guitar performers in tucson
Led by professor Tom Patterson, Bolton Guitar Studies Program at the University of Arizona in Tucson is known for being of the top guitar programs in the nation. It is host to many successful students who have placed in some of the top competitions in the U.S including the Guitar Foundation of America competition and abroad, like the Tarrega and Alhambra Competitions.
The UofA Guitar Department is proud to host internationally acclaimed artists Sergio and Odair Assad and David Russell as artists in residence who are able to provide concerts and master classes to our talented guitar majors.
The guitar department also hosts 5 in-house competitions: The Beeston Memorial Competition, the David Russell Bach Prize, and the Sholin Memorial Competition for the entire department, including graduate and doctoral students; and the Wolfe Memorial and Schaffer Memorial Competition for undergrads only.
Tom Patterson
Director of the Bolton Guitar Studies Program at The University of Arizona
Salma Gómez is a Paraguayan classical guitarist and music educator. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music and is currently pursuing a Master of Music degree in Performance at the University of Arizona in the United States.
She began her career as a music educator at a young age and has developed an active artistic career both in Paraguay and internationally. She was a member of the Pu Rory Ensemble under the direction of renowned Paraguayan guitarist Berta Rojas and is currently a member of the Takua Duo, alongside guitarist Micaela Núñez. Gómez has participated in numerous national and international festivals, seminars, and competitions. These experiences have fostered a deep interest in exploring, valuing, and promoting music and culture, which continue to be central to her artistic and academic work.
Salma Gómez
Classical Guitarist
Jonathan Rodriguez Ortega is a classical guitarist, educator, and current Ph.D. student in Musicology with an emphasis in Ethnomusicology at the University of Arizona.
He earned his Master of Music in Guitar Performance degree from the University of Arizona, where he developed a strong foundation in performace. In addition to his academic training, he has gained valuable teaching experience as a Teaching Assistant, working closely with undergraduate students in an engaging learning environment, teaching individual Guitar lessons, group Guitar lessons and assisted in courses about music history and folk music.
As a performer, he has participated in solo and ensemble concerts within the US, Mexico and Colombia. He had the pleasure of performing in the Arizona Opera production "Zorro", in 2025.
Alongside with his experience performing and teaching classical guitar, he also has experience working in rock music and Latin American ensembles.
Jonathan Rodríguez
Classical Guitarist, Ph,D. Student in Musicology
Facundo Martinez began his musical studies at the age of seven and, at fourteen, was admitted to the Universidad Nacional de Cuyo in his hometown of Mendoza, Argentina. During this formative period, he also pursued studies in Chile with Maestro Esteban Espinoza, these experiences have played a crucial role in shaping his artistic voice and technical foundation. After completing his undergraduate studies, he was admitted to the Master’s program at the University of Arizona, where he worked closely with visiting professors Sergio Assad and David Russell, gaining valuable insight into both contemporary and historical performance practices. Following his master’s studies, Facundo continued his artistic training in Vigo, Spain, studying with Maestra Margarita Escarpa, further refining his interpretive depth and expanding his engagement with European guitar traditions. He has since returned to the United States to pursue doctoral studies, where he currently serves as a Teaching Assistant to Professor Tom Patterson, combining performance, pedagogy, and scholarly research as part of his academic work. Facundo has participated in masterclasses with many of the world’s leading guitarists, including Joaquin Clerch, Berta Rojas, Carlo Marchione, Judicael Perroy, Paolo Pegoraro, René Izquierdo, and Marco Tamayo. A prizewinner in numerous international competitions, he has earned first prizes at the 10th David Russell Bach Prize—an international competition adjudicated exclusively by David Russell and dedicated to the music of J. S. Bach—as well as the Thomas H. Beeston Memorial Guitar Competition, Paolo Barrasso (Italy), Domaine Forget de Charlevoix (Canada), and the Sholin Guitar Competition (United States), among others. An active international performer, Facundo has presented concerts throughout Argentina, Chile, Italy, Spain, the United States, Mexico, and Canada. His artistic focus centers on Latin American repertoire, with particular emphasis on Argentine guitar music, where he seeks to highlight both canonical works and lesser-known voices across diverse composers and stylistic traditions, bridging scholarship and performance in his programing
Facundo Martínez
Classical Guitarist
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