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Brian Rupp

Guitar / Bass / Drums / Piano / Ukulele

Preferred Pronouns: He/Him

The son and grandson of professional musicians and music teachers, Brian Rupp has been teaching guitar for over 20 years and playing for over 30 years. Initial music studies commenced with piano lessons at age 8, but Brian was subsequently "bitten by the rock bug" and began teaching himself guitar at age 11. After performing in the high school jazz band and with the heavy metal band Abraxas, Brian studied music at California State University, Northridge and graduated in 1996 with a Bachelor of Music Degree in Classical Guitar Performance. Honors included winning the Randy Rhoads Memorial Scholarship Competition.

After graduation, Brian went on to perform solo classical guitar and classical guitar with ensemble in a wide variety of settings such as weddings, receptions, civic events and private engagements. Additional musical activities included gigging on electric and bass guitar in various original, cover and tribute bands in clubs, fairs, festivals and concert halls. He has appeared on Chinese television with Regina Cheng and The Diamond Band and Brazilian television as a performer at the memorial concert for the legendary Brazilian guitarist and composer Laurindo Almeida. 

Currently, Brian has been performing solo classical guitar twice a month at The Californian, a convalescent home and rehab facility in Pasadena since 2011 under the auspices of Respect & Understanding, a non profit organization whose  mission is healing through music.

In the realm of music education, Brian has taught thousands of private lessons on guitar, bass guitar and drums to a wide range of ages and levels and in a wide range of styles. He has also taught in the public domain as a volunteer assistant music teacher for the LAUSD and guest instructor at the elementary and middle school levels. Brian's objectives in lessons are for beginners to have a solid foundation in basic technique, rhythm, chords and melody playing, for intermediate level students to progress in the direction of music they want play and to supplement the advanced student's knowledge of technique, theory and expression. Brian's mission for his students and in his own musical endeavors is to play music one loves the best he/she can.