About Us

The Castellani Andriaccio Guitar Studios
Classical Guitar Instruction
Suzuki & Traditional Methods

About The Castellani Andriaccio Guitar Studios

Offering Jazz Guitar!
On Line Lessons Now Being Offered – Contact Us For More Information
Lessons for All Ages
Children & The Suzuki Method for Classical Guitar

The Suzuki Method was developed by Dr. Shinichi Suzuki was designed specifically for children as young as age 3 to begin learning an instrument.

 

Young Adults

Lessons are tailored to meet the needs of each and every student. Repertoire is selected to help develop their musical and technical skills, continuing with either the Suzuki Method, or with the Traditional Method, both allowing them to play various musical styles.

Preparation for College Entrance

Our studio instruction boast a proud record of our students garnering scholarships and assistantships at the most prestigious Colleges, Conservatories and Schools of Music throughout the country.

  • The Eastman School of Music
  • Mannes School of Music
  • Peabody Conservatory
  • The Manhattan School of Music
  • Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University
  • Ithaca College School of Music

The instruction I have received at the Castellani Andriaccio Guitar Studios has prepared me exceptionally well for my numerous college auditions
– Penn – 17

Joanne has prepared my son immensely for his auditions at many of the top music schools in the country. Her instruction in music has been superb.
– Nancy

Adults

We are extremely pleased to have such a large number of adults enrolled in our program who found their way back to the instrument after many years of not playing, or simply something they have always wanted to learn but never had the time!

Ensemble, “Saltarello”

Our program also provides an opportunity for adults to participate in our
Ensemble, “Saltarello”

This ensemble allows the joining of all playing levels to participate in the performance of world music. The debut of ensemble, “Saltarello” received a standing ovation and the ensemble continues to enthrall audiences throughout the Western New York region.

The Suzuki Method

The Suzuki method was developed in Japan by Shinichi Suzuki in the 1940’s when he observed how children learn to speak their native language. Children learn language by listening, imitating, and step-by-step mastery of vocabulary and he observed that a child of three years old has a vocabulary of several thousand words. In the words of Shinichi Suzuki, “With love much can be accomplished” and the Suzuki method applies these same principles of learning a language to develop the whole child through the study of a musical instrument.

Dr. Suzuki calls it Talent Education and believes that talent can be learned, ability can be developed, and, just as a child learns to speak their native language, they can learn a musical skill through the “Mother Tongue” approach.

Through the Suzuki Method,

Every child can learn
Ability develops early
Parental involvement is essential
Encouragement is critical
Environment nurtures growth
Children learn from one another
Success breeds success

The Success of Suzuki Method is based on these Principals:

Listening
Technique
Tone Production
Motivation

The benefits of learning to play an instrument

Meta Skills

Do all those hours of practicing boring scales, arpeggio and repetition, repetition, repetition…. Really pay off?

New evidence links learning to play an instrument, especially at a young age, to higher test scores. When we sit down on a daily basis and practice our instrument, we are developing more than learning to play that piece of music. We are learning Metaskills.

What are Metaskills?
These are skills needed to learn how to learn. Through the process of studying an instrument we develop, problem-solving abilities, critical thinking, building block strategy… building upon what was previously learned and application of that information, the ability to organize information and what I believe to be the most import aspect of all, the ability to communicate and express oneself a as confident human being!

In addition, the self-discipline leads to the building of self-confidence, allowing children to present themselves securely in front of people.

The principal is that in the process of learning to do one thing really well, we learn how to learn.

Prize Winners

Our students went on to capture First Prize in both the Junior and Senior Divisions of the Great Lakes Classical Guitar Youth Competition!

Address

The Castellani Andriaccio Guitar Studios
4523 Main St
Amherst NY 14226
(Near Harlem)

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