Jared Waln is a 1st place competition winning guitarist, music educator for 10+ years, classical and jazz guitarist, and performer located in the Twin Cities. Holding a bachelor degree in music performance classical guitar at the University of St. Thomas and a masters degree in instrumental K-12 music education also at the University of St. Thomas, Jared teaches high school guitar education at Southwest High School, and is an adjunct music professor at the University of St. Thomas where he directs the guitar ensemble, pop music collective, and teaches private guitar lessons for both majors and non-music majors.

Jared's teaching philosophy is that every child, adolescent, and adult has a creative artistic voice that is waiting to be heard. In the arts, academics does not diminish a student's ability to be creative and express themselves. As these values and academics are important in education, music gives students an opportunity to belong and have a voice in society. Diversity, community involvement, independence, and equal education is an absolute must for my personal teaching philosophy.

Jared Waln is a 1st place winner of the Thursday Musical Annual Artists Competition and 1st place winner of the Festival Orchestra Concerto Competition in the guitar category at the University of St. Thomas. Recent notable performances include: Minnesota Opera’s world premiere of Edward Tulane, Mozart’s Don Giovanni with the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra. MN Guitar Society Annual Guitarathon. Music by Judy Garland, George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, a Symphonic Picture, and Rhapsody in Blue with the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra. Joaquin Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez performed with musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra and the Minnesota Opera. Guitar feature with the Grand Symphonic Winds under director Dr. Matthew George performance at Iowa State University.

When Jared is not teaching or performing he can be found going out for a nice run, spending time in nature, cooking wonderful meals with his wife, and spending quality time with his family.

Together they love the community around SWHS and enjoying spending time in South Minneapolis visiting friends and family.