Our Teachers

With a background as a touring musician, educator, and recording artist; Janice leads her students on a journey of discovery and fun as they develop their personal musical character.  

From involvement with Paul Allen’s ” Experience Music Project” including a national tour for education and performance, musical curricula development and songwriting training, to studio recording artistry; Janice brings a wealth of insight to her instruction. Despite these accomplishments, Janice is “down to earth” approachable and always full of laughter. Though many of her vocal students pursue popular music, she begins with classical technique to protect and train the voice.

Janice’s musical tastes are diverse from Broadway to folk and everything in between. She gravitates towards rich and emotive vocal phrasing found in popular genres. 

Experience:

• Moran United Methodist Church, Spokane, Contemporary Worship Leader.
• Presently involved in freelance studio recording work, multiple locations.
• South by Southwest, Grammy Week, New Orleans Jazz Festival; speaker and seminar presenter.
• Experience Music Project/ Paul Allen (Museum of Pop Culture) “Electric Bus National Tour”, Seattle.

With more than 35 years of experience singing, playing, and teaching, Esther gets to
know her students’ musicality, how they best learn, and how to teach themselves.
Esther is fluent in classical voice, theater performance, gospel singing and playing, and general pop standards.

Esther commits to the care and advancement of her students in pursuit of their goals with a uniquely personal, “people first” philosophy. Esther specializes first in voice then piano. She loves teaching students from the absolute beginner to the more advanced.

She believes in a foundation of classical technique allowing students to access any
musical genre while maintaining vocal health.

Education and Experience:

• 35 years of performing experience as a soloist, featured musician, accompanist, ensemblemember and recording producer/artist.
• Morning Star Baptist Church of Spokane, Director of Worship Arts.
• Northwest Opera, founding member.
• Spokane Symphony Chorale, member.
• Holbrook Unified School District, Arizona, Piano studies pilot teacher.
• Gonzaga University, B.A., Music Education, private study in voice, 10 years.

Tyler’s strength lies in helping students discover the joy of learning and playing music from the very first lesson. 

He takes care to find what music students are passionate about and builds his lessons upon that using a method he’s developed to walk them through important steps towards mastery. Tyler believes that learning songs that students are interested in is a segue into the necessary skills of music like reading, theory comprehension, proper technique, improvisation, memorization and song crafting. Tyler works with students to find artists they admire and can gain inspiration from as a foundation for learning.

Tyler is inspired by and performs many types of contemporary music from jazz to progressive rock, but is also well grounded in traditional standards and classical technique.

Education and Experience:

Eastern Washington University; BA: Music, English.

Los Angeles College of Music; Certificate in Solo Jazz Guitar.

Berklee Online; Professional Certificate in Jazz Guitar.

Spokane Falls Community College; Associate of Arts.

Performance experience throughout the Northwest with various groups and genres as well as regular recording session work.

Currently recording debut album of original work.

Irina believes that learning and creating music positively impacts students not just in musicianship, but also in many of life’s challenges;  including “grit” and the ability to blend concrete and abstract expressive skills simultaneously.

Even though Irina’s training and experience establish her as an accomplished teacher, she purposefully explores and incorporates new resources and approaches that advance her craft just as her students advance theirs.

Irina has broad experience in contemporary, sacred, and classical genres as an accompanist and performer.

Education and Experience:

• Whitworth University, B.A. in Music, Piano Pedagogy, Accounting, Spokane.
• Private Piano Teacher, 2007-Present, Spokane.
• Spokane Slavic Baptist Church, piano accompanist, 2005-Present.

Specializing in violin and flute, Kat has well-rounded musical ability evidenced by a growing list of instruments she feels comfortable teaching. Kat has a passion for helping students achieve their goals, overcome their personal challenges, and discover their strengths.

Knowing what it takes to be a professional music performer, Kat strives to pass that on to students and seeks to empower them with the ability to create music that speaks to them personally and helps represent their true selves to the larger community.

Kat’s background is primarily in classical music, traditional music, and theater though she has a broad understanding of many genres of music. 

Education and Experience:

• University of the Pacific, CA, BA, Music Therapy.
• Local performer: “Ham on Regal” band member, “Shriners” band member, “Fraternal Order of Eagles” concert band director/member.
• Livermore/Amador Symphony, CA, violinist.
• Stockton Symphony, CA, violinist.
• Oakland Youth Symphony, CA, violinist.

Rebecca’s considerable experience as a private student herself coupled with a love for children enables her to guide students effectively in their progress.

Rebecca believes that the universal language of music is not only therapeutic as an outlet for creativity and focus, but that to “play” music is also fun! She likes to include games and props to reinforce instruction and is always on the lookout for exciting ways to augment learning. Rebecca brings previous teaching experience, band performance, and accompanist roles to her instruction.

Rebecca’s instruction embraces a wide range of musical styles with particular focus on traditional melodies and sacred songs geared towards young learners.

Experience:

• Creative Music Learning Center; Instructor, piano, voice.
• Musicfest Northwest; participant.
• Central Valley High School: concert and marching band member.
• Private Piano Instruction; 14 years.

Corrina approaches lessons with a background in Suzuki methodology blended with her own creative strategies and experience as a learner. Making progress on the violin as a young student didn’t come easily for Corrina.  Awareness of the struggle that learning can be and how to assist the student through it, strengthens her effectiveness. Involvement in both classical and folk “fiddle” genres insures that her students get a solid foundation in music theory but also exposure to less structured forms and training in “playing by ear” as a skill that can be learned.

Corrina continues to actively learn as a musician and a teacher with wide experience in classical, folk, and contemporary genres.  

Education and Experience:

• Suzuki Method teacher training with Mary Beth Cullitan, Spokane.
• Fiddle teacher training workshops with JayDean Ludiker, Spokane.
• Gonzaga Symphony, community member performer, Spokane.
• Spokane Public Schools, TEC Program, violin instructor since 2012, Spokane.
• Performing with local fiddler’s community, WA.

Skylar is intent on establishing an optimum learning environment for students complete with the necessary resources and an understanding that success is often won through adventure, hard work, and even failures along the way.

Nearing completion of a bachelor’s in music education, Skylar is focused on adding to his teaching experience by taking on more private students and assisting with Cheney High School’s marching band. Skylar has performed extensively in ensemble and large band contexts playing jazz, pop, and traditional music.

Education and Experience:

Eastern Washington University; BA: Music Education. Anticipated matriculation: June 2024.

Spokane Falls Community College, General Studies: 2017-2020.

Cheney Highschool, Front Ensemble and Marching Technician: April 2023 to present.

Independent Private Lesson Instructor: September 2022 to present.