There are certain cities that are virtually synonymous with particular industries. For example: Detroit has its automobiles, Hollywood its films and TV, Las Vegas is known for its casinos, Paris its fashions, St. Louis for beer, and so on. Of course, Nashville is known for music. Nashville can be listed with Los Angeles and New York as a trio of musical Meccas in North America. Although an aspiring musician can attract attention and experience in his/her hometown, the big deals are usually brokered in one of the "big three" entertainment cities. A practical "real life" education in the dynamics and politics of the music industry can be gotten, to a point, by simply living in a place like Nashville. That fact alone may be sufficient for those who want to be "stars".

But what does life in Nashville hold for a serious music student wielding say, a nylon string guitar? Nashville has an illustrious history of nylon-string proponents: Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed, Lenny Breau, and Tommy Jones to name a few. Likewise, today Music City also hosts a vibrant community and complex network of nylon-string instructors and players. Nashville is an excellent place for nylon-string players who want to continue serious musical study while gaining some of the "street smarts" and marketing savvy that can make a professional difference.

My decision to move to Nashville was made after considering the advice of many respected friends, mentors and colleagues. Some of the more caustic comments were along the lines of, "Don't they play classical guitars with a pick in Nashville?" Others simply urged me to "Go for it!" I came to the conclusion that what I had been doing for years was making me a bit soft. Before moving to Nashville, I had a cushy resort gig and more students than I could handle. I was playing for lots of people at the resort who were very appreciative of my originals and arrangements and were personally encouraging to me. Some of the guests were even music business people on vacation. Inevitably, they would leave, and I would likely never see them again.

Under those circumstances, I had very few opportunities to establish relationships with professionals in the music business, especially those who could help get the sound of my music out to more listeners. I had reached a point where I had completed a formal musical education and had been paying my performing and teaching "dues" for many years. What was the next step? What I wanted to know more about was the actual business of music. That sort of practical education was best obtained, I decided, by first-hand observation and by making some new friends in Nashville.

Once I had arrived in Nashville, some obvious stereotypes became predictably noticeable. There were big talkers who knew the right people, but knew very little about music. There were (and are) amazing talents that go unnoticed for various reasons and others who seem to do well just by sheer luck. Nashville also has no shortage of bars, studios, songwriters, singers, publishing companies, tour buses and whatever else you might expect. What was somewhat surprising to me, however, was the wealth of opportunity for a nylon-string player who wished to further his/her musical education in a "real life" music business setting. In the next few paragraphs, I'll offer some personal observations and explore the educational possibilities available to a nylon-string player looking to relocate to Nashville.

Like most musicians who come to Music City, my primary intention was to get the proverbial "big break". I would do that, I surmised, by performing for important people and doing recording sessions for important people. Although that has certainly happened to greater and lesser degrees, my teaching reputation and experience have often been my professional sustenance. You may have heard the saying - "Those who can, do; those who can't, teach". I have my own variation of that expression - "Those who can't teach, don't". Most musicians, whether they are great performers or not, find themselves teaching at some point in their careers rather than face supplementing their musical income with a dreaded "real job".

Consequently, with my idealized intentions toward Nashville in the periphery, it was good news to me 1999 when Dr. William Yelverton asked me to assist him with the teaching load at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). Now after nearly six years of teaching private and class guitar at MTSU, I have come to appreciate the unique experience that students get when studying music near an international music hub.

The school offers a major in guitar performance as well as many courses related to the music and recording industries. In fact, a student who wants to major in one area may minor in another area. For example, if I were to do it all over again, I would likely have majored in music and minored in recording technology.

The guitar performance major at MTSU emphasizes the classical guitar as an instrument with its accompanying repertoire. New students are not always receptive to the idea of studying primarily classical guitar. Others expect nothing but classical guitar. Still others don't even know what defines a classical guitar when they apply for admission. Of course, college should be about expanding a person's knowledge base. Students who are open to learning new information usually find the study of classical guitar to be rewarding.

Perhaps the most valuable benefit of studying the classic guitar is the potential for transferring this knowledge into creative and practical applications - composing and arranging for example. Truly, if a creative nylon-string or fingerstyle player enters into the study of classical guitar even without the slightest intention of becoming a "concert classical guitarist" he/she may find themselves a giant leap closer to becoming an artist in whatever style.

That said, I have personally seen students who entered the guitar program at MTSU not knowing anything about the classic guitar, unable (or practically so) to read music, and graduate four years later as concert classic guitarists. To be sure, this phenomenon is very rare. When it does occur it is usually a case of a student who has already been playing some style of guitar for many years before coming to college. The more common scenario is of a student who studies classical guitar for four years and goes on to become a professional musician in some capacity, for example- in a rock band, as a jazz or fingerstyle soloist, session player etc. The actual curriculum at MTSU may vary slightly according to a particular student's major. Guitar Performance majors, especially those who are more interested in traditional classical repertoire, will typically study with Dr. Yelverton. MTSU has graduated several successful competition winners who were the students of Dr. Yelverton. Those whose primary instrument is the guitar usually gravitate in my direction. For information about MTSU's program visit: www.mtsu.edu/~yelverto/

Another college where I have enjoyed my experience as a teacher is Austin Peay State University (APSU located about 50 miles north of Nashville. The guitar department is chaired by Mel Bay's own Dr. Stanley Yates. Dr. Yates' program also focuses on classical guitar study with exceptional training in note reading. Even at 50 miles away, the proximity of APSU to Music City is such that students frequently make important contacts with the music business community. Like Dr. Yelverton, Dr. Yates' students have also enjoyed honors as competitors and success as instructors. Dr. Yates himself maintains an active performing and publishing schedule. Many of the same observations about study of classical guitar at MTSU can be made of APSU. Being state-funded schools, both APSU and MTSU are priced reasonably by higher education standards. Further info about Austin Peay State University can be found at:
www.apsu.edu/yatess/academic/apsuguitar/index.html

Two other Middle Tennessee colleges feature classical guitar studies from somewhat different perspectives. Belmont University has a fine reputation as a school for commercial music. The guitar studies department at Belmont has been headed by veteran fingerstylist John Pell for many years. Mr. Pell is well respected in Nashville and enjoys a busy gigging schedule along with his teaching load.

Belmont has a growing enrollment and enjoys some excellent ancillary features. Perhaps the most pertinent feature to our topic is Belmont's strategic location. Belmont is situated only a few blocks away from Nashville's famous Music Row. The proximity to Music Row enables students to familiarize themselves with some of the landmarks of the music business and allows resourceful performers a chance to play for record company heavies. Although not particularly known for turning out concert classical players, Belmont has a long list of graduates who have gone on to fame in the commercial and popular music world. Prospective students can visit www.belmont.edu/music/ for more details.

Finally, Vanderbilt University's Blair School of Music allows students a chance to study classical guitar in the heart of Nashville. Blair's guitar program is headed by long-time Nashville classical guitarist and Peabody School of Music graduate John Johns. Blair offers a world-class music faculty that includes the bassist and composer Edgar Meyer. There are undoubtedly other programs in and around Nashville that allow students to study classical guitar in at least an elective capacity. For those who wish to increase their knowledge of fingerstyle or classical guitar less formally either by lessons, workshops or simply by observation should be aware that well-known nylon-strong players such as John Knowles, Muriel Anderson, Richard Smith, Bill Piburn and countless others are based in Nashville.

Although a student of the nylon-string guitar can find collegiate guitar programs in nearly every region of the U.S., Nashville is of particular interest to guitarists who are aware that music is an industry as well as an art. Few places offer such academic choices in tandem with professional opportunities. Although one can argue that L.A. or New York may rank higher in importance in the music and entertainment industries, those two cities can be daunting from economical and quality of life standpoints -especially for a young musician. By contrast, Nashville is not a particularly inexpensive place to live, but it certainly is more manageable than the two coastal giants. In addition, I know of no other place that has more fine musicians per capita than Nashville.

Coming to Nashville is also an excellent idea for musicians who don't know exactly what direction to take with their music. Some who come here as guitarists are eventually drawn to songwriting, publishing, or even administrative work with music-related organizations. Music City is a place where a young musician can find many kindred spirits to support the dream and often the reality of establishing a life in music.