Music Instructor / Outreach Cordinator
Gean Vincent Almendras is an instructor on multiple instruments including Violin, Piano, Guitar, and Mandolin. He started his musical journey at a young age playing the ukulele and guitar with his musical family. He then picked up the violin at an elementary age and continued his studies in folk and classical music, performing in various youth orchestras and ensembles in the Ann Arbor area in addition to competing in multiple district and state Solo & Ensemble Festivals. He started playing the Mandolin in middle school and fell in love with the tradition of classical mandolin and guitar music whilst still playing the Violin avidly. Soon, he became involved in many different genres of world music ensembles.
Besides playing Violin in the EBFE Mariachi, he performs with his own String Quartet, and the University Orchestra. Additionally, he plays the Mandolin, Bandurria, and Laúd in the Ann Arbor Mandolin & Guitar Orchestra, PACE-MI Rondalla, and the Kalamazoo Mandolin & Guitar Orchestra. He has been invited to participate in several conferences and masterclasses on Mandolin with world renowned mandolinists such as Chris Thile, Avi Avital and Alon Sariel.
Currently, he is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance on Classical Mandolin with a minor in violin performance, as well as a second Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. He plans to pursue a graduate degree in the field of Ethnomusicology.