Mentoring & Lessons
Acoustic guitar, voice, and piano, featuring Brazilian or international music.
In-person in London or online from anywhere in the world. Online lesson packages for beginners, intermediate, and advanced students. Everyone is welcome, including musicians seeking guidance.
Rooms I have played
- Cadogan Hall
- Jazz Cafe
- Barbican
- Southbank Centre
- Guildhall School of Music & Drama
- and others
What I teach
Music in general. I teach people how to get closer to their musical identity.
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Guitar
Nylon and steel string, with attention to what the right hand is doing. That’s where all 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 follow a traditional method where everyone goes through the same steps in the same order.
The initial conversation is about understanding where you are, what you want to play, and how much time you realistically have during the week.
After that, the process is more about trust than simply building up a repertoire. The most common issue I encounter is with students who play a lot of material but still don’t sound as good as they’d like.
Lessons are available in English or Portuguese—either in person in London or online across any time zone.
Tell me about your interests and experience level, and I’ll send you a proposal for the course, focusing on development and results.
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 have a degree in Composition and Conducting from UNICAMP, in São Paulo, and I have been working in London for twenty-three years. I perform, I write, I produce records and soundtracks, and I 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