Diego Retana

I'm Diego, a professional guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, and music educator based in New York City. Over the past decade I've performed at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Birdland, and on stages across the country — and I bring that real-world experience directly into every lesson.

My teaching is repertoire-driven and ear-focused. Rather than working through exercises in isolation, we dig into music you actually want to play, building technique, fretboard fluency, harmony, and rhythm in context. I want you to sound like a musician from day one, not just someone running drills.

I teach guitar (electric, acoustic, and classical), bass, ukulele, mandolin, and Irish/tenor banjo — and I work with students of all ages and experience levels. Whether you're just starting out or you're an intermediate player looking to break through a plateau, I'll meet you where you are and build a path that fits your goals.

I'm also bilingual in English and Spanish, so if you're more comfortable in Spanish, we can work that way too.