Remembering Elias Barreiro: From Humble Beginnings to Transformative Mentor A Personal Tribute by J. Shamas
Remembering Maestro Elias Barreiro
Between 1985 and 1990, I walked into Ace Music Center on Carrollton Avenue as a shy young guitarist still shaping my musical identity. I had begun my journey largely through self‑directed exploration — learning by ear, experimenting, and developing instincts the way many passionate players do. Before meeting Elias, I had the privilege of studying with Maestro Joseph Ishkanian, whose early guidance helped me take my first steps into the world of classical guitar.
But even with that foundation, I knew I needed a teacher who could help me refine my technique, deepen my musicianship, and guide me toward a more intentional path.
I found that teacher in Professor Elias Barreiro.
A Teacher Who Understood the Self‑Directed Path
One of the reasons Elias’s teaching resonated so deeply with me was that he understood the blend of self‑taught instinct and early formal training I carried with me. He had lived a version of that journey himself. As a boy in Camagüey, Cuba, he first encountered the guitar through popular music and a 78 rpm record of Segovia. His earliest learning was self‑driven, fueled by curiosity and passion, long before he entered the conservatory.
That shared beginning created an immediate connection. Elias never dismissed the parts of my playing shaped outside traditional study. Instead, he honored them. He allowed me to make mistakes as long as I played with passion and not sounding too mechanical. He recognized the creativity and resilience that come from learning through exploration, while gently guiding me toward structure, clarity, and refined technique.
A Life Marked by Sacrifice, Resilience, and Grace
Elias’s rise to becoming a foundational figure in American classical guitar was anything but easy. His story — beautifully documented in The Guitar’s lifetime achievement tribute (https://the-guitar.com/elias-barreiro/amp/), is one of profound sacrifice and unwavering determination.
In 1966, he left Cuba with his wife and children under the Freedom Flights program. They were forced to abandon everything: their belongings, their home, even his treasured Torres guitar once owned by Tárrega. They arrived in the United States with only the clothes they were wearing.
And yet, within two months, he was teaching at Tulane University.
From there, his career blossomed:
• 45 years teaching at Tulane
• Founder of the Classical Guitar Society of New Orleans
• Owner of Ace Music Center, where I studied with him
• Student of Andrés Segovia in Santiago de Compostela
• Recording artist, arranger, and respected pedagogue
• Mentor to generations of guitarists who now shape the field
His life was a testament to what perseverance and love for the guitar can create.
Lessons That Changed My Life
My weekly lessons with Elias at Ace Music Center were transformative. He had a rare gift: the ability to correct you without diminishing you. His teaching was gentle but uncompromising. He could take a player with a mix of instinct, early training, and self‑directed habits and show them how to shape a phrase, refine tone, and understand the deeper musical story behind every piece.
He gave me structure without taking away my identity.
He gave me technique without extinguishing my curiosity.
He gave me clarity without limiting my creativity.
Those years formed the foundation of everything I would later become as a guitarist, educator, and creator of digital learning tools.
His Influence Lives in My Teaching
On DrJClassicalGuitar.com, I often write about the journey of self‑directed players — the challenges, the breakthroughs, the joy of discovering music on your own terms. Much of that perspective comes directly from Elias.
When I teach my own students particularly guiding adult beginners, or help self-taught players blend instinct with technique, I hear echoes of his voice:
his patience
his clarity
his respect for the student’s journey
his belief that music is both struggle and victory
Elias taught me that great teaching is not about imposing a method — it’s about nurturing a musician.
A Legacy That Continues to Grow
The tribute article mentioned above highlights how his masterclasses and concerts at Tulane connected generations of guitarists — Manuel Barrueco, Sharon Isbin, Berta Rojas, Michael Newman, and many others — forming a lineage of musicians shaped by his presence .
He was a bridge between Cuba and the United States, between tradition and innovation, between self‑directed beginnings and refined artistry.
A Personal Farewell
As I reflect on his passing, I feel immense gratitude:
For his patience.
For his guidance.
For the way he saw potential in me before I could see it in myself.
For the way he transformed my musical life during those years at Ace Music Center.
For inviting me in his home.
Elias Barreiro rose from humble beginnings to become a transformative figure in classical guitar — and I am honored to have been one of the many students who benefited from his wisdom, generosity, and spirit.
May his memory continue to inspire all who pick up the guitar in search of something deeper.