Composition / Improvisation: A Series of Events by Mark Santa Maria

A practical framework for approaching improvisation and composition — breaking down melody, structure, and phrasing into usable tools.

Improvisation and composition often feel mysterious — but they can be broken down into clear, repeatable ideas.

In this workshop, Mark Santa Maria draws from over two decades of teaching and performing experience to unpack how improvisation begins and how melodies are constructed. A graduate in Jazz Guitar Performance, Mark has studied the approaches of master improvisers and composers such as Kenny Burrell, John Coltrane, Pat Martino, Steve Lukather, Steve Vai, Marty Friedman, and Guthrie Govan. His core philosophy is simple: your instrument is an extension of your own voice — even if, as he jokes, you can’t sing.

This session offers structured, practical tools to help musicians move from theory to expression with clarity and confidence.

What to Expect

The CAGED System – How to use it properly to understand melodic starting points.

Note Awareness – Identifying available notes within each shape and position.

Enclosures & Movement – Using scales and arpeggios to create forward motion.

Quoting Lines – How to “borrow” phrases and play them in any position using a structured method.

Applied Practice – Connecting theory directly to improvisational flow.

Designed for guitarists but applicable to all instrumentalists, this session helps demystify improvisation and turn it into something tangible and playable.