Teachers
The Portland Guitar Society has compiled a list of guitar teachers in the Portland area. Teachers of all genres are welcome, and inclusion does not imply an endorsement by PGS. Listed teachers must be active members of Portland Guitar Society.
To edit your entry or add a teacher to this list, please use our Teacher Submission Form.
To edit your entry or add a teacher to this list, please use our Teacher Submission Form.
Andy Arriaga
Email: [email protected]
Styles: Suzuki Method
Instruments: Guitar
Levels: Beginners & Intermediate
Teaching location: NE Portland
Cost: $200/month
Special Interest: Early Childhood Education and guitar accompaniment
Kevin Ayers
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.KevinAyersGuitar.com
Phone: 213-359-1962
Styles: Classical
Levels: All Level and Ages
Teaching location: SW - Multnomah Village
Special Interest: Suzuki Certified | Masters in Guitar Performance
Forest Bailey
Website: https://Forestbaileymusic.com/lessons
Email: [email protected]
Styles: All forms of Rock, Pop, Improvisation, Original Music, Fingerstyle, Metal, beginning classical and jazz
Instruments: Acoustic & Electric Guitar
Levels: Beginner-Advanced
Teaching location: SE, Online
Cost: $80/hr
Special Interest: I have been teaching & performing professionally since 2012 and have taught over 300 students from their first chords to preparing for college and also developing their own music. I have a background in everything from progressive rock to jazz, classical and modern fingerstyle guitar. Every student is unique, and I work with each one to develop the most exciting way to keep them motivated to the next step, from basic technique to breaking down music theory in an easy to understand and personalized method. If you would like to learn more about me and my lessons, please visit Https://forestbaileymusic.com/lessons.
Julia Banzi
Website: http://college.lclark.edu/live/profiles/1871-julia-banzi
Email: [email protected]
Styles: Suzuki Method, Flamenco, Classical, Folk Guitar
Instruments: Guitar
Levels: Beginners, Intermediate, Advanced
Teaching location: SE & NE
Cost: Suzuki Tuition: $200 Month for weekly individual lesson and group class. Non Suzuki Tuition: Inquire.
Special Interest: Early Childhood Education, Flamenco, injury recovery and prevention. I have a Ph.D. from the University of California, Santa Barbara and am a devoted teacher, composer, performer and ethnomusicologist who truly enjoys working with students of all levels. I teach at Lewis & Clark College, Portland State University, University of Portland and Suzuki early childhood guitar through Suzuki Stumptown. Whether in flamenco, folk or classical, I provide students with a solid foundation on the guitar while guiding students toward creating original music they can call their own! Many of my students have gone on to become professional musicians. I love guitar!
Mark Hanson
Website: www.MarkHansonGuitar.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 503-780-3130
Styles: All acoustic guitar styles. Specializing in Fingerstyle. Special Interest: Please check my website to see all of the topics covered in the books/DVDs I have authored.
Instruments: Guitar and ukulele
Levels: All levels.
Teaching location: West Linn and Online
Cost: $85–100/hour
Special Interest: In person lessons offered again. Online (Zoom, FaceTime. Skype) also offered.
Cameron Jones
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.newverselessons.com/
Phone: 503-893-4639
Styles: Rock, Classical, Blues, Pop, Country
Levels: All (beginner through advanced)
Teaching location: SE Portland & Online
Cost: $85/hour, $45/half hour
Special Interest: My main focus is practice technique. I teach students how to practice effectively, so as to get the most out of each practice session and ensure consistent improvement. Over my 20+ years teaching in Portland, I've developed a structured yet flexible approach that has worked for hundreds of students. I look forward to working with you!
Jill Khovy
Website: http://khovymusic.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 503 701 9402
Styles: All except Flamenco
Instruments: Guitar, Ukulele, Piano, Voice
Levels: All levels.
Teaching location: Close In Portland
Cost: Ask
Arthur Lee
Website: http://www.arthurclee.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 971-409-1057
Styles: Folk, rock, singer-songwriter, blues, early jazz, classical, experimental, and fingerpicking.
Instruments: Guitar, piano, ukulele, banjo
Levels: Beginning to intermediate
Teaching location: NE Portland
Cost: $30 for 30 minutes // $45 for 45 minutes // $55 for 60 minutes
Special Interest: I enjoy teaching basic fundamentals, rudiments and musicianship by way of learning songs my students enjoy playing. I am flexible on having my students learn by ear, simple charts, or method books.
Brenna McDonald
Website: www.espacioflamencopdx.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 503-233-8613
Styles: Flamenco guitar
Instruments: Flamenco guitar
Levels: Beginning - Advanced
Teaching location: Espacio Flamenco (Downtown Portland), Inner SE Portland
Cost: $50/hr private lessons, $14/hr group lessons
Special Interest: Right hand techniques for flamenco guitar, cuadro (flamenco music and dance accompaniment) skills, creating opportunities for students of all ages and levels of experience to engage with this beautiful art form.
Rose Okada
Website: http://www.kiranawest.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 971-506-0205
Styles: classical, Suzuki Method, folk, Indian classical music
Instruments: guitar, ukulele, violin, piano, tabla, raga vocal, sarangi
Levels: all
Teaching location: online only
Cost: 35.00 half hour, and 55.00 for 45 minutes
Maria Olaya
Website: http://mariaolaya.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 503 758 9807
Styles: Classical, Brazilian, South American
Instruments: guitar, ukulele, cajón
Levels: From true beginer to professional coaching
Teaching location: South East Portland, Lake Oswego
Cost: Please visit my website
Jeff Putterman
Website: jeffputterman.bandcamp.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 503-708-1721
Styles: Applied theory & improv / all skills
Instruments: 7-string guitar
Levels: Advancing guitarist
Teaching location: PSU / Home Studio
Cost: $75/hour
Special Interest: Music composition / performance / recording
Eric Skye
Website: http://www.ericskye.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 503.309.0422
Styles: Jazz, blues, funk, fingerstyle. Also bluegrass and traditional flatpicking
Instruments: Guitar
Levels: All
Teaching location: Great Park Area Of NE Portland
Cost: $150 for four 45 minute private sessions
Doug Smith
Website: http://www.dougsmithguitar.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 503-544-3548
Styles: Acoustic fingerstyle (all styles), fundamentals, transcribing, arranging
Instruments: Acoustic Guitar
Levels: All levels
Teaching location: SE Portland
Cost: Please contact
Kristen Waligora
Website: https://kristenwaligora.com
Email: [email protected]
Styles: Learn to play Classical, Flamenco, or Fingerstyle Guitar!
Instruments: Guitar
Levels: All levels welcome!
Teaching location: Studio in SE Portland, Online
Cost: Please see website for current price
Special Interest: Learn from a patient, classically trained teacher. I hold a Bachelor of Music degree from Portland State University and studied at the University of Texas at Austin. - Each student will benefit from having a tailored lesson plan based on your specific goals and interests. - Just beginning? Learn how to play the guitar correctly the first time. Classical technique gives you a solid foundation for all styles of music. - I am patient and always have lesson plans prepared before the lesson. - Learn proper guitar technique, how to read music, knowledge of the fingerboard, music theory, and music ranging from Bach to Eric Clapton. - Advanced? Are you interested in how to market yourself and have merchandise and CDs made? I've been featured twice in Classical Guitar Magazine for my solo and duo albums as well as BBC Radio, and Classical Guitar Alive on NPR.
Aaron Wolf
Website: http://blog.wolftune.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 734-707-8828
Styles: All styles for beginners; specialties include classical, flamenco, various fingerstyle approaches, blues, folk, and world fusion
Instruments: Guitar, tap-guitar/Stick, Kite guitar
Levels: Novice through advanced
Teaching location: Oregon City and online
Cost: sliding scale
Special Interest: I stand out from most teachers for my focus on the science of music, emphasizing psychology, music cognition, exploration and creativity… I'm also an expert in non-standard tuning systems including Just Intonation and microtonal music. More about my background and teaching philosophy at http://blog.wolftune.com/p/lesson-details-philosophy.html
Peter Zisa
Website: http://www.peterzisa.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 503-307-4907
Styles: Student-centered lessons, ergonomic (classical) technique. Stylistic diversity: Classical (Renaissance to 21st Century), Popular cultural styles (Blues, Latin, Ragtime, Travis-picking, folk, Jazz...). Stylistic improvisation (Renaissance, Baroque to Blues and Jazz).
Instruments: 6 and 8 string guitar
Levels: Beginning to Professional
Teaching location: NE Portland
Cost: See Website
Special Interest: Helping students realize their musical goals is my purpose and mission as a teacher and mentor. Learning guitar best begins by developing basic skills (ergonomic habits) using creative and engaging activities. Once foundational skills are established the sky is the limit. For me, music-making is a never-ending learning experience. It is also an immensely personal and creative form self-expression, that is enriching and empowering.
Email: [email protected]
Styles: Suzuki Method
Instruments: Guitar
Levels: Beginners & Intermediate
Teaching location: NE Portland
Cost: $200/month
Special Interest: Early Childhood Education and guitar accompaniment
Kevin Ayers
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.KevinAyersGuitar.com
Phone: 213-359-1962
Styles: Classical
Levels: All Level and Ages
Teaching location: SW - Multnomah Village
Special Interest: Suzuki Certified | Masters in Guitar Performance
Forest Bailey
Website: https://Forestbaileymusic.com/lessons
Email: [email protected]
Styles: All forms of Rock, Pop, Improvisation, Original Music, Fingerstyle, Metal, beginning classical and jazz
Instruments: Acoustic & Electric Guitar
Levels: Beginner-Advanced
Teaching location: SE, Online
Cost: $80/hr
Special Interest: I have been teaching & performing professionally since 2012 and have taught over 300 students from their first chords to preparing for college and also developing their own music. I have a background in everything from progressive rock to jazz, classical and modern fingerstyle guitar. Every student is unique, and I work with each one to develop the most exciting way to keep them motivated to the next step, from basic technique to breaking down music theory in an easy to understand and personalized method. If you would like to learn more about me and my lessons, please visit Https://forestbaileymusic.com/lessons.
Julia Banzi
Website: http://college.lclark.edu/live/profiles/1871-julia-banzi
Email: [email protected]
Styles: Suzuki Method, Flamenco, Classical, Folk Guitar
Instruments: Guitar
Levels: Beginners, Intermediate, Advanced
Teaching location: SE & NE
Cost: Suzuki Tuition: $200 Month for weekly individual lesson and group class. Non Suzuki Tuition: Inquire.
Special Interest: Early Childhood Education, Flamenco, injury recovery and prevention. I have a Ph.D. from the University of California, Santa Barbara and am a devoted teacher, composer, performer and ethnomusicologist who truly enjoys working with students of all levels. I teach at Lewis & Clark College, Portland State University, University of Portland and Suzuki early childhood guitar through Suzuki Stumptown. Whether in flamenco, folk or classical, I provide students with a solid foundation on the guitar while guiding students toward creating original music they can call their own! Many of my students have gone on to become professional musicians. I love guitar!
Mark Hanson
Website: www.MarkHansonGuitar.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 503-780-3130
Styles: All acoustic guitar styles. Specializing in Fingerstyle. Special Interest: Please check my website to see all of the topics covered in the books/DVDs I have authored.
Instruments: Guitar and ukulele
Levels: All levels.
Teaching location: West Linn and Online
Cost: $85–100/hour
Special Interest: In person lessons offered again. Online (Zoom, FaceTime. Skype) also offered.
Cameron Jones
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.newverselessons.com/
Phone: 503-893-4639
Styles: Rock, Classical, Blues, Pop, Country
Levels: All (beginner through advanced)
Teaching location: SE Portland & Online
Cost: $85/hour, $45/half hour
Special Interest: My main focus is practice technique. I teach students how to practice effectively, so as to get the most out of each practice session and ensure consistent improvement. Over my 20+ years teaching in Portland, I've developed a structured yet flexible approach that has worked for hundreds of students. I look forward to working with you!
Jill Khovy
Website: http://khovymusic.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 503 701 9402
Styles: All except Flamenco
Instruments: Guitar, Ukulele, Piano, Voice
Levels: All levels.
Teaching location: Close In Portland
Cost: Ask
Arthur Lee
Website: http://www.arthurclee.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 971-409-1057
Styles: Folk, rock, singer-songwriter, blues, early jazz, classical, experimental, and fingerpicking.
Instruments: Guitar, piano, ukulele, banjo
Levels: Beginning to intermediate
Teaching location: NE Portland
Cost: $30 for 30 minutes // $45 for 45 minutes // $55 for 60 minutes
Special Interest: I enjoy teaching basic fundamentals, rudiments and musicianship by way of learning songs my students enjoy playing. I am flexible on having my students learn by ear, simple charts, or method books.
Brenna McDonald
Website: www.espacioflamencopdx.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 503-233-8613
Styles: Flamenco guitar
Instruments: Flamenco guitar
Levels: Beginning - Advanced
Teaching location: Espacio Flamenco (Downtown Portland), Inner SE Portland
Cost: $50/hr private lessons, $14/hr group lessons
Special Interest: Right hand techniques for flamenco guitar, cuadro (flamenco music and dance accompaniment) skills, creating opportunities for students of all ages and levels of experience to engage with this beautiful art form.
Rose Okada
Website: http://www.kiranawest.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 971-506-0205
Styles: classical, Suzuki Method, folk, Indian classical music
Instruments: guitar, ukulele, violin, piano, tabla, raga vocal, sarangi
Levels: all
Teaching location: online only
Cost: 35.00 half hour, and 55.00 for 45 minutes
Maria Olaya
Website: http://mariaolaya.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 503 758 9807
Styles: Classical, Brazilian, South American
Instruments: guitar, ukulele, cajón
Levels: From true beginer to professional coaching
Teaching location: South East Portland, Lake Oswego
Cost: Please visit my website
Jeff Putterman
Website: jeffputterman.bandcamp.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 503-708-1721
Styles: Applied theory & improv / all skills
Instruments: 7-string guitar
Levels: Advancing guitarist
Teaching location: PSU / Home Studio
Cost: $75/hour
Special Interest: Music composition / performance / recording
Eric Skye
Website: http://www.ericskye.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 503.309.0422
Styles: Jazz, blues, funk, fingerstyle. Also bluegrass and traditional flatpicking
Instruments: Guitar
Levels: All
Teaching location: Great Park Area Of NE Portland
Cost: $150 for four 45 minute private sessions
Doug Smith
Website: http://www.dougsmithguitar.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 503-544-3548
Styles: Acoustic fingerstyle (all styles), fundamentals, transcribing, arranging
Instruments: Acoustic Guitar
Levels: All levels
Teaching location: SE Portland
Cost: Please contact
Kristen Waligora
Website: https://kristenwaligora.com
Email: [email protected]
Styles: Learn to play Classical, Flamenco, or Fingerstyle Guitar!
Instruments: Guitar
Levels: All levels welcome!
Teaching location: Studio in SE Portland, Online
Cost: Please see website for current price
Special Interest: Learn from a patient, classically trained teacher. I hold a Bachelor of Music degree from Portland State University and studied at the University of Texas at Austin. - Each student will benefit from having a tailored lesson plan based on your specific goals and interests. - Just beginning? Learn how to play the guitar correctly the first time. Classical technique gives you a solid foundation for all styles of music. - I am patient and always have lesson plans prepared before the lesson. - Learn proper guitar technique, how to read music, knowledge of the fingerboard, music theory, and music ranging from Bach to Eric Clapton. - Advanced? Are you interested in how to market yourself and have merchandise and CDs made? I've been featured twice in Classical Guitar Magazine for my solo and duo albums as well as BBC Radio, and Classical Guitar Alive on NPR.
Aaron Wolf
Website: http://blog.wolftune.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 734-707-8828
Styles: All styles for beginners; specialties include classical, flamenco, various fingerstyle approaches, blues, folk, and world fusion
Instruments: Guitar, tap-guitar/Stick, Kite guitar
Levels: Novice through advanced
Teaching location: Oregon City and online
Cost: sliding scale
Special Interest: I stand out from most teachers for my focus on the science of music, emphasizing psychology, music cognition, exploration and creativity… I'm also an expert in non-standard tuning systems including Just Intonation and microtonal music. More about my background and teaching philosophy at http://blog.wolftune.com/p/lesson-details-philosophy.html
Peter Zisa
Website: http://www.peterzisa.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 503-307-4907
Styles: Student-centered lessons, ergonomic (classical) technique. Stylistic diversity: Classical (Renaissance to 21st Century), Popular cultural styles (Blues, Latin, Ragtime, Travis-picking, folk, Jazz...). Stylistic improvisation (Renaissance, Baroque to Blues and Jazz).
Instruments: 6 and 8 string guitar
Levels: Beginning to Professional
Teaching location: NE Portland
Cost: See Website
Special Interest: Helping students realize their musical goals is my purpose and mission as a teacher and mentor. Learning guitar best begins by developing basic skills (ergonomic habits) using creative and engaging activities. Once foundational skills are established the sky is the limit. For me, music-making is a never-ending learning experience. It is also an immensely personal and creative form self-expression, that is enriching and empowering.