Category Archives: Guitar

Faculty, Guitar, People

Joe Marquez, Guitarist and Recording Engineer

Joe Marquez has been teaching guitar for 15 years, specializing in rock, pop and country. “I like to make lessons fun first, and I enjoy helping beginners gain the skills and confidence they need to experience the thrill of performing and composition.” 

As an artist Joe has placed songs with major label recording artists Cher and Wasp, earning gold and platinum records. His credits also include winning the John Lennon song writing contest for “Hang up Your Halo Tonight.” 

Joe worked as a recording engineer at Prairie Sun Recording in Cotati, where he recorded, mixed and played banjo on the 1992 Grammy winning Tom Waits album “Bone Machine.” He has engineered projects for Greg Allman, The Doobie Brothers, Dick Dale, Guy Clark, Ted Nugent, and the Melvins among others.

He specializes in teaching beginning and intermediate guitar and welcomes players of all ages. He is a father of two and shares his love of music with his family. When his daughter Madeline was 3 years old they recorded their first song together called “Bluebird of Happiness.” Joe also screens songs for the West Coast Songwriters Association and produces music for TV, commercials and film.

Faculty, Guitar, People, Piano

Tommy O’Mahony

Tommy O’Mahony is a professional musician and educator with 15+ years of experience in playing and teaching. A Marin native and graduate of the California Jazz Conservatory in Berkeley with a Bachelors Degree in music, Tommy has experience teaching music theory and ear training as well as several instruments. In his instrumental lessons, he can teach specific playing techniques or just help you learn songs – on bass, guitar, piano or ukulele. Tommy welcomes students of all levels and ages.

Tommy O’Mahony

Cello, Faculty, Guitar, People, Piano

David A. Lusterman, Founder

David Lusterman

David A. Lusterman is the president of Stringletter, which he founded in 1986, the media company that publishes Acoustic Guitar, Classical Guitar,  Strings, and Ukulele magazines.  He founded the Marin Community Music School in 2009.   David earned his B.A. in Comparative Literature at Columbia University and held staff positions at The New York Review of Books, democracy, The Nation, and [more].  He teaches beginning cello, guitar and piano.