Jim's Biography
Jim started playing the guitar at age 9 when his father took him to Western Auto to buy his first guitar. After many years of study with his first guitar teacher, Bill Pileggi, Jim performed as a lead guitarist with several different music groups through the years, but discovered a deep passion for the Classical Guitar after hearing the acoustic guitar interludes between songs performed by Canadian guitarist, Rik Emmett of the 80s rock group "Triumph."
Jim has studied privately with John Wiesenthal at Hochstein School of Music and with Dr. Petar Kodzas, most recently at Eastman Community Music School. He is currently studying in Buffalo with Michael Andriacco to finish his Bachelors degree in Music from SUNY Empire State College. Jim has participated at the 2001 and 2002 National Guitar Workshop- Classical Guitar Summit, located in New Milford, Connecticut, performing in master classes for Ricardo Cobo, Martha Masters, Andrew Leonard, Nathanal Gunod, and most recently with Muriel Anderson of Nashville Tenessee, Kevin Cooper of The University of Southern California and Matthew Ardizzone of Eastman School of Music.
In February of 2003 Jim was accredited by the Suzuki Association of America, having achieved the level of Suzuki Guitar Teacher, completing his Suzuki training with National Suzuki teacher trainer David Madsen at the Chicago Music Institute in July of 2003. Jim received certification in Orff-Schulwerk Early Childhood Music Education from Eastman School of Music in July of 2005 and is currently teaching several area guitar students in the method of Shinichi Suzuki.
Jim has studied privately with John Wiesenthal at Hochstein School of Music and with Dr. Petar Kodzas, most recently at Eastman Community Music School. He is currently studying in Buffalo with Michael Andriacco to finish his Bachelors degree in Music from SUNY Empire State College. Jim has participated at the 2001 and 2002 National Guitar Workshop- Classical Guitar Summit, located in New Milford, Connecticut, performing in master classes for Ricardo Cobo, Martha Masters, Andrew Leonard, Nathanal Gunod, and most recently with Muriel Anderson of Nashville Tenessee, Kevin Cooper of The University of Southern California and Matthew Ardizzone of Eastman School of Music.
In February of 2003 Jim was accredited by the Suzuki Association of America, having achieved the level of Suzuki Guitar Teacher, completing his Suzuki training with National Suzuki teacher trainer David Madsen at the Chicago Music Institute in July of 2003. Jim received certification in Orff-Schulwerk Early Childhood Music Education from Eastman School of Music in July of 2005 and is currently teaching several area guitar students in the method of Shinichi Suzuki.
