Classical guitars differ from standard guitars in that they feature a wider fretboard, a shorter neck, and strings made from nylon or a similar material.
While the steel strings of other guitars produce a somewhat sharp, bright sound when plucked, the nylon strings of the classical guitar produce a much softer, richer tone.
Although the classical guitar functions quite similarly to other guitars, the former is preferred in classical music.
As a result, the classical guitar has earned itself a spot in many college classical music departments, giving students with a passion for this instrument the opportunity to major in classical guitar.
Earning a guitar degree is an excellent step for any student looking to turn their interest in music into a way of earning a living.
One of the best ways to kickstart a career as a professional classical guitarist is to go to an excellent music school. Fortunately, there are many great music schools out there that offer strong classical guitar performance programs.
With so many stellar options to choose from, it can be difficult to decide which school is the best fit for each individual student.
Here are our picks for 10 of the best classical guitar schools in the US.
Keep in mind this list is a starting point, and while these are some of the very best schools and teachers in the country, there are others not included on this particular list that many professional classical guitarists would consider equally excellent.
University of Illinois at Chicago School of Theatre and Music (Chicago, IL)
The University of Illinois at Chicago’s School of Theatre and Music offers a bachelor of music in performance degree program with classical guitar as one of the instrument options.
Students in UIC’s BMus program can study with virtuoso guitarist An Tran, an internationally recognized artist, sponsored by D’Addario, who has a recording contract with Naxos.
All students in the BMus program are required to complete two years of study in piano, music theory, and aural skills, in addition to five semesters of study in history and literature.
University of Texas at Austin Butler School of Music (Austin, TX)
The University of Texas at Austin is home to the Butler School of Music, which offers multiple degree programs suitable for students who want to study classical guitar performance.
For undergraduate students, there is the bachelor of music in guitar performance.
On top of UT Austin’s core curriculum, students in this program receive rigorous academic coursework in music theory and music history, as well as intensive musical training through chamber music and ensemble performance opportunities.
The college also has a two-year masters of music degree program in guitar performance.
All the applied guitar courses and private lessons at Butler are taught by Adam Holzman, a highly accomplished recording artist and performer.
Pepperdine University (Malibu, CA)
Located in the iconic west coast city of Malibu, CA, the Seaver College at Pepperdine University has an excellent music department with many great courses and opportunities for those interested in classical guitar performance.
At the head of the Pepperdine University classical guitar department is Christopher Parkening, who is actually also the founder of the program.
His title at the school is that of a “Distinguished Professor,” and he is actually among the most recognized classical guitar soloists of all time.
Parkening’s classical guitar offerings include guitar ensemble groups, private guitar lessons, performance skill workshops, group guitar classes, etc.
Besides Parkening, the school also has Alexander Park on faculty, a noted musician and graduate of Pepperdine himself.
University of Southern California Thornton School of Music (Los Angeles, CA)
Located in Los Angeles, CA, the University of Southern California is often ranked among the top 30 universities in the nation, according to US News.
It should come as no surprise that this excellent college’s music school, the Thornton School of Music, has tons to offer classical guitar students.
Program faculty include Scott Tennant, world-renowned classical guitarist and founding member of the Grammy award-winning musical ensemble known as the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet.
Notably, all of the members of Tennant’s guitar quartet are USC Thornton School of Music alumni.
Also teaching guitar at Thornton is Pepe Romero, an internationally acclaimed classical guitarist who, as a member of a guitar quartet with his father and two brothers, has performed at venues including the Vatican, the White House, and several royal palaces.
Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD)
A part of Johns Hopkins University, the Peabody Institute is a phenomenal music school often ranked within the top 10 colleges for music nationwide.
Through a blend of intensive, conservatory-like musical training and coursework in other areas of study, Peabody offers a well-rounded music education.
The music department at Peabody is under the direction of a sought-after faculty, featuring Grammy award-winning musicians, esteemed scholars, and some of the world’s best educators.
The classical guitar program is led by Manuel Barrueco, a critically acclaimed classical guitarist who has traveled the world as a professional musician. Barrueco himself is a popular classical guitarist, who currently has over 50,000 listeners a month on Spotify alone.
Students in this program participate in guitar ensembles, study guitar and lute literature, attend weekly performance classes, and learn many other guitar and lute skills required for becoming a professional musician.
Eastman School of Music (Rochester, NY)
The University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music offers a guitar studies program.
The guitar studies program is made up of several different guitar degree programs — including the bachelors of music, masters of music, and the doctor of musical arts.
The school has course offerings for those interested in classical guitar performance, such as fretboard harmony, guitar chamber music, weekly seminars, guitar pedagogy, and many others.
Spearheading Eastman’s guitar studies program is Professor Nicholas Goluses, classical guitarist, professor, and Fulbright scholar whose masterclasses consistently remain in high demand.
Many of Goluses’ guitar students have gone on to get prestigious professorships, secure victories at big competitions, and receive numerous other significant acknowledgments, including a Grammy award.
Juilliard School (New York, NY)
Juilliard has a remarkably strong guitar department, which has been led by founder Sharon Isbin ever since it began in 1989.
Isbin is one of the most accomplished living classical guitarists. Part of her resume includes performing at the White House for Barack Obama, winning a Grammy award, and accruing over 60,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, at the time of writing this.
Degree programs for classical guitar at Juilliard range from the bachelor’s degree all the way up to a DMA, plus a few options for professional certificates.
Students in Juilliard’s guitar programs get the opportunity to gain experience performing both solo and as a part of an ensemble, frequently in collaboration with students in other instrument programs.
Curtis Institute of Music (Philadelphia, PA)
Founded in 1924, the Curtis Institute of Music has a century-long history of providing an excellent music education, and classical guitar offerings at this school are no exception to their high standard.
Classical guitar courses offered by the Curtis guitar department are taught by Grammy award-winning classical guitarist Jason Vieaux, whose decades of experience in the music industry inform the mentorship and advice he offers guitar students.
One unique feature of the Curtis Institute that attracts aspiring music students from all across the world is that all accepted students automatically receive a scholarship award covering the full cost of tuition.
Oberlin Conservatory of Music (Oberlin, OH)
Part of Oberlin College — a small, private college located just over 30 miles from Cleveland — the Oberlin Conservatory of Music is a stellar music school that offers flexible degree programs in various areas.
Since the music school was established in 1865 — which makes it the second oldest music conservatory in the US — the Oberlin Conservatory has built itself a reputation for providing music students with a well-rounded liberal arts education that covers a wide terrain of areas of study.
Under the instruction of seasoned professional guitarist and professor Stephen Aron, students in the classical guitar program at Oberlin study a wide range of chamber music and literature, receiving ample performance opportunities through seminars, ensemble participation, master classes, and more.
