Meet Our Teachers

Pika G.


Violin, Cello
 Pika has a passion for learning and music education. She believes strongly in the importance of remaining focused during lessons, and practicing at home to achieve optimal results. She pushes her students, expecting them to perform at their highest level. Her teaching methods tend to work best for the highly motivated with parents who encourage routine at-home practice. Her lessons are very structured in order to create disciplined musicians. She graduated from the University of Minnesota School with a degree in music and also studied jazz in New Orleans, Lousiana. Pika has extensive music education, studying in institutions and privately for over twenty years. She has taught since 2012 and during that time has put in over 5000 teaching hours.

Drums, Guitar, Bass, Ukulele, Piano, Violin, Cello
 With over twenty years of experience performing everything from rock and roll to jazz, it goes without saying that Luke loves music and would love to share his wealth of knowledge with you. He began playing saxophone and piano at a very young age before discovering that he had a knack for rhythm and quickly became a force to be reckoned with behind the drum set. Shortly thereafter he picked up the guitar and a number of other stringed instruments. Luke has performed several hundred shows and appeared on about a half dozen records over the past couple of decades, and graduated from the University of Minnesota where he studied music among other things. In addition to his zeal for playing music, Luke is passionate about teaching others, especially young people (though he’ll take anybody), and he hopes to spread the joy that music can bring to one’s life. He is a patient instructor with the ability to adapt to the needs of his students, and is currently offering drum, guitar, bass guitar, ukulele, and piano lessons.

Luke P.

Andrew G.


Guitar, Bass, Ukulele
 Andrew has been playing the guitar for over 14 years and has recently picked up the Electric Bass. He Graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities in 2017 with training in Music Theory and Guitar Performance. Andrew was born in Australia but has lived in the Twin Cities for most of his life. His genres of focus are blues, rock, country, folk, jazz, & pop. He has played in dozens of bands since he was a teenager and has performed in venues from dive bars to casinos. Andrew has a passion for live performance and is always open for any playing opportunity. Andrew took 1 year of lessons as a child with the rest of his improvement being self-taught and is ready to share his method with fellow students.

Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass, Wind Instruments, Percussion, Piano
 Jared has Bachelor of Arts in music performance on the bass from McNally Smith College of Music and has completed a Post Baccalaureate Teaching Certificate program at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. He has played professionally throughout Minnesota in styles such as jazz, hip hop, salsa, Latin jazz, R&B, soul, rock and classical. His teaching experiences range from classroom music, wind band, jazz band, orchestra, choir, drumline, alternative music ensembles, and private lessons. Jared works with students and parents to develop lessons with a focus on commitment, creativity and learning music through performance. These lessons are designed for the students who are willing to practice and work toward their own personal goals.

Jared A

Sam P.


Piano, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Violin, Cello
 Sam enjoys playing many different musical styles and instruments. He studied jazz guitar at Vancouver Island University with Pat Coleman and completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in history from St. Mary’s University. He began playing music at a young age and received musical instruction from his parents, who are both music teachers. He has extensive experience as a live performer at many different venues. Sam believes music lessons help a young person develop focus and also encourage good artistic expression. His favorite genres include rock, pop, jazz, funk, and blues.

Guitar, Piano Ukulele, Voice
Joseph Snyder has been playing music throughout his life. From an early age, Joseph began to teach himself guitar, going on to lettering his high school jazz band ensemble, while playing for his church and in local rock bands. Since then, he has been playing throughout the country with a wide array of genres including jazz, blues, funk, folk, R&B, and Electronic music and working with artists throughout the Midwest and Las Vegas. When Joe is not working on music, Joe likes to paint, watch movies and play with Toto, his Chihuahua and best friend! If you would like to learn the formal approach to guitar or piano, would like to learn songwriting skills or just want to play some of your favorite songs to impress your friends and family, Joseph will walk you through with fun lessons customized to fit your ability and skill level.

Joseph S.

Carlos R.

Drums, guitar, piano, ukulele
Carlos is a drummer, guitarist, and recording musician. He began to learn and play the drums at a young age with private instructors, and has over twenty-five years of experience. Having played with numerous bands, he has been able to master rock, soul, blues, funk, and studies salsa, and samba rhythms.

Besides playing the drums and guitar, his experience in songwriting allows him to connect with aspiring musicians. He plans to stay for a couple of seasons in Minneapolis, sharing his love and passion for rhythm.

Drums
Mitchel L. has been playing drum set since the fourth grade. He is currently a freshman in high school. He has played for many performances at his church, and jazz bands. He is passionate about educating students and hopes to increase their musical knowledge as they progress through his course. When he says percussion, he offers to educate his students on snare drum, drum set, xylophone/bells/vibraphone/marimba, timpani, and most importantly cowbell.

Mitchel L.

Scott N.


Piano, Guitar
 Scott enjoys teaching kids and adults. His technique is tailored to each induvidual student because one method does not always work for everyone. He believes that knowing how to play the piano helps you excel at other areas of life. Scott's piano lessons are a low pressure enviroment. He tries to make the lessons fun, especially for kids, so they enjoy coming each week. Scott was born in Tehran, Iran, and began playing piano when we was five years old. At fifteen, he became a teacher's aid and studied under the direction of Mr. Safri in Iran. He went on to receive his music certification in 2016 and has continued his studies here in Minnesota. Scott began teaching kids, age seven to thirteen, at the Aria Institution, and has performed piano at several concerts, as well as at universities. He works mostly with classical piano, but also enjoys contemporary music. Scott teaches all ages and skill levels on the piano. He also teaches beginner guitar to youth and focuses on developing technique and note reading.

Guitar, Piano, Bass, Trumpet
 Greg Z. is originally from North Kingstown, Rhode Island, where he first picked up his grandfathers guitar about 12 years ago. Mostly self taught, Greg studied the techniques of some of his favorite guitar players, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, and Jimi Hendrix. He played in multiple bands throughout high school, and decided to take up a degree in music production at Columbia College Chicago. He gave some guitar lessons in high school, and his most recent job was an after school program working with kids on their own music projects in Chicago. In addition to the guitar, Greg plays piano, bass and trumpet, and is a music producer working in multiple genres. He has a wonderful cat named Tina, and loves to skateboard and swim at the beach.

Greg Z.

Kayla P.


Piano, Voice, Flute
Kayla first sang in a choir when she was 6 years old and has loved music ever since. With proficiency on piano, flute, vocal performance in operatic and musical theatre styles, and skills on the ukulele and guitar, she has performed in concert, jazz, pep, and marching bands, symphony orchestras, chamber wind ensembles, church and community choirs, musicals, a cappella groups, and solo recitals. Originally from Kalamazoo, Michigan, she was the music director and founder of the a cappella ensemble ACAPOC (A Cappella People of Color) for three years at her alma mater of Kalamazoo College. Kayla believes wholeheartedly in the positive impact music can have on someone’s sense of community, accomplishment, and mental health. She is excited to meet her students where they’re at and work with them to achieve and excel at their personal musical goals.

Alec M.


All-Band: Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Low Brass
 Mr. Alexander M. recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. His primary instruments are saxophone and clarinet. He has also performed and taught various other instruments such as trumpet, flute, trombone, percussion, and piano. While studying at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, he performed in various different ensembles and groups such as jazz ensembles, trios, quartets, concert bands and the Blugold Marching Band. He grew up in the town of Stillwater, Minnesota and graduated from Stillwater Area High School in 2015. Alexander is a licensed teacher in the state of Wisconsin. He has been involved with many beginner band camps throughout college, working with a variety of students who all have different skill levels. He enjoys helping students learn, grow, and find a passion within music. Currently, Alec will be a substitute teacher and paraprofessional educator in the state of Minnesota in addition to working with Prince Music Company.