From the Desk is an Austin Classical Guitar (ACG) and GuitarCurriculum.com series that explores the organization through the eyes of the staff members. These articles focus on the staff’s thoughts and motivations, and hopefully provides a chance to get to know the people behind the scenes.

This week’s From the Desk is written by ACG and GuitarCurriculum.com’s Director of Curriculum, Eric Pearson.

A native of western New York, Eric had previously served as Executive Director of the Infinity Performing Arts Program, Inc. and taught at Ithaca College and Cayuga Community College. He is a frequent clinician at state and national meetings for music educators, including conferences hosted by the Texas Music Educators Association, the National Association for Music Educators, and the American String Teachers Association.

It’s an exciting time for GuitarCurriculum.com!

This summer we made some major updates to the website, including a whole new look and layout. We also added over 20 new solos, 10 new recordings, and several pieces submitted by guest composers using our new share music page!

We are always looking for ways to make this resource more robust and easily accessible for your use in the classroom. Just this week, we have begun adding model performance videos to the score landing pages of our ensemble arrangements. Check out this one featuring an ensemble led by our frequent guest clinician, Chuck Hulihan. If you would like to share an outstanding performance of one of the GuitarCurriculum pieces, please reply to this email, or post to the forum with permission to use your clip!

We have also been hosting a series of live webinars on a variety of topics submitted by users and teachers around the world. If there’s a topic you’d like us to cover, or if you would like to join in on the conversation, please reach out and let us know!

In the coming weeks we will be releasing new arrangements of traditional music from Mexico, revised course packets, new elementary materials and even arrangements of Turkish music by our guest composer, Celil Refik Kaya.

Ultimately, this resource is a reflection of what teachers like you have expressed a need for over the years. We thank you for the opportunity to grow in this journey together, and to help serve the developing young musicians in your classroom.

Keep in touch and please share what cool projects are going on in your part of the world!

– Eric Pearson

P.S. We’ll be at the New York State School Music Association conference in Rochester, NY in December. Stop by our booth and say hello if you’re there!