Bridger Bush is an internationally performing active trumpet player and educator. While earning his degree from Utah State University he maintained a studio of students with skill ranges from beginner to college level. He also maintained a studio during his appointments in Central Oregon and now here in Austin Texas. His primary teachers have included Dr. Max Matzen and Travis Peterson.
Currently he is the principal trumpet in the Williamson County Symphony Orchestra and Austin Symphonic Band. Before holding positions in the Central Oregon Symphony Orchestra, Cascade Winds, American Festival Orchestra, Music Theater West, Utah Wind Symphony, and the Salt Lake Symphonic Winds.
Bridger is also very prolific in jazz and playing lead trumpet. He toured Switzerland, France, and Italy playing lead trumpet with the USU Jazz Orchestra. He has also played lead in groups like the Central Oregon Big Band, Larry Smith Kicks Band, and many others. He has also shared the stage with some modern jazz greats like Dave Douglas, Ulysses Owens Jr, and Corey Christiansen.
Bridger is living happily in Round Rock with his wife, cat, and dog.
Chad has over 20 years of experience as a performing musician and music educator. He earned his Master’s degree in Jazz Performance from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, and has studied with many jazz greats including Pat Martino, Jimmy Bruno, and Mimi Fox. He taught at Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania and later at Central Texas College in Killeen.
Chad has experience with both private lessons and group music classes. While his focus is on guitar, he also offers bass, voice, and beginning piano lessons. He enjoys creating a fun, encouraging atmosphere for students to learn and grow on their instrument.
Chase Petersen is a pianist and organist currently pursuing a Master’s at UT Austin in Organ Performance. Chase began music on the violin at age 6 and then with the piano at age 8. He has over 10 years of experience on both piano and organ, including work as a church musician.
In his experience with music, Chase has come to love what music can do for the mind and the heart. He loves teaching for the opportunity to share what music has to offer with students. He strives to find a balance in teaching that helps students develop the correct technique while also making sure that students are able to experience the joys of musical expression for themselves.
Based in Austin, TX, cellist Cory Blais enjoys living as a chamber musician playing concerts with friends and teaching cello. Since moving to Austin in 2016, he became a founding member of Austin Camerata, an organization and music festival known for its creative artistic collaborations that augment music’s emotional power. Performances frequently feature collaborations of choreography, visual art, creative writing, and dance ranging in style from flamenco, to hip-hop, to ballet.
His playing with Austin Camerata has lead to frequent appearances with Austin contemporary ballet company, Ventana Ballet, where projects often pair choreography with solo cello and are consistently some of his favorite performances each year. Recent collaborations include solo cello works by Kodaly, Cassado, and Bach. In addition, he serves as principal cellist for the Temple Symphony Orchestra and cofounded an award winning piano trio with friends that met while performing at the Manchester Music Festival in 2017.
He teaches cello privately at the Greater Austin Music Academy as well as the Academie Musique in Temple, Texas. Cory holds degrees in music from The University of Texas at Austin in 2019 and The Ohio State University in 2015.
Cindy Irvine has been teaching private music lessons for over 40 years at all levels, middle school to adult, on clarinet, sax, flute and beginner piano. She has taught in public school band programs in Dallas, Ft. Worth, Austin and New England and has prepared students for auditions, recitals and concerts. Many of her students placed in region and all-state bands.
Cindy was a founding member of the Dallas Wind Symphony, member of the Air Force Band of New England, Lakes Region Symphony Orchestra of Wolfeboro, NH and many other music groups, small and large, over the years. She earned her Bachelor of Music degree from University of North Texas in Denton.
Danielle Irey has been a music teacher for over six years, teaching piano, guitar, voice, and ukulele. She also specialized in theory and composition for her Undergrad Honors Thesis. Danielle has a passion for teaching young musicians who have a desire to learn new skills and explore instruments with creativity and experimentation. During her spare time, Danielle loves cooking, gardening, and going on walks with family.
Hailing from Toledo, Ohio, Daniel (Danny) Kavka is a keyboardist/singer with over 15 years of performing experience. Danny earned his Master’s Degree in Music from Bowling Green State University and has previously played in multiple bands including Cincinnati’s The Madisons and Cleveland’s Liquid Sunset. He was also the lead keyboardist in Toledo’s Game and Anime Music Ensemble (G.A.M.E.) Orchestra before moving to Austin, where he is now an active member of the musical community.
Danny specializes in pop and rock music, but has also taught blues, jazz, country, folk, soul, metal, and electronic styles. He uses a mix of structured method books to develop reading and technique, while also helping students learn how to play their favorite songs by ear. He helps students build their musical skills by emphasizing ear training, good practice habits, music theory, free improvisation, and style-specific patterns that will allow them to engage with their music on multiple levels. For younger students, Danny also incorporates games, composing new pieces, and singing.
Emil has always had a passion for music. He started taking piano lessons in middle school, even though he was already playing percussion in band class. In high school he decided to teach himself the flute–and then the oboe, and then the trumpet, and then the violin. He loved it all, but in college he didn’t think music could be a career and tried to do computer science instead. Still his love for music couldn’t be ignored, so he joined Brigham Young University’s Philharmonic Orchestra, performing in numerous concerts and operas.
Emil completed his college experience with a degree in music education from the University of Utah before moving to Austin. He has taught piano and flute for nearly 10 years and also performs locally with choirs and bands in Leander, Round Rock, and Austin ISDs. Emil loves to make learning fun and exciting, whether students are interested in classical, jazz, or pop music.
Emily is an experience chamber player and orchestral musician, having served in multiple orchestras including the Central Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra, the Central Texas Philharmonic, and the Texas State University Symphony Orchestra. She received her Master’s Degree in Cello Performance and Pedagogy from Texas State University, and holds two Bachelor’s degrees in Music and English from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
Emily teaches multiple genres from jazz to metal music. In her lessons, she incorporates movement-based pedagogy and kinesthetics, and believes in fostering strong communication and critical thinking skills in her students.
A native of West Texas, Eric began his piano studies at the age of 5. Initially a science major, Eric quickly switched to music because of his deep love for the piano. He holds a degree from the University of Texas in piano performance, where he studied under the legendary pianist Gregory Allen. He also studied piano pedagogy with respected expert Sophia Gilmson who helped him fine-tune his remarkable teaching abilities.
Eric’s teaching style is warm, patient, and encouraging while maintaining a structured and logical approach. He consistently receives raving reviews from his students and is highly adaptive to each student’s personal needs and goals. He also leads our weekly Musical Hangouts every Saturday via Zoom, where students can practice performing for each other in a supportive environment.
Please note: Eric is currently not a weekly teacher and is only able to accept ad hoc students.
Hailing from Fort Worth, TX, Jon has been playing guitar for 10 years. He has worked as an elementary school teacher for 1st, 3rd, and 4th grades, and has taught guitar for both children and adults. He loves incorporating games into lessons and is very excited to work with students of all ages and levels.
In addition to guitar, Jon also has experience teaching ukulele in a class setting. He attended the University of Southern California, where he earned degrees in Accounting and Economics with a minor in Chinese Language and Culture.
Joshua Varela is a well rounded musician from Southern California where he received his Bachelors of Arts degree in Music Industry Studies from California State University Of Northridge (CSUN). While attending CSUN Joshua worked at James Monroe High School as their Drum, Piano and Recording Tech in the music program. Before CSUN Joshua was attending Mt San Antonio College with the goal to receive an Associates degree in music. During this time period Joshua was performing in the Mt San Antonio Wind Ensemble as the principal timpanist, as well as performing for the Ontario Community Show Band for about 4 years. Joshua’s primary instruments are Percussion, Piano, Drums and Bass.
“My goal for the students is to gain the knowledge I never had at their age, so they can get a head start on their musical careers”. Joshua’s teaching style is encouraging and friendly but there is a strong emphasis on technique because the fundamentals are the core factor of becoming a great musician. Another attribute Joshua teaches about is time management and the importance of balancing practice in one’s life.
“Making music is fun but what makes it better is when you are doing it with others. Let’s Jam!”
Kelly Smith Toney and her husband, Greg, relocated to Austin from Baton Rouge, Louisiana to be closer to their daughter’s family, including one-year-old grandson, Sam.
Mrs. Toney received her bachelor and master degrees from The Juilliard School. Upon graduation, she joined the Singapore Symphony Orchestra for a two-year engagement. Mrs. Toney has been concertmaster and orchestra contractor for Opera Louisiane (since 2006) and several other Baton Rouge, Louisiana area orchestras (since 1986). She was concertmaster for more than 29 years of The Louisiana Sinfonietta. Her other performing duties include first violinist of The Campanile String Quartet (of which she is a founder), Zenaida chamber group, and has been a member of the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra for over 36 years. She is looking forward to being a part of the Austin area’s performing groups.
In addition to her performing career, actively teaches and was String Orchestra Instructor at Tara High School, Woodlawn High School and Woodlawn Elementary School in Baton Rouge for nearly ten and one-half years. Mrs. Toney held state chairman positions in the Louisiana Federation of Music Clubs and Louisiana Music Teachers Association for several years. She is a former board member of the Louisiana Youth Orchestras and is an active member of the Music Teachers National Association. Recently, she was selected to be a Talented Music Evaluator for the State of Louisiana’s Talented and Gifted programs.
For three and one-half years, Mrs. Toney was Musician-in-Residence of the Arts in Medicine Department at Baton Rouge General Hospital and enjoyed sharing her music with patients, staff and visitors.
Founder of Greater Austin Music Academy, Matt McLaughlin is also a founding member and President of the Austin Piano Festival, past Vice-President and Student Events Chair of the Austin District Music Teachers Association, and editor of the popular PianoBlog.com.
As a teacher, Matt is know for his extensive experience and expertise with students across the entire spectrum of levels and ages. His students have garnered top prizes in numerous competitions, have successfully auditioned at major conservatory programs in the US and Europe, have appeared in multiple KMFA 89.5 radio broadcasts and interviews, and have performed as soloists with ensembles such as the Austin Symphony Orchestra and the Austin Civic Orchestra.
Making his Concerto debut at the age of 15, Matt has over two decades of solo and collaborative performing experience. He holds a Bachelors degree in piano performance from James Madison University where he studied under Eric Ruple, and moved to Austin to study under the legendary pianist Anton Nel. As a member of Nel’s studio completed a Master Degree in Music Theory at the University of Texas at Austin. Matt is also an alumnus of the Aspen School and Music Festival. Besides music, Matt maintains many interests including fitness, philosophy, and business. You can also view Matt’s private studio website at www.MattMcLaughlin.net, or read a more full bio here.
Please note: Matt’s teaching schedule is currently very full, and he is only taking students on a case by case basis.
A native of Ellicott City, Maryland, Meagan began studying viola in 3rd grade. She went on to Carnegie Mellon University where she double majored in Viola Performance and Biology. After graduating, she chose to follow her passion, earning her Master of Music in Viola Performance at UT Austin.
Loving the warmth and the amazing music scene, Meagan decided to stay and begin teaching violin and viola. She was a teacher for the UT Austin String Project and has used that background to build a teaching program focusing on the overall growth of her students, primarily based on the Suzuki methodology.
Michael has been an active musician since the age of 5. He has an extensive music education having studied jazz and percussion at Grand Valley State, the same at Grand Rapids Community College, and music composition at University of North Texas; he also studied with world-class drummers Tim Froncek and Scott Weltner. Michael has recorded albums in a variety of styles, and has played in various bands over the past 25 years. These include two punk bands, three metal bands, a Jazz ensemble, marching bands, and a 70’s cover band. He currently performs all over the Austin area in addition to teaching.
Natalie earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Piano from Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. She has been gigging in small jazz ensembles, accompanying soloists, performing in cover bands, and teaching lessons since then. She has been teaching piano and voice full-time since moving to Austin in 2018. You can find her currently playing in the Lucky Southern Jazz duet around town.
Natalie firmly believes that having fun is the key to becoming a great musician. Love of the instrument leads to practice and practice leads to mastery. She personalizes her curriculum and communication style for each student to help nurture their musical growth. Whether a student is interested in classical, jazz, pop, or songwriting, Natalie is eager to help.
Ryan is a piano and guitar performer from Houston, Texas. Studying guitar and piano at Texas State University, Ryan studied with composer Dr. Russell Riepe and performs all around the country in many different ensembles.
Ryan now resides in Northwest Austin where he teaches guitar and piano to students of all ages. He believes a healthy yet balanced study of classical, jazz, pop and music theory is an enjoyable route to success in music. Ryan has been teaching music for over 14 years and loves sharing his inspirations and continually growing knowledge with his students.
Teresa studied classical flute under the tutelage of Dr. Adah Jones and earned a Bachelor’s of Music Degree for flute performance in 2014. During this time, she began taking piano lessons as a supplementary instrument and developed her piano skills. In the last eight years, she has taught masterclasses and private lessons at several school districts including New Braunfels ISD, McAllen ISD, Schertz ISD, San Marcos ISD, and Austin ISD. In 2018, Teresa returned to Texas State and earned a Master’s Degree in jazz studies.
Teresa loves writing customized exercises that target specific goals and adapts to the needs of each individual student by incorporating their natural musical inclinations into every lesson. She is also a big proponent of teaching relaxed, proper technique on both piano and flute. She has dedicated much of her time to researching the causes of future performance pain, its causes, and methods of prevention. Proper technique means being able to play for a lifetime!
Teresa’s lessons can be encapsulated by improvisatory games, repertoire-building songs and pieces, musical experimentation, call-and-response ear training, music theory, and a focus on relaxed, proper technique. Currently, she can be found teaching in music and public schools throughout Austin, and is enjoying a lively private lesson studio.
Trevor is a composer and pianist who began his study at age 6. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Composition from the University of Colorado at Boulder. While there he received the 2013-2014 CU Undergraduate Composition Award and the 2016-2017 CU Undergraduate “Spark” Award for electronic music, and was twice named a CU New Opera Workshop Composer Fellow. His music pulls from a variety of influences, primarily jazz, 20th/21st century classical, punk, and psychedelic music, and he finds deep joy in the act of musical exploration as a listener, performer, teacher, and composer.
Trevor enjoys teaching students of all ages and skill levels. A versatile and friendly teacher, he helps students engage with music by developing their skills through theory work, aural training, and technical exercises.
Saxophonist, woodwind specialist and composer Zack Varner has remained in constant demand on the stage and in the studio since the early 2000’s. As an internationally recognized artist, Dr. Varner has performed at the Copenhagen, Aarhus, and Santo Domingo Jazz Festivals. He has collaborated on numerous rock, jazz, Latin, pop, and classical recordings, primarily as an instrumentalist, but also as a producer, composer and arranger. Varner has also performed with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, The Austin Symphony, Jennifer Holliday, and can currently be found performing all over central Texas with a wide array of ensembles.
Recently, he has performed featured showcases at the Uplift Jazz Festival, the South by Southwest Music Festival, and has garnered excellent reviews from several established music critics. The Austin Chronicle’s Jeremy Steinberger writes of Varner’s latest solo release: “Varner expertly honors tradition with hard bop and swing themes while simultaneously exploring and building on the genre’s evolution through tango, bossa nova, and samba-infused textures.”
Zack Varner received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 2015. During his time there, he received the Eleanor Alexander Stribling award for excellence in jazz studies and served as president of the Longhorn Jazz Association. Dr. Varner has taught at numerous music workshops and clinics both in the United States and overseas. He remains active as a music educator throughout the ATX community.