Bryan Hicks was introduced to music in high school, where he played cello, bass, and sang. After only one year of college as a cello major, he became a full time professional at the age of 20. He started his career with the Inner-City Orchestra, an 18-piece big band...
Ariel Morris is a Lawrence-based coloratura soprano. She earned her Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, studying under soprano Alice Hopper. Ariel performed with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus and Atlanta...
Lucas Munce is currently a freelance musician based in Lawrence, Kansas. Prior to moving backto Kansas, he served as Assistant Professor of Clarinet and Jazz Saxophone at The University ofLouisiana at Lafayette. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Woodwind...
Joe Pickett is a passionate and versatile mandolin instructor with a deep love for music and a dedication to sharing his knowledge with students of all ages and ability levels. Joe believes that music is a universal language that has the power to connect...
Robin started piano at age 5, violin at age 9, guitar at age 12, and ukulele and bass as an adult. Shehas been songwriting as far back as she can remember. Despite wanting to enter the field of musicin university, she was strongly influenced by her parents to enter...
Brandon Jones is a percussionist residing in Lawrence, KS. While pursuing a B.A. in Music at Fort Hays State University (2015-2020), Brandon performed often with the FHSU Jazz I Ensemble on drum set and vibraphone as well as serving as drumline coordinator and playing...
Natalee Thomas started playing piano at age five and violin at age nine. She earned her degree in Violin Performance at Fort Hays State University. She currently plays with the Lawrence Community Orchestra. Her previous ensembles include the Hays Symphony Orchestra,...
Holly O. Taylor is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music, with an emphasis in both music therapy and percussion performance. She has maintained her board-certification in music therapy forover 20 years, serving in schools, private...
Joseph has been playing guitar professionally for many years, in New York, Montana, Missouri and Colorado. For over 30 years he has been performing, recording, arranging, teaching, studying and composing. He has also composed for television, radio, stage and small...
Martin Farrell Jr. is a musician, songwriter and producer living in Lawrence, KS who has been working on his craft for over 30 years. He plays guitar, piano, pedal steel, banjo, bass, mandolin, harmonica and several other instruments playing with bands spanning from...
Cristina has been playing the piano since first grade. Thanks to the patience and grace of her piano teachers, she slowly discovered her love for playing the piano, and eventually even majored in music in college (BA in Music Ministry from the University of Sioux...
Rachel Allai moved to Kansas from St. Louis to study wildlife biology at Baker University. She studied classical violin with the Suzuki method during school and found bluegrass fiddle while attending university. She is continuously inspired by the natural world...
Music is a wonderful thing to have in our lives, and it has always been my biggest passion. Working with beginners is one of my favorite things because I love sharing the gift of music and introducing others to the thing that has brought so much joy to my life. I...
Meet Alison! We are so excited to welcome this accomplished voice, piano and early childhood music education dynamo to our teaching ranks at Americana Music Academy. Alison has experience both in the public education classroom and teaching private, one-on-one lessons...
Vineel is an award winning actor, singer and professional performer with appearances at opera houses and theaters from Hong Kong to New York to Cincinatti to the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Trained at NYU and with experience teaching at that prestigious university in New...
Kendra Switzer is a coloratura soprano from Joplin, MO. She is pursuing her PhD in Musicology at the University of Kansas and is also a GTA in the Musicology Department. Kendra also teaches music appreciation courses for Highland Community College. Her first masters...
Allen Macfarlane started playing the lap dulcimer in 1980 and the hammered dulcimer in 1997. He’s been giving workshops to beginner through advanced players since the mid 1980s at music festivals, club meetings, and other events across the Midwest. He’s recorded two...
A lifelong musician, Ven grew up in Huntington, IN and has been teaching piano and horn since 2000. Since then they have had the opportunity to work with students of all ages in individual and group settings. Ven studied composition at Oberlin Conservatory, jazz piano...
Chad grew up in Lawrence and started his musical journey on the tuba and then electric guitar. He immersed himself in the vibrant local music scene, playing rock n roll and attending many all-ages shows at the Bottleneck. In high school, he picked up the banjo sitting...
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