LESSONS
-GUITAR- · -BASS- · -DRUMS- · -PIANO- · -VOICE- ·
A visitor to New York once asked a person on the street how to get to Carnegie Hall.
The answer was "practice, practice practice!"
Of course a good teacher helps and we've got lots of them.
Mark Benanti
email MarkMark holds a Master's Degree in Guitar Performance. He is an excellent teacher for students interested in learning to read music. His focus is in Classical and Fingerstyle playing. Lessons with Mark will improve your music reading, technique, and overall musicianship.
Kevin Klemenok (707) 583-4909
Kevin is a resident of Petaluma and has been teaching guitar in Sonoma county for the past 19 years. He earned his BA in Jazz Studies from Sonoma State in 1993, and his teaching credential in 1995. He teaches all styles including jazz, rock, metal, blues, country, and funk to students of all levels. Lessons can cover fret board knowledge, ear training, scale families, lead playing, music theory, chord study, and reading music charts.
Tim McKee (707) 953-4156
Tim has provided support and leadership in bands of many styles both live and in the studio professionally for over 15 years. He has a BA in Music Education from SSU (1997) with an emphasis in Jazz. Tim has extensive teaching/tutoring experience (10+ years) with children of all ages and adults. Though specializing in modern rock, metal, jazz, and funk styles, his focus and philosophy is to teach the language of music (fretboard knowledge and music theory) through the student's own tastes.
Michael Barclay (707) 778-6754
Michael is a very nice man and even leads his own blues band, aptly named "The Michael Barclay Blues Band". He studied with David Spinoza (N.Y.) and teaches all styles and levels, concentrating on music that the student is particularly interested in.
Chris Pimentel (707) 762-8232
Chris is an award-winning Berklee College of Music graduate with a BA in music from Sonoma State University. He specializes in Rock, Blues and Jazz. His lessons cover theory, improvisation, ear training, finger picking, scales and modes.
Gary Vogensen (707) 763-8993
Gary is a 25 year veteran of the San Francisco Bay Area musical community. He teaches Jazz, Blues, Rock, Country, Slide, Folk and Pop to students of all levels.
Mark Abdilla (707) 332-3565
Mark has been teaching Guitar and Bass for over 20 years, primarily pop, rock, and blues.
He is also an accomplished fingerstyle (classical) player with 5 CD's to his credit. Mark holds a BA in music from San Francisco State University and performs all over Northern California and Europe.
Mark emphasizes right/left hand techniques, rhythm strum patterns, scales, improvisation and soloing. Mark teaches all ages, all levels and most styles.
Tommy Auerbach (707) 795-8433
Having attended the Musicians Institute in Los Angeles and a current performer in the group "The Road", Tommy has all the experience of a well trained musician. He is versed in all genre's of guitar and can taylor a lesson plan as individual as the student. He books lessons either by the half or whole hour.
Mark Benjamin (707) 291-0368
Mark has been teaching guitar since 1985 after graduating from the College for Recording arts. He also has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in music from Sonoma State University. His methods center around teaching the student technical method through his/her favorite songs.
Gio Benedetti (707) 695-7363
Currently playing in the locally aclaimed duo "Toast Machine", Gio is in touch with the newest and coolest techniques in bass. He specializes in slap but is also skilled in standard "finger" style as well as "Stand-up" acoustic bass for jazz and classical.
Aaron Haggerty 707.236.4873
Aaron Haggerty has been playing drums since he was a toddler. Growing up in a musical environment, he was able to begin playing professionally at a very young age. Aaron has performed and recorded with many different local artists ranging from Jazz to Funk to Metal to Country. After spending 5 years in LA, Aaron is back in the Bay Area. He has spent the last 4 years being, and is currently, the Drummer for Al McKay of Earth Wind & Fire. The Al McKay All Stars have taken Aaron touring internationally, performing all around the world. Aaron focuses on technique, reading, listening and most importantly, feeling great about leaving every lesson with something new.
Tom Hayashi (707) 539-0616
Tom began playing drums when he was eight, (and he is quite a bit older now), and worked in orchestral settings, jazz clubs, and straight ahead rock and roll. He hopes to convey through his teaching the fun and enjoymentof music and how the study of technique, reading and critical listening can enhance and deepen one's musical experience.
Rick Cutler (707) 887-1147
Rick has been a professional drummer for 35 years. He has played thousands of live performaces, recording sessions, and radio and TV appearances in all styles of music. Rick offers a straight forward approach that gets the student playing as soon as possible.
Kendrick Freeman (707) 939-0872
Kendrick's emphasis is on Jazz and African based music. His teachers include San Francisco Bay Area drummers George Marsh and Eddie Moore as well as numerous African and Caribbean musicians and dancers. Kendrick as toured in Europe with a theater company, recorded two albums of original music and currently serves as musical director for Group Petit La Kwa, San Francisco's premiere Haitian dance company.
Kehaulani Aspen 707.695.5944
Since graduating from Los Angeles based schools, The Dick Grove School Of Music and Musicians Institute, Kehaulani has been a professional singer, musician, and teacher. Starting her career in Los Angeles, she has recorded and toured with LA’s finest studio/touring musicians and since moving to Sonoma County in 2001, is the front-woman for her band, Crazy Love. Her teaching experience includes private voice and piano lessons, as well as, serving as the Assistant Director of The Starship Program, a private program that focused on teaching self-expression through music in elementary aged children. Her approach is holistic, fun, and tailored to the individual needs/goals of each student.
Melissa Phillippe (707) 575-5791
Melissa has been performing and teaching for over 20 years and specializes not only in voice training but also Piano and songwriting. Shes familiar with all types of music including R&B, rock, blues, country, and jazz.
