There are plenty of guitar players that call themselves instructors but few that rise to the level of a great teacher. Carlo Basile at Sonata School is one of them. I spent a long time looking for and trying different guitar teachers. I don't know if it was luck or my tireless search but I could have not wished for a better guitar instructor and mentor than Carlo. He is not only a teacher but also an amazing performer and composer not to mention a great guy. I initially heard about Diego and the Sonata School and wanted to take classes with Diego but since he was not available he suggested for me to start with Carlo. I am glad he did; first of all, Carlo is not only an amazing guitar player but he also has a rich musical background grounded in classical music and flamenco with various other ethnic influences. He is a well-rounded musician, passionate about the music he plays as much as the music he teaches. He offers a combination of classical theory with flamenco techniques; the optimal combination for me. Carlo also take genuine interest in me and in what I want to learn. He meets me at my level, never pushing and always supporting, encouraging and inspiring. Just a few months into classes and I can already play Villa Lobos and some pretty advanced flamenco techniques. I will learn as long as he wants to teach. And that says it all. read more

To be brief, Diego gets our highest recommendation if you are looking for a classical/Spanish guitar engagement. My wife and I had wanted something different in terms of music at our wedding. We are both decent amateur musicians and also some of our guests had graduate degrees in music performance so it was important that who we hired had a level of proficiency in their craft. After listening to a couple dozen guitarists online, I thought Spanish Guitar Chicago would fit the bill and reached out to them. Despite being abroad, Diego responded within a day and we set up a meeting. From the initial meeting through each correspondence and finally concluding with the wedding, Diego was a delight and very professional - so easy to work with. He gave polite suggestions as needed throughout the planning process. At the wedding he gave us zero worries on a day when there is so much that could be worried about. His playing was fabulous as my wife and I were given many kudos throughout the evening for our selection - it gave our wedding an added level of uniqueness and class. Diego reads the crowd and blends seamlessly, always present but never overwhelming in his playing. Honestly, after listening to all his recordings on-line, much of his best repotoire is not recorded. Thanks Diego! Mark & Mary read more

I am a lifelong treasure hunter and Diego is absolutely pure gold! I have a lot of experience working with amazing instructors, other fantastic guitar teachers, professors of complex mathematical subjects, art, dance, and business mentors ... there are people who can take what seems years muddling along trying to convey a subject's essentials ... then, those that can effortlessly reveal the secrets of the universe in only brief moments, and Diego is one these priceless sages! Aside from being an accomplished professional Flamenco musician with a pedigree reaching back to Spain - he has a high degree of compositional acumen, some AB-SO-LUTE-LY filthy chops, dynamics, techniques and BOOM! rhythmic punch. He is alert and attentive, patient, prompt and focused on honing in on relevant curriculum. I learned the basic vocabulary of Flamenco: Golpe, Picado, Rasgueado, Tremolo, and Alzapua in vastly less time than I could have imagined. Why? Maybe because he is an expert in the psychology of skill acquisition. The only con I can say is that he may be undercharging for his valuable expertise... so Shhhh ... (I should try to lock in and grandfather my rates now! ) Diego is the real deal. A true gem! If your are looking for a invaluable guitar teacher - Do not miss out! read more

My husband and I hired Diego for the cocktail our at our wedding reception this last past July and he was amazing. During the planning process Diego was very informative, organized and left no question unanswered. He even provided YouTube videos of him playing and they were unbelievable. A true professional. He arrived at our wedding with plenty of time to set up and gave us a 15 minute buffer of playing time just in case cocktail hour ran a bit late. My dad who is also a guitarist was even asking him questions and observing his technique and informed me after the event that he was very impressed and that Diego was "the real deal". Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to talk to him but my husband did go up to him after he got done playing. My husband thanked him for playing and they began talking. As it turned out, Diego trained in Seville which is where we were going on our honeymoon. He immediately offered to give us some tips on places to go eat and visit, which we took advantage of and his suggestions were great! Thank you Diego for making our day so special and for helping us on our honeymoon. Diego is a MUST hire! read more

My wife and I had Diego and Patty perform for our wedding ceremony and cocktail hour. We could not have asked for more! We met with Diego a few months before and he made us feel at ease right away. After that, we had several requests which we corresponded about in email and he was quick to accommodate everything. Diego and Patty even learned a song that we asked for that was not in their repertoire that we wanted in our ceremony. They arrived 30 minutes early, promptly set up, and started playing upbeat Spanish guitar tunes. In the cocktail hour, they played a lot of American Classic and classic rock and pop songs. At the end of the cocktail hour, it was time for them to pack up and leave but they stayed an extra 20 minutes or so to play during the introduction of bridal party, groomsmen, and us. We didn't ask for that. It was a super nice bonus. Many of our guests complimented their performance. If you want to have an expert Spanish guitar player, and a singer with beautiful voice to make your ceremony/cocktail hour sound perfect, look no further. Thanks Diego and Patty! read more

Diego Alonso has been my classical guitar instructor for roughly the last year and a half. By far, he's one of the best instructors I've ever had - regardless of the field or setting. He takes a genuine interest in my advancement and is always checking to make sure I understand his instructions fully. He's more than willing to alter lesson plans if I have questions or concerns in any given areas. A large part of my focus is on fundamental techniques. He always has me building and improving while still pushing me to achieve more. It seems just as important to him as it is to me that I also have fun in the process. As an on again off again guitar player for over 30 years, he's adjusted the material and his approach to always keep me challenged (but not so much that I get disheartened). That, I've learned over the years, is one of the most difficult balancing acts for any teacher. Whether you're serious about playing, or just want to learn enough to have fun, you won't be disappointed. I can't recommend Diego and the Sonanta School highly enough. read more

My guests raved about Diego when he played recently played for my wedding ceremony and reception. I was looking for something unique and beautiful to set the atmosphere. Once I got the idea of perhaps a guitarist, my wedding planner lead me to Diego. I am so glad she did. To have some sense of what was good and what was great in a guitarist, I listened to a lot of professionals online....there was no comparison, what Diego does is heads and shoulders above the rest!!! I contacted him, he was professional, easy to find, responsible, kind, inspiring of confidence and willing to help. He was even willing to learn pieces if that was important, but his repertoire is expansive enough to provide what is needed. He is simply amazing and he made me feel beautiful in the music and exquisitely set the tone for the wedding. read more

I've had the pleasure of studying with Diego for a couple of years. He is a fantastic teacher and musician. He is incredibly encouraging, patient, and flexible in his approach; and he has a bottomless bag of practice techniques to master difficult passages. His interest in the psychology of learning adds dimensions to his teaching that I had not experienced with any other instructor (I have a music performance degree on another instrument in a conservatory setting) - this is a subject I find fascinating and he has shared with me many interesting articles from his own research. Diego encourages me to make sure that whatever I play is musical, not just technically correct. Diego is absolutely the best - I cannot recommend him more enthusiastically. read more

Diego, along with additional guitarist and percussionist, played for my formal 50th birthday party for a group of about 65 people. I was thrilled with the results. I provided a list of songs/genres prior to the event, expressed an interest in setting a festive, happy tone at the event, and Diego nailed it! Throughout the evening, Diego was constantly checking my facial expressions to get feedback. I absolutely loved the music: included standard famous Latin boleros, fun Caribbean folk music, and even Hotel California. As long as you are a good client in expressing your preferences, Diego will likely exceed your expectations. Super talented musician, flexible businessman, and just a decent human being! read more

Thank you, thank you to Spanish Guitar Chicago!! We had the opportunity to have Diego, Carlo and Chihsuan play during our daughter's cocktail hour at her wedding reception and could not have been happier. Diego was attentive, professional and responded to all of our inquiries leading up to the day's events. The feedback we have received has been very, very positive. Everyone truly enjoyed the rhythmic sounds and beautiful atmosphere they created. We are so happy and appreciative of the time and effort they took to make our daughter's wedding so special. I highly recommend Spanish Guitar Chicago to anyone looking for a professional group of musicians who know their craft and promise to deliver. AD read more

The Art of Teaching! I have had Diego Alonzo as a teacher for a few months now, and while it is a relatively short period of time, its very clear that I have lucked upon an exceptional teacher! Diego not only is able to nurture my continued interest in music, but also learning in general due to his studied approach and comprehension of what it takes to confer knowledge upon another individual. From the moment you begin, you'll recognize you have a unique teacher when he starts you off with his recommended reading list and reference materials - and discusses with you his understanding and approach to teaching. I am always comfortable, welcomed and encouraged - and always look forward to my next lesson! read more

I was planning a Spanish themed surprise birthday party for my husband. I thought it would be so cool to have someone play Spanish guitar at the party. Not knowing where to begin I Googled "Spanish guitar Chicago" and found Diego! He responded quickly to my request and answered all of my questions. I was able to hear and see some of his past performances on YouTube. I never considered looking for anyone else, he made it so easy to book and pay him. He plays so beautifully. We enjoyed his music so much, we extended his playing time at the party. I hope to be able to hear him play again soon. Thank you Diego for making our party extra special. read more

Diego was recommended to me from a friend who had him perform at her wedding! I remembered loving the performance at her wedding so I hired Diego for an office party and couldn't be happier with the decision!!! Scheduling was easy and Diego was very prompt with emails. He came early while we were still working and set up quietly without disturbing anyone. His performance was beautiful and a hit with everyone! He is such a skilled and talented musician! I am a huge fan of Spanish guitar and Diego's guitar was the perfect addition to our office party! I hope to use Spanish Guitar Chicago again for our office party needs! Muchas gracias Diego! read more

My wife and I hired Diego for our summer solstice party this past weekend. WOW, I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF TALENT THIS PERSON HAS!! I thoroughly enjoyed working with Spanish Guitar Chicago. Diego provided the most amazing atmosphere for my party and my guests loved his playing, energy and passion, it seriously felt like we were transported back to Barcelona!! Diego was also super professional and made working with him very easy. I know people from my party definitely plan to use Spanish Guitar Chicago in the future, and I plan to again as well. Thank you Diego!! Ashley and Karolina read more

Diego is WONDERFUL! We hired him to play at our event at the Waldorf Astoria and he was great! We actually found him online and listen to some of his samples and really liked them so we took a chance and reached out to him. He was actually booked for an event earlier in the day but said he would be done in time to come to ours. He did his due-diligence and connected with our planner at the hotel and set up his equipment so that all he had to do was sit down and begin playing. Everyone really enjoyed his music. I would highly recommend Diego...we wouldn't hesitate hiring him again. read more

We were fortunate to engage Diego Alonso for an evening of classical guitar at our home for a private party. He arrived promptly and set up inconspicuously. He provided two hours of beautiful music including one hour accompanying a wonderful flamenco dancer. On behalf of all 80 of our guests, five stars were definitely earned for enhancing our evening and providing a very special touch to the gathering. Diego is highly recommendable! As an added touch, he bravely allowed me to sing some songs with his accompaniment for our guests. Top-notch service! read more

Our Elementary school hired Diego and his Spanish Guitar & Dance Trio for a performance to help us promote diversity and culture with in our school. The performance was engaging and educational for the students. They gave the kids the opportunity to learn about the instruments and dance routines. The students had so much fun! During the planning process, Diego was accommodating and extremely organized. He is dependable and courteous. It was a true pleasure having him and his group collaborate with us and we look forward to having them back! read more

Diego has been my guitar mentor for 8 months. I am very impressed by his patient and enthusiasm for teaching and playing guitar. I am also impressed by the result I get from the lessons. We worked on the Bach prelude D which is a quite sophisticated piece to my level. He showed me how to play it note by note at first, and then explained to me about the underlying structure of this piece and all the related techniques and nuances. I couldn't be more happy about the result and definitely recommend him as a very competent guitar instructor. read more

I appreciate Diego's teaching and how he is able to catch the subtle things I am doing wrong over a web cam no less. His pedagogy sets a high standard for playing, but the lessons progress naturally and logically. As a teacher, Diego is very patient while encouraging me and knowing when the teaching pace should pick up or slow down. This makes his teaching very efficient while ensuring strong fundamentals. I look forward to many more years of instruction by Diego and am happy to have found such a knowledgeable and skillful maestro. read more