OUR MUSIC INSTRUCTORS
David Lami Friebe
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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.
Garth Marriott
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Garth Marriott is not just a fine rock drum and guitar teacher, but as well scheduling director and incoming owner. 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, drums, vocal 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 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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Ivan Malespin
Alyssa Curiel
Alyssa is our very popular Vocal/piano/trombone teacher. 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.
Brandon Whitehurst
Brandon is our 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.
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Our classical Piano and guitar instructor extraordinaire
Jonathan graduated from Los Angeles Harbor college and holds 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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Jonathan Strand
George Makinto
Founder of Joyful Music & Arts
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​Makinto founded Joyful Music & Arts in 2007, and moved the school into its current location in 2011. He studied classical music in Germany, Jazz, Funk as well as traditional and modern African music in various African countries and has been a working international performer since 1984. He was part of several international music education programs, notably in Niger, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, France and The United States. He is a pastoral missionary and currently studies theology at Eastern Mennonite University in Virginia
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