Rate My Professor Julia Banzi

Currently, Julia Banzi holds the position of Professor of Music, Ethnomusicology at Portland State University, Adjunct Professor of World Music at the University of Portland, and Adjunct Professor of World Music, Flamenco Guitar, and Folk Guitar at Lewis & Clark College. A trailblazer as one of the very few female flamenco guitarists worldwide, she honed her craft living and studying in Spain and North Africa for over twenty years under masters such as Isidro Muñoz of the Familia Muñoz-Sanlúcar, Felipe Maya, Juan Maya 'Marote,' David Serva (Diego del Moron), Rafael Morales, Gerardo Nuñez, and Antonio Rey, the 2020 Latin Grammy winner. As co-artistic director of the international Al-Andalus Ensemble, Banzi has toured worldwide for decades, releasing five albums and influencing the field through innovative performances blending flamenco and world music traditions. Her accolades encompass the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship, winner of the Peoples Grammy Award for Best World Music Song, and a nomination for Best Contemporary Classical Album. She frequently presents public lectures globally on guitar techniques, flamenco history, and women in music. Notably, many of her students have advanced to professional careers, including Elliott Smith. Her contributions have been lauded in El País as 'a delightful proposition of exquisite music.'