, ▁Slov ak ia , ▁Simon ▁began ▁playing ▁the ▁guitar ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ten . ▁He ▁started ▁to ▁gain ▁recognition ▁after ▁winning ▁the ▁" New ▁F aces ▁of ▁Slov ak ▁Jazz " ▁young ▁talent ▁jazz ▁competition ▁as ▁a ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁group ▁Jazz va ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁He ▁later ▁moved ▁to ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁After ▁receiving ▁a ▁travel / stud y ▁grant ▁he ▁attended ▁Brook lyn ▁College ▁Conserv atory ▁of ▁Music ▁where ▁he ▁received ▁his ▁master ' s ▁degree . ▁He ▁was ▁trained ▁in ▁composition ▁by ▁T ania ▁León , ▁and ▁performance ▁and ▁interactive ▁media ▁arts ▁by ▁John ▁J . A . ▁J ann one ▁and ▁Mi ros law ▁Rog ala . ▁His ▁guitar ▁ment ors ▁included ▁M atus ▁Jak abc ic , ▁Stanis lav ▁P oc aj i , ▁Fernando ▁Cor rea , ▁and ▁Daniel a ▁K uk um berg ova . ▁From ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁Simon ▁taught ▁electronic ▁music ▁composition ▁for ▁film ▁and ▁animation ▁at ▁Pr att ▁Institute ▁in ▁New ▁York . ▁His ▁avant - gar de ▁musical ▁concepts ▁were ▁shown ▁in ▁Europe ▁and ▁USA , ▁including ▁the ▁International ▁Society ▁for ▁Im pro vised ▁Music , ▁International ▁festival ▁and ▁conference ▁on ▁Im pro vised ▁Music , ▁and ▁published ▁by ▁the ▁University ▁Press ▁of ▁America . ▁ ▁Simon ▁has ▁combined ▁in ▁his ▁music ▁the ▁classical ▁and ▁electric ▁guitar ▁sound ▁with ▁modern ▁jazz , ▁rock , ▁ac oust ic ▁and ▁classical ▁music