Elizabeth Cotten

Nina Simone

Love and patience for the whole (messy) process of learning a new instrument. I like to break down the aspects of playing an instrument that feel intimidating and amorphous into approachable, concrete steps. This helps students build a solid technical foundation, and a healthy relationship to their craft.

I was fascinated by music from a very young age; at my own request, I began guitar lessons at age five, starting with Suzuki Method classical guitar. Learning an instrument by rote helped me develop a strong musical ear and intuition, and helped foster my curiosity to learn all kinds of songs and sounds. As I got older, I gravitated towards the electric guitar and other contemporary styles, playing in bands and jazz ensembles in and out of school. I relocated from San Francisco to Los Angeles in 2014 to study Studio/Jazz Guitar and Songwriting at USC’s Thornton School of Music. Learning an instrument is a lifelong journey, and a practice I choose to cultivate everyday.

It depends on the day and how I want to play; perhaps I've got a Telecaster running through my pedal board into a Deluxe Reverb, or maybe my Mustang bass plugged into an interface, or my nylon string guitar on the couch.

Endless curiosity!

Stickers :)

With honor - I always enter a lesson with a child ready to meet them wherever they are. If they feel energized and confident, we follow that momentum. If it's been a tough day, we give those feelings space and allow the pace of our lesson to unfold from there. With patience - learning a new instrument takes time and consistency, but it doesn't have to be daunting! I break lessons into small chunks that keep up the momentum, always leading with encouragement and enthusiasm. With a little mischief! We are "playing" music after all, so it should feel playful! Improvisation, movement, exploring all the "weird" sounds we can make with our instruments.

I've been on a number of tours over the years, and there's a profound urgency to that kind of work: bringing music I love, with people I love, to pockets of the world that need it most vitally.

Time (The Revelator) - Gillian Welch

I'm guided by community, whimsy, and relentless curiosity!

Rock, Indie, Alternative, Folk, Jazz

All ages!

I've played guitar and bass in many different live and recorded projects - 'The Army, The Navy' (indie folk group), Alex Lahey, Olivia Rodrigo, Rosie Tucker, Lily Meola, Grace Corsi...and many more. I also release original music under my own name - my debut and sophomore records ("Exotherm" and "DON'T BLINK!") were released on indie label New Professor.

I believe in music's power to sustain and affirm who we are as individuals, communities, and as a culture. Even in the face of great adversities in the music industry and beyond, I am relentlessly hopeful, and I believe in a more equitable world. This lies at the heart of my creative motivation: to create and teach music in ways that are joyous, life-long, and in pursuit of a more just and connected world.

My music has received coverage by Under the Radar, Ones to Watch, The Alternative, and other music outlets. During my studies at USC, I received the Faculty Scholarship Award, graduated Magna Cum Laude, and was awarded an Outstanding Senior in my department.

Hiking! Camping! Cooking! Climbing!

Love and patience for the whole (messy) process of learning a new instrument. I like to break down the aspects of playing an instrument that feel intimidating and amorphous into approachable, concrete steps. This helps students build a solid technical foundation, and a healthy relationship to their craft.