Scott Barkan is an internationally touring guitarist, songwriter and educator living in Queens, NY. For the past 15 years, Scott has worked professionally as a bandleader, sideman and instructor, bringing a modern, technical approach to traditional american styles – jazz, bluegrass, country blues, western swing and chick’n pick’n country guitar – to stages of all sizes, all over the world. Barkan’s specialties are in improvisation and songwriting, but he holds a deep love and appreciation, as well as an extensive playing background, in all styles. His playing and songwriting has been in film & television, and landed him features from American Songwriter, CMT, Huffington Post, and more. Scott holds a BFA in Studio/Jazz from SUNY Purchase in Purchase, NY, and is currently pursuing his MFA in Music Composition from Vermont College of Fine Arts, which he will receive in 2016 .