Advocate | MarthaMasters

Transforming guitar education through leadership, partnership, and advocacy.

Martha Masters is a national advocate for guitar education, working to expand access, visibility, and support for guitar programs in public schools and higher education. Her advocacy is grounded in collaboration with educators, institutions, and community partners, with a focus on practical solutions that respect local contexts and the realities of teaching today.

As President of the Guitar Foundation of America, Masters has become a prominent voice in national conversations about inclusion, equity, and access in music education. She works closely with teachers and administrators to strengthen guitar programs, support professional development, and increase awareness of the guitar as a meaningful and accessible instrument for students.

Grounded in an active career as a performer, conductor, and educator, Masters’ advocacy reflects a belief that lasting change in music education emerges through partnership, mutual learning, and sustained engagement with the communities served.

Inquire about advocacy initiatives

Hong Kong Interview: Advocacy for Guitar in the Schools

Thinking Globally

Through my roles as Executive Director and now President of the Guitar Foundation of America, I’ve had many opportunities to speak about guitar education, including reimagining guitar education through access, leadership, sustainability, and music’s capacity to support student well-being.

Change comes through collaboration, and there are many organizations doing great work on a national/global level regarding guitar/music education:

Others are taking the lead in curriculum design, including:

Through shared effort and collaboration, the future of arts education—especially through the guitar as a point of entry—is bright.

Acting Locally

NOTEWORTHY phoenix

guitar programs

I invited a panel of colleagues from outside the region to review performance videos from local programs, and the following schools were identified as programs that excel at the art of guitar ensemble. Each of these programs is led by guitarists trained as music educators, illustrating the level of quality that is possible when teachers are well prepared for the classroom. I look forward to expanding this list over time and to seeing increased opportunities for non-specialist educators to receive the training and support needed to succeed in front of a guitar ensemble.

Arizona School for the Arts

Camelback High School

Maryvale High School

Red Mountain High School

All State Guitar in AZ

All-State ensembles provide audition-based opportunities that recognize excellence in musical achievement and reward students with high-level performance and educational experiences. Participation offers significant artistic growth and is also a meaningful addition to a college résumé.

Band, orchestra, and choir have long traditions of All-State ensembles. Guitar, by contrast, is a relatively recent addition, and fewer than a dozen states nationwide currently offer All-State Guitar opportunities for high school students. I am proud to have been part of the launch of Arizona’s All-State Guitar Ensemble in January 2025, alongside my colleagues Chuck Hulihan (Glendale Community College) and AZMEA Guitar Chair Sean Hale.

This milestone represents an important step toward equity in arts access in Arizona. The inaugural ensemble was a great success, and I look forward to Arizona continuing to lead nationally in guitar education. For more information on eligibility and the application process, please visit the AZMEA website.

Classroom support

As more schools introduce guitar into their music programs, many educators are asked to teach outside their primary training—often with limited time and resources. If your school’s guitar program could benefit from additional support, I’m happy to collaborate in ways that are practical and respectful of teachers’ expertise and workload.

Support might include sharing curriculum resources, discussing local opportunities, or arranging occasional visits with me and/or graduate teaching assistants from Arizona State University. Strengthening public-school guitar education is a personal priority, and as an Ahwatukee-based educator, I’m committed to supporting our local community. If a conversation would be helpful, please get in touch.