Amanda Ridge, a native Houstonian, started playing the cello at five years old. By the time she graduated from high school at HSPVA, studying under Lisa Vosdoganes, she had already performed in New York City and Chicago and was traveling to China to perform for the Chinese Government shortly after. She then w…

Clay Rodgers hails from Kennesaw, GA and is currently based out of Acworth. Primarily a double bass player, Clay also has proficiency in the other string instruments including the viola, violin, and cello. Clay started his musical journey in middle school when he and a friend and wanted to duet The Final Cou…

Darby Rojas is an established musician and teacher who grew up playing violin, cello, and singing since a very early age. She has performed on several occasions in her school orchestras and other performance venues and has been a passionate private teacher ever since then. She’s also an avid pianist, guitaris…

With more than 15 years of teaching experience, Victoria Sadow carefully crafts her lessons to each students’ needs, passing on her love of music and storytelling in an inspiring and engaging manner. She brings a unique flair that is both motivating and highly successful in helping her students achieve the…

Born and raised in South Dakota, Megan Sanchez graduated with her Bachelor’s in Music specializing in Vocal Performance from California State University Northridge. Since graduating, she has dedicated herself completely to voice, piano, and strings instruction. As a multi-instrumentalist, she is able to s…

Brianne Sargent (cellist, bass player, synths/keys, vocals) is the co-leader of Skinny Cooks and plays with Polyphonic Spree, Alejandro Escovedo, Mattie Michelle and many others. She is also a composer, arranger and producer. She graduated from Interlochen Arts Academy in 2006, attended Booker T Washington Hi…

Washington state-born cellist Brooke Scholl completed her bachelor’s degree in performance from Central Washington University with John Michel, also spending a quarter abroad in Vienna studying with Josef Luitz. She just completed her post-graduate studies earning an Artist Diploma from the Glenn Gould Scho…

Benjamin Shmidt has loved the cello since he was six years old, and has developed into a passionate performer under teacher Mara Finkelstein. At the age of thirteen, he won the prestigious David Tonkonogui Memorial Award, and fulfilled a unique cultural role in the Seattle area by performing music from the Ho…

Javier is a passionate performer and instructor of cello, violin, and French horn. Since the age of 10, Javier Silva has studied music beginning with the cello. He later then picked up the French horn as his secondary instrument.
Javier has achieved principle horn and cello for TMEA All-Region all four years…

After a show with a local rock band, a friend of Lief’s asked him for cello lessons. That was in 2014, and he’s been giving lessons ever since. Lief began playing cello at 10 and guitar at 11. He played other instruments as a child, but cello and guitar became his lifelong passions. As a child, Lief playe…