Don Spangler

Don Spangler is an accomplished guitarist, composer, and educator with over 15 years of experience teaching students of all ages and skill levels. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance and is a first-place winner of the New England Classical Guitar Competition.

Beyond teaching, Don has built a distinguished career in the music industry as a composer, songwriter, and sound designer for short- and long-format projects. His work has been featured by major clients including Focus Film, FOX TV, and the Ogilvy advertising agency. As an audio engineer, he has also collaborated with world-renowned artists such as Steely Dan, bringing a deep professional understanding of performance and production to his teaching.

Don’s approach blends classical training with real-world music industry experience. His lessons emphasize both technical mastery and creative expression—helping students not only play music, but truly understand and connect with it.

My teaching style combines what I call “open” (creative) and “closed” (structured) learning, structured skill development, and free creative exploration. Technique and expression evolve in tandem. I view the instrument as a tool for musical conversation, not just a technical challenge to be mastered. My goal is to help students connect with music as an expressive language in a way that is obtainable and grows richer as their technical ability on their instrument deepens.