Guitar Lessons

I teach classical guitar lessons online and at my home studio in Geneva, New York. Please reach out if you are interested!

Student Testimonials

Private Lessons

“Our son started taking guitar lessons from Erik three years ago and since then his playing and musicality have increased by leaps and bounds. Lessons are more than just learning to play beautiful music: they're about learning history, developing good habits, and expanding your musical understanding. Erik is a gifted performer/teacher who keeps the lessons interesting while motivating our son to grow both as a musician and a human being. Highly recommended!”

“I've been training with Erik for two years now, and I wish I started lessons with him years ago! I've made tremendous progress with his guidance. I was initially just looking for help getting started on guitar; I had no idea how quickly I would progress with his lessons. He puts a lot of thought into short term and long term goals for me and each lesson ends with a clearly defined set of tasks catered specifically to my interests.  

Erik is patient, kind, encouraging and gives very clear, thoughtful instruction. He has taught me music theory, its use in analyzing existing pieces and how to use it to compose my own works. We have worked on my technique and its application in both short studies and full pieces. He has taught me to interpret each piece and really make it my own!  

Erik has helped me explore folk, rock, blues and classical music. He clearly cares very much about his students. His instruction and encouragement have given me the confidence and skills to perform in public, something I never thought I could do. I would recommend Erik to anyone at any point in their musical journey!”

“I have been taking guitar lessons with Erik for almost a year now and I look forward to my lesson each week. I’m 26 and picking up an instrument for the first time so finding the right fit was important for me. Erik molds your lesson plan to your skillset and schedule so that you can learn at your own pace which for me as a working professional means a lot. Erik isn’t pushy, he is kind and keeps things light-hearted and fun while also conveying the technical side of music (theory, etc.) to help you grow. I’ve played acoustic guitar and electric guitar with him and enjoyed both. Overall, I’ve had a great experience with Erik and would highly recommend him to anyone who is a new or experienced guitar player. It’s not every day you get to practice one on one with a Doctor of Musical Arts from the Eastman School of Music! Pretty amazing.”

“Erik is an excellent instructor. He provides a good mix of hand exercises and book work to practice with. Best of all he inspires you to practice and do your best. He makes you feel very comfortable during lessons even when your struggling. I highly recommend Erik!!”

“I've been taking classical guitar lessons with Erik for a year now and he is the best classical guitar teacher I've ever had. He is really patient and tailors the lessons according to my level. Each lesson he gives targets some weaknesses in my technique. In addition to that, he teaches me how to "perform" the pieces, not just "play" them. By taking lessons with him I gain more understanding of the pieces and gradually learnt how to be more expressive with my performance.”

“Erik taught my son guitar (he is 12 now) for the last three years and we were always pleased with his teaching and the outcome. My son learned so much and had the confidence to even perform at a classical guitar night for the public as well as playing for my sister's wedding!”

Intro to Classical Guitar
(University of Rochester course)

“I truly enjoyed learning guitar from you. I hope to use this knowledge to learn further and improve as a musician overall.”

“Thank you for this amazing semester! I really learned a lot and you have built my interest in the guitar!”

Email

erikgibelyou@gmail.com