Mr. Jonathan Trotta

Concert guitarist Jonathan Trotta has performed throughout the U.S. and in the New York metropolitan tri-state area as a soloist as well as an accompanist in the Spanish and Latin American music and dance ensemble, “Ida y Vuelta” and the chamber music ensemble, “Musicora”.  His performance credits include an appearance as a featured guest on Boston TV56’s “De Todo un Poco”; Maine Public Broadcasting radio show, “Music du Jour”; a private benefit concert for Academy Award Actress Helen Hayes; and a duet performance with concert guitarist, Benjamin Verdery. He has also performed Antonio Vivaldi’s “Concerto in D major” with the Rockland Symphony Orchestra. 

Jonathan was chosen to participate in master classes with world-renowned classical guitarists Christopher Parkening, Sharon Isbin, and Manuel Barrueco. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in guitar performance and composition from SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music.  During this time, he studied classical guitar with Benjamin Verdery and David Starobin, composition with Juilliard teacher Andrew Thomas, Baroque performance practice with Anthony Newman, and conducting with David Milnes. After college, he studied traditional flamenco guitar with Dennis Koster and Basilio Georges.

He teaches Suzuki, classical, and flamenco guitar and an online musicianship class that parallels the Suzuki approach, comprising sight-reading, sight-singing, ear training, music theory, harmonic analysis, and composition applied to the guitar. Besides his private studio (remote), he is presently head of the guitar department at the Rockland Conservatory of Music in Pearl River, NY, and also on the faculty of the JCC Thurnauer School of Music in Tenafly, NJ, the Hoff-Barthelson Music School in Scarsdale, NY, St. Thomas Aquinas College, Sparkill, NY, and the American River College, Sacramento, CA (remote). He has also taught at the Guitar Study Center at the New School for Social Research and the American Institute of Guitar in New York, NY. He also creates guitar tutorials and performance videos for YouTube.

Jonathan has trained in the Suzuki Method with Frank Longay, Seth Himmelhoch, Andrea Cannon, and MaryLou Roberts.  Many of his students have won music competitions and have been selected to participate in master classes with acclaimed classical guitars, notably Ana Vidovic, David Leisner, Newman and Oltman duo, Nicholas Goluses, Joao Luis, Benjamin Verdery, and Grammy Award winners, Sharon Isbin, William Kannengiser, Berta Rojas, and Jason Vieaux; and have been accepted into reputable music colleges, such as Juilliard (pre-college division) and Manhattan School of Music, Peabody Conservatory of Music, Yale School of Music, and SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music.

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