Goa JazzAcademy · Goa, IndiaEnquire↗Artists who teach
Meet the faculty.
Working musicians, thoughtful educators and generous mentors—here to help every student develop technique, confidence and an individual voice.
Mentorship at GJA
Experience in the room.
GJA faculty combine international study, live performance, composition, production and years of teaching. Students learn directly from people who continue to make, perform and question music themselves.
Piano / Theory · Programme Co-Director
Aki Spadaro
Aki Spadaro, born in Palermo, Italy, began classical music studies at five. He studied jazz piano in Trapani and Amsterdam, then film music at the Amsterdam Conservatory and Dutch Film Academy. A composer, arranger, performer and educator, he moved to Mumbai in 2019 and now serves as Programme Co-Director and Piano/Theory Faculty at GJA.
Classical Guitar
Shyamant Behal
Shyamant began classical guitar at fourteen and completed Trinity Grade 8 before studying in Paris on a French Government scholarship. He received a Diplôme d’Éxecution from the École Normale de Musique de Paris and a Médaille d’Or from the École Nationale de Musique et de Danse de Cachan. Since returning to India in 2007, he has performed nationwide as a soloist and ensemble musician.
Voice
Smruti Jalpur
Smruti Jalpur is a Delhi-based singer-songwriter who also plays guitar, piano and ukulele. Her warm, husky voice and curious approach shape both her solo work and her teaching. She is also a member of the all-women band Platypus.
Voice
Meera Desai
Meera is a New York-born, Mumbai-based singer-songwriter with strong roots in jazz and Hindustani classical music. Influenced by artists including Norah Jones and Joni Mitchell, she has released original music since 2019, including the four-track EP Smileability with producer Raag Sethi.
Piano
Manan Gupta
Manan Gupta is an award-winning composer, producer and educator. His instrumental piece Dear Mother won multiple international competitions, including Lee Ritenour’s Six String Theory. A Grade 8-certified pianist and guitarist, he has released the 16-track album Mix Mood and performed at festivals across India and abroad.
Drums
Kritika Malhotra
Kritika Malhotra is a drummer, conductor and composer from Gurugram with a degree in Drum Performance and Composition from Musicians Institute, Los Angeles. A 2022 D’Addario Women in Drums Scholar, she has performed worldwide across jazz and classical music and co-founded the West Hollywood Philharmonic, where she serves as music director.
Bass Guitar
Sahil Ghosh
A Goa Jazz Academy alumnus, Sahil Ghosh has developed into a professional session player in Bengaluru and Goa. His playing blends jazz traditions with contemporary influences, reflecting the Academy’s practical, performance-led approach.
Production
Piran Irani
Piran is an electronic music producer and DJ working across downtempo, ambient, psychedelic trance and techno. He has taught at music institutions across India and brings a patient, genre-open approach to production education. His latest release, Make Believe, under the name Pir, is available via Inner Spark Records.
Guitar / Ensemble · Founder
Karan Khosla
GJA founder Karan Khosla brings together a background in physics, study in harmony and composition at Boston University, and guidance from jazz guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg. A session guitarist and festival performer, his teaching combines academic rigour with compassionate, practical guidance.
Voice
Vibhor Kharera
Vibhor Kharera is a vocalist, songwriter, voice-over artist and educator with a bachelor’s degree in Performing Arts (Western Contemporary Vocals). His work spans rock, blues, progressive metal and contemporary commercial music. His teaching builds vocal technique, confidence and artistic expression while helping students develop a distinctive voice.
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