Karla's Story

Imagine this… I was 19 years old, learned to play the guitar all by myself, and “Stairway to Heaven” was my ultimate achievement. “Pretty advanced” you’re thinking, I know. And with that skill level I made up my mind to apply to the Conservatory (of Universidad Austral). I was bold and hilarious. Especially when you know that all the other applicants were 14 to 15 years old with almost a decade of music education behind them. Everyone thought, and said out loud, that I am a lost cause… BUT, I dedicated 2 months to constant practice and learning of classical guitar skills.

To the surprise of everyone, me included, I got in. A few years later, the famous guitar player José Antonio Escobar, selected me to study under him at the Conservatory of the Universidad Mayor in Santiago. Another surprise considering how late and unskilled I started. 

Because José has a full concert calendar I was barely getting any mentoring from him. So I decided to apply to the prestigious Faculty of Arts at the Universidad de Chile. You have a better chance winning the lottery than getting in there. But again, with tons of obsessive practice, I got in. Practice compensates for many things as you can see :) 

My teaching journey started when I became an assistant at the Universidad de Chile, followed by teaching at the Universidad Metropolitana de las Ciencias de la Educación. That’s a mouthful, I know. 

I’ve also given master classes at one of the largest guitar festivals in South America, “Festival Entrecuerdas”. And, if I may humblebrag, I was given the “Best Performer” award at the Cesar Cortinas Guitar Contest in 2010.

Then I made another bold decision and moved to Canada, Toronto. Here I teach both online, to older students, and at 2 local music schools where I teach kids guitar, ukulele and drums. 

As you can see, dedication and practice, along with a passion for music were the keys for my success against odds. I’ve made lots of mistakes along the way and gained plenty of experience. Now I would love to transfer those hard earned lessons to you.