Study One-on-One with a Professional Musician!
Private lessons are offered to all Beginner, Concert, and Symphonic Band Students, are a vital element in a student’s musical life. The opportunity to study privately with a professional musician is one of the most important factors to an individual student’s success. These professionals provide detailed, specific, one-on-one instruction, tailored for your child. Private lessons challenge the advanced students and accelerate students who need extra attention. Of the students who make the Texas All State Band, roughly 97% take private lessons! Making this ensemble will almost guarantee a scholarship to a major university.
Private Lessons are taught at Pioneer Heritage Middle School, either before, during, or after school, depending on the teacher’s schedule. Lessons are 30 minutes, per week, at a cost of $18 per lesson. The student pays a month in advance directly to the teacher. Due to our school class schedule, students taking lessons during the school day (band time) will only receive a 23 minutes lesson each week. For these students, they will continue to be charged the same $18.00.
If you are not currently taking lessons, please consider doing so!!! Remember, private lessons are offered as an enrichment activity and are not required. Though optional, please consider private lessons as a necessary part of the band program.
If you are interested in private lesson, please contact a director or email the teacher directly from the information below.
Private Lessons are taught at Pioneer Heritage Middle School, either before, during, or after school, depending on the teacher’s schedule. Lessons are 30 minutes, per week, at a cost of $18 per lesson. The student pays a month in advance directly to the teacher. Due to our school class schedule, students taking lessons during the school day (band time) will only receive a 23 minutes lesson each week. For these students, they will continue to be charged the same $18.00.
If you are not currently taking lessons, please consider doing so!!! Remember, private lessons are offered as an enrichment activity and are not required. Though optional, please consider private lessons as a necessary part of the band program.
If you are interested in private lesson, please contact a director or email the teacher directly from the information below.
Private Lesson Instructors
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Amanda Chavis received her M.M. at California State University, Fullerton where she studied with Jean Ferrandis, and her B.M. from the University of Houston, where she studied with Sydney Carlson and Kim Clark.
Mrs. Chavis is a member of the Texas New Music Ensemble (tnme.org) and is passionate about helping musicians reach their fullest potential through connecting the whole person to their music-making (empoweredartistry.com). Mrs. Chavis was the winner of the 2013 San Diego Artist Gold competition, as well as a semi-finalist in the 2013 Myrna Brown Competition and a quarterfinalist at the 2013 and 2015 NFA Young Artist Competitions. From 2009-2012 Mrs. Chavis served as second flute and piccolo in the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra and second flute in the Lubbock Ballet Orchestra’s yearly production of The Nutcracker. She was also a substitute with the San Antonio Symphony, and had the opportunity to play with them in the second flute position and on piccolo on several occasions. |
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Erin Anderson is an active freelance oboist and music educator in the North Texas area. Ms. Anderson maintains a large private studio of oboe students in Frisco, TX and is a frequent clinician in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Ms. Anderson also serves as oboe instructor at the West Texas A&M University summer band camp in Canyon, TX.
As a performer, Ms. Anderson has appeared with many groups in the DFW area. She is currently performing as oboist and English hornist with the Lone Star Wind Orchestra, under the direction of Eugene Migliaro Corporon. In addition to performing with this prestigious group, Ms. Anderson also serves with other professional groups around the region, including frequent performances with the Allen Philharmonic Orchestra. She has also had the opportunity to perform with the North Texas Chamber Orchestra, the University of North Texas Opera, and the esteemed North Texas Wind Symphony. She can be heard playing principal oboe on several critically acclaimed albums for GIA Publications, including: Archetypes, Musings, Chronicles and several volumes of the Teaching Music Through Performance series. Ms. Anderson holds degrees from the University of North Texas (MM) and West Texas A&M University (BM). She has studied with many distinguished oboists including Dr. Charles Veazey and Dr. Robert Krause. Ms. Anderson resides with her husband, Matt, in Frisco where they enjoy running, cooking, and then running again. |
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Andrew Wojciechowski is a bassoon private lesson teacher in the Frisco area and holds a large private studio of students. Andrew has been teaching for 7 years and loves what he does. Mr. Wojciechowski went to the University of North Texas for bassoon performance and was fully active in the professional music fraternity Mu Phi Epsilon and is currently also a clinician and performer in the DFW area.
He works with Dr. Jennifer Auerbach to teach at Bocal Majority Bassoon Camps that are held to teach students more about the bassoon as well as reed making. Andrew lives in the Frisco area and stays very busy, as he is also into physical fitness and reading. |
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Teo Tanase is a freelance clarinetist and teacher in the Dallas-Forth Worth area.
Mr. Tanase has been teaching clarinet for over nine years and holds clarinet studios in Frisco, Plano and McKinney. Mr Tanase holds a Bachelor's of Music Performance from the "Fran Liszt Music University" in Germany, an Artist Diploma from Southern Methodist University in Dallas and pursued his Master's of Music Performance at Carneggie Mellon University in Pittsburgh PA. |
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Dahee Kwon holds a bachelor’s degree in clarinet performance form McNeese State University and a master’s degree in clarinet performance from University of North Texas. She is currently pursuing her Doctoral of Musical Arts degree in clarinet performance at the University of North Texas. She is also expanding her knowledge in Music and Medicine as her related field.
Ms. Kwon has performed actively in Symphony Orchestra, Wind Symphony at UNT, and Pit Orchestra for operas/musical and in honor of UNT Center Chamber Woodwind Quintet. As a full time student, she also teaches private lessons to Middle School and High school students who had/have great successes on region and state auditions. |
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Dr. Andy Wright holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in saxophone performance from the University of North Texas. He also holds a Master of Music in Jazz Studies from the University of North Texas, along with a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Central Arkansas where he studied with Jackie Lamar.
Most recently, Dr. Wright has served as principal saxophonist and featured soloist with the North Texas Wind Symphony conducted by Eugene Corporon. Dr. Wright was the winner of the UNT Symphonic Band concerto competition which featured a performance of Paul Creston’s Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Band with the UNT Symphony Band conducted by Dennis Fisher. Dr. Wright has additional studies in conducting with Professors Fisher and Corporon which culminated in a performance with the North Texas Wind Symphony. Dr. Wright is a member of Trio One, an ensemble consisting of two saxophone and piece. In the past, he has shared the stage with notable musicians such as Ray Charles, Mark Nuccio, Chris Vadala, Steve Houghton, Andy Martin and Tom Brantley. While at UNT, Dr. Wright participated in the lab band program reaching the lead alto saxophone chair with the 3 O’clock Lab Band directed by Jay Saunders. Dr. Wright has been teaching the saxophone for 16 years. His students have been successful in all levels of the Texas All-State program along with many continuing their musical training at prominent universities. He currently teaches in the Frisco, Lewisville and Mesquite Independent School District. |
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Brandon Stewart is currently Adjunct Instructor of Horn at Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant, OK, where he teaches Applied Horn, Music History, Music Appreciation and Literature, and Brass Chamber Music. In addition to his teaching duties, Mr. Stewart is active as a performer. He currently holds the positions of Third Horn with the Abilene Philharmonic, Second Horn with the San Angelo Symphony, and is Acting Principal Horn with the Longview Symphony. Previously he performed for three seasons as Co-Principal Horn with the Midland-Odessa Symphony, also playing with the resident woodwind quintet, the West Texas Winds. He has appeared with numerous orchestras including the Waco Symphony, Las Colinas Symphony, Plano Symphony, Lubbock Symphony, Roswell Symphony, Macon Symphony (GA), and Huntsville Symphony (AL).
Mr. Stewart holds the Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Alabama, the Master of Music degree from Texas Tech University (M.M. Performance), and he is currently a doctoral candidate at The University of North Texas. His primary teachers include Charles “Skip” Snead, Christopher Smith, and Bill Scharnberg. Mr. Stewart is a native of Tulsa, OK. He currently lives near Denton, TX with his wife Melanie, an elementary music teacher, and their children Ella and William. |
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Ryan King has made a career in both playing and teaching. He has performed with the Sarasota Orchestra, DFW Brass, North Texas Wind Symphony, and at the Asolo Repertory Theater in Florida. After sitting Principal Trumpet in the Texas All-State Philharmonic, Ryan attended the University of Oklahoma where he also sat Principal in the OU Symphony. Ryan is currently attending the University of North Texas as a graduate student in Trumpet Performance.
Ryan’s primary teachers have included Logan Place, Bill Carmichael, Dr. Karl Sievers, Richard Giangiulio and Dr. Jason Bergman. At the University of North Texas, Ryan has performed with the top performing ensembles and Principal with the UNT Concert Orchestra. Ryan King has taught trumpet masterclasses and lessons at Reedy High School, Braden River High School, Braden River Middle School, Pioneer Heritage Middle School, Pearson Middle School and Montgomery Middle School. Recently, Ryan has been featured on the podcast “Trumpet Teacher Talk” for a guest interview with Bill Ratcliff. Lessons consist of lots of "modeling" sound back and forth between the student and teacher. |
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Daniel Matthews is a trumpet player who has taught privately for nine years, ranging from middle school to the collegiate level. Daniel most recently held an adjunct faculty position at the University of North Texas where he taught jazz theory and improvisation. In addition to teaching a large studio of trumpet students, Daniel also maintains a very busy performance and recording schedule in the Dallas/Forth Worth Metroplex and co-leads his personal project, Dallas Horns.
Daniel holds a Bachelor’s of Music in jazz studies from San Jose State University, where he was selected as “Most Outstanding Senior” in his class, and also holds a Master’s of Music in jazz studies from The University of North Texas where he played in the world-famous One O’Clock Lab Band as a featured soloist, winning an award from Downbeat magazine for “Outstanding Performance” for Jazz Trumpet in the graduate division, of which only one person is selected in the nation for each instrument. In his spare time, Daniel enjoys being a weather-enthusiast and spending time with his wonderful wife Gina and their two quirky cats; Maya and Bagheera. |
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Michael Wharton lives in Frisco, TX where he is a freelance trombonist with a large private lessons studio.
Before moving to Texas he played Second Trombone with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra from 2008-2011. From 2000-2009 Michael played with Tim Zimmerman and the King’s Brass, a 9 member touring brass ensemble performing approximately 120 concerts per year. He holds a Bachelor of Music performance degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music where he studied with Steve Witser. He also holds a Master of Music performance degree from Bowling Green State University where he studied with Dr. William Mathis. |
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Melissa Ewing began studying piano at age 5 and euphonium at age 9 in her hometown of South Lake Tahoe, California. In 2014, she completed her Bachelor of Music in euphonium performance with a minor in Music Management from University of the Pacific and became the first euphonium player to win the university’s concerto competition.
After earning her Master of Music degree from University of New Mexico, Melissa moved to Denton to pursue a Doctorate of Musical Arts in euphonium performance at University of North Texas. At both University of the Pacific and University of New Mexico, she served as principal of the Wind Ensemble and guest performer of the orchestra. Her primary instructors include Dr. Matt Tropman, Dr. Richard White, and Dr. Brian Bowman. |
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Elizabeth Speltz is a senior music education and tuba performance major at the University of North Texas. Elizabeth participates in several musical organizations and was named music education student of the year for 2015-2016.
Besides teaching in Frisco ISD, Elizabeth also enjoys teaching students in Richardson ISD and the University of North Texas. |
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Steven Washington II received his bachelors in Music Education from Texas Christian University. Upon graduating he became the Assistant Percussion Director at Grapevine High School and assisted in percussion instruction at all of the middle and high school campuses in Grapevine-Colleyville ISD. After 5 great years, he spent 2 amazing years as the Director of Percussion at North Mesquite HS.
Steven has been a private lesson instructor in Frisco ISD since 2015. He enjoys eating. All types of food. And spending time with his wife and two sons. |
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Evan Dabbs is a percussionist and music teacher currently residing in Plano, Texas and teaching percussion at Centennial High School and Wester Middle School in Frisco. Evan loves music and is passionate about passing that love on to the next generation. He has played and taught with groups of all levels and many styles, including performances with symphony orchestras, steel pan and pop bands, drumlines, and contemporary chamber groups.
Evan is a graduate of Arizona State University where he received his master’s in music performance. Prior to this, Evan graduated from Texas Christian University with his bachelor’s in music education. In between degrees he worked in the Fort Worth area as a percussion teacher and director. |
