If you are interested in scheduling lessons with one of our
private
teachers, please use the email link at the end of the teacher's biography, or call The Music Store at
(480) 831-9691 and speak to a member of our staff.
Kyle Barentine
Kyle teaches percussion and drumming techniques at The Music Store. He specializes in beginning to intermediate instruction with an emphasis on band and orchestra students. Kyle has been teaching privately for 22 years and has extensive playing experience in marching, orchestral, and popular music. Kyle worked with and taught at the University of South Carolina, and worked with Garfield and Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps in the late 1980's. He is the recipient of the Most Outstanding Percussionist in the state of South Carolina. Kyle continues to play professionally and working as a DJ.
Rates: $25/30-minutes
Lesson Days: Monday/Wednesday/Thursday
Instruments Taught: Drums
Contact: kylebarentine
the-music-store.com
Eric Bart
Eric Bart started performing at the age of 16. Since moving here in 1987 he has worked with countless musicians and back up everyone from Tanya Tucker to Stevie Wonder for local shows. Eric has also performed in Europe at the North Sea and the Montreux Jazz festivals. He teaches all styles and levels of guitar.
Currently available for lessons at our teaching studios
Rates:$25 per 30 min
Lesson Days: Tuesday & Wednesday
Instruments Taught: Guitar, Ukulele
Contact: ericbartthe-music-store.com
Spencer Brand
Dr. Spencer Brand is an active trumpeter, composer, and educator based in Phoenix, AZ. Brand currently teaches Trumpet and Aural Perception at Glendale Community College, AZ as an Adjunct Faculty member. Additionally, he directs the Trumpet Ensemble at Mountain Ridge High School and is an Artist in Residence at Brophy College Preparatory. Brand frequently collaborates with Harmony Project Phoenix, and actively presents masterclasses to local high schools and middle schools in the Greater Phoenix Area. Spencer is a member of the Phoenix Brass Collective, and has performed with the Chandler Symphony Orchestra, Salt River Brass Band, Musica Nova Orchestra, and many other ensembles throughout Arizona as principal trumpet/cornet. In 2018, Brand toured the Czech Republic with the Prague Summer Nights Festival Orchestra, performing in the Estates Theatre and Rudolfinum Hall.
Brand earned his DMA from Arizona State University where his research centered on Czech trumpet playing and repertoire. Brand received his Master of Music in Trumpet Performance and Composition at Arizona State and holds a BMus in Trumpet Performance with a Management Minor from the University of Minnesota. His teachers include David Hickman, David Baldwin, Robert Dorer, Ladislav Kozderka, and Albert Moore.
Listen to Spencer play:
Beethoven's in the House by Josh Oxford
Slavische Fantasie by Carl Höhne
Concerto in D Major by Johann Friederich Fasch
Rates: $25 for 30 minutes, $40 for 45 minutes, $50 for 60 minutes
Lesson Days: Contact for availability
Instruments Taught: Trumpet, French Horn, Trombone, Baritone
Contact: spencerbrandthe-music-store.com
Alexandra Chea
Alexandra Chea is a classically trained clarinetist residing in Tempe, AZ pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona under the direction of Dr. Robert Spring and Dr. Joshua Gardner where she also obtained her Master's of Music in Clarinet Performance. She has since been immersed and trained in extended techniques and now regularly performs contemporary music and other genres including Klezmer and Jazz. During her undergraduate studies, she studied at Messiah College in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and obtained a double Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and Music. At Messiah, she studied under the direction of Dr. Stephanie Cramer.
During her time in Pennsylvania, she performed with the Harrisburg Opera Association, Harrisburg Youth Symphony Orchestra, and regularly had gigs in Pit Orchestras doubling on saxophone and clarinet in the area. In the Bahamas, she has played with the Bahamas National Symphony Orchestra and performed as a soloist with the Bahamas Music Academy where she also partially studied the clarinet. In High School, she participated in the E. Clement Bethel National Arts Competition and held the title as the National winner four times from 2013-2016 in the solo woodwind category for her respective age in addition to winning the woodwind quartet (ensemble) category two times in 2015 and 2016.
Currently available for lessons at our teaching studios
Click here for Alexandra's Linktr.ee where you can find links to her website, YouTube channel, and various performances!
Click here for Alexandra's Instagram
Rates: $25/half hour, $50/hour
Lesson Days: Tuesdays and Saturdays
Instruments Taught: Clarinet, Beginning Piano, and Saxophone
Contact: alexandracheathe-music-store.com
Danielle Cooke
Danielle graduated from ASU with a degree in Jazz Performance in 2008. She then spent 3 years traveling the world working as a musician and music director on cruise ships. After settling back in Arizona, she has continued to work as a professional musician in a variety of different contexts, including playing jazz and top 40 gigs, accompanying choirs, leading praise and worship bands, composing and arranging music, as well as teaching private lessons. She enjoys sharing her love of music with others and helping them achieve their goals.
Currently not accepting new students
Rates: Contact for rates
Lesson Days: Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday
Instruments Taught: Piano
Contact: daniellecookethe-music-store.com
Jon Paul Escobedo
Jon Paul has owned The Music Store for 29 years. Prior to that he was the guitar, bass, and drum teacher for 7 years, teaching up to 42 students a week. During those years he also performed Jazz, R&B, Country, Reggae, and Rock with many artists including Francine Reed and Grammy Award winning Dennis Rolland. He was the guitarist in many theater shows including Man of La Mancha, Jesus Christ Superstar, and most recently: Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story. JP has also spent over 20 years as an instrumental music director at Mountain Park Community Church and Community of Hope Church. JP has also performed several times with the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra.
Click here to listen to Jon Paul play
Currently available for lessons at our teaching studios
Rates:$25 per 30 min
Lesson Days: Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday
Instruments Taught: Guitar and Bass
Contact: jonpaulescobedothe-music-store.com
Marie Guthrie
Hello! I'm Marie and am the owner of 5 Note Fun Music Studio that operates out of the Group Room at The Music Store. I am certified to teach the Let's Play Music, Sound Beginnings, and Presto curriculum.
I received my BM in Music Education from ASU in 2005 in both choral and instrumental music. This means I took a lot of music classes! Cello is my main instrument along with singing soprano, but I took lessons and classes in piano, violin, viola, bass, guitar, woodwinds, upper brass, percussion, conducting, theory, music history and ear training, along with numerous music education classes specific to every age. I love teaching music! It was my pleasure to teach elementary orchestra with Gilbert Public Schools before starting my own family and getting my Masters degree in education (TESOL).
I discovered Let's Play Music when I was looking for a music program for my own children. My oldest daughter started in the program. As I experienced it with her, I knew it was something that I really wanted to be a part of and have in my area! The curriculum was spot on with everything I had learned in college, and it was so much fun! I became a teacher in 2012 and have been teaching ever since. Seeing families experience the joy of learning music together is one of my favorite things!
I am an Arizona native, and currently reside with my husband and 6 children in the southwest corner of Mesa. In addition to teaching Let's Play Music, I play cello with Emotion String Quartet and AZ MCO.
Click here for more info and to sign up for Marie's group classes!
Rates and Lesson Days: Click here for info and sign up
Instruments Taught: Piano and Keyboard
Contact: marieguthriethe-music-store.com
Mikaela Hannon
Mikaela Hannon is a flutist and music educator based in Tempe, Arizona. She has performed professionally with a variety of ensembles including the Washington-Idaho Symphony and the Braase-Hannon duo. Mikaela has a Masters degree in Flute Performance from ASU, and a Bachelors in Music Education and Flute Performance from the University of Idaho. She will continue her studies as a Doctoral Candidate and Graduate Teaching Assistant at the ASU School of Music in the fall. Mikaela is a passionate advocate for music education at all ages, and has taught students from infancy through adulthood.
Mikaela's accolades include First Place in the 2021 Charleston International Music Competition, Talent Show division and the first place prize in the MusicFest Northwest Orchestral Excerpts competition. In 2017 she won the National Flute Association's Collegiate Flute Choir Competition and performed with the group at the national convention in Minneapolis.
Click here to listen to Mikaela play!
Rates: $25 per 30 minute lesson
Lesson Days: Wednesdays
Instruments Taught: Flute
Contact: mikaelahannonthe-music-store.com
Tracy Kimbrell
Tracy has been playing and performing for 20 years and has been teaching since the age of 18. He teaches all styles of guitar, bass and banjo. Tracy is currently working on his Masters degree in Music Education. He is noted for his ability to explain difficult concepts in an easy-to-understand manner. Tracy will show you the right way to develop your musical knowledge and proper technique. "If you learn the musical side first, then any style you learn will come much more easily."
Available for lessons 10am-6pm on weekdays, 10am-3pm on Saturday.
Rates: Contact for rates
Lesson Days: Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday/Saturday
Instruments Taught: Bass Guitar, Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin, Ukulele
Contact: tracykimbrellthe-music-store.com
Chris Lund
Chris has been teaching guitar full-time since 1997 with a client load ranging from 30-55 students weekly/monthly and was a resident teacher at many music stores in the greater Tacoma/Pierce County WA up until the present when he relocated to Phoenix AZ in June of 2021. One of his former students, Jared Dines, was featured on the cover of Guitar Player Magazine in 2020 and gave Chris a big shout-out in his video-taped interview with them. With his band's, Loser, International Pop Overthrow and currently Lund Bros he has released 11 full length CDs over the course of the last three decades. All these records are comprised of original songs and have received highly favorable reviews throughout the world. This music is guitar and vocal hook-based rock - think Cheap Trick, Queen, the Beatles, and Badfinger for example. In the decade prior to forming the band Loser in 1993, Chris performed full time as lead guitarist and backing vocalist in many band's ranging from rock, blues, funk, c&w, and top 40. Though Chris specialized in Rock for his own recordings and performances, he is well-versed in many styles, teaching Blues, Jazz and Classical guitar and accepted students of all ability levels.
Website: www.chrislundguitarinstruction.com
Rates: Contact for rates
Lesson Days: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Instruments Taught: Guitar, Bass, Banjo
Contact: chrislundthe-music-store.com
Jon Murray
Jon Murray returned to the Phoenix four years ago with his family after 19 years teaching and performing music in Southern California. Mr. Murray has held several teaching positions, including most recently as orchestra and jazz director at Arizona School for the Arts and Music Theory professor at Grand Canyon University. In addition Jon held the position of Jazz Director at Arizona Christian University, as orchestra and jazz director at Flintridge Prep School in the L.A. area, and other teaching positions at Arizona State University, Grand Canyon University, California State University Northridge, the Master’s College, and the Colburn School of Performing Arts. Mr. Murray received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Arizona State University in Jazz Performance and Theory/Composition respectively. He performs regularly as a bassist in various jazz ensembles and orchestras in the Phoenix and Los Angeles music communities. Mr. Murray continues a busy touring and recording schedule with smooth jazz vocalist Bobby Caldwell.
Rates: Contact for Rates
Lesson Days: Wednesday
Instruments Taught: Upright Bass, Bass Guitar
Contact: jonmurraythe-music-store.com
Kelly Pearson
Kelly graduated Cum Laude from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa with a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance and has been teaching piano since 2000 at The Music Store. She is an active member of several professional teaching organizations, including the following: East, Valley Music Teachers Association, Arizona State Music Teachers Association, and the Music Teachers National Association. Her teaching philosophy centers around the idea that piano lessons should not only be fun, but should also provide the skills necessary to play piano for a lifetime. Her students participate in recitals, the Arizona Study Program, and utilize technology in the lessons. Kelly's love of music and positive attitude provides a welcome learning environment for students of all ages and abilities.
Rates: $115/month (One 30-minute lesson each week)
Lesson Days: Wednesdays and Saturdays
Instruments Taught: Piano
Contact: kellypearsonthe-music-store.com
Lawrence Petross
Lawrence teaches acoustic guitar, electric
guitar, and bass guitar. He holds a degree from Musicians Institute's
Guitar Institute of Technology in Hollywood, CA. Lawrence has been a
professional musician for more than 30 years and has performed a number of
different music styles. He has been teaching at The Music Store for 25
years and teaches Rock, Blues, Jazz, Fusion, Country, Funk, Pop, and Classical
music styles. Lawrence offers customized, individual lessons for beginning
to advanced students aimed at accelerated progress in a fun learning
environment. View below for a link to his YouTube page.
YouTube
Lawrence's Music:
iTunes
CDBaby
Rates: Contact for rates
Lesson Days: Tuesdays
Instruments Taught: Bass Guitar, Guitar, Dobro, Resophonic
Contact: lawrencepetrossthe-music-store.com
Joseph Pluth
Joseph Pluth, Jr. is a trumpeter, conductor, and music educator living in Gilbert, AZ. He currently is an Adjunct Faculty member at International Baptist College and Seminary in Chandler, AZ, teaching Music Theory I & II and Sightsinging/Ear Training I & II, as well as brass and vocal lessons. He also rehearses the Tri-City Baptist Church orchestra and Brass Group each Sunday. Joe has over 20 years of teaching experience at all levels from elementary to adults, having directed Elementary, Jr. High, and High School bands and instrumental ensembles, choirs, handbell ensembles, general music classes, and private music lessons in schools and churches in Arizona, Colorado, and Illinois. He has also performed with a variety of community ensembles, including bands, choirs, theatre groups, and opera companies as both a trumpeter and a light lyric tenor.
Joe earned his Master of Music in Music Education from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, IL after completing his B.A. in Sacred Music at Northland International University in 2000. He and his wife Amy have four young children, and Joe is enjoying finally being able to start his oldest on euphonium this year.
Rates: $25 for 30 minutes, $35 for 45 minutes, $45 for 60 minutes
Lesson Days: Tuesdays
Instruments Taught: Trumpet, French Horn, Trombone, Euphonium
Contact: joepluththe-music-store.com
Julie Stafford
Julie Stafford is an active oboist and teacher in the Tucson and Phoenix areas. Her primary position is 2nd oboe and English horn with the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra. She also joins the stage with the Tucson Pops Orchestra as a section player and the Green Valley Concert Band as a featured soloist. Julie can also be found playing with various musical theatre companies and productions as a pit musician where she doubles on clarinet, saxophone, and flute.
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Being pedagogically focused, Julie has dedicated herself to draft learning objectives for all types of learners. In her private studio, her students have achieved the highest honors in regionals, all-state, and local youth orchestras. Truly believing in the art of practicing, Julie focuses her efforts on teaching her students how to effectively practice at home and how to gain independence in troubleshooting their music and instrument.
In addition to maintaining a high-level oboe studio, Julie teaches 5th-8th grade band at St. Michael's School in Tucson, AZ. She is the founder of the Tucson Area Independent Middle School Honor Band, in which she also manages and directs. Julie has also taught middle school orchestra and middle school classical guitar ensembles.
Through music Julie has traveled to China, Brazil, and Mexico for concert tours. Her most notable accomplishment was playing English horn on Dvorak's New World Symphony in Gramado, Brazil for the Gramado Music Festival.
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Julie is currently working on her Doctor of Musical Arts with a Teaching Artist Certificate from Arizona State University where she studies with renown pedagogue and oboist, Martin Schuring. She also completed her Master of Music in Performance Pedagogy under Schuring's tutelage and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Instrumental Studies from the University of Arizona.
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Julie plays on a Howarth XL Cocobolo oboe and a Fox Tristan 580 maple English horn.
Rates: Check website www.juliesoboe.com
Lesson Days: Contact for availability
Instruments Taught: Oboe, beginning classical guitar
Contact: juliestaffordthe-music-store.com
Connor Sullivan
Connor has been playing guitar for over 15 years, starting at the young age of 6 years old! He began his guitar journey with the styles of Metal and Rock & Roll, then moved onto Jazz, Blues, and Bossa Nova. He is now a Music Education student at Arizona State University. Along with his extensive study of music pedagogy, he has been furthering his knowledge of Jazz and Jazz Guitar, as well as all of the styles commonly associated with the American Jazz genre. He has played as a part of a Jazz Combo for various school and public events since High School. He also played in the Front Ensemble of Breakthrough Indoor Percussion from 2017 to 2019, serving as the Rhythm Section Section Leader for his last season. He is an easygoing person by nature, but his passion to push students to be the best they can be is unyielding. He hopes to change the perception of what it means to be a guitar player by creating a new standard for guitar education.
Currently available for lessons at our teaching studios
Rates: Contact for rates
Lesson Days: Mondays and Wednesdays
Instruments Taught: Guitar and Ukulele
Contact: connorsullivanthe-music-store.com
Ryley Taylor
Ryley is a 2007 graduate from Point Loma Nazarene University, who holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education followed by a Masters of Arts in Education from Chapman University earned in 2012. She has been teaching public school music for over 13 years and teaching private music lessons for over 15 years. She is currently teaching music in the Arizona public schools. Additionally, Ms. Taylor travels as a gig performer and performs at churches on the side. Ryley considers it a tremendous privilege to be in such a position to shape and mold the mind of a child, perhaps changing the course of lives forever. Her goal is to inspire her students to use music as a vehicle to delight, discover and express who they are as their very own individual person. She will seek to give them a unique confidence as their eyes are opened to their potential through the power of music. Ms. Taylor is primarily a strings and piano specialist, as well as plays and teaches the flute.
Currently available for lessons at our teaching studios
Rates: Contact for rates
Lesson Days:Mondays and Saturdays
Instruments Taught:Violin, viola, beginning cello, piano, and flute
Contact: ryleytaylorthe-music-store.com
Leia Wasbotten
Dr. Leia Wasbotten has been teaching voice for over a decade, both in her private studio and at the collegiate-level. She is currently the Artistic Director of the Music Theatre department at Mesa Community College where she teaches all vocal performance-based classes and Vocal Music Directs the musicals. Along with teaching at MCC, she also sings on the worship team at Saint Thomas More Catholic Church in Glendale and provides recording vocals for local artists and songwriters. Leia received her Doctorate of Musical Arts from Arizona State University in 2022, focusing her research on contemporary commercial singing and pedagogy, her Masters of Music from ASU, and her BA in music from Penn State University. She teaches classical, pop, musical theatre, jazz, singer-songwriter, country, gospel, and R&B styles. Vocal health is the primary goal for all of Leia's students, no matter the style of singing.
Website: www.leiawasbotten.com
Instagram: @Leia.wasbotten
Rates: Contact for rates
Lesson Days: Tuesdays-Thursdays
Instruments Taught: Voice
Contact: leiawasbottenthe-music-store.com
Tom Young
Tom is a graduate of the renowned Berklee School of Music. For the past 20 years, he has enjoyed a diverse career as a soloist, band leader, theater conductor, studio musician, music teacher, and composer. Tom teaches Jazz, Classical, and Popular styles. He uses the TEY music method for instruction "Blending Tradition with Innovation".
Available for lessons 10am-6pm on weekdays, 10am-3pm on Saturday.
Rates: Contact for rates
Lesson Days: Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday
Instruments Taught: Piano, Flute, Saxophone
Contact: tomyoungthe-music-store.com