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Emre Sabuncuoglu Dr. Emre Sabuncuoglu has earned his Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Southern California’s prestigious Thornton School of Music. As an Andrés Segovia Endowed Music Scholarship recipient, he minored in music theory, ethnomusicology, and Flamenco guitar. Emre has had the privilege of studying guitar performance with the legendary virtuoso, Pepe Romero. Emre has established himself as one of the most gifted and versatile musicians of his generation. His broad academic background and wide-ranging musical interests have lead him in many different directions, forging a unique career rooted in performance, ethnomusicology, and composition. He has shared the stage with many of the world’s leading guitarists. His work has earned many prestigious awards, including first prizes in the Arthez de Bearn International Guitar competition and the 1st Antonio Lauro Classical Guitar Competition.

Emre’s warm style of relating to others helps him reach out to a diverse student population. He incorporates visual, kinesthetic, and auditory cues to accommodate each student’s distinctive learning style. Emphasizing his students’ strengths, Emre has helped even struggling learners to achieve a high degree of proficiency on the guitar.

 

tomgif  Thomas Foster is a long time student of world-renowned guitar teacher, Aaron Shearer. His Bachelor of Music degree was earned from the North Carolina School of the Arts, and his Master of Music degree from Appalachian State University. He has taken master classes throughout the United States with Pepe Romero, David Russell, the Assad Brothers, Ricardo Cobo, John Holmquist, Steve Arron, David Leisner, and Dusan Bogdanovic. He has studied world music and jazz with Miroslav Tadic, David Oaks, Richard Smith, and Adam Del Monte. In 2004, Thomas was honored to be chosen to play for John Williams, one of the finest guitarists in modern history, at the Merida Guitar Festival in Mexico.Thomas is completing his doctorate as a student of Brian Head at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music. His doctoral minors are in the areas of theory and ethnomusicology. He has studied guitar performance with Pepe Romero, Scott Tennant, and Bill Kannengiser.

He received his Suzuki certification under William Kossler, who studied with the founder of the Suzuki method. Thomas developed a children’s guitar curriculum which met California’s strict educational standards. His background in education helps him communicate his love for the guitar to his students in an easy, comfortable manner.

 

Chicago-born guitarist Mark Goldenberg played in local bands throughout greater Chicago before enrolling in the formal study of music at the Music Conservatory at the Chicago College of Performing Arts.During the time he was enrolled in the conservatory, Mark became a member of another band, which eventually secured a recording contract. He and his band moved to California, where he made a name for himself as a highly-sought guitarist in many genres, playing for artists such as Al Stewart,Wendy Waldman, The Cretones, Linda Ronstadt, Peter Frampton, The Pointer Sisters,Chris Isaak, Ziggy Marley, Jackson Browne,Bonnie Raitt, Eels, Natalie Imbruglia, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and many others.

A talented composer and songwriter, Mark’s songs appeal to a diverse group of people. As a result of his songs’ broad appeal, artists such as the Pointer Sisters, Eels, Natalie Imbruglia, Olivia Newton-John, Chris Botti, Linda Ronstadt, and Chicago have performed his work. His instrumental compositions have a meditative, contemporary sound which draws the listener inward.

A versatile musician, Mark has also studied counterpoint and piano with Abe Fraser, a renowned pianist from the Los Angeles area. Mark learned the intricacies of playing fingerstyle acoustic guitar from the music legend, Ted Greene.