Exploring Life & Business with Alexander Milovanov of South Bay Guitar Academy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexander Milovanov.

Hi Alexander , so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
As a professional classical guitarist, I performed in major venues throughout the U.S. and abroad, including the Walt Disney Concert Hall. I received prizes in major competitions, including the International Concert Artist Competition of the Guitar Foundation of America and the Boston GuitarFest International Competition. Additionally, I won a Silver Medal in the professional category of the Vienna International Music Competition, competing against various classical string players. Finally, I was the first solo classical guitarist to win the prestigious Beverly Hills National Auditions contest. In 2025, I was inducted as an “Honored Listee” by Marquis Who’s Who in America.  
I’m originally from Belarus, but moved to the U.S in the mid-2000s and became a U.S. citizen in 2010. I hold a Master of Music degree from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, and I subsequently completed the 2-year Artist Diploma program at the Yale University School of Music as a full scholarship and fellowship recipient. Additionally, I earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin.

I moved to the South Bay area in 2017 and started working as an instructor at the French Conservatory of Music in Beverly Hills, CA, while also teaching privately. A couple of years later, I decided to start my own small business in the South Bay area, where I used to live, now called South Bay Guitar Academy. The idea behind this school was to offer a unique, high-quality guitar instruction previously unavailable in the area.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
When I started my business as a classical guitar instructor in the South Bay Area, it was challenging to find new students because there was a lot of competition coming from several different directions. I never had a problem with any legitimate competitors who are good professionals. However, the main issue was the presence of too many fake and incompetent individuals posing as “music instructors” on various online classifieds and even within corporate music schools. The problem is that such people had never received proper formal training themselves and had never studied vital subjects such as guitar pedagogy or music psychology, either in college or graduate school, had they ever attended one.

Nowadays, it is not uncommon for people looking for music lessons, either for themselves or for their kids, to encounter dozens of so-called music schools, music stores, or music teachers who claim they can instantly help them learn to play any song they wish. However, in reality, most of the time, after such so-called “fun training,” a student is either unable to play even a simple, complete song or a piece of music at an adequate level or, even worse, the student’s technique is ruined by the development of bad and difficult-to-correct habits as a result of incompetent or careless instruction.

The problem with many corporate music schools and music stores offering lessons is that they prioritize quantity over quality. Because they don’t pay their employees much, they often hire many unqualified and unskilled “instructors” who often don’t even have a specialized degree in music, let alone a degree in the particular musical instrument they are trying to teach. Most of these “instructors” are either amateur or wannabe musicians trying to earn some extra cash as a side hustle after a full-time job in a completely different field. Many of them claim to be so-called “well-rounded multi-instrumentalists” who, in reality, are not living up to professional standards. Such “Jacks of all trades and masters of none” are often trying to teach several different instruments and several different styles all at once to attract as many students as possible to maximize profits, but without being truly proficient in any single one of the instruments or a style of music that they are trying to teach.

This kind of approach does not benefit a student, as it usually leads to the development of bad habits that can become a major obstacle when a student decides to pursue the instrument further, in greater depth, and wishes to advance into a more challenging repertoire. In such instances, ingrained bad habits formed in the early stages of learning eventually lead to limitations and frustration and may even cause injuries!

As you know, we’re big fans of South Bay Guitar Academy. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
The South Bay Guitar Academy’s mission is to provide well-structured instruction that can help serious students prepare for college or university auditions. However, while most students will not necessarily choose to pursue a full-time music career, proper training under proper guidance will still provide them with valuable self-discipline and an appreciation for music that will positively influence and shape their lives. Quality music education also supports children’s overall academic performance.

I take guitar instruction very seriously, and I have always believed that the only effective way to teach is by example. I always treat each student as an individual and tailor the curriculum to their specific needs and abilities. My goal is to offer people the opportunity to learn a solid, correct technique from the very first lesson. In reality, when it comes to guitar instruction, there are only a handful of teachers out there who place appropriate emphasis on the development of proper technique and good habits. For an absolute beginner, this aspect is crucial. For an intermediate or advanced player, this would be a good opportunity to improve and expand their skills and knowledge while also achieving a better, more effortless command of the instrument.

My teaching career includes instructing classical guitar and guitar ensembles at preparatory music schools. I have taught at the International School of Music in Washington, D.C., and the French Conservatory of Music in Beverly Hills. During my years in the Artist Diploma program at the Yale School of Music, I taught guitar to Yale College students. In addition, I taught music classes in the after-school programs in the Austin, TX, area during my doctoral studies.

Ever since I started my own business in South Bay, I have had the good fortune of working with outstanding students of all ages and skill levels. I had students ranging from 5 years old to the one who will be turning 92 this year! Even at this age, this student continues to make progress as he practices the instrument daily and demonstrates excellent discipline. When this senior gentleman, Fred Henry, started studying with me several years ago, he thought he would never be good enough to play for people. Fast-forward to last May and December: he participated in both student recitals we held at the Torrance Public Library, proving that no one is ever too old to learn to play this wonderful instrument!

In addition to many adult students, I have some very talented elementary-, middle-, and high-school-aged students, such as Nathan Wu, Derrek Jing, Saxon Weiss, and Joseph Yoon. It’s only after a few years of study that these students were able to perform live some highly challenging and advanced classical compositions that professional concert artists usually include in their concert repertoire.

I teach because there is a great need for quality guitar instruction in our community and because sharing knowledge and experience with others is a valuable and indispensable contribution to our society. My teaching goal is to instill a greater music appreciation and broaden my students’ interest, understanding, and attitude toward studying the guitar.

Throughout my teaching career, I have had the privilege of working with students from nearly every continent. Besides working with locals from the U.S., I also taught immigrants from South and Central America, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Africa, India, China, and South Korea. What I found while working with all these students that came not only from different cultures or different ages, ethnic groups, demographics, socioeconomic backgrounds, various systems of belief and political views, is that there is one thing that all of them share in common: it’s the love and passion for a beautiful instrument of classical guitar and its timeless music! This is something that truly unites everyone, and it’s absolutely incredible to see!

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
My professional self-discipline and dedication were shaped by the way I was raised, and I’m deeply grateful to my parents for this! I remember once, back when I was very young, I played some advanced musical composition for my parents. I may have made a mistake here or there, and my mother pointed out that something did not sound very clear. My dad told her, “Well, what do you expect, he’s not a virtuoso,” to which she replied, “So what? He has to become one if he wishes to pursue this!” And that was the kind of attitude that had always pushed me to constantly and relentlessly improve my craft.

Additionally, as a young teenager and a classical guitar student, I remember reading a book that my teacher lent me. It was by the French author, Robert J. Vidal, titled “Notes on the Guitar, presented by Andres Segovia.” There, I came across a very powerful phrase that stuck with me and eventually became my motto. It said: “Remember, a day without practice is two days of loss.” That is why, ever since, I have practiced the guitar for several hours each day to maintain a good professional shape as a concert artist.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://southbayguitar.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexander.milovanov/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexander.milovanov.777/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-milovanov-3078b021/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SouthBayGuitar
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/south-bay-guitar-academy-torrance
• Other: http://alexguitar.com/