Learn to play with
Mr. José
TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
I want every student to leave each lesson feeling more confident, motivated, and excited to keep playing. My goal is to meet each student where they are, break complex ideas into manageable steps, and celebrate steady progress so they build both skill and a lifelong love of music.
EDUCATION & TRAINING
Master of Music in Classical Guitar Performance
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
2026
Master of Music in Contemporary Music Performance
Berklee College of Music (Valencia, Spain)
2015
Bachelor of Music in Music Education
University of Texas at Brownsville
2013
ABOUT
MR. JOSÉ
José Villarreal is a professional musician, guitarist, and teacher based in South Texas. He began playing guitar at 14, and at 16 received his first salary as a musician when he began offering private guitar lessons to classmates.
José has worked with many live bands and diverse projects, including a concert with the Grammy-winning Los Angeles Guitar Quartet at Austin City Limits and a two-night, sold-out concert with Los Enanitos Verdes in McAllen, Texas. He has taken masterclasses with artists including LAGQ member William Kanengiser and guitar virtuoso Steve Vai, played alongside Del Castillo in 2023, and this past year performed with Latin rock band Maná — the band's first time ever performing at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Denver, Colorado. In 2015, he transcribed the album En Vivo by Argentinean rock band Los Enanitos Verdes, since published.
José graduated from The University of Texas at Brownsville, earned a Master's degree in Contemporary Music Performance from Berklee College of Music in Valencia, Spain, and in 2026 completed his second Master's degree, in Classical Guitar Performance, at UTRGV. Today, he teaches in Brownsville while recording and performing live throughout the Valley.
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