Highest Quality Instruction on Guitar, Bass, Piano, Drums, and Strings!
In Our Studio & Online!
(516) 697-9522
LBGuitarSchool@gmail.com
68 W Park Avenue, suite 2
Long Beach, New York 11561
Alex Rubin: Teacher/Founder
Alex Rubin, born in Queens in 1983, grew up in Long Beach, NY. At the age of 7, he was given a nylon string guitar, and a method book by his guitarist father. He took to practicing often, and when he entered middle school, he joined the school’s stage band, where he doubled on guitar and trombone. Throughout middle school and high school, Alex took every musical opportunity that both of the schools could offer. He played in the band, orchestra, stage band, pit band, dixieland band, chorus, and participated in every high school musical that was offered. Upon graduating high school, Alex was accepted to The Crane School of Music, In SUNY Potsdam, where he eventually received a bachelors of music in classical guitar performance. During college, Alex performed as a soloist, in numerous duo ensembles, as well as in The Crane Guitar Quartet, where he and his group won first place in the Crane Chamber music competition. As a constant companion to musical studies in academia, Alex always enjoyed playing in bands, and writing songs. He has written music for various web series and musical productions, and continues to collaborate in multi media productions with film makers. Alex started teaching while still in high school, and continued teaching private lessons while in college. Once he graduated from Crane in 2006, he became a full time guitar teacher during the day, and professional musician at night. From 2008 to 2017, Alex was employed by NYC Guitar School, where he taught private lessons and group classes, with a specialization in classical guitar, and rock band coaching.
Joe Nagel: Teacher
Joe Nagel was raised by a music-loving family right here in Long Beach. His musical education began on the saxophone and he developed a keen interest in many styles of music including jazz, classical, blues, hip hop, rock n’ roll, bluegrass, and world music. The guitar became his preferred instrument in high school when he played in local bands and began writing his own music. In college, he studied composition and music theory which helped elucidate the aspects that make all of these genres uniquely wonderful. He was particularly lucky to study West African music under the tutelage of Ghanaian drum master, Sowah Mensah. Joe loves sharing all of the knowledge he has gleaned over the years and encourages all of his students to discover what they are especially passionate about.
David Nagel: Teacher
David has been eating, sleeping, and breathing (not to mention playing) music since a Beatles compilation CD blew his mind at the tender age of nine. Demanding a guitar for his next birthday, he spent the next ten years devouring the canon of classic rock and pop music and writing songs every day after school. At the University of Chicago, classes in music theory, history, composition and improvisation helped expand his musical obsession to everything from Classical to Delta blues. Yearning to dive deeper into all the intricacies of harmony and melody, David spent many a night bent over the mini-Steinway grand in his dorm’s recreation room, communing with the spirit of Beethoven and embarking on a new quest: to master the piano. Now, with 15 years experience under his belt, he is excited to help students explore their musical passions through a holistic approach to the instrument; harnessing both technique and theory as well as exploring key concepts in sight-reading, ear-training, improvisation, composition and playing with confidence and expressivity.
Julian Eichholz: Teacher
Julian Eichholz developed a passion for music during his first guitar lesson at the age of ten. After a few years of learning all his favorite classic rock songs, he grew an interest in learning about other styles of music. During his teenage years, Julian started lessons in solo classical guitar and became involved in jazz bands, orchestras, choirs, wind ensembles, and indie rock groups. As an upright bassist, he has performed twice at Carnegie Hall with symphony orchestras and has played in Cienfuegos, Cuba and New York City with the Crane Latin Ensemble. Julian graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Crane School of Music in 2019 at SUNY Potsdam with a BM in Guitar Performance and Music Business. After graduation, Julian moved to Sydney, Australia where he taught private lessons in guitar and ukulele. Working abroad with students of different ages and backgrounds has driven him to dedicate his life toward creating passionate musicians and guiding them toward their fullest potential. Now he is studying Music Education at the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College to become a full-time music teacher. Julian has taken guitar lessons with Eric Slone, Daniel Keene, Rene Izquierdo, William Zito, Kageki Nagao, Stephen Mattingly, James Day, Kenneth Meyer, Jason Vieaux, and Douglas Rubio.
Keith Wildstein: Teacher
Keith Wildstein began taking guitar lessons at the age of 11. He was inspired by the electric guitar, and began to develop a passion for Rock and Blues. As he got older he took music theory classes in high school and began writing songs on guitar. In College he formed a band and started playing shows around the city of Charleston, South Carolina. After releasing two albums and playing gigs in the surrounding cities, Keith returned home to Long Island and is currently working toward a Masters degree in Music Education at Queens College.
Tom Clancy: Teacher (Drums/Percussion)
Tom grew up in Queens, in a home where music was always playing…loudly. From blues to heavy metal, folk to funk, the stereo was always glowing while mom and dad often played guitar and sang along with the music.
Tom began playing drums while in high school at age 16- much to the dismay of his neighbors in his apartment building. Thankfully, after a few months of drum lessons with an excellent teacher, the complaints died down (or maybe the neighbors moved out).
Tom continued his music education at the Aaron Copland school of Music at Queens College, earning a degree in History. Since then he has arranged, recorded, and toured with many bands over the course of a fairly active 20+ year musical career, before taking a break from rock-and-roll to raise his family here in Long Beach.
Now a Social Studies teacher for the New York City public school system, Tom gets to spend his days teaching students about his other major love (History), while working nights/weekends/summers inspiring and educating students at the Long Beach Guitar School about the importance of time and the power of the beat.
Claire Ezratty: Teacher (Guitar/Bass/Cello)
Claire grew up in Long Beach and was given her first guitar at 8 years old. She quickly developed a passion for music, especially in learning how to play songs and solos of classic rock, blues and pop styles. Inspired by her older sister’s viola playing, she additionally took up the cello in the 4th grade and became an active orchestra member in and out of school. She reached for more and more musical opportunities as she progressed through grade school, playing guitar and cello in jam/band groups, jazz ensemble, pit orchestras, chamber orchestras, symphony orchestras, and youth orchestra programs. Claire earned a degree in Music Education at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam with concentrations in both cello and classical guitar. There, she performed in a string quartet, cello quintet, various guitar duos, and as principal cellist of the Crane Symphony Orchestra. Claire has given private guitar lessons since 2016 and later entered the orchestral teaching scene with the National String Project in Potsdam, NY. Following her student teaching experience in the Herricks School District, Claire plans to be a music teacher in the public school system.
Alan Pearson: Teacher
Alan Pearson
Alan has been playing guitar since 1989. He received a B.A. in music from Five Towns College in New York in 2000. Alan has studied many different styles over the years including rock, jazz, blues and classical. For over 20 years he has been a featured performer in live as well as studio settings. Since 1998 Alan has been teaching all over the New York area and has also taught for 2 years in Raleigh NC. He performs regularly in various musical settings from solo acoustic to full electric ensembles.
"I believe lessons should be tailored to the goals of the student. Each student is different so the lessons should reflect that."
James Madigan: Teacher
James Madigan is a multi-instrumentalist that has been playing music since he was 14, starting with guitar and later picking up the bass, drums, and keyboard. He graduated with a Bachelor's in Music Education from C.W. Post in 2010. James has been teaching music to others for over a decade. His goal is to help his students find the same passion for music that he has through personally tailored lessons.
Anthony Chiofalo: Teacher
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Anthony Chiofalo is a guitarist, singer, and songwriter propelled by the unrelenting drive to make uniquely inspiring music. Born with a deep love for the sounds he heard on the radio, his own musical journey began at age 13, when he found a guitar in his grandparents’ basement. Since then, he’s played in a variety of capacities, while composing a diverse collection of original songs.
As one of two frontmen in the progressive heavy rock outfit The Fulcrum, Anthony continues to dive deeper into the depths of what rock music can be. He also releases music as a solo artist, extending his musical range into other genres. Both as a teacher and as an artist, the native New Yorker is focused on using music to perpetuate the joy, peace, and levity which it has afforded him throughout his life.
