What Parents are saying about Leo García’s KinderGuitar:

My son Case studied guitar in Leo Garcia’s KinderGuitar for four years, and it was a marvelous experience. Leo has a special empathy for kids and an intuitive sense of what will excite and motivate them. He is patient, kind, and makes the lessons fun, and his program reflects these qualitites. Although he teaches a skill – and teaches it very well – he also engenders in children the same love and respect that he so obviously feels for music and for classical guitar as a form of personal expression. Case regards Leo as both a teacher and a friend and enjoyed being part of the KinderGuitar experience. We were very lucky to find him.
—Corbin Collins

I would recommend Leo Garcia to anyone who was looking for a guitar teacher. He has been teaching me guitar for about four years and would still be teaching me if I weren’t moving. Leo is a great teacher because he works well with his students and is very encouraging and patient. When I first started taking guitar lessons, I didn’t know any thing about music. Now I can read music, write music and play a lot of good music. And I owe it all to my guitar teacher, Leo Garcia.
—Luz Brown, 11 years old, June 2005

My husband and I have been astounded and delighted by Leo’s teaching abilities and his KinderGuitar program.  He has guided and supported our daughter, Luz, to become a talented guitarist.  Luz started taking lessons with Leo when she was 7.  She immediately began playing simple tunes.  She looked forward to every lesson.  We have been impressed with Leo’s instruction style where Luz moved from very simple pieces to more complicated pieces that involved detailed scales and fingering movement.

The most notable thing about Leo’s method of instruction is his ability to motivate and inspire his students by his gentle, knowledgeable, humorous and positive style.  At one point Luz was not interested in practicing guitar at home and Leo was able to turn this thought around by positively praising her and telling her what a great musician she was. He has a persuasive and motivating way of getting kids to do their best.

If Leo and his family would come we would take them with us to our move in Nevada City because he is an awesome teacher and his KinderGuitar program is great. We highly recommend him!
—Nicky Philips-Brown, June 2005

Dear Leo, We have been telling friends that, in fact, we feel you're the best teacher Nick has ever had inclusive of his elementary and middle school experience.  He’s had some awesome teachers... We’ve enjoyed being part of your KinderGuitar program for the last four years!
—Sal Petru

Our son came to Leo when he was eight. Leo had him playing a song the very first lesson. Using games, humor and patient encouragement, Leo led him through a veritable forest of musical notes, to continual success at a pace perfect for him.  Six years later, he still loves to play his guitar.

Leo knows how to focus each student to help them discover their joy in making music, and nurtures their budding skills to allow that joy to continue to grow, with confidence.
—Lynn Ursic, Frank Edie, Sam Edie

Our eleven year old son has taken guitar lessons from Leo Garcia for six years now, and our younger son for three years. Both have made amazing progress. Leo always finds something positive to say to every child. He is upbeat, kind, and gentle, and he makes lessons a lot of fun! His suggestions for games and practice techniques make life at home easier too for parents helping their youngsters learn the guitar.

Leo is a gifted musician, who is technically very skillful and knowledgeable, as well as articulate about conveying these details to students. His playing is also artistically nuanced and beautiful, and he is talented at helping uncover his students' innate musicality.

The KinderGuitar Song Books Leo Garcia has developed have lovely pieces that are a pleasure to listen to and play, in a progression that has provided songs at the right level for our developing students.  Recitals are a pleasure now that the children are playing the songs and etudes that Leo has introduced from around the world, rather than the collections in standard student guitar books. We highly recommend Leo Garcia, as well as his KinderGuitar method, for any young student of the guitar!
—Sima Misra

We are very fortunate to have found Leo Garcia and his KinderGuitar program. Our two daughters (now 7 and 10) both started with Leo at age 5, and we're thoroughly impressed not just with their ever-growing repertoire, but also their understanding of guitar and music in general.

Leo is a rare breed: a masterful musician, who also happens to be wonderfully patient and in sync with children's unique interests and learning styles.  He truly "gets" kids and has plenty of tips for how to make practice sessions productive and painless. He's also just plain fun - our girls love their lessons!

The winter and spring recitals are another wonderful aspect of the program. We've seen our kids grow in confidence as performers each year, and of course, the concerts are a special treat for the whole family.
—Charlie & Maria Cypher

Leo Garcia is a wonderfully talented musician and teacher. My daughter, Amalia, started learning on a half-size guitar at age seven and now, eight years later, looks forward to her lesson more than ever.  Leo has a wonderful ability to nurture young children's love of music and proven more than able to support their musical development on any level. Amalia says that Leo is a great teacher because he is patient; carefully builds technique to prepare for more challenging music; and he introduces something new each week.

His superb ability as a performer of classical music is an inspiration and gives Amalia absolute confidence in her training.  Since parents are encouraged to sit in on lessons, can attest that Leo truly enjoys his role as a mentor and that his approach is always to focus on the child's accomplishments.  He provides instruction with unfailing good humor.  

I am grateful that Leo does a lot of work, completely on his own initiative, to promote his students' growth as musicians.  He organizes occasional master classes with other world-class guitar players; and hosts a biannual group recital where every student gets to perform on stage.  All of this has enabled our daughter, and other students we've seen over the years, to enjoy performing and learn what it takes to do well as they take on ever more challenging music.
—Thomas J. Korczowski, Berkeley, CA, USA

I am impressed with Leo Garcia's ability to instruct young children and keep them motivated.  His charm, patience, and praise gives students the encouragement and self-confidence to do well.  With parental involvement encouraged, it allows me to be a part of my children's musical education.
—Gerri, parent

"What keeps me coming back year after year is Leo makes our guitar lessons fun. He challenges me to play my best.
—Emily (Leo’s student for 9 years)

Leo makes learning the guitar fun and easy.
—Tess (Leo’s student for 3 years)

My 8 year old daugther started taking lessons last year from Leo in Kinderguitar. It has been a great introduction of music into her so-far sports-heavy life!

Leo teaches in a very supportive, fun, kid-friendly way. Lessons and practice are a great experience for both kids and parents. My daughter is really enjoying herself and it is thrilling for me to see her pick up the guitar to play without being reminded to do so!
—Marianna Houser

From Hot Crossed Buns to Villa-Lobos, it has been a delightful journey with Leo.  Our son gave Leo the status of "best guitarist in the world soon after his first lesson in January 2000".  Now a fussy teenager, he still admires Leo as a musician, a teacher, and a cool grown-up.

Leo knows how to catch the right moment to cheer or challenge his student and makes progress seem completely natural.  He has given our son a solid foundation for musicianship - a treasure to last.  We are thankful for that.  We wholeheartedly recommend Leo to any child who takes interest in guitar.  He is simply the best.
—Chikako & Ken (Ian's parents)