Roberto Capocchi, guitarist: Teaching

I have been teaching since 1997, privately, and through schools such as the Souza Lima Conservatory, MUSICI, and CLAM in Brazil, and the University of Arizona.  I now have a private studio in Santa Fe, and teach at various institutions in New Mexico and Colorado.

I enjoy working with motivated students - professionals, amateurs, beginners and advanced players. Our intense one-on-one sessions cover technique, practice approaches, repertoire, reading scores, tabs or charts, depending on the style of music. Although I am comfortable teaching a variety of styles, we focus on one at a time.  

Lessons are available privately, at the New Mexico School for the Arts high school program, or through four different college programs: New Mexico Highlands University, United World College, College of Santa Fe, and Adams State College. NMHU also offers a beginning guitar class, weekly performance opportunities, and a guitar ensemble. ASC offers a guitar ensemble, weekly performance opportunities that are always recorded, and a guitar master-class. While studying with me, players have won prizes at the Columbus State University Guitar Competition, Souse Lima Competition, Tucson Jazz Society Award, Santa Fe ProMusica Young Concert Artist, and Shaefer Guitar Competition. They also have been awarded scholarships at the Berklee School of Music, North Carolina School for the Arts, University of Arizona Scholarship, Killington Music Festival, New Mexico All State Jazz Band, North Carolina School for the Arts Award. - ALL THAT WHILE HAVING A GREAT TIME!

Children have a unique motivation toward music.  It is important to nourish that.  As a parent, you can do that by supporting practice schedules, offering praise for consistent work, and expressing your enjoyment when listening to your child.  As a teacher, it is important to set realistic expectations, and to honor the child's intelligence by not dumbing things down.  I might use age appropriate material for your child, but the content of the lessons is the same.  Regarding the instrument, it should be of adequate quality and appropriate size.  Supporting your child's musical development is a wonderful gift that lasts a lifetime.

Although an early start can be helpful, starting as an adult does have some benefits, such as patience and discipline.  Also, adults can more easily comprehend concepts through reading - so that when we cover some ideas in practice, the student already understands the underlying principles.  By playing to the students strengths, and planning lessons accordingly, I have seen beautiful success stories of accomplished players who started later, or returned to the guitar after many years.

Check out the Blog page.  There are a few postings that give you a good idea about my teaching philosophy, as well as some articles on topics that come up often in lessons.

Rate: $70.00/hour

There is usually a short waiting list, but that depends on your schedule, too. I do not require an audition or previous experience - only dedicated motivation and available practice time proportional to your goals. Available at my home studio in Santa Fe NM.

The BA in Contemporary Music offers a forward-looking curriculum that helps prepare performers and technologists for creative careers in the music industry. You'll have the opportunity to enhance your skills in performance, technology, and recording arts while being grounded in the study of music theory and music history.

The program hosts practicing professional guest artists from around the world, exposing you to abroad range of musical styles and genres—from popular to world music—through performances, workshops, seminars, and master classes. Rather than studying within the boundaries of a conservatory environment, SFUAD offers you a well-rounded education that builds your performance skills and expertise in the art and craft of recording technology.

This is an active and vital program, committed to musical excellence within a small college environment. Each year, more than 700 of the 2200 on-campus students participate in music through classes, lessons and performing ensembles. The Colorado Commission on Higher Education designated the ASC Department of Music a "Program of Excellence," the third ASC program to receive this honor. The Guitar Program Includes Guitar Lessons, Masterclass, and the ASC Guitar Ensemble.  The students have access to audio and video recoding equipment, and a wonderful composite-top, raised fingerboard guitar by luthier Jeremy Cooper.  

The UWC-USA enrolls just over 200 students. Of these, 150 places are offered to students from more than 90 countries outside the U.S. The remaining 50 places are offered to students from the U.S. who are successful in the Davis Scholar competition conducted nationally with the help of volunteers from the U.S. Selection Committee and the UWC alumni network. The Davis Scholar competition also selects the U.S. students who are placed as America’s ambassadors to the other United World Colleges. We have a full Music Department with a good recording studio, offering Guitar Lessons to very motivated students. The campus includes the Dwan Light Santuary - a greate space for guitar performance, - there are hot springs, and the lessons take place in a castle - seriously.

At the music program at NMHU we offer a variety of options to meet the needs of students with professional, personal or pre-professional interests in music. Scholarship opportunities include activity awards, the Mishler Scholarship, the Lorraine Schula Scholarship, and the Lorenzo Miguel Gallegos Scholarship. Begining Guitar Class, Guitar Lessons, regular student performances and the NMHU Guitar Ensemble.