OUR MUSIC INSTRUCTORS
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Instructor for Piano, Flute, Voice, Guitar, Percussions and Jazz Master classes. Born to a Liberian mother and a German father, MAKINTO was soon interested in integrating both sides of this cultural heritage into his music. He studied classical music in Germany, as well as traditional and modern African music in various African countries. He was part of several international music education programs, notably in Niger, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, France and The United States. He founded Joyful Music & Arts in 2008 and moved into the current facility in 2011. He currently studies theology at Eastern Mennonite University in Virginia, and is only available for Master Classes on Appointment
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George Makinto,
Founder and Director
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Drum, bass, guitar, vocal and piano teacher for students of all ages and music production course instructor at JOMA, David is Makinto’s son and has been playing drums since the age of 3 ½. His first public appearance as a drummer was May 2002, a month before his 4th birthday, when he played the tune “St. Thomas” with his father’s band during the UN General Assembly. David graduated from USC in 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts from the Popular Music program at USC Thornton.
David Lami Friebe
Garth Marriott
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Garth Marriott is not just a fine rock drum and guitar teacher, but as well manager of JOMA and scheduling director. He loves to encourage and motivate music students of all ages to find the best in them, and his contagious smile and positive attitude delights students and parents alike. He also teaches music at Montessori schools and loves to find rare instruments to trade, so if you need a musical instrument, he is the right guy to ask!
Anthony Gendrano
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Anthony is our youngest instructor, an amazingly talented musician and teacher who studied several years under George Makinto and David Friebe. Anthony teaches piano and worship techniques, as he is worship leader and musician in his own home church. He is patient, inspiring and has a wonderful teaching style, especially for younger children. He also plays bass.
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Our acoustic, electric guitar, drum, bass teacher and beginners piano instructor. Jordan is an active gigging musician with a wide range of styles .
Jordan is patient, teaches all age-groups and is a very gifted teacher! After publishing his first music instruction book, Jordan has honed his skill of on-line teaching, which he still continues at JOMA, but teaches now again on -site with us at Joyful Music & Arts
Jordan Hemphill
Ivan Malespin
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Our Trumpet, Trombone, Bass and Beginner piano instructor
Ivan is a graduate of the New World School of the Arts, the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, and most recently the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music, from which he obtained a Master’s of Music in Jazz Studies. He is a versatile instrumentalist having worked with the likes of Kanye West, YG, the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, and Philip Bailey of Earth, Wind and Fire. Ivan is a recipient of merit scholarships from the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, the USC Black Alumni Association, and the Gold Coast Jazz Society, among others.
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Brandon Whitehurst
Brandon is our new Jazz Piano/ Classical Piano Bassoon and Music production teacher. He has studied Jazz Piano for several years under Mr. Makinto, has graduated with honors from Cal State Long Beach with a bachelors in music performance, and is now continuing his studies for a Master in Jazz Piano. He has also studied with David Benoit and other illustrious California performers, and is one of the rising stars on the Los Angeles Jazz scene.
Alyssa Curiel
Alyssa is our new Vocal/piano/trombone teacher starting in September 2024. She is a versatile instrumentalist who has worked with and/or performed alongside renowned artists such as Wayne Bergeron, Earnie Watts and others, including the Grammy-nominated vocal group Säje. Alyssa graduated Magna Cum Laude from Cal State Long Beach, earning a Bachelor's degree with a focus on Jazz Performance and a Minor in Theatre Arts. She has received numerous awards from DownBeat Magazine and has been part of various Honor Choirs, Jazz Bands, Concert Bands, Wind Ensembles, and Jazz Choirs. Currently, she is a member of the Grammy Award-winning choir Tonality. Her mission is to inspire and uplift through musical storytelling and education.
Dylan Wicks
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Dylan Wicks is our new instructor of Voice, Bass, Guitar, and Beginning Piano from Orange County. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal/Choral Music Education at California State University, Long Beach, where he has honed his skills as a vocalist and choral conductor. Being raised in a musical family, he cultivated a profound passion for the arts and performance from an early age, leading him to initially focus on instrumental music and brass performance. His passion for singing blossomed when he joined the Chamber Choir in high school, inspiring him to become a vocal music educator. Dylan also teaches the Trombone and Trumpet.
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Our classical Piano and guitar instructor extraordinaire
Jonathan graduated from Los Angeles Harbor college and is currently pursuing a Masters degree at CAL state University Northridge, with a focus on piano interpretation of the classical composer Alexander Scriabin. Jonathan is available for house calls.
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