Coming from a long line of educators, I view teaching as a rich inheritance and a calling as deep as my affinity for performance. I’ve spent well over half of my musical life teaching guitar lessons, beginning as a high school senior with my former English teacher, Mr. Bo. Since then, I’ve worked with students of all ages, privately and for such organizations as The Schwob School of Music Preparatory Division, Austin Classical Guitar, UT Austin’s South Asia Institute, The Music Conservatory of Westchester, The Diller-Quaile School of Music, and now Duke University in Durham, NC. Students of mine have been prizewinners in international competitions and performed in Carnegie Hall.
Over the years, I’ve cultivated a dialectical approach to teaching – informed by my loves of psychology and philosophy – which seeks to instill sound fundamentals, critical thinking, resourcefulness, and a depth of feeling and attention, all via a personalized engagement with every student in terms of their natural proclivities. The satisfaction in seeing each of my students progress is as great, or possibly greater than that I experience from making my own musical strides, and I love the dynamism of seeking the optimal approach to a problem, together, until a solution is found.
I teach at Duke University, privately from my home by the Eno River in Durham, online, and once/month in person to a select roster of students in NYC. I specialize in classical guitar, with years of additional experience teaching beginning-intermediate rock/folk/jazz guitar, music theory, and composition. If you are interested in taking a trial lesson with me, please reach out via the form below.
Testimonials
My son, Marco, began taking classical guitar lessons with Colin when he was 11. From the very first lesson, they established a strong connection. While Colin is an incredibly knowledgeable and skilled musician, his patience, encouragement, and kindness truly set him apart from other instructors. When COVID hit, Colin quickly adapted to the changing world and seamlessly transitioned to Zoom lessons, allowing Marco's love for the guitar to continue to grow.
Colin was always supportive, especially when Marco wanted to explore playing Beatles songs instead of the classical pieces he had been learning. He expertly adjusted his lessons to keep Marco motivated and inspired. As Marco entered his teenage years, he expressed an interest in electric guitar, and Colin once again rose to the occasion, guiding him through rock music from various decades — Marco's preferred genre.
Today, Marco is a high school junior, and as we discuss his future career plans, he’s decided to pursue a path in the music industry. When asked about his favorite teacher, he doesn't hesitate: Colin. We wholeheartedly recommend him. Colin is not only a talented and skillful musician but also a dedicated teacher who genuinely cares about helping his students realize their musical dreams.
-Maria C, Hartsdale NY
I had been playing classical guitar as an amateur/hobbyist for 18 years and studying intermediate and advanced repertoire before I began taking lessons with Colin in 2019. Since then, Colin has helped me improve by addressing certain shortcomings in my technique that had been holding back my progress. He has also helped me develop a greater appreciation for musicology and how I should apply these learnings to my musical interpretation and expression. My wife and others have remarked at the significant progress that I’ve made under Colin’s tutelage.
In addition to being grateful for Colin’s positive impact on me as a guitarist, I am grateful for the patient approach that he has taken as my instructor. There have been many weeks where, between work and family responsibilities, I have been unprepared for our lesson. Colin has always been understanding and has never expressed frustration during such occurrences.
-Jim L, Brooklyn NY