Jim Perona

Jim Perona’s journey as a classical/acoustic/electric guitarist began in the fall of 1996, when he started taking guitar lessons with blues/jazz guitarist Tom Castonzo. His studies with Tom, a frequent performer, bandleader and teacher in Chicago, lasted for many years and covered various aspects of different musical genres. Throughout this time, he co-founded the hard rock band “Dream Haven,”  which performed with notable acts such as Mastodon and Enuff Z’nuff. In 2003, Dream Haven released an EP entitled “Nostalgia is Five Frame.” In 2002, he started performing in pit orchestras for various musicals such as Jesus Christ Superstar, Les Misérables, The Wiz, Little Shop of Horrors, and Seussical the Musical.
His most recent progressive rock band, The Unit Theory, released a full-length album entitled “Seed” in April 2008.
In 2002, Jim began his classical guitar studies with Steve Ramsdell at the College of Dupage. After receiving his Associate’s in Music from COD in 2004, he took a year off to teach and hone his skills at classical guitar. In the fall of 2005, Jim enrolled at Northern Illinois University and studied with Fareed Haque (2009 recepient of Guitar Player Magazine’s “Best World Guitarist” award). After three years of studying and performing, he graduated from NIU with a Bachelor’s of Music degree in Classical Guitar performance in May 2008.

He moved to Boston, Massachusetts in June 2008 to pursue his Master’s Degree in Classical Guitar Performance at the New England Conservatory under the tutelage of world-renowned guitarist Eliot Fisk. As an active performer in the greater Boston area, he made it a goal to bring the classical guitar to unorthodox venues such as senior centers, public access channels, hospitals, dialysis treatment centers and juvenile halls!
His Master’s recital blended virtuosic classical, acoustic and electric guitar pieces. In May 2010, Jim received his Master’s Degree in Classical Guitar Performance.
He has since relocated back to Chicago and specialize in solo instrumental guitar entertainment for private and public events.