Hey there! I’m Matt, and according to my mom, my obsession with music started around age 3. My first instrument was pots and pans, but I quickly moved on to explore everything else. Music has always felt like my calling, and as long as I can remember, I’ve had an insatiable drive to play any instrument I could find. 

Growing up in the ‘90s, I was captivated by the raw energy of alternative and grunge music. Bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Pearl Jam not only shaped my musical taste but also filled my closet with flannel shirts. Although my earliest musical adventures involved making a lot of noise with friends in the garage, I quickly grew to appreciate all kinds of music. Joining the school band refined my skills and paved the way to college, where I earned both a Bachelor’s in Music from Western Kentucky University and a Master’s from Austin Peay State University. Today, I’m proud to teach music appreciation at Nashville State Community College, and yes—I still make time for video games!

Throughout my studies, I was fortunate to explore a wide range of musical styles: orchestral, metal, rock, pop, hip-hop, jazz, reggae, blues, country—you name it, I’ve tried it. I’m passionate about sharing these experiences and teaching all I’ve learned about music. For over 15 years, I’ve maintained a private studio where I work with over 60 students a week, teaching everything from foundational music skills to advanced techniques across various instruments. Whether you’re young or old, it’s never too late to dive into the world of music.

When I’m not teaching, I am focusing on my non-profit, The BG Amplify Foundation. We are on a mission to give scholarships to anyone who could use help getting involved with the arts of our community. You can also catch me performing in one of several local bands, including Wolf, Opossum Holler, Veils, The Jamie Resch Band, and The DeVore, Weiss & Hall Trio. Music is a lifelong journey, and I’m excited to help others discover just how rewarding it can be!

Hi, I’m Jordan Weiss and I was 12 years old when Eddie Van Halen changed my life. Sounds dramatic, it was. I was a (middling) tournament tennis player with lackluster grades; I became an obsessive guitar student with a set plan to be surrounded by music the rest of my life. 

I studied at Berklee College of Music (Boston) and Wayne State University (Detroit). I went on to be a career musician, playing and teaching throughout Boston, Detroit, Chicago, Nashville, and finally our beloved BG KY— rock, funk, blues, reggae, jazz, popular and otherwise.   Local bands have included Felonious Funk, Doc Weiss & U Tall Pelicans, The Jones, and DeVore, Weiss, and Hall. 

I’m proud to have built premier lesson programs, first at Royal Music Co. and now at our very own Bowling Green Rock Band Academy. 

I teach all ages, styles, and levels, lessons tailored to each student’s process and interest: guitar, bass, piano, harmonic theory, songwriting, ear training, performance. I get very Proud Dad about all of my students, from those who earn their local livings as journeymen musicians or in nationally touring acts, to those who have furthered their studies (musical or not) at programs such as Interlochen Center for the Arts, Gatton Academy, Oberlin College, NYU, Berklee, Belmont, UK…I could go on.

Hi, I’m Kristy and I am a Kentucky resident but originally from the outskirts of Nashville TN. My musical studies started at the age of 7 with my primary focus on piano.  I began teaching private piano lessons on a small scale in 2006. Since then, I’ve grown my musical studio to welcome many more students. I have taught locally in Bowling Green for the last 9 years.  I enjoy teaching both kids and adults of varying skill levels. 

 My goal is to share the love of music and pass that along to students. I strive to take a well-rounded approach to help students learn and create music.  That in turn hopefully inspires them to take their music to the stage and share it with others.  Through the years I have played in a variety of venues including banquets, weddings, rodeos, and local spots such as The Derby Piano and Dessert Bar. When I’m not playing music, I love hanging with my dogs and my cat.  I love cars, the great outdoors and I would really like to surf.

 I currently offer virtual and in-person private piano instruction. All ages welcome.

Hey hey!  My name is Murf Adams.  I grew up in Greenville, KY and was raised in something of a football family.  I played every sport that was offered to me as an elementary school student.  I got a lot of experience keeping benches thoroughly warmed.  Suffice to say, I spent much of my childhood feeling out of place.  That is, until I decided to join band in 6th grade.  I had finally found something I excelled at and something I enjoyed: the trumpet.  

I started playing guitar in middle school and at age 14, I had my first rock band, Hephaestus (good luck pronouncing that correctly.)  Performing at ag centers and church basements, my friends and I started our very own scene in rural Kentucky that lasted throughout our high school years.  

I went on to study trumpet at Western Kentucky University and graduated with a degree in Music Education in 2009.  Since then, I have divided my time between performing and education.  Music has taken me all over the world.  Throughout my musical journey, I have come to appreciate all styles of music.  My go-tos however are funk, rock, jazz, soul, and blues.  I have played both trumpet and guitar in several Bowling Green bands including Fat Box, Billy Swayze, Felonious Funk, Pineapple Jones, and more.  I currently teach music at Lost River Elementary in Bowling Green and I’m excited to say now, at BG Rock Band Academy too!  Let’s Rock!

Hi! My name is Quentin Farris. I began playing drums when I was around 14. I started playing along to all my favorite records, learning as much as I could from the greats. After graduating high school, I joined my first band with my stepbrother, who highly influenced my playing and musical taste. From that experience I learned a lot about practicing, playing, writing songs and being in a band. Shortly after, I felt the need to improve my playing through lessons. I started taking lessons at Kentucky Music with John Givens who mentored me and was highly influential in my life. To this day he is a dear friend and his impact is a big reason why I love teaching along with other teachers I’ve studied with including Webb Hendrix, Dave Elitch, and Mark Berry.

Over the past 10 years, I’ve played and recorded in numerous bands in the area including The Watts, Grapple Hound, Cousin Estil and Shifty Sister, John Martin Trio, Maceo, The Slack, Rat Salad and others.

I started teaching drum set 7 years ago and enjoy combing my experience with performing as well as teaching strategies, which is an art of its own. I am currently finishing my bachelor’s degree in Music Education at Western Kentucky University where I have been able to play with great player in the Jazz Band, Steel band, Wind Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, the Big Red Marching Band, Pep band and the Orchestra.

I am currently playing with Billy the Droid, High Fidelity, and Marmalade where you can see us playing around the SOKY area.

Hello friends, I’m Spencer Woods and I’ve been fascinated by the piano for as long as I can remember. I spent my formative years in Paris, France where I began piano lessons with Karibay Narveaz from the Conservatory of Montreuil at 6 years of age. I was 9 when my family moved to Poole, England, and I was fortunate to study there with the award-winning pianist Douglas Gould. Having multiple great teachers has helped me to understand music from different perspectives, and somewhere along the way I began to develop my own.

My family moved again when I was 11, finally settling in the US (hello Bowling Green, KY), and I continued my musical journey here studying jazz and modern music with Jordan Weiss, and classical music at WKU, where I went on to earn my Bachelor of Arts in Piano Performance. I’ve been performing in South Central Kentucky and in Nashville since the age of 14, and have collaborated with touring rock bands the likes of Dan Luke and The Raid, Young Romantics, and Billy The Droid. I’ve also toured with the Western Kentucky University Wind Ensemble and had the honor of premiering music for WKU professor of composition, Mathew Herman. In the summer of 2017, I performed in the Jazzit festival in Feltre, Italy. I also performed in Florence, Italy, at the Accademia Europea Di Firenze, and took master classes with various maestros of jazz and classical music. It was in Italy that my love for jazz really took off, and since returning to the United States I’ve had multiple rock and jazz projects that have performed extensively and recorded at Thunder Sound and Erskine Sound recording studios.

I currently lead the Woods Menagerie and you can catch us live at venues such as Hickory and Oak and Gasper Brewing Co. I’ve been teaching lessons for a few years now, and I always approach each student as a new process, a new experience. I’m excited to help you along the path that has been so rewarding to me.

Hi! I’m Cindy and I’m from Breckinridge County. I started piano lessons at 6 years old and I’ve been in love with music ever since. My mom plays guitar, and I began accompanying her in church services around the age of 10.

I moved to Bowling Green for college and I’ve lived here for over 20 years. I love our community and have been fortunate to be witness to and make many friends in our local music scene. Like many musicians, I call Tidball’s my home and have played in many bands over the years.

Hello, my name is Max. I’m a multi-instrumentalist and audio engineer with a passion for recording music. I’ve always been interested in music, but started pursuing it seriously at 12 years old. I began my journey with the acoustic guitar, and quickly found myself branching out and playing bass, ukulele, drums, piano, banjo, and mandolin. Learning this variety of instruments helped me to realize that I really enjoyed the learning process, and that I wanted to share that with others.

By 14 years old, I’d been playing with a band for a couple years and I wanted to try recording our music. It didn’t take long to realize how difficult recording can be, but I didn’t let that discourage me. For the next several years I continued to play and record as much music as possible, learning everything I could in the process.

I continued my studies at Middle Tennessee State University pursuing my bachelors degree. I majored in Audio Production and minored in Entertainment Technology. I began a freelance recording career and became an engineer at Thunder Sound Studio in Franklin, KY.  I was shortly thereafter approached by a student looking to learn audio production, and thus began teaching in 2019.

I really enjoy helping students of all types to find their individual paths to music, and I aspire to share my knowledge in fun and approachable ways. I typically teach beginner to intermediate instrumental lessons (all ages welcome), and audio production from beginner to advanced levels. My focus is not necessarily on creating virtuosos, but rather to show students that music can be fun and available to them. I look forward to all the people and opportunities that come into my life through teaching and I’m happy to share my skills to help people pursue their own dreams!

Hello ~ My name is Yan Garza and I couldn’t be more excited to become a part of the Rock Band Academy! I’m a local musician, private lessons instructor, avid listener, and occasional photographer. I grew up in San Miguel de Allende, México, and eventually ended up in Kentucky at the age of 16. I’ve been lucky enough to have been constantly engaged with music since I can remember.

At a very young age, I started playing music through my first instruments, piano and violin, which I studied through the Suzuki method; although, I eventually picked up the drumset, which has been my main instrument ever since. Whether it was attending and participating in chamber music festivals, simply listening to my mother teach violin while I played videogames, actively making cassette mix-tapes, or having the casual jam session in the garage with my friends, music and music pedagogy has always been a driving force in the forefront of my life.

Ever since I landed in the US, I’ve had many wonderful opportunities to play with a flurry of different groups and ensembles. Including highlights like playing at the Nissan Stadium for an NFL game with the MTSU marching band, playing with the KMEA Intercollegiate Jazz Band, and with the BCHS Concert Band at Carnegie Hall. As well as the wide variety of concerts I’ve had the pleasure of performing in during my studies at WKU. Since my early teens, I’ve been teaching music to students of all skill levels, as well as other academic subjects professionally at a tutoring center. It goes without saying that teaching and helping students overcome their obstacles is a big passion of mine. My music interests can be anywhere from jazz, hip-hop, country, funk, rock, afro-cuban, classical, electronic, and many more. So, whatever music you’re interested in learning, I’d be happy to work with you!

    As a teacher, I aim to equip each student with foundational knowledge and skills for the style and instrument of their choice. I teach many different stringed instruments and styles. I hope I can connect with you or your child in a way that encourages them and empowers them musically and personally!

     Guitar is my first instrument, and over my many years of playing I have played professionally in many different contexts. I’ve played electric guitar the longest and am at home with Rock, Funk, Soul, Pop, Blues and more. If you need help on Bass guitar I have experience playing that with Contemporary Christian music. Because of my reading knowledge and ability to learn by ear we can tackle any style on any instrument. 

On Acoustic Guitar I’m an adept finger picker – great at general strumming for practically any style. I am also an expert Flatpicker in regards to Bluegrass music. Classical guitar is another style of guitar I have studied in depth. It helps me to know, understand, and teach all styles of guitar and to relay music theory knowledge very well. For this reason I will always encourage, but not force, learning to read in standard notation. The fingerpicking skill required for classical guitar prepared me for my next love: the Banjo.

     Banjo is my second home, and now my primary focus. After attending ROMP in 2012, which is a bluegrass festival, I became absolutely hooked on bluegrass and bought a banjo the following week. Fast forward to today and I’m now a 2 time Kentucky State Bluegrass Banjo Champion(2022 & 2024). I also play and teach Clawhammer banjo. I’ve played major stages like the Ryman, ROMP, Bean Blossom, The Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and more. I know this music inside and out and can help anyone at any level play Bluegrass and Old-Time music.

    Mandolin is another instrument I play and teach. I’m a Sam Bush super fan, so besides helping any student learn basic bluegrass songs and fiddle tunes I can also teach more advanced players the intricacies of newgrass and beyond. This instrument and others that are associated with bluegrass are not limited to that specific genre. If you want, we could learn classical mandolin, or play rock music on the fiddle. We are limited only by our imagination and what we are willing to try.

     Dobro, or the squareneck resonator guitar, is also an instrument I’ve spent a lot of time learning and playing. I took to this instrument fairly quickly. Fingerpicking that I’d learned from banjo, and electric slide guitar skills gave me the foundation needed to adapt to this great instrument. 

     Fiddle is one of the other stringed instruments I play and teach. I love this instrument and love helping people learn how to play it. I am knowledgeable and comfortable with bluegrass, fiddle tunes and more. I know and teach basic classical techniques and can help you play violin in many different styles.

Hey! I’m Kai, and I’ve wanted to play guitar since the first time I heard one. When I was a small kid in a tiny Ohio town, my dad and I used to sit on the floor with snacks and his boombox, listening to his CD collection- Led Zeppelin, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jane’s Addiction, Sublime, and a lot more. I believe this began my love for music, and I treasure these memories. I joined the school band at the age of 10 and learned to play drums/percussion, which gave me a sense of rhythm and fostered my discipline for practice. When I was 14, I got my first guitar, and began taking lessons, practicing voraciously.

During high school, I started a punk band. We played at bars, cafes, and clubs in Pittsburgh, PA, Buffalo, NY, and all around Northeast Ohio. I recorded an LP at Mindrocket Studio in Sharpsville, PA, and many more in my basement at home, playing all the instruments. This time confirmed my love for music, songwriting, and performance. I needed more, so I rolled the dice and moved to Bowling Green, where my guitar hero, Tiger Merritt, lived, to study guitar and music theory at WKU. Under the instruction of John Martin, I was trained in classical, jazz, country, and blues music. I owe much of my musicianship to him, and I am thankful to have a Bachelor of Arts in Music. In 2017, I studied jazz and music theory with my friend and colleague, Spencer Woods, at Accademia Europa di Firenze in Florence, Italy. Under the instruction of many different virtuosic musicians, we performed at clubs and cafes in Florence, as well as the Jazzit Fest in Feltre, Italy. This experience was endlessly enriching and made me a much better musician.

I have performed with many different musicians and bands, including Cloud Ruler and The Rift, in Bowling Green, Nashville, Lexington, and more, in addition to writing and recording music at Erskine Sound and Nightmare House Productions. I love teaching guitar, bass, music theory, and ear training, taking a personalized approach to each student’s particular interests while emphasizing proper technique and music theory. I have years of experience with teaching, and I look forward to having years more. I am extremely thankful for music, and if I can help you achieve the same fulfillment music has given me, then I can’t wait to start.

Hey all, I’m Elijah. The art of performance is one that I’ve studied closely for my entire life. I’ve been performing in plays and musicals since 5th grade, and I’ve been playing saxophone for 9 years – 5 of which involved private lessons. I then went on to teach students at marching bands in Kentucky. I’m currently pursuing my BFA in musical theatre at WKU and will then move on to receive my masters in vocal performance. So whether you’re looking to get more adept with music theory, play the saxophone like you’ve always wanted to, or feel comfortable and confident singing, I’d be glad to help you out!