Portland Area Guitar Teachers

Jeff Kuhns

Jeff is a multi-instrumentalist. He teaches guitar, piano, voice, and bassoon. Jeff has 15+ years of teaching experience. He studied classical guitar, classical piano, opera, and botany at Central Michigan University. Jeff played principal bassoon in the Eastern Michigan University honors band as well as with the Oakland Youth Orchestra. He has recorded two albums professionally and regularly composes new music. 

Jeff considers his teaching style to be relaxed, dynamic, and adaptive. He caters each lesson to the individual student's interests, ability, and learning style. Jeff believes learning and playing music should be an enjoyable experience if not among your favorite activities. Jeff accepts any student from beginner to advanced with interests in any genre. Jeff will challenge you as much as you would like to be challenged.

Malderine Birmingham

Malderine loves teaching all styles of music to all ages and types of people.  Everyone learns differently and she finds creative ways to make sure the student not only understands the concepts of music but has fun learning it.  Playing music and singing are fun and practicing should be fun as well!  She believes that music helps us grow as individuals and that sometimes all we need is a little encouragement to blossom into our full potential.  She teaches piano, voice and guitar.

Malderine is a multi-instrumentalist singer, composer and songwriter.  She studied piano and voice at Wright State University and has continued studying with various professors and professionals in the music industry ever since.  She has composed, recorded and produced 7 albums and directed numerous music videos. She has performed in orchestras, choirs, bands and a musical. She also regularly performs live in music venues in the Hillsboro/Portland area. 

Alexander Margitich

Originally from Santa Rosa, CA, Alexander Margitich began his musical journey singing in the church choir that his father conducted. Alex took up the guitar and eventually attended Berklee College of Music where he studied guitar and composition. While in school Alex found work as a peer tutor and began to develop his teaching skills and his love of sharing knowledge.

After his time at Berklee Alex found an opportunity playing bass in the band WATERS, leading him on a year-long adventure of playing Rock n Roll all across the United States and in Europe. Eventually landing in Brooklyn, Alex spent the next few years founding his own band, Andrei Rublev, and playing shows all over Brooklyn and Manhattan. Alex also worked full time as a teacher for NYC Guitar School where he continued to learn and hone his craft as a teacher, specializing in using the guitar for songwriting and improvisation.

Before moving to Portland, Alex met his future wife and got married in June 2016. In addition to teaching, Alex also works as a composer, performer, and songwriter. Recently his song “Together/Apart” was featured on Season 2 of ABC’s Quantico. Alex recently began releasing music under the name Telecommuter and his debut single “Can’t Get Back To Sleep” was premiered on the online music magazine, Earmilk.

Jeffrey Shapiro

Jeffrey Shapiro has been studying and performing music for nearly 20 years.  After teaching himself how to play the guitar in high-school he decided to pursue a formal music education at the college level, obtaining a Master’s Degree in Music Pedagogy and Performance.  While living in Texas Jeffrey began teaching music at a school run by the Salvation Army before opening his own teaching studio in Dallas for students of all ages.  He is a very patient teacher and can teach several instruments and multiple styles of music.  Jeffrey regularly creates his own teaching materials in addition to utilizing several established methods.

On top of being a private lesson instructor, Jeffrey has performed regularly around the DFW metroplex with solo artists and multiple bands.  He eventually accepted a position as the lead guitarist with the One Voice Choir in Dallas.  During this time he also began recording guitar tracks for many artists in Dallas, and getting more aquatinted with the process of recording music.

Jeffrey and his wife Carol decided to move to Portland in 2017 to experience a wonderful part of the country that they were only slightly familiar with.  Jeffrey has already begun teaching students around Portland and is a regular fixture in the live music community.  He is currently recording original material and helping others to do the same in his home studio.

David Rosman

David is a multi-instrumentalist specializing in guitar, piano, drums, bass and violin instruction. He accepts students of all ages and skill levels. David has professionally recorded over ten albums and toured nationally with diverse groups ranging from jazz and rock to techno and heavy metal. He has also worked extensively as a live sound and mastering engineer. 

As passionately as he has explored all aspects of sound and music, he is equally committed to developing a highly impactful teaching style. With an emphasis on personal growth and self-discovery, David attempts to empower each student to carve out their own musical journey and push themselves to grow physically, emotionally and cognitively. 

David Pollack

David Pollack has been playing guitar and singing professionally for 15 years and teaching for the past five. He grew up in New York City and studied guitar and voice privately while in Middle and High School. He's written his own songs, released records and toured across the country and Canada.

Within the last five years David has specialized in teaching toddlers, children and teens although he does work with adults, too. Since moving to Portland, OR David has taught everything from Mommy and Me Classes for Toddlers to Rock Camps such as Sound Roots and after School Music Programs via SUN School classes in Portland. 

When teaching privately David travels to you to make things easy! Music is a great way to give kids and adults confidence, a way of socializing with their peers and an outlet to express themselves! 

Ivan Danilich

Ivan Danilich is a guitarist, composer and studio musician based in Portland, Oregon. Born into a family of musicians, his constant exposure to music began fueling his passion for the art at a very young age. He began playing piano, guitar, trumpet and violin which gave him familiarity not only with various instruments but multiple musical styles as well. Through his experience he was able to become the versatile, knowledgeable and skilled musician that he is today.

Inspired by the versatility of the guitar, Ivan began studying classical guitar and later was mentored by Tim Ellis, a member of the Oregon Music Hall of Fame. With his guidance, Ivan learned about music theory, improvisation, music composition and being a reputable business man. Ivan is continuing his guitar studies at Walla Walla University and with well-known jazz guitarist, Dan Balmer.

Since then, Ivan has developed his passion for playing the guitar by playing with notable musicians like rock violinist Aaron Meyer, and performing in weddings, auctions, private parties, business events, charities and wineries. Ivan has gained invaluable experience and has been awarded multiple scholarships such as the Tim Ellis Memorial award 2015-16, Kyle Stevens Memorial Scholarship 2016-2017 and Musician of the Year 2016-2017. He's had the opportunity to teach aspiring musicians and wants to continue nurturing them to share their growing passion with others.