Ben Ellis

One of my central goals as a teacher is to help students discover how music can play a meaningful and positive role in their lives.Together we focus on developing not just their strong instrumental skills, but also cultivating their unique musical identities. By creating inclusive and supportive learning environments, I aim to foster artistic growth, build confidence, and inspire a life long appreciation of music.

In lessons, students explore a wide range of styles—from classical and acoustic finger style to blues and rock. Whether we are working on a Bach prelude or studying a 12-bar blues, the focus remains on developing fluency, ease, and expressive playing on the guitar. At the same time, students gain the skills and knowledge needed to perform confidently with others and to approach new music with independence and curiosity. This growth is supported through structured technical development, thoughtful repertoire study, and the development of personalize practice routines.

I bring over a decade of experience in higher education and hold a Master’s degree in Music from Syracuse University. I have served on the faculties of Hobart and William Smith Colleges and Onondaga Community College, where I taught private lessons, chamber ensembles, and classroom-based music courses.

My students have gone on to pursue music at leading institutions such as Syracuse University, SUNY Potsdam, and the Berklee College of Music.