Jim's Biography
Jim started playing the guitar at age 9 after 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 thoughout the years, but discovered a deep passion for the Classical Guitar after hearing the acoustic guitar interludes between rock songs performed by Canadian guitarist, Rik Emmett of the 80s rock group "Triumph" on many of their albums.
Jim has studied privately with John Wiesenthal at Hochstein School of Music, Dr. Petar Kodzas at Eastman Community Music School and with Michael Andriaccio of the Castellani-Andriaccio Duet. Jim is a 2012 Graduate of SUNY Empire State College and has earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music. Jim has participated at the 2001 and 2002 National Guitar Workshop- Classical Guitar Summit, located in New Milford, Connecticut. He has performed in master classes for Ricardo Cobo, Martha Masters, Andrew Leonard, Nathanal Gunod, Muriel Anderson, 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. 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 guitar method of Shinichi Suzuki.
Jim has studied privately with John Wiesenthal at Hochstein School of Music, Dr. Petar Kodzas at Eastman Community Music School and with Michael Andriaccio of the Castellani-Andriaccio Duet. Jim is a 2012 Graduate of SUNY Empire State College and has earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music. Jim has participated at the 2001 and 2002 National Guitar Workshop- Classical Guitar Summit, located in New Milford, Connecticut. He has performed in master classes for Ricardo Cobo, Martha Masters, Andrew Leonard, Nathanal Gunod, Muriel Anderson, 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. 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 guitar method of Shinichi Suzuki.
