Mentoring & Lessons
Guitar, voice and piano, with Brazilian music at the centre.
In person in London or online from anywhere. Beginners are welcome, and so are working musicians who need direction. I take on a small number of students.
Rooms I have played
- Cadogan Hall
- Jazz Cafe
- Barbican
- Southbank Centre
- Guildhall School of Music & Drama
- and others
What I teach
Three instruments, and one thing that isn’t an instrument at all.
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Guitar
Nylon and steel string, with attention to what the right hand is doing. That’s where Brazilian music actually happens, and it’s usually what’s missing in people who already play well.
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Voice
Technical work and interpretation, including for people who sing and play at the same time, which is a problem of its own.
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Piano and keyboard
Harmony, voice leading and accompaniment. It also helps if you write and need to see what you’re writing.
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The language of Brazilian music
Regional styles, rhythm, and where each of these things comes from. I research these traditions with an emphasis on anthropology, and it’s the part of the work I care most about.
How I work
I don’t run a fixed method that everyone goes through in the same order. The first conversation is for me to understand where you are, what you want to play, and how much time you honestly have during the week.
After that, the work is more about confidence than about piling up repertoire. The most common problem that arrives here is someone who plays a lot of material and still doesn’t sound like anybody.
Lessons in English or Portuguese. In person in London, or online in any time zone.
Who it is for
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People starting out
With no experience at all, or coming back after years away. There’s no prerequisite and nothing to be embarrassed about.
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Working musicians
People who already play and want to get inside the Brazilian language without sounding like a tourist. It’s the request I get most.
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Artists in development
Longer work, closer to artistic direction. Identity, repertoire, and getting ready to record or walk on stage.
I’m Gui Tavares.
I studied Composition and Conducting at UNICAMP in São Paulo and have been working in London for twenty-three years. I perform, write, produce albums for other artists, and teach. I also research Brazilian musical traditions—with a focus on anthropology—which is where much of my repertoire comes from.
That matters in a lesson for a practical reason. Nearly everything I teach is something I still use the following week, on a stage or in a studio.
Selected work
- Cool Jazz, Bossa and Be-Bop with StringsCadogan Hall London
- Clube da Esquina TributeThe Jazz Cafe London
- Noite Que Brincou de Lua albumFar Out Recordings, with Edu Passeto
- Amigos & Friends albumFeaturing major, internationally renowned icons of Brazilian music
- Nossa VozLondon’s first Brazilian vocal group
- HemisphèrioReleased 14 May 2026
An online course is being prepared
A programme with structured levels, its own material and live sessions. It isn’t open yet. If you want to know when it is, write to me and I’ll tell you.
Talk about lessons
What is your idea, your wish?
Describe it to me, and I will give it thoughtful consideration.
Or write straight to contact@guitavares.com