Audrey was born into a family of musicians from the small river town of Washington, Missouri. She began learning violin—classical and folk/fiddle—at the age of five, taking private lessons and joining the Washington School District orchestras, where she eventually became concertmaster. In high school, Audrey also participated in four musical theatre productions, sang in the East Central College Community Choir and earned state festival recognition.

Audrey plays music for occasional church services and regularly performs for local weddings and events, including the annual Sounds of Starkenburg Holiday Concerts. Her musical influences include Dr. Susie Thierbach of the Metropolitan Orchestra of St. Louis, Alison Krauss and, of course, Lindsey Stirling. She loves all styles and teaches learners of all kinds!

Audrey completed her BA in English from the University of Missouri in the spring of 2023 and is now working toward her graduate degree. She believes that music, with all its psychological benefits, truly has the power to stop time and change lives for the best. Audrey has worked at A Major Music Lessons since 2020.

Audrey's favorite style of music to play is folk-bluegrass to medieval to gypsy Romani music. Her favorite style of music to listen to is everything under the sun.

Moon Ray was practically born on the stage, dancing by the age of four and appearing in countless musical theatre productions with PACE, CEC, and Maple Wood Barn over the years. Throughout the years at school, Moon participated in regional and state ensembles and solo vocal competitions as well as competitive show choir.

More recently they performed original songs at local venues and worked with The Revolution Church's primary and youth worship bands – helping lead vocals and teaching harmonies, as well as playing bass.

Moon enjoys making art, hiking and composing songs, and is abundantly grateful to be able to teach and perform music with others.

Moon graduated from Columbia College with a BA in Music: emphasis on voice (musical theatre and classical styles) as well as a minor in Ceramic Arts.

Their personal singing utilizes more improvisational folk and indie styles with acoustic stringed accompaniment.

Moon's instruments of choice is the ukulele and the piano but they know even a teacher can't know everything so they are always learning more about music and new instruments!

JT is a drummer from Dixon, MO. He started playing drums as a toddler but started taking it seriously at around 13 years old. He played in school, churches, and cover bands growing up and now plays in a band around the Columbia area. As a kid he mostly listened to metal and heavy rock, which led to progressive metal and jazz in high school and college.

JT's passion and natural talent for drumming has helped him refine his skills to get where he is today. Now he wishes to help other people build their talent and skills so they can feel the joy of creating music. 

In his free time, JT likes to learn whatever he can from YouTube, find new music, and play video games. Funny enough, he got inspired to take drums seriously after seeing how good he was at them in the game Rock Band. 

Lauren Abbott was born and raised in Rolla, Missouri. She grew up singing in church and started playing violin at the age of 8. She immediately loved it and excelled quickly.

She enjoys listening to and playing lots of different music genres, including but not limited to indie, 80s, and modern rock.

Lauren has previously been employed at a summer camp ministry, working for multiple summers and gaining experience on building relationships with kids. She moved to Columbia in 2022 and gained more experience with children working as a school photographer.

She is so excited to teach new students wether they are beginners or advanced!!

She has a huge passion for the arts and loves learning new skills and being creative in any capacity.

She also enjoys drawing, reading, and cuddling with her two cats.

Laura is a percussionist, pianist, and well-rounded musician from St. Louis, Missouri. She is a lifelong musician but began taking piano lessons at the age of 8. At the age of 12, she joined her middle school’s band as a percussionist. She continued to take piano lessons until high school when she joined her high school’s marching band, which she continued for the next four years. In high school, she was a three-time qualifier for the Missouri State Solo and Small Ensemble competition.

Her love of music grew through high school and she decided to continue her education at Graceland University in Lamoni, IA. She is currently finishing up her Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance with two endorsements in K-8 and 5-12 Music Education. Throughout college, she participated in many ensembles and performance opportunities that have helped her grow as a musician and educator. She is a three-time placer in the Anthony Hyde Solo Scholarship Competition during her time at Graceland.

Laura’s happy to be settled back in her hometown of St. Louis. She loves helping her students become the best musicians and how they also contribute to her growth as a musician and music educator.

Born in Rolla, MO, Asia Ellingsworth discovered her passion for music at the young age of 7. Her musical journey began within a local community choir for children, where she took her first steps into the world of melodies. During her time in this choir, she found inspiration in a skilled pianist who left an indelible mark on her heart.

Upon grasping the essence of music and its intricate workings, Asia embarked on a new path—learning to play the piano. Guided by a team of exceptional music instructors, she tirelessly honed her skills, gradually unraveling her deep-rooted affinity for the instrument.

Currently a sophomore at Mizzou getting a music degree and a certificate in multicultural studies, nurturing her ambition to become a Music Therapist. Her desire to touch lives through the magic of music has always burned brightly within her. Endowed with kindness, compassion, and unwavering patience, Asia extends these qualities to everyone fortunate enough to cross her path.

Throughout her musical odyssey, Asia found her heart particularly drawn to the enchanting realms of the romantic era and the mesmerizing impressionism era in piano music.

Mikayla, a recent music graduate from Central Methodist University, has been singing since she was 10 years old. Throughout middle school and high school, she continued to participate in the worship team at her church, knowing she wanted to pursue music as a career. Mikayla picked up the piano the summer before attending college, and went on to study both voice and piano as part of her degree.

While in school, she participated in the Worship Band, Jazz Band, Conservatory Choir, and maintained a 4.0 GPA for all four years of study. Due to her dedicated work ethic, she was able to graduate a semester early in December of 2022.

Mikayla focused on music ministry in college and has applied those skills in various aspects of her life. She consistently plays, sings, and leads contemporary worship music at local churches in Columbia. Beyond her primary involvement in the church, she regularly performs as the lead singer and keys player for her cover band, which she started with her husband.

Mikayla enjoys teaching students who may be new to music, looking to learn, and practice basic knowledge and skills. While Contemporary Worship is where her greatest passion lies, she also has a deep appreciation for Musical Theater and Pop.

Mikayla is a devoted Swiftie, and her love for Taylor Swift's music is an integral part of her personality. Although music consumes most of Mikayla’s life, both in hobbies and professional work, she also cherishes spending time with her little family of three dogs and one cat. Newly married, she is excited about the musical and non-musical experiences that life has to offer!

Josh is a guitar player from O’Fallon, Missouri. He currently resides in Columbia and is working towards his Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology at Mizzou. He has been playing guitar, drums, and bass for over 8 years. After starting his musical journey in 6th grade, Josh fell deeper into his love for music and played in bands throughout high school. This experience gave him what he needed to expand his taste and musical abilities.

Josh enjoys playing, writing, and listening to as many genres of music as possible. He's an expert finger picker! These genres range from Bluegrass, to Indie, to Metal, and everything in between. Josh is experienced in playing rhythm and lead guitars, as well as writing original pieces. He is always looking to refine his musical skills and knowledge. No matter the taste in music, Josh is sure to be able to assist students on their musical journey.

In addition to guitar, drums, and bass, Josh has taught himself to play banjo, mandolin, ukulele, and piano.

Outside of music, he also enjoys backpacking, snow skiing, traveling, and reading to keep himself busy.

Kaitlin is a classically trained musician from rural southwest Kansas. Although it was a challenge to pursue music education in an agricultural environment, Kaitlin and her parents were determined to find opportunities for musical growth wherever they could. Weekly hour-long drives for piano lessons, trips across the state for weekend performances and collegiate music workshops, along with daily in-home musical immersion, have all shaped Kaitlin into the musician she is today.

Kaitlin received her degree in Music from Emporia State University, where she minored in Psychology, sparked by her interest in Music Therapy. She understands the intrinsic motivation required to continue pursuing music education and works hard to instill confidence in her students by fostering a positive, healthy learning environment.

With eight years of teaching experience, Kaitlin has positively impacted many students and is passionate about how music can shape us into better individuals. In her free time, she enjoys crafting and creating, traveling back to Kansas to visit family, learning Spanish, and advocating for causes like environmental sustainability within her local community.

Kaitlin shares her daily life with her amazing boyfriend, her cat, and her bunny. She can never get enough authentic Mexican food and loves to chat about anything and everything!

Carter Moore was born into a very musical family and has been singing and playing instruments for most of his 26 years. He received his vocal training from Nollie Moore, and while getting his Bachelor of Arts in Music at Columbia College, he performed in various productions, including playing the role of Dickon in the college’s production of The Secret Garden, Fagin in Oliver!, as well as Jack in Into the Woods, and the role of Jesus in Godspell. Carter has performed in over 30 staged shows during his time in musical theater, starting from age 7 and continuing to this day.

While at Columbia College, he also advanced to the national round of the singing competition NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) and placed 2nd in the musical theater category, while placing 1st in musical theater and 2nd in classical at the annual Mid-Mo NATS.

Moore plans to continue his education with a master’s degree in vocal performance and conducting. Carter also performs live around Columbia with the local band Outermind, where he is the lead guitarist, keyboardist, and a singer-songwriter for the group.

Along with his love for music, Carter also spent over 9 years playing football and basketball and will talk your ear off about the Tigers if given the chance!

You can catch Carter playing around town with his band, performing in local shows, or even singing with his church choir on Sunday mornings.

Trey Parks grew up surrounded by a wide variety of music, from soulful blues and classic country to countless other genres that shaped his musical ear. Picking up the guitar at 13, he quickly discovered a passion for both playing and sharing music with others.

Born and raised in the heart of Texas and now based in Columbia, Missouri, Trey has spent years honing his craft through live performances and collaborations. He’s played everywhere from intimate coffeehouse jams to lively local venues, developing a deep appreciation for the energy and connection that come from making music with a team.

As a teacher, Trey combines solid fundamentals with creativity and fun, encouraging his students to grow not just as players but as musicians who can enjoy the collaborative side of music. His approachable, easygoing style makes lessons engaging and welcoming, whether you’re a beginner learning your first chords or a more advanced player looking to refine your sound.

With a foundation in blues and older rock, yet an appreciation for all genres from bluegrass to punk, Trey helps his students explore music in a way that’s both structured and open-ended, always keeping the joy of playing at the center.

Originally from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Dominick is a composer, musician, and music educator. As a composer, he has written works for a wide variety of ensembles, including wind ensemble, big band, brass ensemble, and various chamber ensembles. His works have been recorded and performed by numerous groups including the West Chester University Wind Symphony, the Criterions Jazz Ensemble, Network for New Music, and Constellation Men’s Ensemble.

In addition to his work as a composer, Dominick performs regularly as a bassoonist and is an active educator. Dominick holds a bachelor’s degree in composition from West Chester University and is currently pursuing his master’s degree at the University of Missouri.

He enjoys sharing his passion for music and helping students grow as musicians.

In his free time, Dominick enjoys the outdoors, biking, and hiking.

Michael Dixon has been playing the violin since 4th grade. Michael’s passion for orchestra music soon grew as he continued to play through middle school and high school. This eventually led to him leading a high school quintet to state finals in the Kansas Solo and Ensemble Festival.

He realized that in leading this group, he enjoyed helping others and teaching. Michael pursues a music education major. He is currently student teaching in the Columbia School District.

Throughout his musical career, Michael has performed in the Johnson County Community Orchestra, Emporia Symphony Orchestra, Baker University Orchestra, and is currently playing with the Columbia Civic Orchestra.

In his spare time, Michael likes to go on long walks with his wife and Great Pyrenees named Marshmallow.

Scott is a guitarist and singer born and raised in Eureka, MO, just outside of St. Louis. He first found his love for playing music in 8th grade after joining a band with his friends. This band gave Scott much experience in playing, performing, and especially songwriting throughout high school.

He's been playing guitar and singing night and day since he was a kid. He enjoys all kinds of genres ranging from rock, jazz, country, etc.

Scott is currently attending Mizzou and seeking a degree in Secondary Education. He has a passion for teaching and sharing his love of music with others.

Scott is an avid collector of unusual instruments. He also enjoys playing video games, reading poetry, and watching football.

Alex Perides grew up in a small town in Oklahoma. Throughout her schooling she participated in many ensembles and solo voice competitions. Alex learned basic percussion and piano while still in high school. During this time Alex also assisted with theater summer camps.

After graduating Alex attended University via a scholarship as a vocal music major. She continued learning percussion and dabbled in violin. While there she participated in honor choir, show choir, general choir and the percussion ensemble.

Alex has a background in basic music theory and vocal diction for English, Italian, and German.

Since Alex has moved to Columbia, Missouri, she has been working as an assistant teacher and paraprofessional. She is in her fourth year of teaching. Currently, she is working towards her degree in elementary special education.

Tanner Henley, a native of Jefferson City, MO, took up piano at the age of 12. Initially self-taught, he began private instruction the following year with Karen Larvick and continued his studies with her throughout high school. Tanner pursued formal musical training at the University of Central Missouri (UCM) in Warrensburg, Missouri, where he studied on scholarship with Dr. Mia Kim. At UCM, he taught piano to students of all ages through the university’s community music program. He graduated summa cum laude in 2022 with a BM in Piano Performance and Pedagogy.

Tanner has earned top honors in numerous statewide and regional competitions, including First Prize at the Jefferson City Symphony Orchestra Piano Concerto Competition (2018), First Prize at the Pittsburg State University Concerto Competition (2019), and Runner-Up at the Missouri Music Teachers Association State Honors Auditions. He has extensive collaborative experience in a wide range of musical settings, including performances with orchestras, premieres of new piano works, improvisation on a “prepared” piano, and accompaniment for choirs and opera productions. Tanner has worked with singers across multiple genres, as well as with string and wind instrumentalists. In addition to concert performances, he has performed for church services, weddings, holiday events, and other special occasions.

Outside of his musical pursuits, Tanner brings over three years of experience in warehouse operations management in the St. Louis and Central Missouri area. He currently serves as Branch Manager for Advance Services, a staffing agency in Columbia, Missouri. In his free time, Tanner enjoys spending time with his family and friends, studying classical repertoire, learning new languages, traveling, and cooking. He is fluent in Spanish and has a twin sister.

Lyla, a guitar player and composer, was born and raised in Columbia, Missouri. She has been surrounded by music her whole life and began playing guitar at age 9.  She is the lead guitar player in Dusk N Dawn and performs with her band around Columbia, Ashland and Moberly.  Lyla will be studying Music Education at the University of Missouri.

In addition to guitar, Lyla has played the trombone and baritone for seven years.  She was the section leader in her high school marching band.  She enjoys learning any and all instruments such as the drums, bass guitar, and saxophone.

Lyla has worked with children as a teacher’s assistant at her Taekwondo school, volunteering through Earth’s Workshop, and developing and implementing lessons for students at a local Montessori school.

Lyla loves playing many genres of music on her guitar, including Rock, Country, Folk, Metal, Punk, and Indie. 

David is a piano player, and vocalist born in Bulgaria. He currently resides in Columbia, MO. He recently graduated from the University of Missouri with an Actuarial Science degree. He grew up playing piano, both for recitals and in competitive auditions. He has received numerous piano awards and has a Preparatory High School Diploma from the National Guild of Piano Teachers. Additionally, he has experience in accompanying vocal soloists and choruses.

He has also sang most of his life in Choir and performed various vocal solos through high school and college. He has sung in Allstate, and All-Eastern choruses, and competed in solo contests. He enjoys many music genres and musical theatre, whether it is participating in the production as a cast member, or being a part of the band playing piano for the production.

Post college, David loves playing piano on his worship team in church and has always had a passion for music and teaching others. He believes this is a way he can keep music close to him and also give back to people a skill he holds very dearly.