This session is a private, one-on-one classical guitar lesson tailored to your level and musical goals. Whether you're a beginner learning the basics or an advanced player refining technique and interpretation, this time is designed to help you grow confidently as a musician.

During the lesson, we may cover:

• Technique (right/left-hand, tone production, posture)

• Repertoire (from Renaissance to contemporary)

• Musical interpretation and expression

• Sight-reading, theory, or preparation for auditions/recitals

Please bring:

• Your guitar (tuned)

• Sheet music or repertoire you're working on (digital or print)

• Notebook or device for notes (optional)

What we teach is what we value. In my teaching, I emphasize artistry, intent, and the lifelong skills that music can cultivate beyond the instrument. I believe that a strong musical foundation prepares students not only for performance but also for a creative, self-sustaining career in the arts and beyond.

In technical instruction, I focus on fundamental, transferable movements. Both hands must act as a coordinated unit, moving with purpose to execute a consistent and prepared approach for every note. Before a beautiful phrase can be realized, students must first learn the basic action of touching the string with both hands in preparation. Every successful — or missed — note can be traced back to the quality of this preparation. This attention to consistency builds a technique that can adapt to the full demands of the guitar repertoire.

Musically, the guitar’s polyphonic nature requires students to balance multiple voices while often highlighting a primary melodic line. Teaching students to identify and prioritize these voices leads them to clearer musical interpretations, honoring the composer's intent and helping organize their technical and expressive choices.

Theory is not a set of rigid rules but a source of inspiration. Concepts such as the tension between “ti” and “do” in a major scale show how notes are inherently expressive and unequal. By applying theoretical ideas to interpretation, students learn to shape phrases with intention, using the guitar’s full range of expressive capabilities.

Rhythm and phrasing function like punctuation in language: pacing, breathing, and articulation communicate meaning just as clearly as words do. Guiding students to hear and shape musical phrases teaches them to lead listeners through the narrative of the music.

Historical context offers valuable insight but should inspire rather than constrain interpretation. While eighteenth-century harpsichord works inform our playing, performing them on the modern guitar in today's world requires creative adaptation. We honor tradition while recognizing that every performance is a product of its own time and medium.

Beyond technique and interpretation, I view the study of music as a profound educational journey. It teaches critical thinking, problem solving, goal setting, and resilience. Practicing music is practicing how to learn, and these skills extend far beyond the practice room.

Artistic development is a lifelong pursuit. Music is an imperfect art and true education never ends. Artistic choices should come from an informed place — rooted in knowledge of the composer, historical period, and stylistic considerations — not from habit, weakness, or ignorance.

Finally, I believe it is crucial to prepare students for the realities of the professional world. Practicing eight hours a day does not guarantee career success. Building a career requires entrepreneurship, collaboration, communication, and initiative. I encourage students to see themselves not only as performers but as creative leaders who actively shape their opportunities.

In every lesson, I strive to lead students toward discovering answers for themselves, fostering independence and critical thinking. Guitar lessons were once the highlight of my own week, and I remember my teachers shaping me far beyond just my technical development. It is my mission to pass forward that same level of mentorship, artistry, and inspiration.