About Geoffrey Sawyer

Geoff Sawyer has performed as a professional guitarist and music arranger for weddings and special events for over thirty years.  He taught himself guitar and piano at an early age before taking formal lessons in high school.  He performed as a guitarist in folk/rock vocal groups and sang in choir during his first college years. Afterwards, he studied classical and jazz guitar, as well as piano, voice, choral singing and composition. He has since participated in and led contemporary worship bands at his local church, organized and directed the choral ministry, conducted small orchestral ensembles, and composed or arranged music in each of those contexts.  In 2016, he led a band and chorus in the production of the church’s presentation of Godspell. Additionally he has taught at local private schools for younger students, as well as at nearby music stores for students of all ages.  In addition to teaching, he still performs as a classical guitarist for special events, and continues to serve his church as guitarist, music arranger, choral ensemble director and worship leader. Mr. Sawyer has most recently earned his Master of Music Degree in Composition at George Mason University, where he had continued studying both classical guitar and jazz guitar.  His instructors included the late John Marlow (American University) and Larry Snitzler (GMU) for classical guitar, and Rick Whitehead (GMU) for jazz guitar.  He had also studied composition with the late Russell Woollen (Catholic University), and later with Glenn Smith at GMU.  He had earned a B.A. in Music as well as a B.S. in Physics.  He retired from Army Civilian Service after 36 years as a Scientist and Systems Engineer.