music theory

John O'Leary

John O’Leary

is a professional saxophonist and music educator with over 15 years of performing and teaching experience on piano, saxophone, clarinet, and flute. He received his Bachelors of Music from Florida State University and obtained his Masters of Music from the Manhattan School of Music both for jazz saxophone performance.

During his time at MSM, he studied directly under many jazz legends and was fortunate to perform in some of the biggest jazz clubs in New York City. Over the years, between playing on cruise ships for a year, and moving between NYC, Miami, and Atlanta, John has had a lot of amazing musical adventures: from teaching summers in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York, to playing lead alto for an international Broadway Tour, to holding a weekly Bossa Nova Brunch in South Beach Miami, and touring Canada with a NYC-based funk band. He’s got plenty of stories to tell, and more importantly, many life lessons to share!

As an educator, John is influenced by his work as a contemporary musician with conservatory training. Because of his education and varied performing experience, John puts the focus on practical, real-world techniques that are rooted in traditional methods. This way, you’re not only learning all the “classical” skills like reading music, analyzing theory, and technical mastery; you’ll also develop your ear so you can play without sheet music, you’ll learn about songwriting and improvisation so you can write your own music or jam with others, you’ll study current music styles/trends, so you can understand not only the foundations of music and how to play your instrument, but how to play music like today’s top performers, and how to have all the tools necessary to do anything you want musically!

INSTRUMENTS.

Band Coaching, Clarinet, Composition, Flute, Music Theory, Piano, Saxophone, Songwriting, Woodwinds, Audition/Performance Prep.

STYLES.

Jazz, Rock, Pop, Blues, Funk, R&B, Soul, Brazillian, Classical

REQUIREMENTS.

Students all ages & abilities welcome!

CONNECT.

TESTIMONIALS.

"His teaching style balances fun and productivity perfectly"

- Jessey

“‘John Woodwinds’ was a great mentor. He taught me a lot about saxophone, jazz performance, and theory."

- Louis

"He was fun, helpful, and renewed my interest in music"

- James

"John is an amazing teacher who has helped me hone in on my skills on tenor sax and build confidence in playing jazz music and improvising."

- Jess

"I loved working with John because he made me feel confident and excited about music and my passion for jazz"

- Rebecca

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Rachel Ofotokun

Rachel Ofotokun

is a composer and pianist from Lilburn, Georgia. Rachel comes from a musical family and has been engaging with music and composition since age 6, starting with piano lessons and adding cello to the mix in middle school. She holds a bachelor’s degree in music composition and African studies from Emory University. Rachel enjoys classical, experimental, pop, jazz, gamelan, and afro-influenced music. 

Lessons with Rachel are incredibly flexible and goal-oriented. She focuses on building (and reaching) long and short-term goals based on a student's desires and working as a team to achieve them in the most fun way possible! Rachel believes music lessons should be an outlet and safe space where students can spend time pursuing something they want for themselves. As is our mission at Eclectic Music, Rachel works to decolonize the music classroom. 

Outside of the studio, you can find Rachel crocheting, tending to her plants, redecorating her apartment, and sipping tea. She looks forward to making empathic connections with her students!

INSTRUMENTS.

Piano, Playground, Cello, Songwriting, Compositon, Digital Composition, Music Production, Music Theory.

STYLES.

Classical, Experimental, Pop, Rock, Jazz.

REQUIREMENTS.

Students all ages & abilities welcome!

CONNECT.

TESTIMONIALS.

Coming Soon!

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Ruth Mehari

Ruth Mehari

is a teacher of strings, voice, piano and fun! She went to Reinhardt University where she studied Music Education (K-12) and Cello Performance. During her time there she also fell in love with theater performance and singing. You may see her playing in an orchestra, acting in a show, or sometimes both at the same time!

As a lifelong learner Ruth is dedicated to helping students discover the joys of learning something new. She is dedicated to creating a warm and encouraging environment for students to thrive in while adapting her teaching style to the needs of the individual in front of her. She values building rapport with her students in order to be able to know what lights their fire so she can guide them to their goals while fostering their love for making music.

INSTRUMENTS.

Piano, Ukulele, Bass (Upright), Guitar (Acoustic), Violin, Viola, Cello, Voice, Audition + Performance Prep

STYLES.

Classical, Opera, Musical Theatre, Pop, Jazz

REQUIREMENTS.

Students all ages & abilities welcome!

CONNECT.

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Scotty Guenther

Scotty GUenther

is a musician artist based in the Virginia-Highland neighborhood of Atlanta. Growing up in Johns Creek, GA, Scotty took the stage at a young age, performing in plays, musicals, and music ensembles since he was 8 years old. He has spent the last 22 years honing his knowledge of music theory, music production, and collaboration, working on numerous projects for himself, other artists, and organizations. Scotty has a deep appreciation for each individual's artistic voice, and hopes to spread his love of music through teaching at Eclectic Music.

As a teacher, Scotty values connection with each student, discovering their "why" for taking lessons, and developing a plan that is enjoyable and informative. His goal is to teach fun, memorable lessons that help students gain the skills they need to create and participate in the music they are passionate about.

INSTRUMENTS.

Bass (Electric), Guitar (Acoustic + Electric), Composition, Music Production, Music Theory, Voice, Songwriting, Audition Prep, Drums, Mandolin, Piano, Ukulele.

STYLES.

Pop, blues, rock, soul, funk, musical theater, folk, classical, and experimental.

REQUIREMENTS.

Students all ages & abilities welcome!

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TIME TO LEARN MORE!

Tyler Parker

TYLER PARKER

(originally from Naperville, IL) is an experienced cellist and piano player whose musicianship led him to a full ride study at Florida State University. Tyler's teaching style focuses on the form and technique of the student.

Tyler believes that “music is constantly evolving with us. Therefore, we should evolve how we teach music”. In that spirit, he works with students to feel the music they are playing and expands to fit the needs and styles of each individual. 

Outside of the studio, you can find Tyler continuing his journey as a forever learner as a student of meditation and music engineering.

INSTRUMENTS.

Cello, Piano, Music Theory, Music Production, Digital Composition, and Audition/Performance Prep.

STYLES.

Classical and Modern Pop.

REQUIREMENTS.

Tyler accepts piano students of all levels and Intermediate cello students!

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TESTIMONIALS.

Coming soon!

TIME TO LEARN MORE!