Austin, Texas is known for many things: the “Live Music Capital of the World”, its robust BBQ scene, Barton Springs pool, and the list goes on. But some may not know that it is a community deeply rooted in classical guitar, with almost every school in Austin Independent School District offering guitar to young people during the school day as a for-credit performing arts course. However, this was not always the case.
Al TIjerina is one of the first classical guitar directors in AISD and his tenure begins further back than almost anyone else in the city. With some calling him the Godfather of Classical Guitar, his career teaching guitar spans over two decades. Through his teaching, he’s helped shape the way classical guitar is taught to students, but also how students can connect with guitar on a more personal level. Early in the Fall semester, I had the opportunity to sit down with Al, now the Director of Orchestra and Guitar at Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders and the longest tenured guitar teacher in AISD to learn about his journey and perspective on the growth of guitar in Austin.
Al’s story starts back in his own middle school music class. He began playing the trumpet in his middle school band, and carried on through high school, where he discovered that marching band wasn’t quite his speed. Al’s brother was an avid guitarist and while he was away at his summer job, Al thought to himself, “let’s see if I can pick up this thing.” Like many of us, Al was teaching himself. He admits that this approach didn’t lead to the best technique, but he was having fun discovering for the first time what it felt like to be drawn to an instrument.
Al began studying engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, but quickly realized that this wasn’t the path for him. The guitar studio at the Butler School of Music was extremely competitive and auditioning for the classical guitar program as a self-taught electric guitar player was challenging to say the least. After a number of attempts Al was successful and he was accepted into the program where he found his path forward… the classroom
When Al began teaching in 2001 at the high school level, there was only one other guitar program in AISD. Incidentally, this was ACG Education’s very first program at McCallum High School. Because there was not yet a standard guitar course offering on each campus, Al started his journey teaching orchestra and music theory classes. However, when he realized that the music theory class wasn’t exactly what his students were interested in, he approached them with a proposition… to learn guitar. As fate may have it, the high school had a stock of guitars from years prior for a hum-and-strum guitar class. Despite the lack of formal guitar curriculum back then, Al took the initiative to teach what he knew best.
Mr. Tijerina’s teaching journey blossomed when he took a position directing the orchestra at Martin Middle School. Here, Al had the freedom to add new course offerings based on his preference and so the Martin guitar program was born. His principal was concerned about resources, but Al knew that Matt Hinsely and Travis Marcum at Austin Classical Guitar were the right people to call. Al met Matt and Travis when their time at the University of Texas overlapped, with Matt studying for his doctoral degree, and Travis beginning his first year as a music education student. Austin Classical Guitar helped provide resources for Martin, the first classical guitar middle school program in all of Austin.
Al looks back on his tenure in East Austin fondly. The program’s success was hard-earned, particularly given the numerous challenges he faced, including below-grade-level reading skills and low parent involvement. However, he never let these obstacles deter him and shared with me that the high expectations he held for himself and his students were always exceeded.
After 14 years of building and running a successful program in East Austin, Al made another significant move to the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders. Initially brought in to teach orchestra, he added classical guitar courses, again with the support of ACG and his administration. His ability to teach both orchestra and guitar has not only made him a versatile educator but has also enriched his teaching methods in both areas. His advice to teachers in the same situation: embrace the challenge.
As Al sits and reflects with me, he notes how much guitar has expanded since his first year teaching in 2001. Back then, students’ main exposure was through private lessons, which were few and far between. Al credits the growth of classical guitar in Austin directly to ACG’s work in developing comprehensive curriculum and providing extensive teacher support. However, Al’s success as a teacher hasn’t come without his own ability to look inward. As his teaching career has progressed, he recognizes the importance of adapting to new students each year. Each year, Al arranges a piece for his students that meets the personality of that particular ensemble. Not only does that inspire him to truly connect with his students, but to expand his own musical muscles. Some years, he finds that his own skills inspire his students to pursue writing their own compositions. This type of flexibility and dedication is what has helped him maintain engagement and keep students excited about learning.
With Al’s career’s influence spanning multiple decades, programs, collaborations, and a wealth of student success stories, he remains modest about his achievements. Although much of his success is in conjunction with Austin Classical Guitar, Al appreciates that others look up to him for his contributions in education in Austin. Despite the ups and downs, his passion for teaching and his commitment to nurturing young musicians remains unwavering. Mr. Tijerina’s legacy as an educator is finely tuned and deeply resonant across Austin’s classical guitar community.