Meet Guitar Instructor John Caterino

My musical journey started with the trumpet in middle school. I loved rock music so I switched to guitar and found a teacher that opened my eyes and ears to a world of music beyond my limited listening habits.

After studying music at Mt. San Antonio College and the Grove School of Music I was fortunate to continue my studies with several notable private teachers. I studied with jazz guitarists Ted Greene, Lenny Breau, Jamie Glaser and Mike Miller. I took classical piano lessons from Dr. Karen Clark and jazz piano lessons form Herb Mickman and Dr. Gayle Serdan.

For over 30 years I’ve performed with many groups in a variety of musical styles. I spent 8 years performing and recording with The Downbeat Express ( an 18 piece jazz orchestra) and 9 years as a member of Live Wire ( an 8 piece rock band ). I’ve performed with many fine musicians such as Max Bennett, Bob Shepard, Jay Migliori, Steve Hufstetter, John Thomas and Bobby Rodriguez.

My teaching career began at the Fret House (a guitar store in Covina Ca.) in 1979 and continued there until 2002 when I decided to work exclusively from my own studio. Over the years I’ve also taught private lessons at a Yamaha school and a class ( Fundamentals Of Rock & Blues Guitar) for Mt. San Antonio College. I am a member of the Music Teachers Association of California, the Jazz Education Network and the International Association of Jazz Educators.

In 1992 I was finding it difficult to get a piano technician to service the pianos at my studio. That led me to get training in piano tuning and repair so that I could do the work myself. I studied with master technician Don Morton ( a past president of the Piano Technicians Guild ) and then joined the Piano Technicians Guild where I received even more training. Since that time my tuning/repair business has grown considerably. I am the piano technician for 5 school districts ( Bonita U.S.D., Glendora U.S.D., Rowland U.S.D., Azusa U.S.D., Upland U.S.D.) , the Covina Center for the Performing Arts, many churches, community centers, teaching / recording studios and hundreds of private customers.