OUR TEAM
LEARN ABOUT OUR TEACHERS
JEREMY DONSON - DRUMS
My name is Jeremy Donson. I have played drums over 25 years and taught professionally since 2008. I am a Carnegie Hall & Royal Conservatory of Music Certified teacher. In 2011 I became the ONLY drum instructor in the USA to found Carnegie Hall and the Royal Conservatory of Music’s Music Achievement Program. I have taught many award winning drum lines, and performed in several bands & Broadway musicals. I was taught by Ken “Nardo” Murray, who was Dolly Parton’s drummer for 9 years and played with many other famous bands throughout his career, and also by John Graham, a DCI (Drum Corp International) drum tech. In 2017, I was published as one of the top 7 best YouTube channels for learning how play the drums.
https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/best-youtube-channels-learn-drums/ Again in 2021 https://blog.feedspot.com/drums_youtube_channels/
AMY DONSON - PIANO
My aim, as a teacher, is to bring a positive environment and make it easy for students to enjoy the process of learning an instrument. In lessons, I help students break down songs and concepts into “bite size” pieces to master, using different strategies to tackle any challenges that come. Any new concept is immediately used and applied by playing it in a song. Students want to learn to PLAY the instrument, so students get to spend the majority of the lesson playing songs (with concise instruction from me, as needed).
I can take students in most any direction/style they want to go on their instrument. Many students start with learning to read music, but others enjoy learning chords and how to improvise and write their own songs first. Still others have specific songs they want to be able to play. I have students that love to play country music, pop, classical, rock, and other styles. The content of the lessons is tailor made for each student, so they can succeed and reach their goals for enrolling at this school. For me, the most rewarding part of teaching is helping people step into who they are and bring out what’s on the inside of them. Everyone can get better at singing or playing his/her instrument and I love to be there to help make it easier for them to grow quickly.
I can’t wait to see you in the studio!
A little about my background, I have a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education. I have over 20 years of playing and singing experience. Performed in a variety of groups, including choir, honor band, jazz band, drum corps, and musical theater. I am a former university music faculty, I developed a university music class combining piano, ear training, and music theory. As well as a worship leader in various churches and settings as a music director of a children.
SHANE HOBAUGH - GUITAR
Being a music instructor is more than just teaching note and counts. It is encouraging students to further connect to a piece of music both creatively and imaginatively. It is discovering the love of music, beyond the fundamentals, and learning independently.
I have been a guitar teacher for many years, but have also had the opportunity to be involved in multiple facets of the music industry; as a performer, a songwriter, a studio engineer, and producer. These experiences have aided in my teaching philosophy, allowing me to share different perspectives when teaching students musical concepts and techniques.
Equally as essential to a student’s empowerment through music, is their enjoyment and excitement of learning a piece of music within a genre that appeals to them – whether it be classical, rock, country, folk, metal, etc.
It is my main goal as a teacher to continuously promote and support every student as they uncover their artistic expression, sharpen their skillset, motivate and inspire personal growth, and prepare them for future success.
Dylan Sempsrott - DRUMS
My goal as a teacher is to help my students become the musicians they’ve always wanted to be, whether that’s playing for people or just for themselves. Music is an expression and we should all be able to express ourselves; I prefer to express myself by hitting things with sticks!My instructor was and still is Jeremy Donson, The Drum Professor, The ONLY Carnegie Hall Royal Conservatory Accredited Drummer and he has taught me everything I know up to this point.
I have been teaching for over a year now and I love it. I like to make my lesson environment one that is supportive and encouraging. I love to engage with my students and really help them learn and grow as musicians, beyond just being able to play a song.
The most rewarding part of teaching for me is finding each student’s individual learning style because every student is different and has a unique way of learning. The greatest part about being a teacher is when I see a student complete a song they’ve been working on, or work through a part they’ve been struggling with after I showed them a way that clicks and they say, “Oh I see now!”