Alex Gayton has been playing music for as long as he can remember. Learning music through his family’s music collection and playing on his grandmother’s piano. By the time he was old enough to play drums he had immersed himself in all things music, playing in ensembles at school and forming his first band in the 7th grade, playing shows in the local punk rock scene. 

Since those early experiences he has been performing and recording professionally, earning his B.A in Music from Eastern Washington University and his M.M in Jazz and Improvised Music from the University of Washington. 

Over the last decade Alek has performed locally and nationally with a wide variety of artists. His flexible playing style has led to a wide range of performance opportunities, including playing with Le Grotto, Delvon Lamar, The Bob Curnow Big Band, Ernie Watts, Mike Stern and the Seahawks Drumline. These opportunities have led to performances at notable events such as Monterey Jazz Festival’s Next Generation, South by Southwest, The New Orleans Jazz Festival, MNF on ESPN and several US and West Coast tours. His drumming can be heard on the Erina song Home, which is featured on HBO’s Cherish the Day. 

As an educator, Alek possesses the flexibility to teach to each individual student. Every student has different interests and goals. He believes in giving students the opportunity to explore and create on their instrument, while focusing on strong fundamentals. He additionally puts emphasis on learning songs and playing along with music, while learning about the history of the band or artist with his students. (Alek loves music history!)

Greg Washington was born in Mobile, Alabama and began playing the drums at age fifteen. In his teenage years, he created his own drum set, using a variety of materials from his parent’s garage. He participated in the high school band, and was able to earn a full scholarship to community college. While there, his appreciation for drumming heightened, and he eventually left Mobile to study at the Atlanta Institute of Music. Greg has also studied at the world famous Collective School of Music, known by some as the “Drummers Collective”, in New York City. 

He has worked with the award-winning rap group, Outkast, and was featured on their album Stankonia, which sold over five million records worldwide. In addition to Outkast, he’s worked with legendary rapper Chuck D from the group Public Enemy. 

Greg now teaches drum lessons to students of all ages. In addition to teaching, Greg continues to perform and perfect his craft by expressing his versatility in various genres of music including, Gospel, R&B, Rock, Hip Hop, Funk, and Reggae. He has also branched out into music production and recording, using his creative skills to collaborate with musicians and vocalists.​

Jeremiah Hobbs is a teaching artist and songwriter who grew up just down the road in Newnan, GA. Jeremiah is a former performer, who now lives for the education of the arts. He works for the Alliance Institute, bringing arts integration to public schools around the city, and owns a music and movement school in Newnan, Georgia with his wife, Julissa. He loves all kinds of music, and encourages confidence and perseverance in his classrooms. 

As a teacher, Jeremiah wants to connect with his students, learn what motivates them, and structure lessons around what each student enjoys. He wants to get to know you so that he can encourage you to make the music that brings YOU joy! 

When Jeremiah isn’t at the studio, you can find him at home with his beautiful wife and sweet little tot creating art, blowing bubbles, and making music as a family.

Scotty Guenther is a musician artist based in the Virginia-Highland neighborhood of Atlanta. Growing up in Johns Creek, GA, Scotty took the stage at a young age, performing in plays, musicals, and music ensembles since he was 8 years old. He has spent the last 22 years honing his knowledge of music theory, music production, and collaboration, working on numerous projects for himself, other artists, and organizations. Scotty has a deep appreciation for each individual’s artistic voice, and hopes to spread his love of music through teaching.

As a teacher, Scotty values connection with each student, discovering their “why” for taking lessons, and developing a plan that is enjoyable and informative. His goal is to teach fun, memorable lessons that help students gain the skills they need to create and participate in the music they are passionate about.

Stevie (they/them) is an Atlanta-based music teacher and multi-instrumentalist originally from Miami, Florida. Having played hundreds of shows throughout the past decade with various bands based in both in Miami and Atlanta, as well as producing several rock and metal albums, Stevie has acquired an extensive amount of real world experience playing live music of various styles including Rock, Metal, Pop, Hip-Hop, Funk, R&B, Bossa Nova, and Musical Theater. In addition to their live performance background, Stevie has 6 years of teaching experience through one-on-one lessons and leading summer music camps. 

Stevie’s teaching style is adaptive and aims to create a positive and collaborative environment for students to develop their ability to express themselves through the language of music. Each lesson is focused around creating and acknowledging victories and growth, learning to embrace mistakes, and being resilient in the face of challenges.​