Guy Strauss

Guy Strauss

has over 20 years of professional experience as a touring musician and session drummer for various major label and independent artists. He has been an educator for over 15 years, teaching private lessons as well as music classes at Academe Of The Oaks where he serves as the Music Department Chair. Guy shares his passion for music and his real world experience of being an active working musician with his students. Lessons focus on independence, technique, notation, rudiments, musicality and song based learning. 

As a performer Guy has appeared on film soundtracks and has played internationally opening for acts such as Elvis Costello, Muse, Cheap Trick, The Fray, The Wallflowers, The Cranberries, Blur and many others.

Guy holds an Associate of Arts Degree from Miami Dade Community College, and completed the certificate program at Drummers Collective in NYC. He has studied with many prominent drummers including Steve Rucker (University of Miami Professor , and Bee Gees drummer), Mike Clark (Herbie Hancock), Marvin ‘Smitty’ Smith (Tonight Show Band).

Guy’s goal is for lessons to be fun, educational and practical. His students will learn about rhythm, counting, reading standard notation, technique, independence, time keeping skills, dynamics, feel, song form, ear training and general musicianship. We will explore these concepts through written exercises, rudiments, books, and of course by playing along to songs. Once the student has developed a solid foundation, the focus will shift to more of the students personal musical interests and goals.

INSTRUMENTS.

Drums, percussion, piano, music production and band coaching.

STYLES.

Rock, pop, funk, R&B, jazz, blues, and world music.

REQUIREMENTS.

Ages 7 and up, all skill levels.

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TESTIMONIALS.

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Hannah Lake

Hannah Lake

is an actor, singer, dancer and teaching artist who loves plants, yoga, and of course, music! She always strives to be kind and encouraging to every young artist - just as her very first piano teacher was to her. Hannah believes that hard work and a can-do attitude are more important than talent alone.

As a teacher, Hannah loves activating the imagination, especially when playing and working creatively with young students. She recognizes that children have a super power in exploring the world with reckless, joyful abandon! Hannah strives to incorporate that into her lessons in any way possible and aims to have her students smiling and giggling so that they feel empowered and open to learn (and keep learning)!

Aside from teaching and performing, Hannah loves to get creative in all forms, including painting, baking, cooking, and photography!

INSTRUMENTS.

Voice, Piano, Ukulele, Playground.

STYLES.

Musical Theatre, Pop, Country, Rock.

REQUIREMENTS.

Students all ages & abilities welcome!

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TESTIMONIALS.

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Jennifer Hanna

Jennifer Hanna

Jennifer Hanna has been teaching voice and piano lessons for over 15 years.  She is an early childhood music specialist and has been a teacher at Eclectic Music since 2007. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Millikin University and a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from Georgia State University. She continues to be an avid student and takes continued training in guitar, voice and advanced music education. Jennifer teaches music at St. James Preschool in Buckhead.  She also directs the Cherub Choir at Peachtree Presbyterian Church in Buckhead, where she is also currently a staff singer.

Jennifer began studying piano at the age of 9, flute at age 11 and voice at the age of 13. As a child and teenager she enjoyed performing in recitals, musicals and choirs.  She sang in the Ohio All State Choir and played flute in the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra. While an undergraduate at Millikin University, Jennifer performed in operas, including Pirates of Penzance, Down in the Valley, Die Fledermaus, and The Marriage of Figaro. In 2005, she moved to Atlanta to complete her Master of Music Degree at Georgia State University.  She played the roles of Nicklausse in Offenbach’s Les Contes d’ Hoffmann and Harry in Benjamin Britten’s Albert Herring at GSU.  She later professionally played the role of Mozart in the opera Wolfy at Theatre Decatur. Jennifer participated in the Harrower Opera Workshop at GSU and La Musica Lirica Opera Festival in Urbania, Italy, performing roles in opera scenes including Hansel and Gretel, Cosi fan Tutti, Louise, Alcina, Fastaff and The Mikado to name a few.  

Jennifer takes a holistic approach to teaching music. She believes the process of learning to sing or play an instrument helps students to develop important life skills such as improved work ethic, self-confidence, optimism, faith, interpersonal and communication skills, and leadership potential.  She keeps this in mind when working with each student.  Jennifer teaches piano and voice to both children and adults.   She teaches a variety of musical styles, including classical, pop, musical theater, rock, ragtime and jazz. 

 As a voice teacher, Jennifer focuses on building a strong technical foundation. Her goal is to help students to develop a strong, effortless, pleasing tone while communicating a meaningful thought, idea, or emotion. With her piano students, Jennifer strives to keep the learning process fun and rewarding. She continually uses new approaches depending on the unique interests and inherent gifts of the students. She often incorporates singing, rhythm sticks, bells, egg shakers, drums, ukulele and guitar in her lessons. Her goal is to help each student not only learn to read music, but also to play by ear and improvise. Jennifer encourages her piano students to sing, and her singers to play. Jennifer believes that just as playing an instrument makes us better singers, so does singing make us better instrumentalists!

INSTRUMENTS.

Piano, Voice, Flute, Playground.

STYLES.

Classical, Pop, Musical Theatre, Rock, Ragtime, Jazz.

REQUIREMENTS.

Students all ages & abilities welcome!

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TESTIMONIALS.

“She was such a warm, fun, flexible teacher. I think it was a perfect balance for age 5 of skills and fun. He left class with stronger music appreciation. I would definitely recommend Playground and Jennifer to anyone with kids PreK-1st grade.”

- Halley, parent

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Jeremiah Hobbs

JEREMIAH HOBBS

is a teaching artist and songwriter who grew up just down the road in Newnan, GA. Spanning almost a decade now, Jeremiah’s teaching experience started with summer camp (he’s already become an Eclectic Music camp fave) and includes guitar, musical theatre, sports, and art! 

Jeremiah’s career has taken him to New York and back! During his stint in the Big Apple, he wrote a musical that was accepted into the New York Musical Theatre Festival in 2015. 

As a teacher, Jeremiah wants to connect with his students, learn what motivates them, and structure lessons around what each student enjoys. He wants to get to know you so that he can encourage you to make the music that brings YOU joy! 

When Jeremiah isn’t at the studio, you can find him at home with his beautiful wife and sweet little tot creating art, blowing bubbles, and making music as a family.

INSTRUMENTS.

Guitar, Bass, Ukulele, Songwriting, and Melodic Percussion.

STYLES.

Pop, Rock, Folk, and Musical Theatre.

REQUIREMENTS.

Students all ages & abilities welcome!

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TESTIMONIALS.

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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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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!

CONNECT.

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Taryn Antrobus

Taryn Antrobus

joins us from Nashville by way of Cleveland. She has had a love for music from a very young age and grew up in an extremely musical environment. After studying Music Business & Entertainment Industry studies, Taryn fell in love with the art of songwriting and performance. She is actively releasing her own music and honing her craft on stage, in the studio, and in songwriting circles.

In her lessons, Taryn promotes a unique learning environment where she focuses on the student's individual needs for their musical development. She believes that teaching opens two avenues - one for the student to expand their mind and form an appreciation for music and one for the teacher to be reminded of why they fell in love with music in the first place. Taryn recognizes that there are equal opportunities for growth for her and her students, both working to recognize potential change in themselves. 

When she’s not performing, writing, or teaching, you can find Taryn experimenting in the kitchen, cozying up with a good book, or enjoying the outdoors. Taryn is excited to help her students nurture their creativity and pursue their natural passion!

INSTRUMENTS.

Guitar, Voice, Piano, Songwriting, Ukulele, Playground, Audition/Performance Coaching, Percussion, and Drums.

STYLES.

Pop, Indie, Singer/Songwriter, Folk, Rock, Americana, R&B, and Soul.

REQUIREMENTS.

Taryn works best with students age 7 and older!

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TESTIMONIALS.

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