Teachers
Andie Ades (they/them)
Vocals, Piano, Beginner Guitar, Songwriting
In-home, in-studio Beacon Hill, online. Central Seattle, NW seattle.
Andie is a musician and educator located in South Seattle. Their love for singing and performing was ushered in by the rock band “Rockology” program at Dace’s Rock 'n' More in their hometown of Maple Valley. Andie has been studying music for 13 years; singing in musicals, operas, choirs, acapella groups and jazz bands. They are well versed in vocal harmony, songwriting, audition prep and good ol' fashioned jammin’.
After graduating from Pacific Lutheran University in 2022 with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Music with a concentration in Voice, Andie realized their passion for teaching while volunteering for Rain City Rock Camp. They have 3 years of experience leading one on one beginner to advanced levels of voice, beginner piano and guitar lessons as well as group musical theater, improv, ukulele, and songwriting classes.
As a mentor, Andie prioritizes a playful and patient musical philosophy and is thrilled to share their knowledge with everyone who has a penchant for the arts!
Inspired by the artistry of Kate Bush, Heart, Palehound, Sidney Gish, Khruangbin and Varsity, Andie currently produces music under their solo project “andie scores.”
Kelsey Szefler (she/her)
Vocals, Piano, Beginner Guitar, Songwriting
In-home: Maple Leaf, Greenwood
Hi, I’m Kelsey Szefler! Whether you’re prepping for an audition, building a solid foundation of technique and structure, working on karaoke night confidence, or using music as a self-care practice, I’d love to help guide you! I specialize in songwriting, musical theatre, folk & pop genres, and learning the basics in a completely judgment-free space. My philosophy is that there’s no embarrassment in making mistakes or being silly in the name of learning & exploring.
I’m an indie folk singer-songwriter based in north Seattle. I’ve been teaching music lessons since summer 2021. I got my start in choir & musical theatre, both of which I started as a kid and continued through college. I’ve been in over a dozen musicals & plays, and I found my love for performing in those spaces. In college I studied vocal pedagogy, music theory, piano, and music appreciation across genres and decades. Nowadays, I’m a gigging musician playing my solo music, and I’m also in a 5-piece alt-rock band called Clean Fight.
Some of my favorite artists include Elliott Smith, Tegan & Sara, MUNA, Adrianne Lenker, Joni Mitchell, and many local Seattle artists including Lilly Miller, Lady Queen Paradise, St. Yuma, Great Grandpa, & many more.
Carrie Phillips (they/them)
Guitar, Vocals, Beginner Piano, Ukulele, Songwriting
In-home: Madison Park, Capitol Hill, Queen Anne
Carrie Phillips is a singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who helps students build a joyful relationship with music from day one! Carrie aims to get students jamming on their favorite songs as quickly as possible, recognizing that passion for the material drives musical discovery. They also prioritize empowering students with tools for playing with others! This not only builds student’s confidence, but also strengthens a constellation of musical skills such as ear training, music theory, rhythmic timing, and more!
Carrie’s musical background includes years of performance as a soloist and in bands. They also earned their B.A. in music and culture studies from Washington University in St. Louis and has been a guitar student for over a decade.
Outside of teaching, Carrie can be found performing under the stage name “Dog Mom,” their indie folk project. They also enjoy photographing live shows, and going on scenic walks with their dog Finn. Their favorite artists include Big Thief, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Men I Trust, and Fleetwood Mac.
Conor Fortune (he/him)
Piano, Drums, Vocals
Online, In-home: North Seattle, Shoreline, Edmonds
Conor Fortune is a singer/songwriter that teaches piano, drums, vocals, songwriting, music theory, and recording. He is a well rounded musician that has a back ground in multiple genres including rock, pop, jazz, funk, and classical music and has been working as a music teacher ever since graduating from college six years ago.
Having graduated from the distinguished Columbia College Chicago he obtained a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies. Conor was top in his class and earned a music scholarship as well. He also had the chance to learn not just jazz but different types of music from his eclectic music program's ensembles. Some of them including Gospel Band, Latin American Percussion, RnB, Classical Repertory Ensemble and many more.
After moving to Seattle two years ago, Conor started his own band that he fronts and sings in and began playing with multiple other bands throughout the city. While he isn't playing music he spends most of his time producing and recording music out of his home studio and interning at Sound House Recording where is learning to hone is craft as a producer and engineer.
Mitch Etter (he/him)
Guitar, Ukulele, Bass, Mandolin
In-studio: Matthew’s Beach, In-home: N Seattle, Online
Hi! My name is Mitch Etter. I’m a guitarist, songwriter, and record producer in the Seattle band Hi Crime. I am a self-taught musician with over 15 years of experience playing electric & acoustic guitar, ukulele, bass, and mandolin.
I started guitar in middle school by learning how to play all the songs I loved at the time. For me, that was lots of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Green Day, Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd. I quickly blossomed on the instrument, spending several hours a day playing guitar. By learning these songs, and approaching guitar with a practical hands-on approach, I began to understand music theory and the technical aspects of music that I had struggled with in school.
The lessons I teach reflect the lessons I would have liked to take when starting out; they’re centered on playing the music you love and making music fun! We'll begin by exploring what inspires you as a musician, and working to take you where you want to go! With my guidance, you’ll quickly begin to notice patterns and understand essential music theory through learning your favorite songs. From there, you can apply that knowledge to new levels of playing, improvisation, songwriting, and many aspects of music production.
Reach out to say hi, and book your first guitar, ukulele, bass or mandolin lesson with me!
My favorites artists include: The Beatles, Animal Collective, David Bowie, Alvvays, John Frusciante, Gorillaz, Blur, Tame Impala, Radiohead, Talking Heads, Kurt Vile, Neil Young, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Electric Light Orchestra, Fleet Foxes, Father John Misty, MGMT, and many more.
Celeste Felsheim (they/them)
Guitar, Vocals, Piano, Songwriting, Bass
In-Home: Greenwood, Ballard, Wedgwood, Magnolia
With experience in both professional orchestras and rock bands, Celeste is a lover and appreciator of many different musical genres. Celeste is a Seattle native who got their musical start at the youth summer program Rain City Rock Camp as well as the global year-round program School of Rock. (yes, it’s just like the movie!)
Celeste graduated from Cornish College of the Arts with a Bachelor's of Music in composition and songwriting, and they also play all around Washington with their band Shime who has written and released 3 studio albums.
Celeste has been teaching music and songwriting all over Seattle for 6 years, privately in folks’ homes, and at the Museum of Pop Culture summer programs, and more!
They love to teach the passionate beginner and the weekend musical-lover alike! You can expect an equal focus on music theory and rocking out on stage.
Nimm Lefcourt (they/them)
Vocals, Beginner Piano
Online, In-Studio: Capitol Hill
Nimm is a classical vocalist who graduated from Cornish College of The Arts in 2021. They are offering lessons for vocalists of any type, and piano lessons for beginners. They are very passionate about helping aspiring musicians who have difficulty understanding music when taught in a traditional way, and have had quite a bit of success in working with students that have learning differences. Nimm tends to focus their teaching style on healthy technique and good practice habits, as they believe that these aspects are the basis for any good musician. They will also always suggest working through music theory in lessons, but are willing to respect the wishes of vocal students that don't wish to work on music theory. Nimm will always endeavor to set their students up with a good warmup routine, a basic understanding of vocal technique & anatomy, and a helpful amount of encouragement!
Nimm is currently working on scoring a soundtrack for their own text-based adventure game called The Secrets of Wisteria Village. The entire game is being written, mixed, and created by Nimm. They have also been hired in the past to write music for podcasts and fantasy-based commissions, which has become a side hobby.
Outside of music, Nimm enjoys playing Dungeons & Dragons, watching documentaries with their roommate, and writing in their journal. Their favorite musicians are The Crane Wives, Amber Run, and Christopher Larkin.
If you wish to learn more about Nimm or hear Nimm sing, here is a link to their website:
Jade Eliza Rosier (she/her)
Drums
In-studio - Stone Way
Jade Eliza is a Drummer, Audio Engineer, and Public School worker who plays in 3 bands in Seattle and is very excited to share her love of drums with some new students! She discovered her love of the drum-kit through having a teacher that encouraged her to learn through what she was naturally interested in. She would bring in songs that she liked to hear and a lesson would be constructed around that song! Through this teaching style, she not only learned a new love for her instrument, but created deeper interest for music and musicianship more generally. She has now been playing drums for 17 years in many different contexts: Jazz Big Band, Marching Band, Concert percussion, Local Bands, and some Recording. Jade Eliza is super excited to share what she has learned with new students and to learn what is inspiring a new generation of players!
Erika Gersten (she/her)
Piano, Guitar, Vocals
In-studio: Broadview. In-Home: Greenwood
In my 9 years of teaching, the most common story I hear from adults is: “I took music lessons as a child, then I quit, and now regret it.” But if you’ve ever put an instrument in a toddler’s hands with no expectations, they happily bang and sing away! It’s clear that humans inherently feel, understand, and love music. So what is it about lessons that drives people to quit?
As a child, I had a strong ear but struggled to read music notation. Although method books can help us enhance our understanding of how music works, there is so much more to music than theory! And a strictly by-the-book approach neglects many important creative and practical skills that performing musicians use regularly.
Lessons shouldn’t be one-size-fits-all. My approach to teaching centers around my student’s strengths and interests. Some students are “ear-learners” who can sound out a song and copy it on their instruments. Some are “eye-learners” who can easily understand and process musical notation. Some are singers, songwriters, and performers who are goal-driven to fine-tune their technical skills and curate a niche experience for their audience. Truly, no student can fit into just one label, box, or methodology.
I have dedicated my life to music! I started taking lessons at 8 years old and performing solo shows at 15. Since then, every job I’ve worked has had a piano on-site. I’ve written, performed, recorded, and taught in most musical styles, but I particularly love songwriting, singing, playing songs by ear. I also love reading songs by chords and taking requests dueling piano style. And, after many years of struggle, I now find a lot of peace and joy in reading standard notation as well.
Let’s start with a trial lesson where we learn part of your favorite song!
Some of my favorite artists include Queen, Fleetwood Mac, Fiona Apple, Remi Wolf, Vulfpeck, Boygenius, Caroline Rose, Alvvays, Lizzy McAlpine, Julia Jacklin, Sidney Gish, Rosie Tucker, and tons of local bands which I’m extremely passionate about discovering. My local music playlist is over 16 hours long!
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