Our Teachers
Trained in Suzuki and traditional method
Scott Gossage
Scott Gossage began playing guitar at age ten, after his father bought an old guitar at a pawnshop, intending to learn to play it himself. There was also a record of the great Andres Segovia. When he heard this music, Scott thought it was really cool, and started bugging his parents about lessons. Scott had his first guitar lessons at The Peabody Institute, in the preparatory department, mostly because his sisters went there for their ballet lessons on Saturdays. It also turned out that Peabody was one of the country’s most important centers for studying the classical guitar, so that was kind of convenient, as it turned out, going forward.
Scott has performed extensively as a soloist throughout the United States, in locations ranging from Seattle to New Orleans, Washington D.C, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. He has appeared in venues covering the entire spectrum of prestige and respectability, from the humble and scruffy to the exalted and sublime.
Scott has been teaching privately for over 20 years, in Baltimore and in the SF Bay Area. From 2001 through 2009, Scott served on the teaching staff at the Longay Conservatory of Guitar in Santa Clara, California, a school which is known throughout the world as one of the most important centers for teaching the Suzuki method for guitar. In 2008, he completed his apprenticeship working with legendary Suzuki guitar guru Frank Longay. As a result, he is among the most highly trained and experienced Suzuki guitar teachers working in the world today. Scott is trained through Book 9 and Practicum of the Suzuki Method for Guitar, and is currently working on becoming a Teacher Trainer.
Scott is known for his infectious enthusiasm, supportive and upbeat demeanor, professionalism, and expert teaching ability. His students have wowed audiences, and won major competitions. Scott is an impeccable player, having studied at Peabody with Ray Chester and in master classes with Manuel Barrueco.
Rob Watson
Rob Watson is a classical guitarist from Oakland, California. He began his guitar studies at age 8, and has a BM in guitar performance from UC Santa Cruz under Mesut Ozgen, and a MM from Yale School of Music with Benjamin Verdery. Rob has performed in masterclasses for David Russell, Roland Dyens, David Tanenbaum, and William Kanengiser, and studied privately with Marc Teicholz. He has performed in Maui, New Haven, Berkeley, and Santa Cruz.
Performances include the Santa Cruz Baroque Festival, performing works of John Dowland with noted tenor Brian Staufenbiel, and in duo with Marc Teicholz at the 50th anniversary of the College Preparatory School in Oakland, CA.
Rob has been teaching privately since 2003. From 2006-2009 Rob apprenticed with Frank Longay at the Longay Conservatory of Guitar.
Rob is known as a player of technical ability, deep tone, and musicality. As a teacher, he is extremely devoted to his students, professional, enthusiastic, and focused. He loves the guitar deeply, and is a lifelong devotee to the art of teaching. Rob is trained through Book 4 of the Suzuki Method for Guitar.
Patrick O’Connell
While still a student at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Patrick O’Connell began his professional performing carer with a solo appearance at Carnegie Hall. Upon graduating with a Masters degree, he joined the San Francisco Guitar Quartet with whom he has recorded an album entitled “Chasing Light” which features many new works dedicated to the ensemble as well as Patrick’s own arrangements. He has been a featured performer with the SFGQ in numerous festivals and concert series around the country, and internationally. Notable performances include La Guitarra California festival in San Luis Obispo, the San Francisco Jazz Festival, Dresdner Gitarrenfest in Germany, Second Sundays Classical Guitar Concert Series in New York City, the Monadnock Music Festival in New Hampshire, and the Festival of Contemporary Music in San Francisco, California.
In 1998, Patrick entered the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University under merit scholarship. During his undergraduate studies his teachers were renowned guitarist Manuel Barrueco and guitar department chair Ray Chester. He received a Bachelors of Music degree in 2003. In 2004, Patrick attended the San Francisco Conservatory of Music where he was awarded a merit scholarship to study with world famous guitarists David Tanenbaum, Dusan Bogdanovic, and Mark Teicholz. Mr. O’Connell received a Masters of Music degree in 2006. Patrick is a registered Suzuki Guitar instructor.
As a young man, Patrick O’Connell traveled the country participating in master classes held by artists such as Christopher Parkening, Manuel Barrueco, Frank Koonce, Antigoni Goni, Scott Tennant, Aniello Desiderio, and Tilman Hoppstock.
“Simply sensational” – Colin Murdoch, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, President
“An exceptional guitarist! His precision, accuracy, clarity, and control rank with the best I have seen” – Ray Chester, Peabody Conservatory of Music, Guitar Department Chair