Hailed as "an ambassador of Brazilian music” by The Washington Post, Dr. Joao Figueiroa (DM, MM, Florida State University; BMus, Universidade Federal da Bahia) is recognized today as one of the most influential Brazilian classical guitar performers. Dr. Figueiroa won several international guitar competitions across the US and in Brazil, such as the First Prize at the Music Teachers National Association in 2003 and the First Prize at the Columbus State International Guitar Symposium in 2007. Dr. Figueiroa has been a featured artist at many festivals and in concert series across both countries.

Dr. Figueiroa is also in demand as a teacher. From 1998 to 2002 he served as a faculty member for the Preparatory Division at the Escola de Música da Universidade Federal da Bahia in Brazil, from 2003 to 2008 as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at The Florida State University, and since 2010 he is the head of guitar studies at Catholic University of America in DC. He maintains a vibrant private studio at his home in Alexandria-VA where he has worked with students who have distinguished themselves in guitar competitions, music festivals, and have been accepted in top college music programs in the US. Dr. Figueiroa actively teaches in guitar festivals throughout the United States and South America.

In addition to his teaching and performing career, Dr. Figueiroa has worked as a community arts organizer since his arrival in the Washington DC area in 2009. Since 2014, Dr. Figueiroa has worked for Marlow Guitar International (MGI) where in 2017 he was appointed as its Executive Director. One of the biggest guitar organizations in the US, on his leadership MGI has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in support of broad concert, outreach and educational programming.

View Dr. Figueiroa's Studio page at Catholic University of America