Discover Jad’s journey and how he ended up being Abel Carlevaro’s official representative and his assistant professor.

Jad’s Biography

With my first guitar in Australia, I was hooked. In high school and college, I played electric guitar with rock bands. After an MA in psychology I took my now-vintage Custom Telecaster guitar to Boston to study rock and jazz at Berklee College of Music.

But something was missing. I went to Paris to study classical composition, orchestration, and classical guitar with the greatest masters of the day.

When people asked me why I “defected” to the classical guitar I’d say, “How else can I be John, Paul, George and Ringo all in one?

Any doubts I had about becoming a concert guitarist were swept away when I took my first master class with Abel Carlevaro, the Uruguayan virtuoso and teacher. His holistic approach to the guitar was so convincing that I he took me on as his student in Montevideo.

With my translation of Carlevaro’s book School of Guitar from Spanish to English and French and my progress in the guitar, the Maestro took me on as one of his teaching assistants.

My career of giving recitals, playing chamber music and performing as a soloist with orchestra finally took shape. I give master classes all over the world and have held teaching positions in conservatoires and universities in Washington DC, Geneva, and London to students and professional guitar teachers.

My concert guitars are a beautiful Enrico Bottelli from Italy and a wonderful George Lowden from Northern Ireland.

I am married and have two sons who are musicians: Mike (Aka “Dr Koul”) is a talented hip-hop artist and Julian is a very fine violinist with whom I often give duo concerts.

Awards & Diplomas

Affiliate Artists competition (New York), First Prize
Certification of expertise in the teaching of the Abel Carlevaro School of Guitar
Order of the Cedar:  Knighthood awarded by the President of Lebanon for Jad’s international contribution to the music world
Ecole Normale de Musique (studies with Alberto Ponce)
Berklee College of Music (Boston) 2-year certificate: Arranging & Composition
American University of Beirut (Lebanon) MA in Psychology

Teaching Experience

London College of Music: guitar professor, since 2010
Conservatoire Populaire de Guitare in Geneva: guitar teacher, 1984-1991, and since 1998
Swiss Association for Musical Pedagogy: professor since 1999
International Masterlasses in music and guitar festivals. since 1985
Pedagogical assistant to Abel Carlevaro in Masterclasses in  Spain, France, Switzerland, 1982-2000
Catholic University, Washington, DC: guitar teacher, 1994-1995
American University, Washington, DC: guitar teacher, 1993-1995
Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant: guitar class, 1982
American University of Beirut: psychology dept. as teaching assistant, 1970-1971

Discover how Jad helps musicians get better sound !