We offer music lessons in Asheville, North Carolina for guitar, bass guitar, drums/percussion, piano, violin, voice and more.
Although sometimes teachers are decided upon based solely on their schedule and availability, you should consider what characteristics in a teacher are best suited for the student. Sometimes students respond to a particular gender better than the other or perhaps they need a very structured environment. Office personnel will ask you these questions and more to help narrow the field of instructors. You will also be asked if the student is interested in a particular style of music or if he/she is wanting to learn a particular technique.
Justin Volpe
- Banjo,
- Drums,
- Electric Bass,
- Guitar,
- Music Technology, Recording,
- Ukulele
Justin is a multi-instrumentalist named after two founding members of The Moody Blues with over 30 years in the industry as a musician, composer and audio engineer.
Starting on trumpet in grade school with guitar, bass and drums to follow in middle school he made music whenever possible playing in wind ensemble, orchestra, jazz bands and a cappella vocal groups. Under the direction of Ned Corman he was able to learn from and share the stage with Jazz legends including Max Roach, Paquito D’Rivera and...
Legera Danielides
- Piano,
- Voice
Legera Danielides is trained in classical voice but skilled in an array of genres, including jazz and music theatre. Legera received her bachelor’s degree at Stetson University for voice and her master’s degree at DePaul University for voice. She has sung in both Europe and the US and made her international debut at the Oslo Opera house singing the role of Petra in Sondheim’s, A Little Night Music. Other notable roles include Fosca in Stephen Sondheim’s...
Gabe Epstein
- Banjo,
- Guitar
Gabe Epstein grew up in Bethesda, Maryland and discovered the banjo at the age of fourteen. In the following years, he immersed himself in bluegrass, Celtic, and other related styles. This passion eventually led him to attend college at East Tennessee State University, where he obtained a degree in Bluegrass, Old-Time, Country, and Celtic Music Studies. After graduating in 2019, Gabe moved to Asheville. In 2020, Gabe became the banjo player for the Asheville-based progressive bluegrass band “Songs from the...
Sarah Hammel
- Piano,
- Voice
Sarah Hammel is a classically trained vocalist, educator, and life-long learner. She has nearly 16 years of experience in performing and nearly 6 years in teaching voice and piano.
Sarah grew up in small-town Iowa where she learned to play piano from a young age and has been singing ever since she can remember. She attended St. Olaf College in Minnesota where she earned a degree in Vocal Performance. Her training has taken her to venues such as Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis, Carnegie Hall, Severance Hall, and ...
Kristina Miller
- Fiddle,
- Piano,
- Violin
Kristina Miller grew up studying classical violin and piano in Western Pennsylvania. She began studying viola in high school, performing with the Youngstown Symphony Youth Orchestra and the Pennsylvania All-State Orchestra. As an adult, she fell in love with Bluegrass fiddle and taught herself how to improvise using formulaic techniques that have allowed her to expand into Country, Western Swing, and other genres. She has played at venues festivals around the West Coast, and now performs with multiple bands around...
Rick Praytor
- Electric Bass,
- Guitar
Rick Praytor has been teaching guitar and mentoring young and upcoming bands for 45 years. Rick studied with Joe Diorio at the Guitar Institute of Technology. He also studied with Tim Hayden and studied theory and composition with Bill Gerhardt. Rick is currently playing solo finger style and jazz guitar at several venues around western North Carolina. Rick’s approach is to know his students and develop a lesson approach that is fun and tailored to his student’s wants and needs. He will work on the very basic...
Grant Peterson
- Cello
Grant received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 2022 at College of Charleston for cello performance under the instruction of internationally renowned cellist Dr. Natalia Khoma, as well as a minor in Studio Art. Grant has been playing cello since the performance of live orchestra captivated his heart at the age of 12. In the years since, he has spent countless hours performing in the Beaufort Youth Orchestra and College of Charleston Symphony Orchestra, with quartets, small ensembles, summer music camps, as well as in ...
Abby Bryant
- Guitar,
- Piano,
- Violin,
- Voice
Hailing from just outside Charlotte, North Carolina, singer and multi-instrumentalist Abby Bryant began singing and playing in church as a young child. After a few years of honing her own path as a touring musician and fronting her band Abby Bryant & The Echoes, the group has cemented their presence as a regional powerhouse with a debut album boldly rooted in the world of vintage-inspired southern soul rock. Over the past five years Abby has served as educator in ESL, voice, piano, and guitar courses. Now local...
John Caldwell
- Drums,
- Percussion
Drums
John started his musical journey at the age of ten, performing along with Beatles records with drumsticks on the living room furniture. His first band, Asbury Road, was formed when he attended Enka Middle School, and rock drumming was John’s main focus. Marching band, rock bands, and Governor’s School for Percussion were highlights of John’s high school years. He later got a B.A. in Music at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and spent 5 years immersed...
Tim Doyle
- Guitar,
- Jazz Band,
- Metal Band,
- Music Theory,
- Opening Act Band,
- Rock Academy
Tim is a 23-year veteran of the guitar and holds degrees from the University of North Carolina Greensboro and Indiana State University. He has worked as a professional performer and music educator in Austin, Texas, and throughout the Midwest for the past fifteen years. Tim is also an active composer, and recorded and produced a CD of original compositions for guitar in 2009. As an educator, Tim has worked as a private guitar instructor and served as the director of the Terre Haute Guitar Club, a group guitar program ...
Mary Frances Allen
- Piano,
- Voice
Mary Frances Allen “Mama Funk” is a keytar slinging, soul-singing keyboard maestro that has been playing music and performing since the age of five. Mama Funk joined Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band in 2009 on a mission to bring high-energy, dance-driven party music to the world. She has recorded and released three albums with Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band.
She is a Grammy Award winning artist performing and writing on Secret Agent 23 Skidoo’s 2016 kid-hop album, Infinity Plus One....
Emily Easterly
- Guitar,
- Ukulele
Guitar teacher and singer/songwriter Emily Easterly first got serious about being a musician when she discovered the Beatles at age 13. Writing and recording on a 4- track tape machine in her bedroom was the most important of activities at the time. She has since self- released four albums of her own material (take a listen at www.emilyeasterly.com) and has toured and played all over the US. Allmusic.com called her work “a mix of D.I.Y. attitude, guitar proficiency, and songwriting skills modeled after Cat...
Jared Gardner
- Electric Bass,
- Guitar,
- Mandolin,
- Upright Bass
As a multi-instrumentalist well versed in many playing styles, Jared Gardner draws from a diverse variety of experiences, from symphony orchestras to rock ‘n roll, bluegrass string bands to aleatoric performances with no musical guardrails. His career as a performer has brought him to stages all across the US and internationally, and he has shared the stage with legendary musicians such as Kenny Werner, Tony Trishka, Lake Street Dive and Chris Eldridge. Over 2 decades of teaching string instruments Jared has...
Ashley Heath
- Electric Bass,
- Guitar,
- Voice
Ashley Heath continues winning over Americana lovers’ hearts with her voice of “velvet soul,” driving her career forward and playing music full-time since spring of 2015. The Asheville-based singer and guitar player continues pushing her sophomore album “Where Hope Never Dies,” which delivers her signature blend of sultry blues and anthemic rock n’ roll, tied in with messages of hope and perseverance to uplift her fans during this trying time. Pre-Pandemic, Heath delivered her soulful...
Claire Lemke
- Music Theory,
- Piano,
- Voice
Claire Lemke is a classically trained vocalist, seasoned performer, and dynamic music instructor from North Carolina. She has accumulated nearly 20 years of experience in voice training, as a performing soloist, and as a member in several prestigious choirs. In 2019, she completed a Masters in Music Theory from Northwestern University in Chicago after earning a Bachelor’s degree in Music with a concentration in Vocal Performance from Western Carolina University.
Her immersion into the world of music...
James Kylen
- Drums,
- Guitar,
- Marimba,
- Percussion,
- Piano,
- Vibraphones
James started playing music in December 1988, at the age of 5. It was that Christmas morning when he woke up to find an upright piano from Santa “under” the tree. Several years of piano lessons and countless hours tinkering away at the keys helped to cultivate James’ knack for rhythm, melody and harmony. In addition to naturally learning quickly by ear, he was now able to read music. At the age of 10 in Panama City, Florida, he joined the Rosenwald Middle School band as a first-time percussionist....
Sandy Riccardi
- Baby, Toddler, Pre-Schooler Music Classes,
- Piano,
- Voice
Sandy Riccardi received her Bachelor of Music in Voice (with piano minor) at Converse College, Spartanburg, SC, and her Master of Music degree in Voice (with piano minor) at Manhattan School of Music, New York, New York.
After performing as a singer extensively in New York City (and teaching pre-K through 8th grade general music for several years), she discovered her greatest teaching joy: teaching music to the youngest musicians of all- Infants, toddlers and preschoolers!
Sandy trained with The...
Kent Spillman
- Drums
Kent has been playing drums for 26 years now. He was playing professional jazz gigs as early as 15 years old in Greensboro NC. In high school Kent was the Drum Captain of his drumline and studied privately with Hank Dempsey (former touring drummer for Dizzy Gillespie). He studied further at Appalachian State University in Boone NC. Kent has toured and recorded for many years and had the chance to play with some truly incredible people, including Reese Wynans (Organ player for Stevie Ray Vaughan) Joey Williams...
Alex Travers
- Fiddle,
- Viola,
- Violin
A graduate of Appalachian State University, Alex’s performance career has been anything but bland. A history of performing styles ranging from classical and baroque to rock and metal, he can be found on any given day playing in bands, studios, with singer/songwriters, or in orchestras. Alex began playing violin at the age of six, and grew up as part of the Triangle Youth Orchestra in the Raleigh/Durham area. Upon attending the Hayes School of Music at ASU, he spent time there as concert master of the Appalachian...