Biography

Max Shaffer is a passionate and emerging classical guitarist noted for his emotionally evocative performances. Max has had the privilege to study with some of the world’s most renowned guitarists including David Russell, Lorenzo Micheli, Eduardo Fernandez, Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, and more. Max received his Bachelor of Music in Guitar Performance at the University of Washington with Michael Partington and was a teaching assistant to renowned pedagogue Bruce Holzman at Florida State University while acquiring his Master’s degree.

Max has received awards for his playing, teaching, and recordings from across the world. Most notably, Max was a prize winner at the 2022 & 2023 Troy University Guitar Competition and the 2019 Northwest Guitar Festival Competition. He was also a recipient of the 2024 Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award at Florida State University, an award given to six graduate teaching assistants from across the university based on faculty and student nominations. In addition, his video Cuna from Suite Compostelana, directed by Sean Taylor, was an Official Selection at the 8th Music Film Festival in 2023.

He has also been a featured performer in various guitar festivals and institutions around the United States, including the New Mexico Classical Guitar Festival, the Northwest Classical Guitar Festival, the University of Washington Summer Classical Guitar Workshop, and he was featured in a recital series at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Max is currently a teacher for the Cleveland Classical Guitar Society’s Education Program.