Classical guitarist Neil Geisler has studied music with the greatest masters in the world and his numerous performances have led him to the stages of numerous guitar festivals, competitions, and universities throughout North America. Born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, his musical passion was first stirred by watching relatives playing rock, blues, and heavy metal music. Initially
self-taught, he learned to play bass guitar by ear- and by reading tablatures from guitar magazines. By age fourteen he had dropped out of school, and was playing bass in local rock bands. After several years he grew to be bored and weary of bandlife, and had became also unable to perform in smoke-infested bars and clubs due to asthma-making a hoped-for career in music very unlikely. At age nineteen Geisler got his GED, had a brief stint at a community college, and spent a year working at a steel mill in Crystal Lake, Illinois. At age twenty, he moved to Wisconsin with relatives and soon thereafter discovered classical music- first hearing the solo string works of Bach, Paganini caprices, and several famous concertos which immediately captivated him. After more than a year spent watching PBS concerts of great performers, VHS videos repeatedly, and collecting and learning to read sheet music, Neil visited the conservatory of music in Milwaukee Wisconsin, to inquire about lessons- and they happened to be having a scholarship competition the very next month. Geisler entered the competition, and managed to perform solo pieces by J.S. Bach for the conservatory jury- somehow winning third prize in the advanced division despite having never taken an actual cello lesson. With this came the ability to finally afford music lessons -at age 21. While studying ‘cello at the conservatory soon thereafter, Neil explored the music library and it's collections-and there discovered classical guitar repertoire -and a world of guitar musis previously unheard in his life. The following year he won a scholarship competition to study classical guitar, and made the difficult decision to quit studying 'cello at WCM -because it was too difficult on the hands to practice long hours on both instruments, and even more difficult to procure accompanists (which are a necessity for string players' repertoire). His first guitar studies were Raymond Mueller, an amazing teacher who did a wonderful job of introducing Neil to standard repertoire, basic music fundamentals, and awareness of technique that had been previously unknown. Mueller was also the music librarian, so much was learned about repertoire. Lessons were taught in the dusty library of the old mansion where the Wisconsin Conservatory is still located.. The third year at the conservatory he studied with George Lindquist, a baroque music specialist and amazing instructor, and took ensemble and performance workshops. George introduced Neil that year to James Norris, a guitar maker and former Segovia student, who eventually became his friend and mentor. The following years he won top prize in the WCM annual music competition, and, finally he had lessons and classes with Christopher Laughlin, who helped him prepare Rodrigo's "Concierto De Aranjuez" for the UW concerto competition. Laughlin, who holds a master's from Yale, gave much needed advice about attending universities, competitions and ultimately convinced Neil to matriculate into the degree program at UWM that very Fall. Geisler was able to begin bachelor studies at UW, despite going through a great personal tragedy and suffering the debilitating loss of his older brother that February. After the first semester at UW he was awarded a rare undergraduate music department talent scholarship. Unbeknownst to all, he had spent most of that Spring semester living out of a cello locker he had procured. He had also been sleeping in locker rooms, and behind practice room pianos for months- due to having no residence anywhere near the university. GPA and, that Summer, June 2000, Neil performed in several masterclasses at an international guitar festival in Florida. It was there that Neil’s talent was broadly noticed, and the trip resulted in an invitation by renowned guitar virtuoso and pedagogue Stephen Robinson to study music full-time at Stetson University that Fall. Within a few brief months arrangements had been made, academic and music scholarships were awarded, and Neil sold his 1969 Pontiac Firebird. A car that he had personally built and restored, his only remaining asset, in order to afford the journey South. He arrived at Stetson via Greyhound Bus in Fall 2000, with only 20 dollars, a bicycle, duffelbag, and a guitar case. During the three years at Stetson he studied music, conducting, acting and religion. Thanks to Dr. Robinson, he also improved vastly on the classical guitar. Neil was on the dean’s list every semester of college, and nominated to the National Dean’s List. In Spring 2003 he graduated in the top one percent of the Stetson graduating class with honors. By then he had had private lessons and performed in many masterclasses with the greatest performers, artists and professors in the world. Neil decided to postpone graduate studies in 2003, despite gaining admittance to FSU’s famous guitar program, and moved South that Summer to Key West Florida- where he worked as a guitarist, teacher, street performer, and eco adventure kayak guide from 2003-2005. While living there he also volunteered in community music programs and avian rescues, mastered kayak fishing on the flats and reef , and learned sailing, becoming a first mate part-time running reef and backcountry tours. After hurricanes Katrina and Wilma devastated the entire gulf area, Neil regretfully left the South, and began saving and planning to move to Colorado. He had decided that the state of Colorado had the most opportunities –and a very renowned virtuoso professor named Ricardo Iznaola. During a brief visit to Colorado seeking suitable residence, Geisler and a friend attended a faculty guitar concert by Kazuhito Ito at Denver University. During the intermission Neil took the opportunity to introduce himself to Iznaola, as “his newest student”. The following year Neil formally auditioned, was accepted, and awarded an endowed scholarship to began graduate studies for 2006-7 academic year. In 2011 Geisler decided to leave Colorado due to continuing altitude sickness, closed his studio in Cherry Creek CO, and relocated to the Chicago Area. He currently teaches in Kenosha WI, Lake Geneva WI, and Chicago Il. and performs everywhere.
