Rose Marie Gonzalez - Guitarist and educator

A finger-style guitarist, Rose’s devotion to the guitar started from a young age and has continued into tertiary levels, spanning various guitar teachers and music mentors from Australia to Latin America.  Well-established on Melbourne's music scene, Rose performs regularly as a soloist and collaborator, showcasing her diverse music influences and virtuosic guitar technique as she traverses Latin music to classical guitar styles. As a composer, Rose's debut album will be released in 2025. With eight original songs, this recording also features top instrumentalists of Melbourne's music scene. Through this debut, Rose cements her unique talents not only as a guitarist-composer, but also as bandleader, arranger, collaborator, improvisor and singer to boot. 

Rose released her debut  album titled 'Reach Down Low' in September 2025. Under the mentorship of internationally highly-esteemed musicians (Jovino Santos Neto and Mariana Zwarg), Rose has drawn on influences from classical, Latin jazz, and experimental styles to consolidate her unique voice as a composer. The resultant body of work has the raw sound of a debut, while also showcasing Rose’s diverse music influences, virtuosic guitar technique, and stylistic versatility as it traverses Latin instrumental music to folk and popular music. As a soloist, Rose is drawn to the Latin American repertoire as it uniquely blends popular, classical and world influences, transcending borders and demanding virtuosic levels of playing from the soloist.  

As a collaborator, Rose has formed part of various projects and performances throughout Melbourne, notably her project Hermeto Magnético (2018-19) was dedicated to performing the music of Hermeto Pascoal. In 2019 Rose began her Guitar Kingdom residency at Open Studio Bar (Northcote) with the tagline ‘where cult guitarists descend for some gentle shredding on the fine stringbox’. Guitar Kingdom is about bringing the concert experience to a grungy bar setting, heralding the intimacy and popular roots of the guitar's nomadic history. With four shows a year, Guitar Kingdom has drawn a steady following of live music lovers.

In 2025, Rose looks forward to releasing her debut album of original music which she wrote between 2021-2024. This album features cream-of-the-crop musicians of Melbourne's music scene whose artistry brings this music to life, that is Stephanie Clare-Cover on vocals, Rose Kavanagh on violin, and Jordan Tarento on double bass. Also in 2025, Rose joins the highly-acclaimed Melbourne Guitar Quartet who perform classical-contemporary music.

Rose completed her all her music studies including the Masters in Music Performance (2018)  at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. Outside of the MCM, Rose has also studied extensively with the international musicians Mariana Zwarg, Itiberê Zwarg, and Jovino Santos Neto. Aside from producing her own shows and projects, Rose is available for various  kinds of gigs in Melbourne/Naarm (weddings, poetry readings, funerals, launches) with a repertoire of 'easy listening'  that would suit. You can contact Rose directly to enquire fees and details here.

See below some work from Rose's past projects and a gallery of Guitar Kingdom posters. Sign up to Rose's mailing list to stay in touch and keep supporting local independent fresh produce on Melbourne’s live music scene.