically reserved for fiddle tunes
- National tour schedule of over 120 dates per year
- Electric Banjo exploration, using specially made technology and equipment.
- Harmony vocals
- Contributions to songwriting, tour planning, repertoire and marketing
Lead Guitar 2004-2012
Daniel Bennett Group Boston MA
- Jazz Guitar, performances of composed music in shifting meter
- Fingerstyle guitar
- Modal improvisation
Lead Guitar 2014-Present
Sarah Borges & The Broken Singles Boston, MA
- Electric guitar, primarily Rock/Pop and Rhythm & Blues
- Harmony vocals, some lead vocal
Lead Guitar, Co-Founder 2016-Present
Say Darling Boston, MA
- Original music, co-writer, arranger
- ‘Americana’ styles of Blues, Bluegrass, Folk, Country, Rock n’ Roll, Rhythm & Blues
- Harmony vocal, Lead Vocal
- Booking of venues, band scheduling, songwriting, promotion
Lead Guitar, Founder 2014-Present
Chris Hersch and the MoonRaiders Boston, MA
- Original music with improvisations in Western Swing, Rock n’ Roll, and Country repertoire
- Bookings, finance, hiring of musicians, scheduling, and promotion
- Composer, arranger
Lead Guitar 2016-Present
Gracie Curran & The High Falutin' Band Boston, MA
- Electric guitar
- Blues, Rock, Soul
- Harmony Vocals
Lead Guitar 2019-Present
Monica Rizzio & The Roundup Boston, MA
- Electric Guitar
- Country
Freelance 2004-Present
Nationally and Internationally
- Jazz Guitar, repertoire of Standards from 1920’s-1960’s
- Rock n Roll, repertoire and guitar styles of 1950’s rock and rockabilly
- Country, telecaster techniques and pedal steel mimicry
- Western Swing, unique language and repertoire combining country and jazz elements
- Bluegrass, banjo and guitar techniques with in-depth repertoire knowledge
- Old Time, claw-hammer style banjo with unique repertoire
Accolades
Boston Music Award Nominee, 'Best Blues Act of the Year, Gracie Curran & High Falutin' 2019
New England Music Award Nominee 'Best Roots Act of the Year', The MoonRaiders 2019
Voted 'Rock & Rollers of the Year' in Red Line Roots with Say Darling 2017
Rolling Stone Magazine Premieres Girls Guns & Glory's Hank Williams Album 2015
Rolling Stone Magazine picks Girls Guns & Glory in '10 New Artists You Need to Know' 2014
Rolling Stone Magazine Premieres Girls Guns & Glory's song 'Holiday Heartache’ 2014
Voted #19 Best Roots Guitar Player Nationwide in The Alternate Root 2013
Boston Music Award for 'Best Americana Act of the Year,' with Girls Guns & Glory 2013
Boston Music Award for 'Best Americana Act of the Year,' with Girls Guns & Glory 2011
French Country Music Award for ‘Independent Artist of the Year,' with Girls Guns & Glory 2011
New England Conservatory- Dean's List 2004
New England Conservatory- Artist in Residency Participant 2002
New England Conservatory- Performance Scholarship 2000
Press
"...Hersch is in the riff zone and never delivers one note for flash and circumstance" - The Alternate Root
"...Hersch is the star of the show here...a nimble Chuck-berry style...unexpected rampage down the fretboard steals the show...uncanny ability to impersonate a pedal steel" - New York Music Daily
"Music's not a business for these two...it's a passion" - The Boston Globe
Notable Performances
Opened for Notable Artists Notable Arena
Albert Lee, CT/MA National Anthem at Gillette Stadium
Los Lobos, NH/ME/NC/NYC/VA Patriots vs. Colts, Foxboro MA 2012
Big Sandy and Fly Right Boys, PA/MA
J.D. McPherson, IL Notable Theatres
Dale Watson, TX/TN Hawaii Theatre Center, HI
Bill Kirchen, MA Maui Arts & Cultural Center, HI
The Derailers, TX Sellersville Theatre, PA
Driving and Crying, FL Flying Monkey Theatre, NH
Blackberry Smoke, TN The Narrows Center, MA
Brooks & Dunn, MA Paramount Theatre, TX
Sunrise Theatre, FL
Notable Festivals Avalon Theatre, MD
Equi Blues Festival, France Stone Mountain Arts Center, ME
Bristol Rhythm & Roots Festival, TN The Southern, VA
SXSW Festival, TX
High Sierra Music Festival, CA Selected Venues/Clubs
Floyd Fest, VA City Winery, NYC
Albino Skunk Festival, SC Paradiso, Netherlands
Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, NY Patronaat, Netherlands
Beale Street Music Festival, Cowboy Up, Belgium
Revolver, Norway
Notable Television and Radio Hotel Utah, CA
Music City Roots Live TV from the Factory, TN Boite Live, Spain
NPR Wood Songs Radio, KY Little Nashville, Switzerland
Blue Plate Special, TN The Maze, England
Citizens Band Radio, PA Café 9, CT
Channel 69 News, PA Iron Horse, MA
Extended Play Sessions, MA
10 International Tours, 2010-2016
England, France, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Spain and Switzerland
Multiple National Tours, 2007-2016
Over 45 States in the U.S.A