Guitar Teachers

Like many guitarists, Brian Waldron began his musical journey learning the pop, rock, and folk music he loved as a kid growing up outside of Boston. Brian honed his classical chops at Ithaca College, where he earned a B.M. in classical guitar performance in 2008. A year later, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a Master’s degree at the University of Southern California -- where he studied under Grammy-winning guitarist Scott Tennant. Throughout his career, Brian has worked with many of today's top classical guitarists. Among them: William Kanengiser, James Smith, Pepe Romero, Grisha Goryachev, Pablo Cohen, and Timothy Walker of the Royal Academy of Music (during a stint in London) In 2018, Brian founded Waldron Guitar Academy (WGA) out of a growing awareness of the gaps within the guitar education space. WGA's diverse student lineup spans six continents and has included everyone from high-profile pop stars and aspiring professionals, to everyday teens and adults simply looking to enrich their musical lives. Students range from total beginner to accomplished musician. The common thread is, they all share a passion for and commitment to furthering their guitar education. Several of WGA’s students have gone on to study at the some of the nation’s premier music conservatories.

Phil Mallory is an experienced guitarist specializing in Music Fundamentals, Jazz, Music Theory, Composition and Improvisation. Phil studied at Orange Coast College, the University of California Santa Barbara, Los Angeles Valley College, Santa Barbara City College, and Moorpark College. He has also taught at UCSB Recreation Department, McCabe’s Guitar Shop (Santa Monica), and Valley Music (Goleta, CA). Throughout his career, Phil has worked with jazz legends such as Joe Pass, Lenny Breau, Bill Thrasher, Ted Green, Page Cavanaugh, Al Viola, Ross Tompkins, Blue Mitchell, Conte Condoli, Bob Magnusson, and many others.

Jared Sachs received his Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Studies at the University of North Texas. Jared has taught private lessons since 2013. Specializing in Blues, Jazz, Rock, Pop and R&B, Jared is a recipient of the Lee Ritenour Six String Theory Award. He studied with Wayne Krantz and Julian Coryell and worked with Anja Nissen.

Jack Cimo has taught guitar for over 20 years both privately and in masterclasses. A graduate of USC’s Thornton School of Music, Jack earned his Master’s degree from MARTHA in Palermo, Italy. Jack now specializes in classical guitar (flamenco, theory, foundational technique), Spanish music, Baroque, Italian classical, and contemporary classical. He has worked with Pepe Romero, William Kanengiser, Scott Tenant, Lorenzo Micheli, Jeremy Jouve, Gilbert Imperial and many others in masterclasses.

Ron Berman received a B.M. from Northeastern University and his M.M. from the New England Conservatory of Music. Ron has taught at Occidental College, Pasadena City College, USC, and the New England Conservatory of Music. He specializes in Jazz and Classical Guitar, Composition, Theory, Harmony, Arranging, Notation and Recording. Ron has worked with artists across genres, including George Russell, Jake Byard, Joe Diorio, Mick Goodrick, Chuck Wayne, Jeff Gardner and Sid Jacobs. Many of his students have gone on to complete bachelor’s and master’s degrees and pursued their own careers in music education and performance.

Ryan Faraday is a professional Guitarist, Vocalist, Songwriter, Bandleader, and music instructor. As a teenager, Ryan was already working as a professional musician, packing rooms all over the South Shore and Greater Boston area. By 18, Ryan had played in venues all over the country. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Ryan founded Music Lessons Boston, a music lessons service and performs in 300+ shows each year. He continues to perform in a variety of projects including the Great Blue Wail, his Roots, Blues, Rock, and Soul band; The Boston Renditions, a Top 40/Party band; and as a solo acoustic performer.

Sid Jacobs was born in Miami Beach, Florida, but spent his first few years in Havana, Cuba before the revolution. At the age of seven, his family moved back to Miami which is where he discovered a passion for guitar. At 18, Sid was hired as guitar instructor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, making him the youngest faculty member in the school's music department. Sid was the first North American jazz guitarist invited to perform in Argentina's "Guitars of the World" festival. In 2001, he was invited to perform at the Ankara Music Festival in Turkey. Sid has released several recordings of his own work. He has also collaborated with a long list of jazz greats including Harold Land, Eddie Harris, Buddy Montgomery, Joe Diorio, Brad Mehldau, Larry Goldings, Javon Jackson, and more. In Los Angeles, he developed the curriculum for the Advanced Bebop and Jazz Guitar course at the Dick Grove School and the Jazz Guitar class at the Musicians Institute, where he still teaches to this day.

Daniel Mandrychenko earned a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies from California State University, East Bay in 2017. In 2021, he graduated with a Master of Music in Jazz Studies from California State University, Long Beach. Daniel specializes in Jazz Guitar, but also teaches other popular guitar styles including pop and rock. He has studied improvisation with Dan Zinn, classical guitar with Marc Teicholz, and jazz guitar with Michael Higgins. He's also shared the stage with Dave Liebman, Marcus Printup, Brad Leili, Carl Allen and Charles McPherson. Born in Ukraine, Daniel now lives in Long Beach, CA.