The Guitar Conservatory of Northern Westchester is an organization of professional guitarists to provide high quality instruction for students of all ages. Our diverse faculty provides instruction in many different instruments and styles including classical, rock, jazz, blues, metal, folk, bluegrass, renaissance and more.
Our Locations
Lessons are available in various private studios around northern Westchester, and most of our instructors are also available to come to your home. As a cooperative network of teachers, our students gain the benefit of being able to come together in group oriented activities such as ensembles, classes, recording sessions, and concerts.
To view the current private studio list, please visit the Locations page.
Areas of availability for in-home lessons currently include Armonk, Bedford, Bedford Hills, Briarcliff Manor, Carmel, Chappaqua, Cortlandt Manor, Cross River, Croton Falls, Goldens Bridge, Greenwich, Katonah, Mahopac, Millwood, Mount Kisco, Mount Vernon, New Canaan, North Salem, Pleasantville, Pound Ridge, Purdys, Putnam Valley, Scarsdale, Shrub Oak, Somers, South Salem, Valhalla, Waccabuc, White Plains, Yorktown, Yorktown Heights, and others.
Contact us if you live in an area not on this list and we'll see if we know a teacher near you!
About Trial Lessons
All new students can take a free trial lesson with any available instructor. In order to make it fair and safe for us to offer this service, interested students are obliged to pay for the trial lesson online (via PayPal), and after the lesson has taken place and you email us a report, we refund the lesson fee back through PayPal.
We have to do it this way in order to counter the possibility of cancellation of the trial lesson less than 24 hrs before the appointment. If you cancel the trial lesson prior to the 24 hr cutoff, it can be rescheduled and their is no forfeiture of the lesson fee.
To setup a trial lesson, please submit the Enrollment Inquiry Form. We will contact after receipt of the form to schedule the trial lesson and once scheduled you will receive and invoice payable through PayPal (MasterCard/Visa). Note: you do not need to have a PayPal account to pay for the service - you can checkout without creating an account.
WHY CHOOSE GCNW?
Screening
All of our instructors are carefully screened. We are very selective and only recommend teachers with many years of teaching and professional experience. In addition, all teachers in the GFC and Suzuki programs hold certification or training in one or more early childhood methodologies, such as the Suzuki Method.
Continuity
All of our instructors have agreed upon the optimum syllabus for teaching students of any age. Should you need to switch teachers for any reason, you can be assured that you or your child will enjoy a seamless transition. GCNW teachers hold membership in many professional societies such as Guitar Foundation of America (GFA), Lute Society of America (LSA), Registry of Guitar Tutors (RGT), London College of Music (LCM), Early Music America (EMA) and others. If you need to move out of the area, we can find you a comparable teacher just about anywhere in the U.S. and Canada, as well as many European countries.
Organization
All of our instructors are highly organized. You or your child will always know exactly what and how to practice, and our proprietary assignment & practice system ensures that parents are always able to see their child's weekly assignments. Our online calendar enables parents to check on their personal lesson schedule and view events such as recitals, and all students receive automated email reminders for all lessons and events.
Community
One of the most important aspects of motivation is a sense of responsibility to a community. GCNW holds three student recitals per year at some of Westchester's top performance spaces, including Purchase College and various locations with beautiful acoustics. We encourage all students, even beginners to come and perform at each and every recital.
Easy & Convenient
Our instructors are available to come to your home, or you can come to one of our several studios around Westchester, and thanks to our books/materials pre-payment system, all books that your child needs are provided by the instructor at the time they are needed, and you never need to go to the music store, or place orders for sheet music online.
Room To Grow
Want to change instructors? change instruments? change to a shorter or longer lesson? GCNW has many instructors that can handle any level of student, from the youngest beginner to experienced college graduates, and professional musicians. Many of our teachers are college professors, and teach at the highest levels up to post-graduate music education. Through partnerships with Westchester's premiere music institutions we can offer great teachers for any instrument. In addition, all of our teachers are capable of offering additional subjects such as theory, ear training, solfege, composition, counterpoint, music history and analysis.
Achievement
Students need motivation, and recognition of their efforts. Our students consistently place highest in local, state, national and international competitions and festivals. We currently endorse NYSSMA for state recognition, and RGT/LCM for international recognition. We are also deeply familiar with ABRSM, Trinity and all other major examinations systems, as well as the repertoire and technical requirements for those. If you need examination preparation, GCNW will provide you with the absolute best training, and virtually guarantee top scores.
Lesson Guarantee
Your lessons are pre-paid, and guaranteed. If your instructor becomes unavailable, a new instructor is provided subject to your approval. If the instructor is not suitable, another one may be tried, or a full refund of all lessons not yet taken is given.
On The Web
All students have a personal account which features access to lesson schedules, recordings of recitals, contact information, shared photo galleries, payment history & invoices, registration for exams, festivals and lessons, exclusive articles, classified ads, and more.