Lessons
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Stacy’s has one of central Virginia’s largest private music lesson programs. All of our qualified instructors teach music theory as well as ear training. By incorporating the students love for a particular style of music, they tailor a learning program that is specific to each student. This ensures that the student has fun learning the music they love while building a solid foundation for their knowledge of music theory.
Please view our lesson policy PDF
OUR INSTRUCTORS
Pete Vigour – Guitar, Banjo, Violin, Mandolin, Dulcimer
Pete has taught guitar, banjo, and mandolin at Stacy’s since 1997. He teaches his students to accompany themselves and encourages them to play with other people in order to improve their skills. He is an accomplished old time fiddle and banjo player who regularly hosts local jam sessions. He currently performs with his old time band Uncle Henry’s Favorites and his classical group the Sugar Ridge Quartet.
Matt Jagger – Guitar
Matt was a pioneer of the Stacy’s Music lesson program. He started teaching a wide variety of students, ages 6 to 60, in 1992. Matt has been studying guitar for more than 19 years and is able to explain its theory in ways younger students can understand. He was an employee of the store for over 7 years, and is very knowledgeable about guitars, music, and the recording industry.
Brett Jones – Guitar
Brett has 8 years of guitar playing experience and is a recent graduate of the University of Virginia, where he received a degree in Biology with distinction. At U.Va., he studied jazz guitar and improvisation with Mike Rosensky and John D’earth, in addition to performing with the U.Va. Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Chamber Ensembles. Brett has also played and collaborated with many other groups spanning the realms of blues, rock, hip-hop, jazz, funk, and reggae,including Creepy Todd, TheGranville Mullings Project, Greg Weaver Jazz Congregation, Murph and the Magic Tones, The Blackout Project, and singer/songwriter Todd Binder. Brett teaches jazz theory and improvisation, rock, and blues guitar.
Sam Cushman- Drums
Sam is currently completing a Double Major in Music and History at UVA. He is a member of UVA Percussion Ensemble, Jazz Chamber Ensembles, African Drum Ensemble and a former member of Drum Corps International. Sam is experienced in many styles of music including Rock, Funk, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Afro-Cuban, and more. Sam has studied extensively in Classical Percussion, Mallet Percussion, Rudimental Snare Drum, and Latin Hand Percussion. He has studied privately with Kevin Murphy, Nathan Brown, Robert Jospe, and I-Jen Fang of the University of Virginia. Sam has played with local bands including Under the Flood, and the Travis Elliott Band and will soon be performing with the Kings of Belmont.
Wayla Chambo – Flute
Wayla holds a Master of Fine Arts from the California Institute of the Arts and a Bachelor of Music from UNC-Chapel Hill. She has been teaching flute since 1999, and has teacher training in the Suzuki Method, which she uses especially with young beginners. Her teaching style focuses on developing ease and joy in music-making through an emphasis on physical awareness, memory and creativity in a warm, supportive atmosphere. Wayla has recently appeared with Du Ciel flute and harp duo, Noise in the System experimental music group, and the Virginia Consort Festival Orchestra.
Eli Cook – Blues Guitar
Eli is a self-taught blues, roots music, and rock guitarist. He teaches beginning to advanced acoustic and electric, slide, and finger-style guitar playing. Eli has been playing live for 6 years and has since performed at the Kennedy Center and opened for blues greats such as B.B king and Johnny Winter. Eli was also featured in Guitar Player Magazines September, 2007 issue.
Aaron Cripe – Piano, Band and Orchestra
Aaron graduated VCU in 2002 with a Bachelors of Music his major in music education. As well as teaching at Stacys, he is currently the string instructor at Walton Middle School. Aaron utilizes method books as well at personal interest for his instruction keeping his approach to learning structured but fun.
Ryan Gilcrest – Bass Guitar
Ryan holds Bachelors in Music from UVA, where he was a part of their jazz band. Ryan is well studied in many styles of music and can teach music theory as well as ear training.
Mary Kuhn – Piano
Mary is a recent graduate of James Madison University where she received her Bachelors of Music degree with a Piano concentration. While at JMU, Mary taught private lesson to aspiring pianists ages 5 and up, and worked as a piano technician. She encourages her students to chose challenging pieces they enjoy playing, and more importantly, to have fun while learning them.
Charlotte Martin – Voice
Charlotte holds a Bachelor of Music degree, with a concentration in Theater, from James Madison University. She was the leader of a 65 voice choral group performing at prestigious halls such as the Strathmore in Washington, D.C. She is currently an active soprano member if the Virginia Consort.
