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Lauren Hepburn (she/her)
Lauren was born and raised in the great Northwest and has taught clarinet, saxophone, and flute in the Seattle area for several years. A grad from the University of Washington she received a Master's in Music Education, where she studied education and conducting with Dr. Steven Morrison and Tim Salzman, and jazz saxophone with Greg Sinibaldi. She received her Bachelor's degree in Music Education from Central Washington University where she studied with Larry Gookin, Mark Lane, and Joseph Brooks.
Before going to UW, Lauren was hired by Seattle Public Schools and taught band and orchestra at Broadview-Thomson K-8 and then orchestra and choir at Whitman Middle School. Lauren maintains a busy schedule performing in semi-pro and professional bands around the area playing saxophone and clarinet.
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!
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
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
Veronique Littlefield (she/her)
Veronique was introduced to the piano at the age of 7. She was born and raised in Marseille, France. She was trained classically and attended her city conservatory from 11 to 17 years old. She moved to Seattle at age 22 as an Au Pair to become fluent in English.
Veronique eventually met her husband Chris Littlefield, a professional, local musician. She’s always been passionate about early childhood education and taught preschool for the last 20 years. As well as continuing to play the piano as an adult, she learned to play the ukulele and enjoys singing in French, English and Portuguese.
She is currently tutoring French to students of all ages and is passionate about teaching, connecting with her students, and finding ways to teach each student (young and old) in their best learning styles.
Tip Your Teacher! Venmo @Veronique-Littlefield
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
Brandon Bermudez (he/him)
Brandon has been a working musician, producer, and engineer in the Seattle/Tacoma area for the past decade. He regularly plays in and around the Seattle area and sometimes tours in other countries. Brandon frequently collaborates with many professional musicians in the area. Recently, he's played bass with prog-rock band Bone Cave Ballet and alt-rock band Starry-Eyed Samurai, and drums with both new-wavers Trick Candles and pop-fusion band Nitrogen Lion Society.
Brandon believes that consistency, versatility, and attitude are the traits that make great musicians. With his interactive-guidance teaching approach, the student controls the pacing of each lesson, which alleviates classroom anxiety and helps the lesson material become more comprehensible. With a heavy emphasis on creativity and technique, Brandon will improve their understanding of rhythm and the ability to perform in many styles of music by sharing his 20+ years of composition and performance experience.
Tip Your Teacher! Venmo @Ezekiel-Lords
Ricky Claudon (he/him)
Ricky brings together his background as a tutor and paraeducator with his lifetime experience in music for an individualized approach to music education that focuses on memory, fluency, and music appreciation. As a working musician, he has spent time developing his skill by adapting and learning a variety of styles on piano and guitar.
In piano, he specializes in theory, memorization, performance, and improvisation has a deep knowledge of classical style, and teaches popular Baroque and Romantic repertoire. Ricky also teaches Blues, R&B, and Rock & Roll styles, and in general, encourages his students to explore a diverse range of music.
In guitar/uke/bass, Ricky enjoys teaching fingerpicking style, improvisation, and basic theory. He also teaches students who want to learn to sing, play and write their own music. He specializes in combining rhythmic and lyrical styles and teaches techniques on how to effectively memorize lyrics and changes in songs.
Erin Rubin (she/her)
Erin is the owner of Mode Music Studios and founder of Mode Music and Performing Arts. She teaches piano and voice. Erin started on piano at the age of four. At twelve, she was on stage with the local working musicians at various Seattle venues and festivals. She has written music for and performed with many Seattle bands including: Wesafari, The Exploding High-Fives, The Quiet Ones, People Eating People, Nouela, and Danny Newcomb. Erin has worked and currently works as a hired studio musician since the age of 17 in Bellingham, Seattle and Los Angeles areas. Erin found her calling as a teacher in her early twenties and believes a healthy balance of technique, theory, and arranging in the context of songs the student loves, is the fast track to any student’s success in music lessons.
Emily Jensenius (they/them)
Emily Jensenius was born in Issaquah, WA, into a family of music lovers that includes several pianists, an opera singer, and a zither player. As a teen, Emily played viola in the Seattle Youth Symphony and also performed on Classic King FM radio with their string quartet. Emily went on to study viola performance at the Cleveland Institute of Music, Rice University, and Florida State University. Their major teachers were Jeffrey Irvine and Lynne Ramsey, James Dunham, and Pamela Ryan. At FSU, Emily received assistantships to coach viola and chamber music, as well as to play with the College of Music's Eppes String Quartet, which collaborated with student composers on new works. The Eppes was coached by cellist Greg Sauer and mentored by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Ellen Taaffe Zwilich.
As an orchestral musician in Florida, Emily played with many professional ensembles, including the Tallahassee Symphony, the Columbus Symphony, Sinfonia Gulf Coast, and the Albany Symphony. After graduation, Emily was fortunate to live in Oxford, England, for a few years, where they taught privately and performed as a member of the Oxford Chamber Orchestra and the Oxford Sinfonia. Emily currently lives near Washington, D.C., and teaches for Mode online.
Emily encourages students to be self-directed and will follow each player's musical interests while also fostering healthy technique and critical listening skills. A lesson with Emily will typically focus on the physical setup, pitch and rhythmic awareness, style and phrasing, and strategies for efficient practice. Emily's goal is for every student to enjoy being a musician and to feel increased self-confidence as they improve. Some of Emily's other interests are distance running, watching video essays, listening to oldies, folk, or pop music, and baking pies.
Tip Your Teacher! Venmo @ej_viola