Our Teachers
Ayanna Gallant
Ayanna Gallant is a music educator who has performed as a freelance musician on low brass, voice, guitar, and African drums in venues all around the country.
Bryan McDowell
Bryan’s brings extensive performance experience to the studio, where his goal is to meet students where they are and guide them to a high level of enjoyment and understanding of the music they play.
Carson Groenewold
Drawing from his education at KoSa and Berklee College of Music, Carson has over 17 years of real-world drumming experience.
Chris Ousley
Chris’s deep jazz pocket and graceful Kentucky-style banjo is only outmatched by the spritely twinkle in his adventurous eye.
Erik Sharar
Erik Sharar has been teaching students of all ages in a variety of musical styles, including classical, pop, rock, Latin, flamenco and jazz in the DC area and internationally for almost twenty years.
Gabby Marie
Gabriella Marie, soprano, has experience as a performer in opera, opera workshops, musical theater, solo recitals, concerts, and on the stage in theater performance.
Henry Meade
Henry brings his composition and playing experience to the studio, where he teaches piano and guitar in a variety of styles.
Jonathan Vocke
His rich knowledge of old-time and bluegrass tunes will add to the repertoire of any aspiring bluegrass or old-time player. Jonathan teaches guitar, fiddle, banjo, mandolin and ukulele....
Justin Heath
Justin is the guitarist in the progressive bluegrass band Cherry Blossom Special. Justin is a passionate teacher and loves to help his students achieve their goals in music.
Luke Chohany
Luke specializes in bluegrass, jazz, country, and old-time music, and is comfortable teaching in just about any style....
Mari Carlson
Mari Carlson has been playing violin since she was only three years old. After 25 years living in the Minneapolis area, Mari plays with “whatever-grass” band Cherry Blossom Special with 2 other SMT teachers, and some other fabulous musicians.
Marta Samuel
Meet our violin, viola, and piano teacher, Marta Samuel! Her performance experience includes solo concerts, chamber groups, and symphony orchestras....
Nick Cameron
Nick Cameron is a prolific mandolinist and three-time vocal finalist in the National Association of Teachers of Singing Student Competition.
Nick Wilby
Nick studied Jazz Guitar at the University of Massachusetts. Nick moved to DC to pursue a career playing and teaching music and to work with DC-based Pointless Theatre Company as a composer, arranger and performer...
Noah Bowman
Noah is a multi-instrumentalist musician with deep roots in the old-time tradition. He’s known for his unique fiddle interpretations and great facility with clawhammer banjo and old-time guitar...
Noah Gitlis
Noah studied guitar at the Berklee College of Music. Noah is also an active session player, with special expertise in composition and improvising....
Seth Kibel
Seth Kibel is one of the Mid-Atlantic’s premier woodwind specialists, working with some of the best bands in klezmer, jazz, swing, and more. Wowing audiences on clarinet, saxophone, and flute, Seth has made a name for himself in the Washington/Baltimore region and beyond.