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Elizabeth teaches:

Piano/Voice on Mondays (Eastside location)
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Piano/Voice on Tuesdays (Eastside location)

Piano/Voice on Wednesdays (Eastside location)

Piano on Thursdays (Foothills location)

Piano/Voice on Sundays (Foothills location)

     Elizabeth is a passionate music educator, who draws inspiration from a profound belief in the transformative power of music. Armed with a background in Vocal Performance from the Music Conservatory at Ithaca College, a B.A. in Music from CUNY Hunter College, and a recent Master’s in Music Education from Teachers College, Columbia University.  
     Elizabeth sees music as a universal language that helps unite and inspire. Apart from composing, songwriting, and instrumental studies Elizabeth has dedicated years to developing and creating a pedagogical style that encourages a supportive, open, and safe classroom, and applied studio environment for aspiring musicians of all ages. Elizabeth’s teaching philosophy, emphasis is placed on helping to foster and cultivate a willingness to learn within each student.  This willingness sets a foundation and is seen as the cornerstone for students' growth—academically, emotionally, and technically. 
     Elizabeth cultivates an open and supportive classroom environment, encouraging both musical exploration and the development of critical thinking skills. Advocates for breaking down traditional educational hierarchies to better foster collaboration within the learning process that becomes a guide for students to thrive on their musical journeys. The overarching goal is to assist students in recognizing their unique gifts and potential and the impact they can have on the world around them. Through this approach, Elizabeth aims to create an environment where the willingness to learn flourishes, opening doors to endless possibilities for academic and personal success.
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Accomplished soloist and accompanist, performing throughout Mexico and Arizona with knowledge in music theory, and piano performance. Once a member of the Wind Band Orchestra of Tepatitlan de Morelos, Jalisco, Mexico he performed Clarinet in various styles ranging from Latin American to Traditional and He then began taking piano lessons by age 17, studying at the University of Guadalajara by age 18 where he found his passion for classical music. With a love for teaching music, He currently instructs as an elementary music teacher and also provides private piano lessons for all ages at the Allegro School of Music. He is a firm believer in the power of music to bring out the best in people and will continue to provide inspiration to his audiences and students through his performances. - Teaches in various styles as Classical, Pop, Rock and Jazz. - Fluently Bilingual in Spanish. - Classes specially tailored for each student.

Me siento cómodo enseñando a estudiantes que hablan español.

Emily teaches:
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Piano/Voice on Mondays

Piano/Voice on Tuesdays

Piano ONLY on Wednesdays

Piano/Voice on Thursdays

Voice ONLY on Fridays 

​​​​​​​Please note: Wind instrument lessons are a unique exception. Clarinet, Flute, and Saxophone students may sign up with Emily on ANY of her listed teaching days.

Emily Ward is a highly enthusiastic, qualified private vocal, woodwind and piano instructor. Her passion for music started with her love of Jazz; playing the saxophone and singing at a young age. She has since become proficient in various instruments including clarinet, flute, and piano. Emily received her bachelors from Northern Arizona University's renowned Choral Education program in Flagstaff, Arizona. Upon receiving her Bachelors of Music Education, she gained  invaluable insights into music pedagogy and performance techniques. Her performing experience as a vocalist includes international performances in Estonia, Latvia, and Sweden. In addition to her quality musicianship, Emily holds an Arizona Professional Music PreK-12 Teaching Certificate and has taught at Leman Academy of Excellence in Oro Valley over the past 5 years as a K-8 music teacher. During her time teaching, she also instructed one-on-one private lessons and coined the school's first choir ensemble for 2nd-8th grade scholars called "Treble Makers".

Emily's teaching approach centers the student’s musical goals at the heart of each lesson. She customizes lessons to address the individual’s needs and aspirations by fostering creativity and building confidence. Emily has a keen eye for detail and has her students focus first on making excellent performance technique habits as a strong foundation for their music learning. As a seasoned music instructor, she believes a solid technical base is essential for artistic growth and enjoyment of music learning. Additionally, one of her core values is making learning enjoyable and engaging, infusing lessons with enthusiasm and playfulness. Whether it's nurturing beginners or honing the skills of more advanced musicians, Emily will guide her students with expertise, passion, and empowerment to reach their full potential to develop a genuine love for music.

Background: Born in Xi’an, China and currently residing in Tucson, Arizona, Zhujun (June) began her piano training at the age 4 under the influence of her father, a well‐known composer based in China. Zhujun (June) was trained as a classical piano performer for 15 years and had performed in many professional piano concerts. She transitioned to composition in the last year of high school and pursued a Bachelor’s Degree in composition at the Shanghai Conservatory of music. During the time when she was in college, she continued her piano lessons within the conservatory. Zhujun (June) had her first piano student at age of 16 and continued to teach piano throughout the entire college. She has many experiences working with various age groups of both kids and adults, from beginners to professional level piano players. After graduated from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Zhujun traveled to the United States and pursued a Master's degree in composition at the Peabody Conservatory of music, Johns Hopkins University. At Peabody, Zhujun (June)'s compositions were well acclaimed and led to the Gustav Klem Award for her excellence in composition. After being awarded a full scholarship for Graduate Teaching Assistantship in music theory, Zhujun (June) has been pursuing her Doctoral degree in composition at Peabody Conservatory till now. Throughout the entire journey of composition, Zhujun (June) has been practicing and utilizing piano as one of the most important tools for her own compositional creation as well as keyboard improvisation. Besides composing, Zhujun (June) is currently teaching her 4‐year‐old son piano lessons at home.

Teaching approach: I consider music is such an important part of our lives that positively connect ourselves with others. It provides unique and creative perspective to learn the world. With that in mind, I believe that maintaining one’s inner drive is the core value of my teaching approach.

In order to protect and maintain one’s inner drive for music, I like to make tailored plans based on each individual’s needs and interests to help them reach their goals. Different ages require different motivations. I want all of my students feel valued and respected when work with me. I consider myself as an encouraging, patient, communicative, and goal‐oriented person. I like to build trusting relationships with my students through positive attitude and verbal encouragement, even during the tough moments. I love to be communicative with both parents and students because I want to make sure that we are always working as a team to accomplish the same goal. Piano learning requires time and effort, and sometimes the practice can be tedious. But I promise that with patience and drive, everybody will eventually get to where they want to be. I like to frequently remind the students about their goals to give them some ideas about how much they’ve achieved and how long they still need to go. I believe that we all get more motivated through tangible and quantified feedback and results. All in all, I love to participant the process in which the students are learning, growing and enjoying the moment when they are making music. That truly brings me happiness and sense of achievement.

10 Fun facts about me:
1. I love toy poodles and own a black one. She is the best.
2. I hate ALL the bugs.
3. Besides being a musician, another dream of mine is to be a dinosaurologist (long time ago).
4. My favorite animal is lion and I love watching documentaries about them.
5. I am really good at baking breads and cooking.
6. My husband is a scientist working with bats so I get to go out to the wild to see and catch bats many times.
7. I laugh really loudly.
8. My lowest resting heart rate is 48.
9. I am good at singing Chinese pop songs, and sometimes compose one.
10. I have 100,000+ followers on social media as a fitness influencer.

Professional training and performance experience: 

Terry is a teacher, composer, and pianist who has been teaching for over thirty years. He studied music, jazz and classical piano at the Interlochen Arts Academy and the California Institute of the Arts, where he studied with famed classical pianist Leonid Hambro and majored in piano and composition there. He also worked privately with UCLA head piano professor Johana Harris. At the same time he was studying with LA local jazz piano great Harry Fields. Soon after, he became a teacher and assistant to Harry at his renowned  Hollywood piano studio (piano lessons to the “stars”). Later, he operated his own successful freelance piano teaching studio/business. Throughout all that time, Terry worked and concertized as a performer in solo and group classical, jazz, and pop and rock band settings, culminating in a record deal contract (that later went south) in a band he formed with his brother. Terry also worked steadily and successfully in LA as a film composer and arranger, as well as an on screen actor and particularly in voice overs where he did numerous spots and ads for TV and radio. He then came to Tucson in 2016 to take care of his ailing mother, who passed in 2017, and decided to settle in Tucson. He has now been working for Allegro since 2018.  

Teaching approach:

Terry employs a flexible approach to piano teaching, utilizing the traditional graded book methods along with some innovative approaches to Ear Training, playing chords, and improvisation geared towards putting the student's two hands together with songs as soon as possible - keeping the "Fun" & interest factors high. He is great with kids and adults of all ages and levels, beginning to advanced and up to university and artist levels. He teaches all styles, classical to jazz, blues to pop and rock, or as they say, “Bach to Rock.” Terry currently has over 50 happy, satisfied, and progressing piano students here at Allegro, with most of them participating and performing in the twice yearly recitals at the Catalina Foothills auditorium. This past June 2023, three of Terry’s younger students performed at Carnegie Hall in NYC with Allegro School of Music. Terry also performed and accompanied several vocal and violin students there as well. Happy piano playing and music making!

Fun facts about Terry:
1. Terry has a Youtube channel where you can check out his informal and private piano performances, search for user Harriter88
2. He is the son of the late Emmy award winning actor Pat Harrington Jr. Schneider of famed hit 80s TV show, “One Day at a Time”
3. Terry is currently composing a large scale work for piano and orchestra for his great friend/colleague and famous pianist, Kevin Cole, that when finished will be premiered by him.
​​​​​​​4. Terry could have very well gone into the acting business like his famous father, (though as the bio indicated he did part time, having the lead role as Captain Von Trapp in his junior high school production of “The Sound of Music”) but instead decided to follow his passion for music and teaching, the noble profession. 

*Please note: Elizabeth Schad teaches ONLINE ONLY*

Elizabeth attended Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas where she earned a Bachelor of Music Education with a double instrument emphasis in piano and percussion. While attending HPU, Elizabeth worked with several local central Texas high school percussion and drumline ensembles and worked as a private piano and percussion teacher for the Howard Payne Pre-College Music program for four years before moving to Arizona. While studying music education, Elizabeth performed with the Howard Payne marching band, concert ensemble, choir jazz band, percussion ensembles, and piano team ensembles. These ensembles performed all over the central Texas area, and with the Howard Payne choir Elizabeth was privileged to travel internationally and sing the Mozart Requiem as part of the 2019 Summer International Gala Concert at the Votivkirche in Vienna, Austria. She also competed two years with the Violet Crown indoor percussion corps, competing in the Winter Guard International and Texas Color Guard Circuit local and national competitions. Elizabeth currently attends Grand Canyon University where she is pursuing a Master of Education in Elementary Education. 

Elizabeth loves to encourage her students to grow as holistic musicians. Wherever the student currently is on their music journey, Elizabeth tries to help them take the next step forward, whatever that might look like for each individual student. 

10 Facts about Me! 
-I have four pets! One dog named Batman, two cats named Kalá and Nari, and a hamster named Hamlet. 
-I love to laugh, make jokes, and randomly burst into song. 
-In my free time, I enjoy painting, drawing and creating. 
-I am a Texan native, but I love the Arizona mountains and going on hikes through the beautiful desert. 
-My favorite food is chicken fried chicken! 
-My favorite movie/show is anything from the Star Wars universe. 
-My favorite music to listen to is either classical symphonic pieces or British punk rock.
-I love playing Minecraft! 
-I grew up on an agricultural farm, and I know how to drive heavy duty farm machinery and equipment. 
​​​​​​​-My favorite view is a beautiful sunset. 

*Please note: Elizabeth Schad teaches ONLINE ONLY*

Harumi Hand graduated with a Bachelor in Music (piano and dance accompanying concentrated) and Psychology from University of Arizona. Studied percussion, jazz, improvisation as well as piano. Currently works as a pianist at University of Arizona School of Dance and Act 1 Academy of Performing Arts. Worked for school performances, including a musical “Little Shop of Horrors” at Mountain View High School. Applied Behavioral Analysis trained education provider for children and young adults with Autism. “Rather than following generic guidelines, my lessons are arranged based on a student's interest and musicality."

Neal Warner is a Detroit born composer, researcher, and music educator. Neal began his music career as an electric bassist, studying with Detroit jazz legend Dan Pliskow in the early 2000’s and completed studies at the Berklee College of Music in Boston in 2011. He holds a Master of Music in Composition and Theory from Wayne State University in Detroit and is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition and Theory at the University of Arizona. Neal has taught private lessons in the areas of piano, guitar, bass, banjo, ukulele, voice, songwriting, music theory, and music technology for over 8 years, first employed by the Grosse Pointe Music Academy of Michigan, followed by Allegro in September of 2017. Collegiately, Neal has served on the faculty at Wayne State University, the Art Institute of Michigan, and the University of Arizona. As a composer and scholar, Neal has presented works and research both throughout the United States and internationally. His chamber and orchestral works have been presented at the Charlotte New Music Festival, The Oregon Bach Festival at University of Oregon, the Houston Museum of Fine Arts, the Golden Rondelle Theatre of Racine, Wayne State University and the University of Arizona. Neal’s research has been presented at the University of South Carolina and Florida State University, internationally in a recent trip to New Zealand, and published in the Music Research Forum of University of Cincinnati.

Alex Price is a music performer, teacher and composer originally from the Los Angeles area. Alex has a background in trumpet and piano performance, having studied both instruments for more than fifteen years. She went on to specialize in performance in her undergraduate studies at Arizona State University, studying under pianist Michael Kocour and trumpet player Dennis Monce. She most recently graduated with a master's of music from the Jacobs School of Music in 2023; studying in the Music Scoring for Visual Media program under film composer Larry Groupé (The Contender, The Outpost) Alex has been performing professionally around the Phoenix Area since she was sixteen years old in orchestral, theater and jazz settings. In 2017, she opened for the Chandler Jazz Festival, and in 2019, her first album [Life Story] won a Downbeat Magazine Student Music Award for "Outstanding Original Composition for Small Ensemble". While Alex has trained in both classical and jazz music as a performer, and for the past few years her focus has expanded to include music composition for film and media. She currently is working on sound design and composition for numerous short films, an independent video game score, an album, and her first feature film score due out in 2024. 

Alex has spent much of her musical life in education, whether that is expanding her own knowledge, or helping to expand others. Before moving to Tucson, she worked as a Music Instructor at Music Maker Workshops in Ahwatukee, Arizona for six years; teaching piano, trumpet, french horn and trombone to the students in that area. In addition she taught composition, music production, and jazz improvisation to advanced students. She started a jazz band program there, teaching a performing jazz combo geared towards learning improvisation, music theory, jazz repertoire, style and gig etiquette. Alex has worked in education outreach traveling around to Phoenix schools educating young students on music and the jazz tradition. She also served as an Associate Instructor and assistant for her graduate music composition studio, helping tutor other students in music composition for media. 

Teaching Approach:
As a teacher, Alex believes strongly in nurturing the relationship between student and teacher on an individual basis, in a way that allows the student to develop into the exact kind of musician they want to be. Whether that be complete beginners or those with more experience, she believes in catering each lesson to a students' individual needs, to work with each student the way that works best for them to be successful. Whether that means focusing on lesson books, learning by ear, working on music that students pick out, using games, or learning music in an entirely different way, she takes the time to get to know each of her students, respect their individual needs, and share her passion for music with them. She believes that in creating this relationship, her students should come away from each lesson feeling fulfilled, excited, and determined to keep expanding their own individual interests, knowledge and talents within music. She truly believes in her students, and wants nothing more for them to succeed and enjoy what they do. Her hope is that with time and support, her students will find their own passions as well.

10 Facts About Me:
1) My favorite movie is a tie between the Perks of Being a Wallflower and the Matrix.
2) I have a twin fraternal brother.
3) My favorite color is sky blue.
4) I love candy stores!
5) My favorite food is probably Korean BBQ (yum).
7) And I'm a quarter Korean!
8) My favorite video game score of all time is the Outer Wilds OST by Andrew Prahlow.
9) You can find me with my headphones on 99 percent of the time, listening to music 98 percent of the time.
​​​​​​​10) In addition to music, I also have a bachelor's degree in English Literature.

Beck (Becky) Turro is a composer and pianist who has been teaching privately and at various institutions for 7 years. They have enjoyed teaching musicians of all ages, and have been seen leading dance parties for pre-school music classes as well as lecturing college courses on piano and music theory. What Becky loves most about teaching is having the opportunity to learn from their students while aiding the students in discovering their passions and achieving their goals.

Beck’s orchestral and chamber music has been performed across the country by ensembles such as the Akropolis Reed Quintet, Decoda, Fifth House Ensemble, and the Denison Symphony Orchestra. Having grown up in the Appalachian area of North Jersey, many of Becky’s pieces are inspired by natural landscapes and the transformative aspects of nature.

As well as teaching and composing, Becky has been a piano accompanist for various choirs, churches, and cabaret events. They were the former keyboardist of Halcionne and have also performed solo piano works at local recitals.

Outside of music, Becky is passionate about hiking and traveling. Having recently moved to Arizona, Becky has enjoyed exploring the trails and is stunned daily by the beauty of the desert.

Beck received their BM from Rutgers University in music composition, and recently graduated with their MM in music composition from Ithaca College.

Caroline McArthur has been teaching piano on and off for over 50 years and brings a wealth of experience to her students.  She focuses on a classical approach, including theory and learning about composers and eras, but is happy to branch out and teach hymns, show tunes, or folk music.  She has taught hundreds of students and accommodates each lesson to the individual.  She has performed regularly and made a CD.

Studying under a multitude of private teachers with different styles, Carson developed a versatility in the many genres of piano music. He learned from these tutors classical music, pop, rock, various world musics, and more recently jazz, his genre of particular interest. Starting to pick up students of his own, Carson gained consistent experience teaching and sharing the musical experience on piano with others. He taught 5-10 students in the past 4 years. Specializing in teaching beginning audiences ranging from ages 4-56, Carson introduces and trains students on the fundamentals of technique, theory, and musicianship. Carson leads students in the right direction when starting piano while also encouraging students to bring in music they love and want to play. He is currently a 3rd year undergraduate at the U of A studying both Communication and Information Science. Aside from music, his favorite hobbies include video games, tennis, business, and spending time with friends!

Danielle Mepham started piano at the age of 6 years old in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. She has received both her B.Mus and M.Mus in Piano Performance from Brandon University in Manitoba. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D in Music Education at the University of Arizona.

Danielle has been teaching piano for over 15 years and currently teaches Music Fundamentals Through Experience at the University of Arizona. Initially trained in classical music, Danielle has experience in multiple competitive festivals and competitions where she was a multi-award winner. 

Danielle continues to pursue other genres for her own growth and learning such as pop, video game music, and jazz. She currently plays jazz piano in the Concert Jazz Band at the University of Arizona and continues to grow as a musician and teacher. Her focus is for students to learn and succeed in a warm friendly environment.

Jomon teaches Piano on Mondays and Tuesdays, and Voice on Wednesdays. 

Mr. Fox has been studying and performing musically since junior high. Having attended middle school at Orange Christian Fellowship Junior High, his gift and character led to starring the lead roles in school musical productions and studied music under the direction of his mentor Dr. John Hernandez. Jomon graduated a valedictorian in 1992 with a special emphasis in vocal performance and Beurean studies.

Mr. Fox continued his private school education at Heritage Christian High, graduating in 1997, where he excelled in vocal performance. This transitioned his musical education to Santiago Community College where he studied for three years under Dr. Larry Ball and performed with the Master chorale, and toured New York, culminating with a performance at Carnegie Hall. Mr. Fox’s musical studies would be fully cultivated at Chapman University where he studied under Dr. William H. Hall and performed and toured the northwest United States with the University chorale and performed at the 2000 closing ACDA Ceremonies in Honolulu, Hawaii. While attending the University, Mr. Fox majored in music education with a minor in music arts.

Upon completing four year education at Chapman University, Mr. Fox founded J-Fox Productions in 2002, specializing in music production, merchandising, praise and worship workshops, and private music instruction. Simultaneously, Mr. Fox began assisting in music ministry as a member of the evening ensemble contemporary worship team at the former Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove California.

Mr. Fox transitioned into music evangelicalism from 2003 to 2012 as keyboard player with the group “wings of praise”. From 2012 to 2017 Jomon was the musical director and keyboard player for the “Smooth Jazz FHG” band. Having settled in Oro Valley with his wife early 2022, Mr. Fox had committed to a greater focus on education with J-Fox Productions and joined the Allegro School of Music team. Mr. Fox’s teaching methods employ a hybrid style that blends established curriculum with individual customization to fit each student accordingly. Mr. Fox teaches and lives by a simple motto…“Learning music is journey to be enjoyed”.

Please note: Jomon teaches Piano on Mondays and Tuesdays, and Voice on Wednesdays.

Coming from a small town in Florida, Katie began her musical journey at age 12, with lessons in jazz, rhythm, and blues. Katie was just 15 when she began attending college to pursue a degree in music, with a focus in piano. She has taught for over 5 years since, and is greatly experienced with all students ranging from pre-k into high school, with experience in special needs music education.

Her passion lies within helping her students find (and pursue) their love for music and the arts. Katie teaches a variety of piano and music skills to assist you in reaching your personal goals as a musician, with the belief that everybody can find a sense of belonging in her classroom.

Please note: Luma is currently teaching ONLINE ONLY

Luma discovered the joy of piano at age four when she could play almost any song she heard by ear. At age nine she dove passionately into private piano lessons and acting that eventually led to a rich professional life of music theatre, concert performance, award-winning composing and teaching music.

Her Hollywood and New York acting experiences include film, TV and theatre along side the likes of Kevin Spacey, Mare Winningham, Michelle Pfeiffer, Ned Beatty and others giving her a strong sense of professional discipline and inspiration. She was composer and musical director for the critically acclaimed rock opera Woman Of Light that was performed in Denver, Colorado and London and received multiple standing ovations.

As a member of the Blue Summerstar band, Luma toured and performed as vocalist, keyboardist, banjo player and songwriter. As composers and recording artists, she and her partner won the International Moondance Film Festival Award for Best Film Score.

Luma studied music theatre and dance at University of California, Northridge and music theory at Jamie Faunt School of Music. Privately she trained with Los Angeles master teachers of piano, music theory and classical technique. Alexander Dmitri from Russia, fourth generation student of Beethoven lineage through Liszt, passed on invaluable expressive piano techniques to Luma which she in turn passes on to all of her students. Helene Mirisch Spear, piano and music master teacher of many celebrities in Los Angeles, actually mentored Luma into becoming a great teacher.

To stay home with her two young sons Luma became a member of MTNA and founded “Kidsmusic” in Los Angles and Boulder, Colorado with her unique fun programs and recitals. She has now been joyfully teaching and coaching all ages for over 28 years in Los Angeles, Colorado, Santa Fe and Tucson. She plays piano, keyboards, harp, banjo, ukulele and sings.

Luma believes that the passion of a student playing what they like to play is the key to them sticking with the due diligence required to see satisfying results. So she skillfully mixes those songs in with lesson books. She uses sight reading techniques as well as encouraging playing by ear. Each student learns differently so that is also considered in the lessons. She pulls songs from classical, pop, rock, Broadway, movie soundtracks and folk songs to create a well-rounded palette of learning. Finger technique, rhythm, music theory, notation and performance skills are all included. Luma has a way with each student to encourage progress and a sense of self-accomplishment through a fun atmosphere of learning. She is delighted to be a part of Allegro School of Music!

Please note: Luma is currently teaching ONLINE ONLY

Michael teaches guitar on Mondays and piano on Fridays. 

(Please take note when registering. Due to the equipment in the room he teaches in on each of those days, you must register for the correct day, depending on instrument. Thanks for understanding!)

As a professional performer, composer, and educator, Michael has dedicated the past 15 years in helping students develop their craft on the guitar. Beginning his career as a Music Education Major and classical guitar student at the State University of New York at Fredonia, he obtained a chair for the esteemed Fredonia Guitar Quartet. Michael performed with the group for multiple tours, including an international tour of Spain at many celebrated Universities and Music Conservatories. Once relocating to Los Angeles, Michael completed his Associates degree in Audio Engineering at the Los Angeles Recording School and began work in music editorial for film and television. In 2018, Michael signed as a recording artist with Sony Music Entertainment and began his professional stage career as a songwriter and national touring musician. Alongside a busy touring schedule, Michael continued his passion for education and has maintained a steady teaching schedule. He has taught private lessons and group classes throughout Los Angeles and, for six years, led the guitar program for at-risk and homeless youth at Covenant House California.

Michael enjoys teaching in various styles including: rock, pop, metal, country, and classical. He provides instruction to students of all backgrounds and experience levels. Beginning with the fretboard fundamentals and foundational technique, Michael approaches the guitar with the basics of note reading and practical exercises while maintaining the focus on the students’ overall goals and musical style preferences. He likes to help strengthen the individual skills of the player while encouraging future band/ensemble development. Michael’s overall goal is to help bring out the gifts and talents that all students posses while keeping the joy of music at the center. Michael is always excited to meet new students and looks forward to assisting you on your musical journey!

Fun facts about Michael:
-Enjoys riding motorcycles and ATVs
-Has had his music showcased in television shows and video games
-Likes Sci-fi and Fantasy movies
-Loves Italian food
-Has performed on seven national tours
-Favorite sport is Hockey
-Enjoys collecting music and movie memorabilia 
-Grew up in New York
-Favorite dog is a Siberian Husky
-Enjoys traveling and new adventures

​​​​​​​Scott teaches guitar on Tuesdays and piano on Thursdays. 

(Please take note when registering. Due to the equipment in the room he teaches in on each of those days, you must register for the correct day, depending on instrument. Thanks for understanding!)

As a composer I have found it necessary never to stray too far from performance. The sheer exhilaration one can obtain through playing an instrument is unique and powerful. I have devoted my life to trying to understand and master this elusive beast called Music. As a child, or a peculiar spirit, I demanded my parents get me guitar and piano lessons. I felt an instant connection to these instruments and was compelled to investigate. After years of inquiry I ended up attending New School for Arts, a high school devoted to the arts where I studied music composition. From there, I went on to the University of Arizona to receive degrees in Music Composition and Philosophy with minors in Mathematics and English Literature. For my Masters’ programs I wandered into the world of contemporary composers and experimental music at Mills College in Oakland where I finished my M.A. Music Composition as well as my M.F.A in Electronic Music and Recording Media. All the while pursuing a mastery of the instruments that caught my ear in the first place.

I am laid back and playful in my approach to music lessons. I like to gear lessons toward the interests of the student, and if I am doing my job correctly, all the traditional techniques will be painless. I also like to delve into music theory to give one a deeper appreciation as well as an understanding and steady grasp of the tools of composition if their heart is so inclined. When it comes to music I am rather eclectic and I feel every style has something to add to the techniques of a solid performer, so I tend to draw from many disparate places to offer a fuller experience. In no time at all, you should be playing pieces you love, understanding how they work, and perhaps embellishing them or writing your own.

Me siento cómodo enseñando a estudiantes que hablan español.
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Please note: Scott teaches Guitar on Tuesdays & Piano on Thursdays. ​​​​​​

Please note: Shiho is currently teaching ONLINE ONLY

Shiho Takeda started piano lessons at the age of two and participated in various competitions through high school winning several prizes. After receiving B.A. in Law and B.S. in Math, she decided to pursue music further. She studied piano with former Professor Nicholas Zumbro and won second place at the President's Concerto Competition. She is currently studying under Dr. Paula Fan.

Please note: Shiho is currently teaching ONLINE ONLY