This page IS NOT REAL, it is not live for users, only shows up on squarespace.
Edit the “all teachers” page located in the master navigation, this is what users see.
Dejha Colantuono (she/her)
Born in New York City to Jazz musicians, Dejha absorbed the intricate sounds surrounding her. Her earliest exposure to melody, feel and rhythm developed organically in the bohemian environments of NYC Jazz clubs, concert halls and in the comfort of her family’s lofts where her parents often had “house concerts” and her mother taught vocal jazz workshops regularly. She emulated the sounds of some of the greatest composers of classic, experimental and improvisational Jazz, eventually discovering and connecting with rock n roll and more contemporary popular music.
Dejha is a skilled songwriter, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist, but her most arresting talent is her remarkable voice, described as both raw and uplifting. Dejha plays bass, piano/keyboards, and guitar and has evolved her signature dynamic vocal style - capable of moving from a bold sensual growl to a warmer, delicate, soulful touch. She has amassed a sizable music catalog, fronted multiple bands, launched a music production company, toured extensively, and has appeared as a guest artist on many projects. Her style ranges from soul to rock, pop to R&B, Punk to New Wave, finding inspiration in artists spanning genres; most indelibly being her mother, Internationally acclaimed jazz vocalist and educator, Jay Clayton.
Dejha cut her teeth in the Seattle music scene performing in bands by age 15. She went on to study at Cornish College of the Arts as a vocal Jazz major where she honed her craft as she established her presence as a musical tour de force in the Pacific Northwest rock scene of the 90s.
Being a yoga instructor in NYC for the past 7 years, Dejha has a deep background in mindful creativity, which is incorporated in her approach to teaching music. She aims to support her students in finding their own musical voice with a foundation in mindfulness and presence of heart.
Zack Kaffine (he/him)
Originally hailing from the sprawling dairylands of Wisconsin, Zack is excited to share his love of music with students of all ages. Growing up in a musical family, he has played some type of instrument most of his life (piano, voice, trumpet, and pots and pans drum set), but most of his experience has been with piano (jazz, classical, pop) and guitar (fingerstyle acoustic, rock). Zack started piano and guitar around the age of 4 and has been performing music in some capacity for 20+ years (jazz ensembles, classical recitals, rock bands, choir).
Zack also has years of experience working as a music teacher and paraprofessional in public schools, and he is driven to work with all students on any goal they may have. His teaching style has been described by colleagues as student-centered, flexible, and engaging. He is curious about what inspires each student to explore music, and how to connect that inspiration into the skills needed for a student to thrive. Zack is currently studying Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Washington and has experience working with ages 4 and up.
Hudson Steere (she/her)
Hello, my name is Hudson Steere. I am a Seattle-born college student pursuing a Music Industry degree at California State University of Northridge in LA. I am a vocalist, guitarist, and bassist in the pop-rock girl band THEM, which started in Mode itself years ago. I am super passionate about learning, writing, and performing music, and am looking to share my excitement and knowledge with future students!
Matthew Crissey (he/him)
Matthew Crissey is a multi-instrumentalist and engineer from Kent with the bass being his primary instrument. He has always loved music, with one of his earliest memories plucking a guitar which he had assembled from a tissue box, paper towel tube, and a rubber band as a young child. Music would go on to become Matthew’s most fierce passion and primary focus in education. He first picked up the bass around 2012 and adopted it as his main instrument while continuing to explore interests in other instruments such as guitar and piano.
Later, Matthew would study music at the University of Washington, graduating cum laude with a Bachelor’s of Music in Jazz Studies in 2022. He currently teaches and remains active as an on-call musician in the Puget Sound area, also exploring personal-creative endeavors from his home studio in Renton. There, he is in the late stages of production of a solo bass album featuring his writing, arranging, playing, recording and production techniques, and a few ensemble explorations, which he is excited to release. Matthew also can be found taking the stage with Seattle-based jazz-rock-pop group The Outtatowners.
Matthew’s teaching philosophy is one of holistic perspective; he believes that, while we train students to be instrumentalists, we first aspire to develop musicians, and before that, to cultivate artists. We as musicians strive to bring out our most creative selves, and that purpose should at no point be obscured by strict method or technique. Matthew’s approach is student-based, where the direction of instruction is determined by the interests and desires of the student.
Away from the studio and the stage, Matthew enjoys time spent practicing and competing as an amateur disc golfer, as well as more leisurely activities, such as playing old Pokemon games and hanging out with his cat Tiberius.
Spencer Johndrew (he/him)
Spencer Johndrew is a multi-instrumentalist, recording engineer, and record label co-owner. Born and raised in Santa Cruz, California, he started his music journey playing guitar at the age of 9. After taking guitar lessons for a few years, he taught himself how to play bass, drums, piano, and ukulele before moving to Tacoma, Washington to attend college. It was there that he started playing in local bands and created an independent record label with his best friend (Youth Riot Records). In the years since graduating and moving to Seattle, Spencer has been lucky enough to tour the country (and Canada!) playing guitar and drums with his bands Hell Baby, Titanic 2, and Scorn Dog. Outside of his music career, he also has 6+ years of experience working in Seattle Public Schools, where he managed a variety of after-school enrichment programs for elementary and middle school students.
Spencer has a strong passion for learning and playing music, one that he gained from his guitar teacher as a child, and one that he hopes to be able to share with his students. This passion is based around the idea that playing music is something that should be thought of as a hobby, not an obligation. Music is something that feeds all of us and tapping into those feelings of joy and fun is a key focus for Spencer in his music lessons. Learning from every student’s unique musical preferences and tailoring his classes to those preferences is important in helping each of his students establish their own connection with playing music. Spencer aims to create a fun, easygoing environment where students feel comfortable and inspired to explore their own passion for music!
John Anderson (he/him)
John has been playing the drums since 1999. He started out playing rock music in high school, and since then, he has played in various bands and open jam sessions in the Seattle area. One of his most memorable musical experiences was hosting community jam sessions in Tecate, México in 2016.
He is fluent in Spanish, which he studied at the University of Washington and the University of Salamanca in Spain, and taught for about five years at bilingual immersion schools in Seattle and Tacoma.
Some of John’s favorite musical genres are death metal, surf rock, and psychedelic cumbia. In addition to being a music educator, he is also a visual artist and enjoys painting murals and building sculptures.
Adrienne Selvy Mildon (she/her)
Adrienne Selvy Mildon has taught piano, voice, guitar, ukulele, and French from her Vashon home studio since 2006. Prior to that, after completing Washington State teacher certification with endorsements in K-12 education and French, along with a BA degree in linguistics, she took recurring and long-term substitute teacher placements in elementary music and middle school French classrooms. While raising four daughters, Ms. Adrienne worked as an accompanist and wedding singer/pianist before developing her private teaching practice. She grew up playing three upright grands while her mother helped pioneer the Robert Pace piano method in the Pacific Northwest in the early 1970s, building a community of students from their home studio. This environment—and lots of private, partner, and group piano lessons from Mom—inspired a lifetime of accomplishment in the performing arts: in ensemble music, choirs, musical theater, and dance. Ms. Adrienne has written, arranged, and directed music for national video projects and local stage productions, for both children and adults. She sang soprano in the prestigious Seattle Symphony Chorale and in Seattle’s local treasure, Cantaré Vocal Ensemble. She is currently the resident pianist for Vashon Island’s historic Portage Philharmonic big band.
An experienced teacher of 18 years, I welcome all ages and levels. I draw on a solid classical foundation and decades of eclectic practical experience to stimulate and inspire your musical journey, whether you want to explore from a beginning level or whether you have a specific outcome in mind. Are you interested in the big picture, building a repertoire while mastering sight reading, theory, technique, ear training, and composition? Or perhaps you have a short-term need for coaching on a certain song or piece? For experienced students, do you want to improve your technique, or focus on a particular performance? Or maybe you want to explore 12-bar blues? Let’s look at your goals and tailor a curriculum.
“Teaching is my meaningful work. The humble joy of influencing a student’s journey is surpassed only by my gratitude for the privilege.”
-Adrienne Selvy Mildon
Neftali Kirkland (they/them)
Although Neftali’s musical journey started on the guitar, they have spent most of their adult life branching out from strings and finding the musicality in many more sounds and art forms. Before finding their way behind the kit, Neftali developed a love for rhythm in middle school when they and their best friend at the time started teaching each other how to break dance. That led to building a crew in high school of kids all looking to express, to learn, and to find a safe space to be themselves through the arts.
On the stage, in the community, and in battles, Neftali started honing their skills as an MC and also as a teaching artist as the head of their high school hip-hop club. In breaking, every dancer is a teacher and everyone has something to share of their style and from their experiences. Neftali has carried this as one of their core principles as a teacher: any learner who is passionate and is ready to speak in their own voice and listen has something valuable to share with us all! Around the same time, Neftali started making beats, encouraging their friends to rap/sing on them, and taking music classes at school such as guitar and marching/concert band.
After high school, Neftali continued their education at Cornish College of the Arts where they received their BFA in Film Directing/Writing. After departing from dancing during college, Neftali started to find a place among some of the punk musicians in Seattle where being on the drums gave them a very natural outlet to fill the space that breaking created for them. Finally having a space to practice on acoustic kit, Neftali started jamming and playing with anyone who would take the time to with them. This eventually lead to them joining one of the bands they currently play in called The Molly Sour.
They have played with groups such as Hell Baby, OK Bucko, and singer/songwriters such as Ron Gallo. Neftali is excited to work with kids of all ages and helping them all find their voice to play through. Neftali believes that music is a great resource for finding and building community which is a great skill to develop through something we all love.
Tip Your Teacher! Venmo @Neftali-Kirkland / Paypal NeftaliKirkland@gmail.com / Cash App $NeftaliKirkland
Keira Hamalian (she/her)
Keira Hamalian was born and raised here in Seattle, Washington and has been surrounded by music since early childhood. Her passion for the arts led her to begin taking piano lessons at the age of 6 in West Seattle from Erin Rubin, now owner of Mode Music Studios and founder of Mode Music and Performing Arts (MMPA). She continued piano and voice lessons with Erin until she was 15 years old while taking advantage of performance opportunities at Mode sponsored community events, recitals, and their all-ages open mic at The Skylark next door. The creative foundation Erin and Keira built together allowed her to explore other musical mediums on her own such as songwriting, collaboration with local musicians, and independent instrument study. She recently participated in Seattle Theater Groups, 22nd annual More Music at the Moore program along side 14 other musicians where with the help of music mentors including Grammy award winning writer and producer, Mike Elizondo, they put on a showcase. Other performance achievements of hers include her participance at this years Northwest Folklife Festival.
Her goal is to pass on the lessons that she’s learned from mentors of her own to aspiring students. She’s confident in her ability to create a learning environment where students can bloom into the best version of themselves, ensuring steady growth, both skillfully and personally.
Tip Your Teacher! Venmo @KeiraHamalian
Kelli Frances Corrado (she/her)
Kelli Frances Corrado is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer. Growing up in Chicago, she would sneak out during school nights to see hip hop shows and spend weekends with her Romani Czech grandmother learning prayer rituals. She has lived many lives before putting her heart in song: social worker, student, tap dancer, wanderer. This set a unique musical foundation giving voice to her spiritual beliefs and leading her to study voice, poetry, string arranging, ear training, beat making and producing. She received her first grant from The Grammy Foundation, who sponsored her first tour and has had her music featured in The Wire, Bandcamp Daily, BBC Radio 6 London and many more. She has released four albums. Her current album, Tuff Feathers was released on non-profit label Grimalkin Records. And recently wrote her first film score for documentary, The Last Act, out this fall.
Kelli has been a teaching artist for over 14 years, specializing in helping the beginner start. She started her teaching career at the Old Redmond Firehouse rock camps and it blossomed into a dedicated passion. Supporting her belief in the equity and accessibility of music and music lessons for everyone. She has taught for various schools and social justice organizations such as Willie Mae Rock Camp in Brooklyn and Delridge Neighborhood Developmental Association in Seattle. And is currently part of the Seattle Office of Arts and Culture Creative Advantage teaching roster. Her teaching philosophy is to create individualized lesson plans for each student based in theory, technique, ear training and student goals with an emphasis on creativity and personal empowerment. Kelli believes music is a language based on listening and personal expression. Whether you are 5 or 70 years old, she can help you.
Tip Your Teacher! Venmo @KelliFrances-Corrado / Paypal kellifrancescorrado@gmail.com / Cash App $KelliFrancesCorrado
Sofia Avaria (she/they)
Sofia is a songwriter, vocalist, guitar and bass player who has been playing in the local music scene for the past five years with their band Queen Chimera. Sofia is 1st gen Chilean-American born and raised in Seattle, and picked up guitar at 13 while deep in their emo phase. They started playing bass within the same year. A lot of Sofia’s music education was in contemporary genres like pop, metal, RnB, but they also learned how to play some Flamenco guitar at around age 16. They are currently working on their audio engineering production degree and also working in a Belltown recording studio.
Sofia started teaching when she was 15, and has always aspired to find a balance between learning songs that students feel passionate about, and instilling the fundamentals of music and theory, often through a song analysis or improvisational lens that keeps it interesting. Sofia values challenging students to try things outside of their comfort zones, and gaining musical versatility through different genres and musical styles.
When Sofia isn’t playing music, they can often be found roller skating at the rink, on trails and at skateparks.
Ricky Hoyos (he/him)
Ricky Hoyos was born in Seattle, but moved to Naples, Florida at a young age. Ricky started playing music at the age of 14, inspired equally by Metallica and his cousin’s local band Vega Under Fire. Music education opened his mind to all different genres, with a particular emphasis on classic rock and metal, as he took drum and guitar lessons, joined his school drumline, and attended any music-based after school programs he could find.
After graduating high school, he sought any chance to perform around Naples, particularly as a guitarist. He played in cover bands, and worked as the lead guitarist at multiple churches. When he began teaching guitar and drums at the YMCA, he discovered that his passion for music extended to a passion for teaching music to others.
Ricky enjoys teaching basic theory, technique, songwriting, and tips and tricks he likes to do on his instrument. He strongly believes in the importance of keeping lessons engaging and fun, so that students are inspired to continue playing their instrument.
In 2018, Ricky moved back to Seattle to pursue his dream of being part of the historic local music scene. In 2019, he formed a band called Tio Nacho’s House, and the band released their first EP “Here’s to You” in 2022. He and the band play venues all around Seattle, and he’s so excited to fill his life with music through playing live, recording, and teaching the next generation of musicians here at Mode.
Andi Ridings (she/her)
Andi grew up just outside of St. Louis, Missouri, where she was inspired to pursue music by the hip hop and R&B bursting from the city around her, by the film scores of the movies she pored over at home, and by the creativity of her family. After years of playing with a toy violin, at age 10 she joined her elementary school orchestra, and was gifted a real violin by her school. With a single mother and four older sisters, resources were stretched thin, and Andi will always be grateful for the opportunity this gift gave her to pursue her passion. In high school, Andi competed and performed in the Festival of Gold and MSHSAA District and State Music Festival on the violin, earning a handful of awards nearing her graduation.
After graduating high school, Andi received her BM in Violin Performance from Southeast Missouri State University. During college and after, Andi freelanced by arranging and performing music for concerts, weddings, engagements, parties, and banquets, and acted as a ringer for the Paducah Symphony Orchestra. She has also picked up several instruments along the way, including piano, guitar, viola, mandolin, ukulele, and voice. Music has taken Andi to some amazing places, like the 2013 Italian chamber music festival Festival Suoni D’Abruzzo, and the SEMO Concerto and Aria Competition, where she won the chance to perform as a soloist to a full audience with a full symphony accompanying her!
Andi has been teaching music lessons for over ten years. As a teacher, Andi’s technical background allows her to set her students up for success with a solid foundation in music theory. Andi’s teaching approach differs by student, as she knows that each student has their own unique talents and light to share with the world, and that they need more than a cookie cutter teaching approach to be successful. She always prioritizes keeping the student’s spark for music alive and thriving. In her free time, Andi loves to karaoke, thrift shop, roller skate, backpack, and paint with her boyfriend while they listen to their record collection together.
Tip Your Teacher! Venmo @ridingswritings
Alyssa Martini (she/her)
Alyssa was interested in music from a young age. Her first piano lesson at age 10 sparked a unique and passionate interest in music that transformed into a deep appreciation for many more instruments including drums, guitar, sax, bass and harp. Alyssa earned a college music degree and a minor in audio recording from Finger Lakes Community College in upstate NY in 2009. While pursuing her music degree, Alyssa became Certified in Harp Music Therapy from Valley Hospital and the Robert Wood-Johnson University accredited program, Bedside Harp. Alyssa has performed with a number of bands, from 3-piece all-girl rock band ZEN, to Seattle punk band Bad Saint, to playing keyboards for a church rock band and bass for a 90’s rock cover band. She also performs harp at weddings, corporate and private events.
Alyssa has been teaching for over 20 years, from New York to Colorado to right here in Seattle. Her teaching style focuses on the fun and creative aspect of learning, including how to teach yourself so that learning just about anything, anytime, anywhere is possible. Alyssa herself plays best by ear and wants to give her students the opportunity to do the same, so she teaches her students to sing scales in their head so they can not just play music, but improvise and compose. Curriculum-wise, she uses a vast variety from Faber and Faber to Dozen a Day -- which are fun exercises in song form to practice the most popular piano techniques (chords, arpeggios, scales) -- and ranging in style from rock to pop to easy jazz and blues to classical. Funky is always a favorite as well for drummers! She believes in emphasizing fun, creativity, and confidence in her lessons, and is always excited to help a new student fall in love with their instrument!
Jared Mitchell (he/him)
Jared's love of music began in elementary school, always jumping at the opportunity for a solo, or auditioning for honor choir. His interests shifted to drums and percussion in middle school, where he found a position in his church's youth group band for a few years. Jared transitioned back to choir in high school. He joined honor choir, all state choir, and spring musicals, and eventually found a love for songwriting, which led him to Belmont University in Nashville, TN. Jared was able to take private voice, guitar, and piano lessons, enhancing his abilities in both songwriting and playing parts in studio sessions.
In 2010, Jared graduated with a degree in Music Business, with an emphasis on Songwriting. He released his debut album, The Maiden Voyage, two years later. In 2014, Jared signed an independent publishing deal with Catch This Music. Between 2015 and 2020, he was performing between 100 to 150 tour dates a year, building towards dreams of owning his own studio and space. His newest releases include The Last Gemini in 2017 and This Week-Last Year in 2020.
Scott Langdon (he/him)
Scott is a multi-instrumentalist with over 20 years of experience on drum set, mallet percussion, hand percussion, piano, guitar, bass, ukulele, and various percussion instruments. A native of Bremerton, Washington, he was exposed to music early in childhood, thus developing a deep familiarity with music from day one. After high school, his musical passion led him to Washington State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Music: Percussion Performance with a Jazz Emphasis degree.
After a year teaching and performing in the countryside of central California, Scott returned to the Puget Sound to continue pursuing his career. He’s been an instructor for the Northwest Percussion Festival, a clinician at the Northwest Percussion Project, and a clinician for the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival in Idaho. He has played throughout the northwest with The Gods Themselves, Purple Mane, Nowsterday, Halley Greg, and Trick Candles, as well as freelance work.
Tip Your Teacher! Venmo @ScottLangdonMusic / Cash App $ScottLangdonMusic
Natalie Colvin (she/her)
Natalie is a Pacific Northwest Native who honed her crafts at Central Washington University where she earned her BFA in Musical Theatre. Natalie has also studied with The Actor's Movement Studio Conservatory in New York City.
Natalie has performed in award-winning theatres across the country, most notably, Village Theatre and Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre. More recently, she embarked on AIDA Cruises (Carnival), a German cruise line, where she performed 10 various shows, (some of which were in German and Italian) all over the world for 7 months. Natalie has also gone on tour in Bulgaria and Italy with Varna International in the iconic opera: Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute).
Natalie most recently released two original singles on all streaming platforms and is excited to help students with their own compositions if they have an interest in composing! Natalie learned to play the piano from her mother at a very young age and has taught and been around education for most of her life. Natalie’s teaching style is warm and inviting and allows for vulnerability. She is passionate about making a safe space for growth and development. “Let’s make mistakes and make it big! Sometimes there’s nothing scarier than baring your soul, but we can build a space together to create safety; that is my top priority for my students.”
Tip Your Teacher! Venmo @Natalie-Colvin / Paypal @NatColvin
Blake Madden (he/him)
Blake Madden has twenty years of experience composing, recording, and performing music in New York and Seattle. He is the bass player and musical director for the Prince tribute band Purple Mane, and the bassist, lead singer, and principal composer for his own noir pop group, Hotels. Blake has performed live on KEXP, studied music theory and composition through the Pacific Northwest Film scoring program, and studied electric bass with Todd Kovell at Seattle School of Strings.
Gianni Aiello (he/him)
Gianni Aiello is a Burien-born multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and performer. He is driven by a strong musical curiosity which has taken him from learning Beatles tunes on the piano as a child to touring across the country in his rock band Naked Giants. In addition to his bass work with Naked Giants, he has played guitar and piano with Car Seat Headrest on such stages as Madison Square Garden, the Tonight Show, and Primavera Sound in Barcelona, and he also plays drums in the Seattle-based band Pablo’s Legs.
The desire to be a lifelong student of music keeps Gianni reaching for the next steps, and he believes that the same desire can be found in anyone. His lessons focus on exploring what excites each student about music - whether it’s personal expression through songwriting, intellectual development through theory and analysis, or just the sheer fun of jamming! While basic techniques are fundamental to any field, Gianni seeks to create a low-pressure learning environment where a student’s progress is determined not by their technical skill but by their enthusiasm for music.
Tip Your Teacher! Venmo @Gianni-Aiello / Paypal gianniraiello@gmail.com
Brian Spenser (he/him)
Brian is a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter who grew up in Seattle. He has been playing drums since he was 8, and learned from legends including Michael Shrieve and Jerry Garcia. He has been touring for a dozen years with bands including Isenordal, Impulse Noise, Endorphins Lost, Wilt, and Asymmetric Warfare, among others. Brian volunteers at local all-ages DIY venues and loves encouraging and empowering young people to build their own joy, freedom, and culture through the egalitarian DIY approach that has always been so important to him. He is fun-loving, non-judgmental, and has worked with students from the ages of 4 to 64.
A lesson with Brian usually focuses on a song (or some parts of it) that the student has identified or expressed interest in. Brian loves the opportunity to help students connect not only with what an artist played but also the music theory and culture that informs how and why they played it that way. During lessons, he often makes quick observations about the theoretical structure or cultural tradition of the song so his students are able to naturally pick up important music theory concepts from multiple different examples without feeling lectured. Brian has great success relating to and working with students who have attention disorders or learning disabilities.
Brian has a broad taste in music ‒ he likes everything from Brutal Deathgrind to Funeral Doom. Sometimes he even listens to music that isn't some obscure subgenre of heavy metal! Actually, Brian loves all kinds of music and is happy and able to dive into any style students are interested in. Some of his favorite styles include post-punk, black metal, '70s jazz fusion/prog, and modern opera.
Tip Your Teacher! Venmo @Brian-Spenser / Paypal brian.spenser@gmail.com