The Music School at Piedmont Piano Co. is proud to offer group guitar classes for students ages 5-adult as well as private lessons from instructors whose own musical styles range from Classical to Rock.

The Music School office is located inside the front door of Piedmont Piano Company. Please feel free to drop by any time during regular office hours or leave a message or a note and we will respond promptly. Click here for current office hours.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Our teachers who teach one-on-one private lessons are private contractors. We refer students to them, and they rent teaching space from us. They all manage their own rates and schedules. When you call or visit the music school office for a teacher referral, we will give you one or two names and phone numbers. If the first teacher(s) don't work out for scheduling or any other reasons, please ask us again, as we have a number of instructors.

Most lessons are given in our studios at the Piedmont Piano Company, at the corner of Piedmont Avenue and Pleasant Valley Road. Some of our teachers also teach at another location certain days.

GUITAR TEACHERS
(alphabetical order)

Darryl Berk

Guitarist/vocalist/music educator and facilitator, Darryl Berk has beenan integral part of the music scene for more years than he cares to remember. A Cleveland, Ohio native, Darryl began studying guitar at age 12, with the innovative and legendary jazz guitarist, Bill DeArango. This provided both the solid foundation necessary for Darryl to begin gigging throughout Northeastern Ohio, and continue his ongoing association with Bill until his passing in December of 2005. While continuing to perform regularly, he recognized the need to pursue a more formal musical education. Noted composer and arranger for Stan Kenton, Phil Rizzo provided a rigorous study of theory and harmony, which led to Darryl being awarded a grant to study at Boston's prestigious Berklee College of Music. Upon graduation he moved to New York City, where he found himself in high demand, performing up to 250 gigs a year. His uncanny ability to move effortlessly between musical styles such as Jazz, Blues, Rock 'n Roll and Country has afforded him the opportunity to share the stage with the likes of George Benson, Alabama, The Shirelles, The Tokens, Randy Travis, The Drifters, The Four Tops, The Judds, Darlene Love and George Strait, playing notable venues such as Madison Square Garden, The Lonestar Café, The Felt Forum, and The Bottom Line.
While in New York, Darryl also became involved in the world of voiceovers and commercial production. His voice can be heard on spots for Diet Coke, Nikon, and Volvo, and he is currently the voice of Amazing eLearning's software training programs.
His skills and abilities as a guitarist and vocalist have also contributed to his success as an educator and facilitator. A San Francisco Bay Area resident since 1997, he remains in high demand as a performer, voiceover artist, educator and facilitator.

Dix Bruce
Teaches Guitar, Mandolin, Electric Bass
Dix is a musician, composer, writer and award-winning guitarist. Dix has written over 40 music instruction books and recorded four instructional videos. He performs and records with a variety of Bay Area based musical groups in varied styles from traditional American country and folk to bluegrass to swing to rock and jazz. He has been teaching music to students of all ages and styles since the early 1970s in groups and in private lessons. Dix’s philosophy of teaching is to guide the student to discovering the joy and fun of music. Visit Dix's website.

Karl A.D. Evangelista

Improviser, composer, and guitarist Karl Alfonso Evangelista was born in Van Nuys, California, USA, on April 28, 1986, the son of two Filipino immigrants. His music explores the intersection between improvisation and composition in a multicultural, transidiomatic social space. Evangelista performs in an improvising trio with saxophonist Francis Wong and bassist/vocalist/percussionist John-Carlos Perea, the quartet Host Family, and the duo Grex with partner Margaret Rei Scampavia, and has studied under many of the chief figures in modern creative music, including India Cooke, Fred Frith, Myra Melford, Roscoe Mitchell, and Zeena Parkins. He received his BA in Social Transformation and the Development of 20th Century Artforms at UC Berkeley, CA, USA, and has recently completed his Master of Fine Arts in Improvised Music at Mills College, CA, USA.

Ben Finley

Ben Finley has been teaching guitar since 2002 to a wide array of students, ranging in age, level, and stylistic interests. He received a Bachelor of Music degree form North Carolina School of the Arts in 2001 for classical guitar performance. Prior to moving to the Bay Area, Ben spent two years teaching at the St. Lucia School of Music in the South Caribbean, where he taught music theory and ensembles in addition to private lessons. Ben tries to teach his students the skills required to play music that interests them, with emphasis on creative outlet and having fun with the music. He currently teaches guitar at Piedmont Piano and Alameda School of Music and collaborates with local musicians.

Leo Garcia
KinderGuitar
Group guitar classes for children 5-10. This popular program provides a wonderful introduction to the guitar and the world of music. Small groups enable young students to experience early success and have fun, while the specially-designed curriculum guides them to complete musical development. The program encourages parental involvement, includes two seasonal recitals, and guarantees lots of fun in the classroom. A prize-winning guitarist, Leo Garcia has earned several degrees in music from Yale University and the New England Conservatory. Inquire/enroll directly with director, Leo Garcia 510-547-9672.

Molly Smart

Molly is a performing musician and music teacher, She has taught guitar, bass, piano, flute, and voice, and received her MA from Berkeley in ethnomusicology in 2006. She currently works as a high school music director in addition to teaching individual lessons. Molly has worked with with several bay area music organizations including the Marin Girls Chorus, the San Francisco Boys Chorus, the Orinda Academy, and has also taught basic music skills and ear training while at Berkeley. She enjoys working with students at their own pace and level of interest, and aims to tailor lessons to the individual needs of each student.

Barry Solomon
Barry has been playing guitar for 37 years, and teaching and performing for 27 years. He is equally adept playing pop, jazz, classical, rock, folk and country styles. His teaching method involves a systematic study of music fundamentals, while at the same time being flexible with students’ particular musical interests. Barry has vast experience in various teaching contexts, such as schools, music camps, workshops, and music festivals. In addition to private lessons, Barry teaches group guitar classes for adults and teens.

Eli Wise

Eli Wise received his MA in Music Composition from Mills College in 2006 and is a member of the Music Teacher's National Association.  He is primarily a songwriter, and so teaches all of his lessons and classes from a creative perspective, seeking to draw out each student's individual voice.  He currently teaches guitar and composition to students of all ages and piano to children.  When working with younger children, he focuses on musical games, familiar songs, and collaborative compositions to engage the student in the lesson.  With older children and adults, he teaches a balance of theory and songs so students can understand the structure of the music they are playing.  He is also teaching a rock band class for kids 12 and under.

Ben Zadan
Ben received his BFA in music from the California Institute of the Arts in 2002.  In addition to his training on guitar and piano, Ben has studied world music styles from many renowned masters.  He has performed countless shows throughout California with the Balinese Gamelan Burat Wangi and Gamelan Sekar Jaya including the Walt Disney Concert Hall, The Herbst Theatre and Zellerbach Hall.  In the spring of 2000 Ben built a classical guitar.  Ben is a fun, patient, dedicated, experienced teacher who enjoys sharing the gift of music.  You will learn the guitar or bass guitar simply by playing your favorite songs.  He stresses proper technique and makes music theory easy  to understand.  He custom tailors his teaching technique to the individual student, utilizing all of his training to make every lesson extensive and enjoyable.