About Us
Classical Guitar Academy is Derbyshire’s premier classical guitar studio, specialising in the retail of the world’s finest classical guitars.
We also run a highly successful classical guitar school, with pupils coming to us from all over the UK both in person and remotely to enjoy our lessons, workshops and performance classes.
Our History
In the beginning…
Classical Guitar Academy was founded in 2015 by Ed Peczek.
A student of the classical guitar for many years, Ed has been dedicated to the classical guitar since 1997. His passion for the instrument defined his formative years, attending lessons at Stafford Classical Guitar Centre with Adrian Copley and Selina Madeley. This enthusiasm for the classical guitar continued throughout childhood and it was clear from then on that the instrument would be central to his future.
Despite officially being founded in 2015, the idea for the business was formed many years earlier while Ed was studying at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. As one of the UK’s leading music conservatoires, the provision of a superior programme of study was truly inspiring. However as a conservatoire, these classes were only available to students of the institution. Given that the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland only accepted two to three new students per academic year, the reach of this excellent programme seemed very limited.
It was then, the idea for Classical Guitar Academy was born. The concept driving Classical Guitar Academy is the provision of a conservatoire standard programme of study to anyone and everyone who would like access to it.
Classical Guitar Academy came into being during late Spring of 2015. Ed hired a room by the hour at the now defunct ‘Voicebox’ in Derby, teaching private lessons a couple days a week while juggling peripatetic work and other private lessons in Staffordshire. Despite some very long hours and a lot of driving between neighbouring counties, Classical Guitar Academy was starting to gain traction in Derbyshire. As CGA’s reputation grew, so did the business. By 2016, Classical Guitar Academy was in a strong enough position to support its own dedicated studio.
Branching out…
In March 2016, Classical Guitar Academy moved from the Voicebox over to Banks Mill Studios on the edge of Derby city centre.
It was at Banks Mill Studios that Classical Guitar Academy was able to launch its first series of performance classes and workshops, in line with the mission of providing a varied and comprehensive programme of study for all guitarists. This has since been followed up with masterclasses, concerts and the formation of the CGA Guitar Ensemble.
The Retail Business…
In 2018, Classical Guitar Academy opened it’s own Classical Guitar Shop, providing a range of carefully selected classical guitars from all over the world. In line with our vision of providing the very best for our customers, we maintain a carefully curated range of guitars suitable for everyone from complete beginners through to fully fledged professional guitarists.
The retail side has gone from strength to strength since it’s launch, as customers sing our praises and spread the word about the fine selection of guitars we stock. We operate a ‘studio’ not a warehouse. This means each one of our instruments is lovingly cared for and personally undergoes a quality check prior to going on sale.
We invite all customers to book a free retail appointment; a private viewing in which they have the perfect environment in which to try out our guitars.
“Ed is a young man of real integrity who will offer unbiased advice on purchasing a quality instrument. Similarly, he has a natural empathy, and a keen musical insight which are the hallmarks of high quality teaching. I can think of no one better equipped to direct such a centre.”
– Phillip Thorne, MBE
The Latest Chapter…
In 2023 came the decision to leave Banks Mill Studios and set up shop in a brand new, purpose built studio in Allestree; a quiet, leafy suburb nestled on the outskirts of Derby city centre. This move has brought a gentle peace and tranquility to operations at CGA HQ, creating a more serene environment in which to serve our customers.
Our new studio boasts superb acoustics, perfect for guitar lessons and retail appointments. The move also benefits our customers in the form of free on street parking.
Interested in booking a lesson or trying some of our guitars? Get in touch and book an appointment today!