Gema Garcia Grijalva

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Primary Email: [email protected]

Bio

Gema Garcia Grijalva is a Mexican pianist and educator with 20 years of experience. Gema believes that every student—regardless of their starting point—deserves a rich, culturally informed musical education. Her teaching style is deeply personable, fostering strong relationships with both students and parents to create a supportive learning environment. Besides piano fundamentals, she integrates theory, performance practice, and history to help students reach their fullest potential while developing their own unique musical voice.

Gema has been a piano instructor for SDSU’s Community Music School for almost nine years, and she currently works as an Adjunct Instructor of Music and the Piano Area Coordinator at the University of San Diego. In this leadership capacity, she oversees the piano department, facilitates individual and group instruction, and serves as a premier collaborative pianist for the university. Her expertise extends into the broader San Diego arts community through her work with the San Diego Suzuki School of Music and her frequent collaborations on regional recital programs.

Gema’s musical foundation is rooted in her academic excellence, holding a Bachelor of Music from Baja California State University, where she studied with Ella Korobtchenko, and a Master of Music from San Diego State University under the tutelage of Dr. Karen Follingstad.