Pam Beaty

Pam has been playing the guitar since she was a kid, and has been teaching guitar for over two decades. After seeing the great Spanish guitarist Andrés Segovia on TV, she completely changed course and became obsessed with classical guitar. She earned two degrees in guitar performance: a bachelor’s from Chicago Musical College and a master’s degree and the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati.

Since that time, Pam has started a new obsession, the music of Brazil (samba, choro, and especially bossa nova and the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim). Pam has studied this music with virtuoso musicians and teachers including the members of Trio Brasileiro, and the great guitarist Allesandro Penezzi, among others. She also loves to travel to Brazil to study the language and the culture.

This obsession with Brazilian music has led to a new duo with well-known Portland guitarist Peter Zisa. They like to play Brazilian music but have been known to dip into some Bach from time to time.

Pam has played and taught many other styles on guitar—that’s one of the things she likes so much about the instrument: bluegrass, rock, folk, jazz—whatever people want to hear or learn how to play. She is currently on the faculty of Portland Community College.