BIOGRAPHY

Walter Rodrigues Jr. is a Brazilian-born guitarist, arranger, composer, and educator originally from São Paulo. Raised in a musical family, his mother a classical pianist and his father a multi-talented minister—Walter was immersed in music from an early age. Growing up in his father’s church, he began playing guitar as a child and quickly developed a deep passion for the instrument. Inspired by jazz great Joe Pass, he soon began crafting his own fingerstyle jazz arrangements, an art form that would become his lifelong passion.

In 1989, Walter moved to Hollywood, California, to attend the Musicians Institute (GIT). After graduating, he relocated to Miami, Florida, where he received a full scholarship to study Jazz Performance at Florida International University, earning his Bachelor of Music in 1996. During his time in Miami, he performed with notable artists, including world-renowned trumpeter Arturo Sandoval.

Renowned for his expressive and inventive approach to arranging, Walter has built a global following through his reimagined fingerstyle interpretations of familiar songs. One of his arrangements was recently featured in John Travolta’s film High Rollers, further showcasing his talent to a broader audience. His work has also been highlighted in respected jazz publications such as Fingerstyle360, JazzReview.com, Just Jazz Guitar, and FingerstyleGuitarists.com. He is a signature artist for Musicnotes.com, the world’s leading digital sheet music platform.

Walter maintains a strong digital presence, sharing his music with a wide audience on YouTube where his channel has surpassed 39 million views and 200,000 subscribers, as well as on Instagram and TikTok. A devoted music educator for over two decades, he continues to inspire students around the world through both private lessons and online content.

At the heart of Walter’s musical journey is his faith, his greatest joy and deepest honor is praising God through his music.