Piano, Guitar, Bass, Drums, & More
We're jazzed to offer lessons for a wide variety of instruments and musical styles. Please browse our bio's, and click on a teacher's picture to check out some of their music.
Eliot Jones
Eliot is a multi-instrumentalist and a songwriter who has played piano for over 20 years, and has done a bit of everything in the music scene. In college, he studied songwriting under Sue Ennis, a nationally recognized writer known for working with Seattle rock band Heart. As a solo pianist, he’s shared the stage and recorded with talented artists like The Lashes, Al Rowe, and Bottlenose Koffins. He also founded local indie-rock group On Grounds, where he was the guitarist and singer.
Above all else, Eliot is a dedicated music teacher. He has a real passion to help students, always going the extra mile to make lessons fun and engaging. As a teacher, he understands the sensitivity that many musicians have, and has worked with neurodiverse students and people of all ages. He teaches Piano, Guitar, Ukulele, and Music Theory.
Kaitlin Nguyen
Kaitlin Nguyen is a pianist of over 15 years and a violinist of over 10 years. She is currently a junior studying Computer Science & Software Engineering and Mathematics at the University of Washington Bothell. She primarily teaches piano, and was previously a math instructor for students grades K-12. She enjoys working with her students to find a learning structure that will work for them, and material that they are passionate and excited about. In her spare time she records and performs with Waxling, a band local to Seattle, and other musical ensembles from the University of Washington.
Vince Bigos
Vince Bigos studied guitar performance at Central Washington University. He worked as a musician for Holland America Cruise Lines for 2 years. He currently performs solo and with his country band, Invisible Cowboys, throughout the Pacific Northwest. As an instructor, Vince brings a knowledge of many styles of music, a simple approach to music theory, and a focus on technique that will set every student up for success.
Steve Lykken
Steve is a drummer with 28 years of playing experience and has studied under greats such as Michael Shrieve, Garey Williams and Brian Lilly. He has toured in many countries and played in a wide variety of groups ranging from jazz to country to rock-'n'-roll to whatever. He loves studying music himself and believes there is no end to learning.
A lesson with Steve will focus on an overall understanding of technique, independence, drum theory of just general musical fun (because that's what's it's all about!) He believes in a comfortable, non-lecture approach and a connection to a student's artistic interests, but his main goal is to teach a student how to practice and find their path on their musical journey. Currently Steve runs the drum shop at Re-Animated Music. He has an extensive knowledge of the anatomy of drums themselves and can assist with anything from refurbishing to simple tuning or general drum history. Like everyone else, Steve's only goal in life is to find happiness and he does it through drumming. Helping and encouraging others just makes it all the more better. "The only truly gifted people are those with the desire to keep learning and better themselves. Someone said that but I can't remember who." -Steve
Fiona Gurney
Fiona is a guitar player based in Brooklyn, NY. Originally from Seattle, WA, she picked up the guitar after failing to develop much of a bond with piano or saxophone while playing in school bands. Over the last 12 years she has played in a number of punk, post-hardcore and math-rock bands, and extensively toured North America. She is self-taught, and always looks to maintain a sense of discovery and invention in regard to her playing, and hopes to pass that onto her students. Although she favors music of the angular, off-kilter, and distorted variety, she has a huge appreciation for all genres including folk and jazz, and would love an excuse to learn more styles of finger-picking.
Ken Jacobsen
Ken Jacobsen is a mandolinist, guitarist, cellist, composer, and producer who currently lives in Tacoma WA. He has a degree in classical guitar performance and has performed and recorded many different classical styles including Renaissance, Baroque, Spanish/Flamenco, Brazilian guitar, Tango and modern music. He performs regularly as a solo guitarist and with various ensembles including Tacoma's Verde ensemble and the Vashon-Maury Island Chamber Orchestra. He also loves playing Jazz guitar, everything from Duke Ellington to Miles Davis and John Coltrane, Bossa Nova, and Cuban Son.
Ken has been playing cello as well for many years, beginning in college with an irresistible urge to learn the Bach Cello Suites, and performs regularly on electric cello with loops and effects, creating multi-layered ambient soundscapes. His love of world and folk music led him to the Middle Eastern Oud, Hammered Dulcimer, Mandolin and Djembe. Ken's first real instrument was a Fender Stratocaster, and he's always ready for a funky throw-down, having played with bands such as Vashon funk powerhouse Blue Monster. He has more recently been involved in electronic music production and performance, with unique live performances combining hardware synthesizers and drum machines with cello, guitar and percussion.
