Dr. Jennifer Trowbridge is the classical and jazz guitar instructor at Cal Poly Humboldt in Arcata, CA, where she also directs the mariachi program. A performer, scholar, educator, and luthier, Jennifer has had a lifelong passion for stringed instruments. Her first instrument was a 1920's banjo ukulele that her musician father put in her crib. She enjoys playing 16th-century, 4-course guitar music on the modern ukulele, as well jamming with various singers and instrumentalists.

Her performance career has included collaborations with filmmakers, dancers, actors, poets, and puppeteers, as well as musicians from all over the world. She is currently working on several new projects including a "One Woman and One Man" show with tenor Bernard Holcomb. One of her favorite collaborations was with Palestinian oud player and composer Issa Boulos, Klezmer clarinetist Don Jacobs, and Tunisian percussionist Najib Bahri.

After earning a B.A. in music from the University of Chicago, she earned her master’s and doctoral degrees in guitar performance from Northwestern University, under the tutelage of Anne Waller. She continued her classical guitar study with Denis Azabagić, Sergio Assad, Jorge Caballero, Oscar Ghiglia, Antigoni Goni, Sharon Isbin, Michael Lorimer, David Russell, and others. A native of Chicago, she studied jazz guitar with David Bloom, Frank Portolese, and Emily Remler. She studied mandolin and banjo with Jody Stecher. She began her study of lutherie with Randall Angella in 2016, and has been Gregory Byers’ luthier apprentice since 2021.

Prior to joining the Cal Poly Humboldt faculty in 2018, she directed the guitar program at the Interlochen Arts Academy, taught at Chicago High School for the Arts, and owned and operated the Trowbridge Guitar Studio in Chicago and Trowbridge Music in Oakland, CA. She recently launched a new guitar program at McKinleyville High School.

Inquire about music lessons taught by Dr. Trowbridge at her website jennifertrowbridge.com or email her at jennifer@trowbridgemusic.com.