INFORMATION ABOUT CLASSES
Popular Piano and Jazz Piano
FOR LESSONS, CONCERTS, REQUESTING A GUEST LECTURE/CLINIC/MASTERCLASS, OR REQUESTING A PRESS-KIT, PLEASE CONTACT:
adolfomendonca@hotmail.com
adolfomendonca82@gmail.com
Adolfo Mendonça offers piano lessons both online and in person (downtown São Paulo, Brazil). He has been teaching music for 25 years and has taught more than 300 piano students. He works with students of all ages and skill levels, specializing in popular piano, jazz, rock, and classical piano, as well as offering improvisation and harmony lessons for non-pianists.
Adolfo has served as Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Minnesota Morris (United States), faculty member at the American University in Cairo (Egypt), faculty member at Knox College (United States), and professor at the Guarulhos Municipal Conservatory (Brazil). He has also been invited to give masterclasses at numerous conservatories around the world and to present at several music education conferences in the United States. He has delivered guest lectures and masterclasses at more than thirty universities and conservatories worldwide, including the University of São Paulo (USP), the University of Campinas (UNICAMP), São Paulo State University (UNESP), and EMESP in Brazil; as well as the University of Wisconsin–Madison, North Dakota State University, the University of Minnesota, the Universidad de Chile, and the American University in Cairo internationally.
As a pianist, Adolfo has performed in concert halls and festivals across Brazil, the United States, Chile, France, Mexico, and Egypt. He has also performed and recorded with musicians including Randy Brecker, Romero Lubambo, Clarice Assad, Piska, Remy Le Boeuf, Jose Valentino Ruiz, Tammy Scheffer, and many others. His music blends influences from jazz, Brazilian music, and progressive rock. He has received composition awards in the United States from DownBeatmagazine and piano awards in Brazil at the Guiomar Novaes Piano Competition. He holds a Master's degree in Jazz Performance from the University of South Florida (United States) and is a researcher specializing in the teaching and learning of musical improvisation.
The videos below showcase students of different ages, experience levels, and musical backgrounds. Lessons are available for students of all ages and skill levels, with an emphasis on each student's preferred musical styles, including jazz, Brazilian music, pop, and classical music.
JAZZ PIANO STUDENT VIDEOS
STUDENT REVIEWS:
Adolfo's lessons are carefully tailored to each student's individual needs, and he is exceptionally skilled at analyzing each student's work with an open mind. His guidance always comes from a professional perspective, offering different ways to improve my playing. In addition, Adolfo makes sure I fully understand his explanations so that I can take full advantage of everything he teaches. As a result, I have developed a strong command of the techniques and concepts he presents. I am truly satisfied with the quality and content of his lessons, which have contributed significantly to my growth as a musician.
Isaac Garcia, University of Minnesota Morris student (Minnesota, USA)
I highly recommend Professor Adolfo! My goal is to learn jazz while recovering more than ten years away from the piano. His lessons are extremely well organized, he pays close attention to every detail, and he has an exceptional ear. He immediately identifies problems in my playing, assigns targeted exercises, and keeps every lesson focused on my goals. For example, we've been working on seventh chord exercises and rhythm development. I'm extremely happy with the lessons. They're online, and they've worked remarkably well. I was skeptical about online music lessons, but my experience with Adolfo completely changed my mind.
Renato Giroldo (San Francisco, USA)
My two children (ages 9 to 13) studied with Adolfo and absolutely loved it! Besides being an outstanding musician, he is an excellent teacher, incredibly patient, and uses outstanding teaching materials. His lessons are well structured while remaining enjoyable, which made all the difference in their learning. I highly recommend Adolfo's work!Marcone (Dallas, USA)
I study music at the university level, and among all the music educators I've worked with, Adolfo impressed me the most from a technical standpoint. He was my professor for a year at the University of Minnesota Morris, where I had the opportunity to learn from him both in the classroom and while performing alongside him. Thanks to his advice and mentorship, I made tremendous progress as both a live performer and stage musician.
Russell Nelson, University of Minnesota Morris Student (Minnesota, USA)
Adolfo was one of the best—if not the very best—band directors I've ever performed under. As a pianist, he was even more impressive, and he was also an outstanding person to work with. He always knew exactly what needed attention during rehearsals and did an excellent job securing performances and events for both the jazz combos and the big band. In short, he is an exceptional musician, conductor, producer, and human being.
Truett Richards, University of Minnesota Morris Student (Minnesota, USA)
I had the privilege of studying with Professor Adolfo for several years, during which I learned improvisation and arranging techniques, the importance of discipline, composition, and much more. His lessons encouraged both critical and creative thinking, which were essential to my development as a music educator and pianist. I highly recommend Professor Adolfo's lessons!
Samira Portilho, Music Educator with International Experience (São Paulo, Brazil)
Adolfo is an incredible teacher! From my very first lessons, I could see his genuine passion for both music and teaching. It's obvious that he has studied extensively and truly knows his craft. He is an exceptionally skilled professional, and in the short time I studied with him, I learned so much that it only deepened my love for music.
Amanda Camargo, Admitted to the Popular Music Program at UNICAMP (Campinas, Brazil)
Outstanding knowledge and teaching ability. In my opinion, he is the best jazz educator in Brazil.
Raphael Tessarotto, Pianist, Choral Conductor, and Educator at the Brasília Conservatory (Brasília, Brazil)
He teaches with a structured method adapted to each student’s goals. I play classical piano and always wanted to learn how to play pop and jazz music.
Theo Fraga (Montreal, Canada)
Adolfo is an excellent teacher, highly experienced, with enormous theoretical and practical knowledge. His teaching approach is excellent and easy to follow. His lessons helped me greatly improve my skills on the keyboard.
Eduardo (Salt Lake City, United States)
Having online lessons with him was easy, and I learned a lot.
Lucas Bertolossi (Munich, Germany)
He is an outstanding teacher—very demanding, highly intelligent, and remarkably wise. If you truly want to learn to play the piano well, he is the ideal instructor. His academic background in both Brazil and abroad reflects the depth of his experience and preparation as an educator. I recommend him without hesitation!
Carolina Gomes, Music Educator (Guarulhos, Brazil)
Adolfo is simply the best! I studied piano and keyboard with him. I have a classical piano background but had stopped playing for years. He taught me how to understand and build chords instead of simply reading sheet music. Music is Adolfo's passion, and after specializing in the United States, he returned to Brazil to contribute to the country's musical community. Thank you, Adolfo, for sharing all your knowledge!
Cláudia Regina, Choral Conductor (Santos, Brazil)
Outstanding teaching, excellent repertoire, and an incredible ability to share his extensive knowledge and experience! Today I play keyboard in a pop/rock band, in addition to other musical projects, and I can say without a doubt that Adolfo's lessons made all the difference. If you want to improve as a keyboard player, this is definitely the right path!
João Laio, Musician (São Paulo, Brazil)
Excellent teacher! I take harmony and composition (popular music) lessons with Adolfo, and he has an abundance of both technical expertise and teaching skills. He quickly understands each student's needs and addresses them in a clear, focused, and objective way. Thanks to his approach, I feel that my studies are progressing exactly as I had hoped, even with my limited practice time. Highly recommended!
Daniel Salgado (Salvador, Brazil)
Adolfo is an exceptionally qualified teacher who is deeply committed to sharing knowledge and helping his students grow. His teaching methodology encourages critical thinking while bringing out the very best in every student. He is incredibly generous with his knowledge and always approachable. In short, he is a highly qualified and outstanding educator. I am deeply grateful for everything I have learned from him and look forward to many more lessons. I recommend him wholeheartedly.
Luiz Gustavo (São Paulo, Brazil)
I highly recommend Professor Adolfo. He is an extremely capable musician with exceptional musical knowledge. I first studied with him in 2018 before he left for the United States to pursue his master's degree in jazz, and this year I returned to continue my studies with him. He knows exactly how to design an effective learning path for each student, always providing practical, objective, and easy-to-understand guidance. My musical level has improved tremendously since I began studying with him. If you're looking for a high-level teacher who will teach you real music, there's only one name: Adolfo.
Aluízio Rezende, Small Business Owner (Guarulhos, Brazil)
What can I say about Professor Adolfo? He is an outstanding mentor who explains everything clearly and concisely, keeping students fully engaged. His teaching style is captivating, and he has an incredibly perceptive ear. He constantly inspires me to explore the topics we discuss more deeply. He challenges you while carefully explaining where and how you can improve. I highly recommend him!
Micaela, Singer (Guarulhos, Brazil)
It is difficult to put into words how grateful I am to Maestro Adolfo Mendonça for all the knowledge he shared during his time in Chile. Thanks to him, I finally understood how to improvise and comp over the Rhythm Changes chord progression. He taught us a highly practical approach to simplifying a song's original harmony and then reharmonizing it. I also learned fundamental concepts of walking bass, chord melody, and improvisation. Everything I've described here came from just a single group masterclass. We also studied composition, group improvisation, rhythmic concepts, and music theory. We were immersed in an extraordinary wealth of musical knowledge and ideas, all thanks to Professor Mendonça. Personally, I am not the same musician I was before studying with him, and I will always be deeply grateful for everything I learned.
Renato Quezada, pianist and composition student at the Univerity of Child (Santiago, Chile)
As a pianist, it was incredibly enriching to observe the way Adolfo approaches modern voicings and harmony with such refinement and subtlety. Watching the development of his improvisational ideas was equally inspiring. He also worked with our jazz big band, La Errante, where we had the privilege of performing his composition Willowcrest under his direction. During rehearsals, he focused on phrasing and dynamics in every section of the piece, and I learned a great deal from observing his piano voicings in that context. I am truly grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from him during his visit to our part of the world.
Emiliano del Solar, Pianist (Santiago, Chile)
An exceptional Brazilian pianist and composer with whom I had the privilege of working during his recent visit to Chile. Mr. Mendonça led a masterclass with our orchestra, La Errante Big Band, demonstrating not only extraordinary technical and musical ability but also outstanding pedagogical skill, clear communication, and remarkable artistic sensitivity. His musical approach, deep command of the jazz language, and versatility as a composer left a lasting impression on the entire ensemble. Adolfo also displayed an outstanding collaborative spirit, broad knowledge of Afro-American and Latin American musical traditions, and an inspiring ability to communicate ideas that deeply motivated the young musicians with whom he worked. His contribution was significant both musically and personally. Adolfo combines a solid academic background, international experience, artistic sensitivity, and a genuine commitment to music education and creative work.
Christopher Gonzáles, Saxophonist, Arranger, and Composer (Santiago, Chile)
About Adolfo, I only have good things to say about him as a person, teacher, and musician. His extraordinary musicianship is also reflected in the high quality and effectiveness of his teaching, which is accessible to everyone while being highly personalized and precise at the same time. Every piece of guidance he provides is valuable, and he always seeks to engage all participants during lessons.
Damián Meléndez, musician (Santiago, Chile)
Adolfo is not only an internationally recognized musician but also a dedicated educator who leaves his mark on every project he takes part in. His ethics, warmth, and ability to motivate young musicians distinguish him as an exceptional professional.
We highly recommend Adolfo Mendonça, without reservation, for any teaching position, artistic direction, or musical direction role. His international career and the impact he has had on our group are testimonies to his excellence.
Trombone section of La Chile Big Band (Santiago, Chile)
I studied keyboard with Professor Adolfo for two years. He is amazing, extremely competent, and I enjoyed the lessons very much. Unfortunately, I had to stop lessons due to personal issues, but I am organizing myself to return.
Davidson Lemela, psychologist (Santos, Brazil)
Adolfo shares his knowledge of jazz, harmonic progressions, and improvisation in a very didactic way. I had lessons with him and highly recommend him.
Virgilio Lopes, admitted to the Conservatório de Tatuí (São Paulo, Brazil)
Professor Adolfo deserves many recommendations for the way he structures his teaching for each student in an effective and precise manner. In addition, he has a broad perspective on the musical and pedagogical aspects of teaching piano, keyboard, music theory, harmony, and improvisation.
Gab Veneziani, singer (Santos, Brazil)
One of the best music teachers I have had, if not the best. He plays amazing jazz. His study techniques are adapted to each student’s development.
Samuel, lawyer (Guarulhos, Brazil)
I was already Adolfo’s student and I highly recommend him. He is an exemplary professional, with highly refined musicianship and technique, an impressive résumé, and above all, an excellent teacher.
Pedro, guitarist (São Paulo, Brazil)
Professor Adolfo’s lessons have a very objective teaching approach. All my questions were answered with patience and clarity. I highly recommend him to anyone interested in jazz and harmony. Excellent professional.
Vanessa, student at UNESP (São Paulo, Brazil)
Adolfo is a great teacher, with excellent teaching skills, very patient, and focused on the student’s goals. He pays attention to difficulties and sends complementary materials to support practice. I can see a significant improvement in my playing. I recommend him to everyone!
Filipe Santos (Santos, Brazil)
Highly recommended. He has extensive experience as a musician and a flexible teaching methodology for each type of student. I am improving a lot through his techniques and guidance in my studies.
Ronaldo Lucas, pianist (São Paulo, Brazil)
A great teacher. Excellent teaching skills and deep knowledge in all areas of music, from harmony to orchestration. He knows a great deal about jazz and its history. I recommend Master Adolfo with complete confidence.
Alexandre Azevedo, musician (Florianópolis, Brazil)
I took Adolfo’s jazz and harmony course and highly recommend it. Adolfo is an outstanding teacher, with an excellent teaching methodology, and he has complete mastery of all the subjects he teaches. He is also a great pianist and arranger. In addition, he is a very helpful, open, and attentive person with his students. I highly recommend him!
Amanda, Master of Music from UEL (Londrina, Brazil)
Adolfo is one of the best musicians, teachers, and pianists/keyboardists I have ever met. His knowledge and musicianship are impressive. I took lessons with him in jazz, piano, and the history of American music. He is one of the best Brazilian teachers in this field. Besides being versatile, Adolfo has an excellent way of communicating knowledge to students. I highly recommend him!
Vinícius, pianist, student at Unicamp (Campinas, Brazil)
His teachings were undoubtedly fundamental to the growth of our group. Above all, I highlight his exceptional human qualities, which make the transmission of knowledge and relevant information much easier. It was an honor to share this experience with him.
Roberto Boksamy, saxophonist at La Chile Big Band (Santiago, Chile)
I participated in a jazz course taught by Adolfo, and his extensive knowledge of the subject was evident. He always made very relevant comments and was always available to answer any questions from the students. Excellent professional. I highly recommend him.
Vinícius, pianist (São Paulo, Brazil)
I have known Adolfo’s work as a musician for many years, and recently I had the pleasure of being his student. He has extensive knowledge of the musical world and excellent teaching skills. I recommend him to everyone.
Tanauan, musician (Santos, Brazil)
"An interpretation of the classic jazz standard 'Round Midnight' by the great Thelonious Monk. In this arrangement, I apply several concepts worked on in classes with Adolfo, including: shell voicings, drop 2, harmonization with diminished chords, upper structures, swing feel (interpretation with the characteristic swing of jazz), bass lines, different articulations, counterpoint lines, use of rhythmic and melodic patterns, arpeggios, chromaticism, and approach notes." Vinicius Gomes, student at Unicamp
"In this arrangement of Assum Preto, I use concepts such as: reharmonizations, fourth voicings, exploration of bass lines, xote rhythms, modulations, counterpoint, and countermelodies." Amanda Camargo, accepted at Unicamp
"Interpretation of the standard 'All the Things You Are' and commentary on various techniques used in the arrangement, such as reharmonization with secondary dominants, tritone substitution, and the chosen voicings." - Theo Fraga, online student residing in Montreal, Canada.