I've been studying classical guitar with Mark Simons for almost two years now and this review is…read morelong overdue.
When I first decided to take guitar lessons, I contacted the music department at San José State University, where I work as a professor of Linguistics. At the time, I was disappointed to discover that they couldn't accommodate me for lessons, so I set my search closer to my home in San Francisco, contacting Guitar Solo and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music for recommendations. Both suggested Mark, so I arranged for my first lesson and one rainy Thursday afternoon in February 2024 I headed to his North Beach studio. As someone with anxiety, I was incredibly nervous about this first encounter. After all, I had barely picked up the guitar a month earlier and Mark was an instructor at SFCM, a member of the San Francisco Guitar Quartet, and a graduate of both the New England Conservatory of Music and USC's acclaimed guitar program. Did I even belong here? As soon as I met Mark, though, he put my worries at ease. He was kind, encouraging, and incredibly positive about my very basic guitar skills, even saying to me, "Don't worry. You're already in!" Almost two years later, I couldn't be happier to have found Mark and his studio.
Since I started lessons with Mark, my technical skills have improved tremendously, and I feel confident that I'm developing solid technique that will help me to eventually become the kind of player that I'd like to be. Mark is patient with me, but also adept at identifying problem areas in my technique and providing helpful exercises to address my problems. In addition to his expert instruction in technique, Mark excels at getting me to think deeply about the music I am playing, prompting me with challenging questions that I often can't answer, but that always lead me to a deeper and more expressive understanding and performance of the music. Mark doesn't let me get away with just playing the notes; he makes me discover and truly hear the music, and, as a result, I've grown tremendously as a musician. These lessons have changed the way I hear music in general, be it pop, jazz, classical, or rock, and my world has been enhanced as a result.
Mark's studio in North Beach is also a great environment to study guitar. Instruments line the walls and shelves overflow with sheet music, making the space inspiring, which is a good reflection of Mark himself. As someone who loves music and genuinely wants to share that with his students, Mark has shown me that I never needed to feel nervous at that first lesson. In fact, Mark's commitment to his students extends beyond the actual lessons, as he is accessible and willing to answer questions, offer advice, and share musical suggestions outside of class, too.
I don't know how good I'll ever become at guitar, but I know I will be a better player and a better interpreter of music because of Mark's teaching. I can't recommend him more highly.
