Mary Jo Disler, a charter member of the Guitar Foundation of America, has taught classic guitar privately, and in college classes for beginners in the Detroit area for over 30 years. Recently retired from Oakland Community College, Farmington Hills, Michigan, she initiated guitar classes at Mercy College (now University of Detroit-Mercy) and at The University of Michigan-Dearborn during her career.

Guitar QuickStart™ developed in the college classes as a unique method for introducing the three pillars of guitar – reading, chords, and tablature – in a clear, concise way within one college semester. It is thus a classroom-proven approach, and not a clone of other popular methods.

Ms. Disler was herself an adult beginner on guitar, after having completed her first Master of Music degree. Her personal focus has been and remains the study of classic guitar. As opportunities to teach adult beginners in college classes became available, however, she also developed concepts for helping students understand guitar from a more comprehensive viewpoint. Her background of advanced training and experience in church music, piano and organ enabled her to identify the learning issues for guitar from a richly musical and analytical perspective.

Academic credentials:

B.Mus., Wittenberg University, church music
M.Mus., The U. of Michigan, music literature
M.Mus., The U. of Michigan, music theory