Guitar Faculty

Based out of Greater Boston, Guitarist Steve Marchena was raised by a musical family and has been a full-time professional musician and music educator for over thirty years. His life-long dedication to the unabridged historical body of guitar technique has culminated in world-class omnistyle command of the instrument, with specialization in Classical, Rock, Gypsy Jazz, and Delta Blues styles. Having spent over three decades assimilating the respective technical and musical languages of such greats as Robert Johnson, Andres Segovia, Django Reinhardt, Jeff Beck, and Eddie Van Halen, Steve combines these styles into his own quirky and hypnotic musical language.
After graduating from Berklee College of Music in 2000 as a Performance Major, Steve became a founding member of The Back Bay Guitar Trio. He has since toured Europe and North America, with 29 album credits to his name. Steve is currently teaching at The Ivy Music Academy in Norfolk, and recently completed The Interdisciplinary Music Studies Degree Program through Berklee Online, while recording and performing new music with Hypaspace and Hot Club de Boston.
He also performs and records with other artists in the studio, on the concert stage, and in the orchestra pit, including touring as a sideman with Tim Janis, Valerie Sneade, and The Alien Blakkk.
In 2004, Steve won the Northeast Regional Finals of Guitar Center`s National Guitar Competition.
In 2007 and 2008, he taught at Berklee College of Music during Summer Guitar Sessions.
In 2014, he received The Outstanding Arts Instructor Award from Bentley University in Waltham, MA.
In 2019, Steve performed as featured soloist with The Boston Modern Orchestra Project, The Cape Cod Symphony, and The Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra.
Steve is an Ortega Guitars Artist.
www.stevemarchena.com

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COOPER HYDE is a Guitarist, Trumpet Player, Pianist, Composer/Arranger, and Music Producer from Northern New Jersey. He is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music with a degree in Contemporary Writing and Production. Cooper strives to inspire his students to achieve greatness in music by being actively involved in the industry himself. Aside from teaching, Cooper works as a composer for film and television and does arranging and production for recording artists. He writes, records, and produces music in a wide range of genres spanning from EDM to Orchestral music. Cooper`s overall approach to music is very personal, and he wants to extend the same personal approach to music to his students.
Cooper has 10 years of teaching experience, including work as a Core Music Tutor while studying at the Berklee College of Music. He is a certified Master Tutor by the College Reading and Learning Association and has a deep knowledge of music theory, composition, and music production techniques. He also has experience conducting summer music programs with kids ranging from ages 7-14.
As a guitarist, Cooper has studied with industry professionals with success in Jazz, Rock, Blues, and Pop styles. His main influences include Jimi Hendrix, Gary Moore, Jeff Beck, and John Mayer. He has written and recorded original music for commercial release and has been featured on several other commercially released records as a session guitarist.
As a Trumpet player, Cooper was trained classically by Montclair State Brass Department head Charles Bumcrot. Since high school, Cooper has played Trumpet on three commercially released records and toured with an Indie-Rock group in the Northwest US. His performance experience ranges from small concert halls to Metlife Stadium as the brass captain of a nationally ranked marching band.
Cooper has been playing Piano since he was 7 years old and specializes in contemporary styles including knowledge of electric piano and synthesizer techniques. Professionally he plays keyboards on his own recorded works for Film/TV. With his piano students, Cooper strives to build a strong technical foundation with a focus on good technique and reading grand staff notation.
Cooper`s love for music drives him to endlessly strive for continuous improvement. His well-rounded approach is an invitation for students to come and study music the way they want to, and find the fun in the hours of hard work. Music is driven by inspiration, and Cooper believes every student can learn to play their instrument by pursuing the music that inspires them. 

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ERIC CHRISTENSEN has taught and performed professionally on guitar for over twenty years. He is proficient in a variety of styles including classical, metal, jazz, rock and musicals. Primarily a classical guitarist, he has performed throughout the country and in a variety of settings. He has performed live on National Public Radio (NPR) in Palm Beach, Florida. Eric gives master classes and chamber music coachings to area high schools and special presentations to elementary schools throughout the country. He has directed and adjudicated the Rhode Island All-State Guitar Ensembles. As a jazz guitarist he has played many gigs as part of a combo or a big band and has played for several Broadway style musicals in many states. He has recorded CDs with such ensembles as Enigmatica and the Providence Mandolin Orchestra.
Eric received his B.M. from Lawrence University, his M.M. from Yale University School of Music, and his G.D. from the New England Conservatory. He studied guitar with Michael Nicolella, Benjamin Verdery, Robert Paul Sullivan, and Eliot Fisk. He currently teaches guitar at Rhode Island College, Roger Williams University, Lifelong Learning Academy, and Ensemble Music School.