Teacher Profile: Joseph Gallo

About Joseph Gallo

Joe Gallo is a guitarist and composer from Baltimore, Maryland who specializes in teaching classical, jazz and rock guitar. A graduate of American University in Washington, DC, he has studied under some of the best guitar instructors in the DMV area, including Peabody alumni.

Before college, Joe studied guitar intensively for over twelve years. Under the mentorship of Towson High School jazz band director David Rhen, Joe gained a love for jazz and funk that resulted in his admission to the Baltimore County All Honors Jazz Ensemble. This period fostered Joe's musicianship and left him with an enduring stance on the importance of teaching, and the unique ability of the teacher to inspire. Joe understands that musical concepts like improvisation can be daunting for students, so he works with them to establish confidence through public recitals.

During his semester abroad in the Fall of 2016, Joe composed, arranged and performed original music with the help of eight peers while studying under Austrian composer Gabriele Proy. Creating original art is a great way to reignite one's passion, and so Joe aims to have his students write their own pieces under his guidance. To compliment this process, Joe is working towards releasing an album of his original music by 2020. He is also a supporting guitarist for area bands City Line Kids and the Steve Baker Experience, with whom he performs regularly.

Teaching has taken many career forms for Joe, most notably in private lessons,

established community music stores, and NGO volunteering. Joe strives to give all of his students the same attention, passion and joy he received from his instructors, with emphasis on prioritizing student creativity. He is determined to instill in his students an appreciation for improvisation at any level of guitar or piano.