Guitar Lessons with Riley S.

Riley S. is an experienced and passionate guitar educator currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Music Performance at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, with a minor in Arts Administration. He brings nearly a decade of teaching experience across a variety of educational settings, from university classrooms to public schools and private studios.

As a Teaching Assistant at UW–Madison, Riley leads multiple sections of MUSIC297 under the guidance of Professor Javier Calderon. Prior to this, he served as a full-time classical guitar teacher at Carver Elementary and Arts Magnet School in Montgomery, AL, where he taught grades 2 through 5. Riley also held a Graduate Assistantship at Columbus State University's Schwob School of Music, studying under Dr. Andrew Zohn.

He earned his Master’s degree from Columbus State University and his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music Performance from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, where he also supported beginning guitar classes as a TA.

In addition to his academic work, Riley maintains a thriving private studio. His teaching philosophy emphasizes technical foundation, musical expression, and lifelong learning.