Music, M.M.: Guitar Performance

The Music Department at California State University, Northridge offers graduate studies in classical instrumental performance. The guitar program at CSUN allows for great flexibility in audition repertoire and provides a highly individualized approach for each student based on the student's interest in various guitar performance styles. The instrumental performance graduate degree culminates in a graduate project that consists of 1) a performance of a public recital, 2) an oral examination, and 3) a written scholarly document (abstract or thesis)

For many decades the instrumental music program at CSUN has been focused on a tradition of local, national, and international achievement as one of Southern California’s most significant music schools. Our students become active members of the diverse musical life of Los Angeles and perform as members of many major ensembles and as soloists, both nationally and internationally. 

Our current guitar faculty in the classical and commercial music genres include:

• Dr. Steve Thachuk, Chair of the Guitar Area
• Bryan Fasola

The library at CSUN holds the International Guitar Research Archive (IGRA), one of the largest collections of guitar music and research materials in the world.  This collection, which is the result of the dedication to guitar by Professor Emeritus Purcell, is available as a valuable tool to the serious student of the instrument.

MM audition requirements: for information on the required audition repertoire please visit our Audition & Placement page and select your instrument from the “Audition Areas & Requirements” menu. 

For further information please contact steve.thachuk@csun.edu