About
Teachers
Ben and Gabrielle are both working musicians and music teachers with almost twenty years of professional experience between the two of them. They began gigging on the professional circuit while still teenagers, and began teaching music soon after. Ben and Gabrielle have extensive experience teaching both private lessons and group classes through New York City Guitar School and are the anchor members of the indie rock band War Honey.
Currently signed to Handstand Records, War Honey has been described by A Grrrl’s Two Sound Cents as “hav(ing) blown every other promising young band out of the water,” and “an almost transcendent experience,” by Razorcake Magazine. The band has recieved radio airplay, film placement, and critical acclaim, and their songs have together accumulated hundreds of thousands of streams.
Gabrielle Dana
Gabrielle has been singing since she could talk and learned to play guitar, piano, drums, and ukulele soon after. She now has over 10 years of experience studying and singing Soprano Opera. Gabrielle has been gigging sine the age of 15 in various different bands throughout the years, performing as a singer, guitarist, and drummer. She studied Music at Hunter College with a concentration in classical singing, where she became proficient in singing in multiple ranges and languages.
Gabrielle began her teaching career at the age of 18. Her personal teaching method is based in care, kindness, and mutual respect. Although she is a proficient instructor in many genres and instruments, her specialties include classical, rock, folk, jazz and indie singing, as well as lyric writing, instrumental writing, and folk guitar.
Gabrielle believes that potential, innovation, and creativity hold no bounds and possess no judgement. Whether you’re a seasoned songwriter or brand new beginner, Gabrielle is committed to making you feel comfortable and confident while having fun and achieving your personal musical goals.
Ben Fitts
Ben began gigging at the age of 17 in a local post-punk band called Spastic Fitts. He enjoyed playing in a band so much that he decided to make a career out of it, and began teaching guitar lessons soon after. Ben has a B.A. in music from Hampshire College, where he studied music composition, guitar performance, and music production. At Hampshire, Ben explored jazz, avant-garde and classical music and spent his free time playing in a variety of metal, rock, and punk bands.
Ben became a full-time guitarist and teacher after finishing college, and taught for many years at New York City Guitar School. In addition to playing in his own band War Honey, Ben works as a session guitarist and has recorded tracks for other artists in a variety of styles, including rock, folk, hip-hop, punk, pop, and more. Outside of music, Ben enjoys writing fiction and making zines. He is the author of the books My Birth And Other Regrets and Snailbutter, and over forty published short stories.
Ben believes that the guitar is a creative tool that each person will learn to use a little differently. Whether it’s helping his students learn their favorite songs, play killer lead solos or even create their own music, Ben’s favorite part of teaching is guiding students to reach their own goals.