Gallatin Guitar Program
Learn the fundamentals and advanced guitar from acclaimed guitarist Craig Hall and his accomplished instructors. Gallatin Guitar Program (GGP) offers guitar lessons designed for children and adults of any age or level. See reviews from GGP students and Check out some recent recitals from GGP.
About Gallatin Guitar Program
Gallatin Guitar Program draws on decades of teaching and professional performing experience to deliver to students a carefully constructed rubric, teaching music fundamentals on guitar. Targeting students from age 6 on up, it is adaptable to adults as well. The curriculum’s individual and ensemble classes are unique and powerful, academic and fun, using by-rote, music reading and by-ear techniques, complete with beginning to advanced web-site play-alongs. Beginning with American folk music, students gradually enter classical guitar studies, then into jazz, rock and more. The program draws on in-house written books and the best available published material. Not a school-of-rock approach, the program meshes well with school band programs, preparing young students for success with band instruments or other ensembles.
Gallatin Guitar Program aims to fill a void being created by the loss of a centuries-long era in which there was a piano in most households. The guitar can play a large part in maintaining the fundamental roll piano lessons have played in shaping and sharpening minds and expanding horizons.
Learn Guitar at any age…
A Message From Craig Hall
Hi guys, I am a Bozeman “mostly jazz” guitarist and have teamed up with other mountain state musicians on nearly 80 recordings and tours of America, Eastern Europe, Japan and Australia. My most fun projects have included stints with Eden Atwood, Jeni Fleming, Montana Mandolin Society, Springhill, String Jumpers, Craig Hall Trio and many others as well as side manning for numerous jazz stars crossing the region. I’m WAY into teaching youngsters these days and am designing a comprehensive rubric for young guitarists, centered around classical guitar. With Lori Orrell (formerly Lori Marx) and Aaron Banfield I am teaching a large crop of young guitarists. An avid hiker/peak bagger, I’m striving to avoid getting too fat and lazy to proceed.
Meet the Instructors
Craig Hall
craig@gallatinguitarprogram.com
Guitarist and upright bassist Craig Hall carved a professional musical niche out of the isolated Rocky Mountain landscape beginning in the 80’s. After graduating from Montana State University music program with highest honors, where he studied classical guitar with Christopher Parkening and jazz theory with Fred Raulston, Craig took to the highways of Montana, Wyoming and beyond to play countless jazz gigs with a small, determined cluster of fellow rural, mostly-jazzists, eventually teaming up with regional players for tours covering most of the lower 48, Alaska, Hawaii, then gigs in Canada, Australia, Romania, The Czech Republic and Japan.
Lori Orrell
lori@gallatinguitarprogram.com
Lori grew up in Belgrade Montana and has been playing guitar for over 12 years. She discovered her love for music very young and was able to study classical guitar under our very own Craig Hall who she has now been teaching under for 2 years. While she dabbled in Jazz in the highschool band, her true guitar passion is classical music. Currently studying Elementary education at Montana State University, Lori loves that she is able to combine her passion for teaching with her love of music!
Aaron Banfield
aaron@gallatinguitarprogram.com
Raised in the foothills of Bozeman Aaron began playing piano in the 2nd grade. In 8th grade his father brought him back a nylon guitar from Mexico. He got an electric guitar shortly after and played in the jazz band at Bozeman High School. After graduation he majored in Jazz Performance at Portland State University. Upon graduation he moved back to Bozeman and has played in multiple local bands on both guitar and bass. He began teaching guitar in the fall of 2023 and hopes to share the joy he finds in playing music with his students.