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OUR MISSION
Elite Guitar's mission is to provide students with a high-quality music education that is fun, engaging, and effective. Our teaching philosophy revolves around inspiring and nurturing a love for music, while promoting confidence, discipline, and self-expression through music. All instructors are dedicated to helping students develop their music skills and reach their full potential. We are proud to serve a diverse group of students and are committed to growing our community of young and talented musicians throughout Southern California!
"An expert in anything was once a beginner" -
Unknown
BEHIND THE SCENES
Petar Chekardzhikov - ELITE GUITAR founder and CEO
Petar began his musical journey at the early age of five. As a member of Four of a Kind Guitar Quartet and Triada Guitar Trio, Petar has given well over a thousand concerts in Europe and the US, including several extensive concert tours, numerous radio and TV appearances, and three CD album releases. He has collaborated with many world-renowned composers and artists, including a few Grammy winners.
Mr. Chekardzhikov‘s teaching career began in 2005, sharing his passion for music with his students throughout Southern California. This includes eight years on the guitar faculty at the Orange County School of the Arts and seven years partnering with the Downey Foundation for Educational Opportunities, providing music education to hundreds of students every year. In the last decade Petar has established several guitar ensembles and taken them on the road touring and competing nationally and internationally. Some of them have won top prizes at many guitar competitions, including the prestigious Guitar Foundation of America International Guitar Competition.
Malia Castro - Instructor (Guitar, Ukulele)
Malia graduated from Cal State Dominguez Hills with Bachelor‘s Degree in Music with an emphasis on Flamenco performance. She has been playing guitar for 13 years, and it has become a great passion of hers. Ms. Castro is currently in a Flamenco Guitar Duo named Eclectic Moon Duo, regularly performing for private and public events. Some of her accomplishments are performing in Granada, Spain, three years in a row for the annual Granada Guitar Festival, as well as providing music for Valley Children’s Hospital. As a teacher and performer, her goal has been, and will always be, to spread the happiness that music brings to everyone.
John Eric Santamaria - Instructor (Guitar, Ukulele)
John (born in the Philippines) is a local Filipino classical guitarist who teaches in various music studios and schools . He is newly graduated from California State University, Fullerton, with his Master’s Degree in classical guitar performance under the teachings of Martha Masters, Xavier Xara, and Bokyun Byun. John finished his undergraduate studies at Vanguard University of Southern California in 2018 under the tutelage of David Isaacs and Michael Nigro. He enjoys performing baroque and romantic pieces as well as Filipino art songs. He performs small recitals locally and is currently training in preparation for reentering classical guitar competitions beginning in 2023.
Gabriel De Leon - Instructor (Violin, Music Production)
Gabriel is a composer, educator, and performer from Penang, Malaysia. Having graduated from Berklee College of Music, he has performed with notable names such as Tony Succar and David Fiuczynski and performed part of the Final Fantasy Distant Worlds tour in 2019. In addition, he has been an educator for nine years and strives to cultivate the next generation of musicians in Los Angeles.
Alan Perez - Instructor (Guitar, Ukulele)
Alan is a passionate musician and music educator currently studying at Cal State Dominguez Hills. He has 17 years experience playing guitar and proficiency in several other instruments, including the ukulele. Alan prioritizes teaching basic music theory alongside the instrument itself to ensure his students are well-rounded musicians who can read and play music with confidence.
Elizabeth Sutherland - Instructor (Ukulele, Music Production)
Elizabeth has been working with children TK through high school for nearly a decade across multiple districts in Southern California, including Long Beach Unified, Los Angeles Unified, & Downey Unified school districts. In addition, she has experience mentoring newer program workers and teachers coming into the district and providing guidance for instruction and classroom management. Also an established independent musician, Elizabeth has written, produced, & recorded multiple studio projects independently under the stage name Sage The Prophet. As well as independently touring and preforming in Austin, Texas at the 2022 SXSW Film, Music, and Arts festival. When she’s not teaching in her free time she likes to practice calisthenics & martial arts— specifically Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai. Write and record new music, and spend quality time with family and friends.
Isaac Visoutsy - Instructor (Violin)
Isaac is a freelance violinist and violin teacher playing and teaching throughout Southern California. He is an accomplished violinist, having performed in Walt Disney Concert Hall, Capitol Records, The Brea Curtis Theatre, the Cerritos Performing Arts Center, and Meng Concert Hall, among many other venues. Isaac has participated in masterclasses for Glenn Dicterow, Jan Talich, Roman Patocka, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, Haik Kazazyan, and many more renowned teachers. Isaac held the principal second violin position with CSU Fullerton Symphony Orchestra from 2017-2019, as well as the position of assistant concertmaster of the CSUF Symphony Orchestra from 2019-2021. Mr. Visoutsy recently graduated from California State University of Fullerton with a bachelor’s degree in Violin Performance. He is currently working on his Master's Degreee at UCLA.
Gaku Murata - Instructor (guitar, Ukulele)
Gaku Murata began playing guitar at the age of fourteen. His diverse range of influences includes guitarists Wes Montgomery and Slash. Educated at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston (B.M. in Performance and Songwriting, Berklee Songwriting Achievement Award in 2003), Gaku has developed into a multi-genre, tour-de-force guitarist/bassist, producer, and composer. An experienced sideman, he has also performed frequently in the U.S. as the leader of the Gaku Murata Quartet.
Bobby Danzi - Instructor (Guitar, Ukulele, Music Production)
Bobby Danzi is a professional guitarist and instructor specializing in Pop and Rock guitar. Working both in the studio and on stage, Bobby helps artists shape their sound by bringing their live performances to new heights and creating new music. Besides working with other artists, Bobby is an established songwriter and performer, having released several records with his various bands. Bobby’s philosophy on teaching is simple - making music is so much fun, so learning to play it should be too! Bobby is an honors graduate of Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA.
Ronnie Ciago - Instructor (Drums)
Ronnie Ciago studied at Berklee College Of Music. Teaches drums, piano, guitar, percussion in class, clinics & private settings. Has taught thousands of students worldwide. He has published method books with Mel Bay. He has performed drum set/percussion live and or recorded with: - Bill Ward (Black Sabbath) - Rickie Lee Jones - Brand X - Patrick Moraz (Yes, The Moody Blues) - Hiram Bullock - Tony Newton TNT Xtreme (Funk Brothers/Tony Williams “Lifetime”) - Mick Taylor (The Rolling Stones) - Graham Bonnet - Jeff Berlin - Earl Slick (David Bowie) - David Hentschel (Producer - Genesis, Elton John) - Jack Douglas (Producer - John Lennon/Aerosmith, etc.) - Larry Blackmon - Ritchie Blackmore & Rainbow - Oskar Cartaya - Brandon Fields - Linda Perry (Producer - Pink, Christina Aguilera) - Al Jardine (The Beach Boys) - Shani Sinnamon (Todd Rundgren) - Ray Manzarek (The Doors). Soundtracks: - Brand X – “The X- Files” - John Goodsal – “Goodsall” - Randy Sonehill – “Paradise Sky”, Movie Soundtrack “Fallen Angel” - Randy Stonehill – “Spirit Walk” - Lillix – “Falling Uphill” - Walt Disney Commercial with Michael Eisner. Elmo in Grouchland – Movie Soundtrack “The Adventures Of Elmo In Grouchland”, etc….
Contact
Elite Guitar
PO Box 3841
Fullerton, CA 92832
1-855-354-8344
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