About the Guitar Program

The Guitar Program at California School of the Arts — San Gabriel Valley offers students training in classical, jazz/contemporary, and flamenco guitar. Guitar students learn to build a thorough understanding of guitar technique, history, repertoire, and performance practice across multiple styles in order to best prepare themselves for collegiate and professional musical careers. This program is perfect for students who have a desire to advance their skills not only as guitarists, but as complete musicians.

Student Experience

In the Guitar Program, students are immersed in a challenging environment, in which they study the physical, musical, literary, and historical aspects of the guitar across multiple styles. 

Students are placed in classes determined by grade and skill level. Participating in both small and large ensembles, students receive in-depth training from nationally acclaimed instructors and performers. Students are exposed to renowned guest artists, university faculty, and industry leaders, who visit the school’s campus to share their expertise and creativity through residencies, master classes, lectures, performances, presentations, and hands-on training. The program offers a number of unique and exciting performance opportunities, where students have the chance to demonstrate the artistic skills and talents they have gained throughout their time with CSArts-SGV.

  • “The Guitar Program has exposed me to many styles of music and has allowed me to refine my personal tastes. This program has also built my proficiency in music theory, as well as helped me to better understand collaboration and ensemble settings and how they differ from being a solo artist.”
    Justin George - Class of 2020
  • “My experience in the Guitar Program gave me the skills and confidence to pursue a career as a musician and composer. The knowledge I've gained has made me believe in myself and my aspirations. From here, I can build myself into the artist I want to be atop the foundation that I’ve gained at CSArts-SGV.”
    Jovan Jeffs - Class of 2019

Preparing Students for the Future

The Guitar Program faculty focuses on preparing students for the realities of life and work, as both a professional and academic musician. Upon graduation, students will be prepared with the musical literacy, historical understanding, and physical and technical know-how to attend a four-year university or arts conservatory program, or to begin a career in the music industry.