Project Description
MELISSA G
Melissa is a devoted musician and teacher, tailoring her lessons to individual student talents and learning styles. She has been playing the guitar and piano for over 30 years and is well versed in a colorful variety of musical genres. She began her piano studies in Sao Paulo, Brazil at age 5, captivated by both classical and popular music. At age 14, she became hopelessly infatuated with the guitar, inspired largely by 60s and 70s rock, folk, jazz, and 90s alternative music. She studied Guitar Performance at the University of Colorado at Denver, where she was one of only two females in the Guitar Program at the time. She was a member of CU’s esteemed Guitar Ensemble and was mentored by an outstanding faculty. She is grateful for her teachers, who not only nurtured her talents but also inspired her to become a teacher herself.
Melissa has performed at the prestigious Jazz club, Dazzle, the King Center Recital Hall, and at other private and community events. She also regularly attends workshops and conferences all over the United States, including Jazz Camp West in San Francisco, and the Jamey Aebersold Camp in Louisville, Kentucky. She continues to be mentored by world renown educators, and is continually learning from her teachers, peers, and students!
Melissa teaches guitar and piano in diverse genres, including Rock, Jazz, Pop, Blues, Folk, Classical, and Latin/Bossa Nova. Her teaching philosophy focuses on cultivating motivation, confidence, creativity, self-expression, and focused/structured practice. She encourages a positive atmosphere where students feel challenged but can laugh at their mistakes and have fun during the learning process. Whether you are a beginner, intermediate, self-taught, or a singer wanting to learn self-accompaniment, Melissa would love to help you strengthen and expand your skills, inspire you with creative material, and help you discover your unique musical “voice”!