Teacher Bios | KEN STANTON MUSIC

Teacher Bios

Welcome to our Teacher Bio Index. You can search for a teacher by instrument or store location. To find a teacher, use the drop-down list or the alpha-index located below.

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	Omar Martinez Drums Marietta Location
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Biography Omar Martinez was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina where he studied and began his recording career early on, touring with several bands of different styles including pop, Latin, traditional Jazz, big band, and bop. After moving in 1982, he studied at Georgia State University and AIM, where he graduated with honors. Over the years, Omar has performed in Atlanta with a variety of bands ranging in styles from pop to jazz. He also has recorded several CDs and performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival and the Atlanta Jazz Festival. Most recently, Omar has been keeping busy heading up his own musical group, “Tango Belt,” and performing around the region as well as working as a freelance drummer.

	Alex Mattingly Electric Bass Woodstock Location
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Biography Mr. Mattingly studied music theory with Berkeley theorist Dr. Marshall Tuttle and studied bass guitar technique with Adam Nitti. He has over a decade of experience on guitar and bass, and five years' experience teaching bass guitar. He has recorded eight albums with various bands and has played hundreds of gigs in the Kennesaw/Marietta/Atlanta area. He plays rock/jazz fusion and has extensive experience teaching many diverse genres of music including rock, jazz, pop, country, and heavy metal.

	Luis Mendez Guitar, Ukulele Woodstock Location
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Biography Mr. Luis Mendez attended ARS Nova School of Music. He studied with Gonzalo Mico, Tony D'Leon, Roldan Pena, and Sal Gentile. He also studied music theory with Jose Salazar and classical guitar under Cesar Garcia. Luis began playing cuartro (baritone ukulele) at age seven and guitar at age twelve, inspired by the groups of the '60s and '70s. He has been teaching diverse genres of music including rock, jazz, pop, country, blues, and classical for over 20 years; the last five have been at Ken Stanton Music. He has performed with several groups in a variety of styles and currently plays with country rock band High Noon and Latin Jazz band Nova Sound.

	Michael Mieske Violin, Viola, Cello, Electric Bass, Guitar, Ukulele Stone Mountain Location Personal Email: INTERNET[email protected]
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Biography Mr. Mieske received a Bachelor of Arts in music education from Central Michigan University and a Master of Music from Georgia State University. While at Georgia State University Michael recieved a graduate assitantship in orchestral studies Michael records and performs locally in many styles. He has over twenty years of teaching experience.

	Jacquelyn Miller Piano Stone Mountain Location
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Biography Ms. Miller earned a Bachelor of Music Education from Mars Hill University. She has over thirty years' teaching experience. She teaches all abilities ranging from beginner piano to advanced. Ms. Miller emphasizes varying genre ability as well as technical facility.

	Erik Minkkinen Trombone, Euphonium, Baritone, Tuba, Trumpet West Cobb Location Personal Email: INTERNET[email protected]
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Biography Mr. Minkkinen received a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of North Texas. He studied trombone under William Hill, Bobby Burgess, Eddie Clark, Mike Bogle and Vern Kagarice. Mr. Minkkinen has performed with various ensembles and church groups as well as musical theater. He is currently the Director of Bands at Sandy Springs Middle School. He has been teaching trombone for over ten years, and is the author of two books.

	Jackie Miron Voice Marietta Location, Roswell Location Personal Email: INTERNET[email protected]
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Biography Ms. Miron earned her Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance along with studies in piano and guitar from The Manhattan School of Music in New York. She studied under Ellen Repp of the New York City Opera, trained in the Feldenkrais and Dalcroze methods of music and movement, and studied acting at the Stella Adler Studio. Ms. Miron is an accomplished singer having performed in opera, musical theatre, cabaret, pop music, and commercials. Her cabaret show toured throughout the Northeast. Ms. Miron has been teaching children and adults for over 20 years in New York and Atlanta in private vocal studios and schools. Her students have performed in commercials, musical theatre, movies, and on Broadway. She also specializes in teaching audition techniques and works well with special-needs children. Ms. Miron has a holistic teaching approach that enhances performance quality while protecting and maintaining good vocal health. Ms. Miron’s love for music and singing inspires her students to develop their skills and a lasting passion for music.

	Amy Newcomb Voice Woodstock Location Personal Email: INTERNET[email protected]
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Biography Mrs. Newcomb received a music education degree with an emphasis in vocal performance from Kennesaw State University. Amy has been teaching for several years and performing professionally for over seven years. She has performed with the Atlanta Youth Jazz Orchestra, Press Play, and several other groups and ensembles. Amy has performed with well-known artists Bill Watrous, Bobby Shew, Sam Skelton, and Trey Wright. She is the leader of the Amy Newcomb Quintet.

	David Northrip Guitar, Bass, Ukulele West Cobb Location Personal Email: INTERNET[email protected]
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Biography Mr. Northrip is an active professional guitarist and bass guitarist, clinician and private instructor with extensive experience on the concert stage, recital hall, recording studio, and instructor’s chair. He has played, and enjoys playing and teaching, virtually all styles of music. He began studying the guitar in 1992 at the age of twelve, and went on to study classical guitar with Carl Purdy at Georgia Southern University. David’s approach to teaching combines traditional methodology with a highly individualized system of lesson planning tailored to achieve the goals of each student. His primary goal as a teacher is to promote a lifelong relationship with music through dedication and good old-fashioned fun!

	Dan Owenby Banjo Woodstock Location
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Biography Mr. Owenby holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering and a Master of Business Administration. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, he performed on stage with Travis Tritt and various bluegrass bands as a banjo player. He has been teaching banjo at Ken Stanton Music since 2009 and he works with middle school and high school bands/ensembles when a banjo is required for a part. Contrary to popular opinion, bluegrass banjo is not hard to play. "Claw hammer" style (picks on thumb, index, and middle fingers) is the most popular style of bluegrass banjo playing, and that is what he teaches.

	Alonso Padron Guitar, Electric Bass Stone Mountain Location
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Biography Alonso has gleaned his music education from an array of sources. Initially he began studying privately with Steve Dukes here in Atlanta, furthered his music education at The University Of Georgia, and had intensive private studies with Rick Beato, a former renown jazz professor at The New England Conservatory in Boston. Alonso now has 26 years of playing experience and has performed with various rock, pop, soul, and Latin groups in the Atlanta area. He has also done session work in various settings such as GPTV, Barclasion Music in Brandon Florida, and with various artists. As well, he has recorded two of his own CD’s of original music. He has 18 years of teaching experience and teaches in the styles of rock, pop, metal, blues, folk, classical, Spanish and Latin. He is also adept at teaching soloing, improvising, finger-style, theory, sight-reading, ear-training, and composition. He also teaches electric bass from beginning through intermediate levels. Visit http://www.alonsopadron.com

	Ronald Palmer French Horn Marietta Location, West Cobb Location Personal Email: INTERNET[email protected]
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Biography Ronald Palmer received a Bachelor of Arts in music degree from Kennesaw State University. His teachers were Robert Pruzin, the late William "Bill" Hill, Peter Witte, and Brice Andrus of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. With more than forty years of playing and teaching experience, he plays in all genres and in all venues from recitals and concerts to symposiums, master classes, studio recordings, trade shows, jazz bands, orchestras, and theater and opera productions. Ronald played the horn with the Cobb Symphony from 1989 to 1996 and has been teaching at Ken Stanton Music since 2000. Presently, he plays the horn with the Westside Winds, a teaching ensemble for developing students and adult amateur players, the East Cobb Horizons band, the Band of America in Atlanta, and the “new” City of Marietta Orchestra. Ronald is also a member of the Atlanta Horn Club and the International Horn Society.

	Jason Passmore Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute Marietta Location, Woodstock Location Personal Email: INTERNET[email protected]
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Biography Mr. Passmore studied extensively at Georgia State University, receiving his Bachelor of Music in jazz performance in 1998 and his Master of Music in jazz studies in 2000. He studied with Sam Skelton (saxophone, clarinet, and flute), Robert Haley (saxophone), and Les Nicholas and Alexander Khrykhosky (clarinet). Mr. Passmore has 15 years' experience as a private teacher and 8 years' experience as a public school teacher of elementary band, orchestra, and general music. He received his teacher certification in 2004. He has played with the Cobb and Rome Symphony Orchestras, and also performed with Debbie Gibson, Conrad Herwig, Chris Potter, and various jazz, rock, and Latin bands around the Southeast. Mr. Passmore is an experienced composer/arranger and continues his studies through the online Berklee School of Music.

	Warren Peterson Guitar Marietta Location
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Biography Warren received his Bachelor of Music in music education from Kennesaw State University with emphasis in classical guitar and voice. A former choral and general music teacher at Palmer Middle School in Cobb County, Mr. Peterson has been a local, private guitar instructor since 2001. He has performed in numerous master classes with Adam Holzman, Petar Jankovic, Peter McCutcheon, and David Leisner. He has played with several blues and rock bands in the Atlanta area and currently performs with Wes Faulkner and Nacho’ Daddies.

	James Poteat Piano, Trombone Woodstock Location Personal Email: INTERNET[email protected]
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Biography James attended Kennesaw State University and has studied or worked with Dr. Marshall Tuttle, Peter Witte, Colin Williams, Joseph Alessi, and Fyodor Cherniavsky among others. James has six years of experience as a private music instructor, four at KSM Woodstock, and has performed in an enormous variety of situations as conductor or on piano, trombone, and euphonium. James has taught students ranging in age from 4 to 74 and is equally comfortable in the worlds of popular and classical music. He also has eight years of experience as a music theory tutor and considers this area of study to be his specialty. James has been commissioned to compose and arrange for a number of individuals and groups and continues to work on similar projects. Visit his website at: http://www.musical-intentions.com.

	George Price Guitar Roswell Location
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Biography Mr. Price studied music at the University of Oregon, Oregon Tech and Lane Community College. George studied with Howard Roberts and Gary Hagberg.

	Luke Rabun Piano Woodstock Location
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Biography Mr. Rabun received his Bachelor of Music in music education from Kennesaw State University in 2009. He taught horn in a master class setting to middle school students in Cobb County for two years. Luke has studied with Atlanta Symphony hornists Brice Andrews and Tom Witte, and has performed with the KSU Orchestra and Wind Ensembles multiple times at the Georgia Music Educators Association conference in Savannah. In addition to these concert performances, Mr. Rabun marched with the Glassmen, Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps, and was a soloist for both groups. He has over 15 years' experience playing horn and over 10 years' experience playing Mellophone, the marching band equivalent to the horn.

	Cynthia Rennick Violin, Viola, Cello Marietta Location, Woodstock Location
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Biography Ms. Cynthia Rennick received a Bachelor of Music degree from Olivet College, completed course work toward a master’s from Michigan State University, and has over 20 years’ teaching experience with orchestra in public and community schools. She has been playing violin since the fourth grade, and started cello and viola in junior high. She has performed in a number of orchestras including West Shore Symphony, Battle Creek Symphony, Monroe Symphony, and South Arkansas Symphony. Ms. Rennick has directed musical theatre productions. She is able to teach any style once the basic performance skills have been mastered. She can train violinists from beginners to advanced, and can teach violists and cellists in beginning to intermediate skill levels.

	Trevor Roberts Drums, Percussion West Cobb Location
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Biography Mr. Roberts studied with Berklee College of Music's Dr. Arvin Scott and Keith Krotser. He has completed additional studies at the University of Georgia. Trevor has several years of drumset performance experience as well as Drum & Bugle Corps experience. He is a percussion instructor for several area schools.

	Russ Rodgers Electric Bass Roswell Location Personal Email: INTERNET[email protected]
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Biography Russ Rodgers has been playing bass guitar professionally for over 30 years and has studied with Jimi Haslip of the Yellow Jackets, Oteil Burbridge, John Patitucci, Trip Wamsley, Ted Howe, and Kevin Bales. Russ founded the Bass Program at The Atlanta Institute of Music in 1985 and still serves as Bass Director. He has been teaching private lessons at Ken Stanton Music for the past ten years. He also does bass instructional videos for The Watch & Learn Company as well as online private instruction for long-distance students. For the last five years, Russ has been the house bass player at The Ritz Carlton Hotel in Buckhead with the Dan Lawrence Trio featuring jazz vocalist, Theresa Hightower as well as actively freelancing around the Atlanta area with many of Atlanta’s finest artists. He invites students to take advantage of his twenty-five years' teaching experience at our Roswell Location. For more information on Russ’s credentials, and some free video sample lessons, check out his website at russrodgersbassguitar.com