I have been teaching young people and adults how to play musical instruments for over 20 years. A lot of my students are well on their way to a rewarding future with music, some as professionals and others as hobbyists. In addition to being a teacher, I am also a professional performer who has worked in a wide variety of styles and I have a Masters degree in music composition and theory.
One of my main specialties is working with very young students and total beginners. There is a special skill to teaching young children that can only be developed through experience. For the older student, or the student who already has a musical background my specialty is helping you learn the styles that have always been of most interest to you. I can also help older students gain a broad understanding of music through some basic music theory.

My name is Rusty, and I want to share a bit about myself. I have been a professional guitarist for 25 years. I have managed many of the area's largest music stores, by building a reputation of honest and earnest advice on equipment, and trained in the art of building, repairing and servicing stringed instruments. I am a Certified *Fender Guitar Technician for both Electric and Acoustic instruments. The experience I have working with other musicians on stage and in the studio is without parallel. A "school" cannot duplicate the "real world" experience of a professional musician. I have "rocked", for a living, toured, met and played with some of the best bands and musicians whose list is too long to name here. I have performing over 2000 shows, both a solo performer and guitarist for many of the areas most popular bands. I would like to share with you the "whole picture". A student needs more than a teacher or critic, a student needs a mentor, someone who can focus on...

I have had a fairly diverse musical background, including playing with bands and orchestras, as well as participating in choral groups and opera. I have a master's degree in music performance for wind conducting, and a bachelor's degree in music with an emphasis on piano performance. I have taught private lessons off and on for several years now but have always been successful wherever I went.

I love music, which should be obvious because if I didn't I wouldn't be writing this now! I also have a real passion for sharing my knowledge and experience with others, both failures and successes. I believe everyone has creative potential, and I believe music is a real universal art form that anyone can tap into if they want. Making and creating music should also be fun!

I have been playing the Violin since I was 5 years of age, and have had a passion for music ever since. I have had the privilege to travel through out the U.S. and overseas with a traveling violin group from Columbus, Ohio. We focused on sharing the love of music with others worldwide through the Suzuki Method. I will be using a combination of ear training from the Suzuki Method as well as sight-reading skills to develop well rounded students!

I have played piano since age 5, saxophone since age 13, and guitar since age 15. I received a Bachelor of Music from the University of Memphis, a Masters of Education from Union, and have taught music for Memphis City Schools for the past 6 years.

I love and play a wide variety of music including Classical, Contemporary, Rock, Folk, and Praise & Worship music.