Marc J. Teets

Marc has been playing drums for 16 years. Raised in Ft. Collins most of his life, Marc’s first introduction into music began with piano at the age of 5. After attending his first concert as a kid, he found out the drums were what he really wanted to play!. Marc played percussion in middle school and performed in the district Honor band and Honor Orchestra.  Continuing his studies at Fort Collins High School, he enrolled in lessons with the respected local drum instructor, Ray Wassinger, to fine tune his playing and technique. Marc attended Mesa State College where he played with the band, Autumns Chase.  He then completed his degree in audio engineering at the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences in Tempe, Az.  With a solid background in place, Marc has performed in various groups all over Colorado. Marc currently plays with Denver group The Northern Way and has shared the stage with many national acts.   Marc believes in creating a strong foundation for his students by teaching them proper technique and skills needed to express themselves through their music…while still making it fun!!  Marc’s mission is to pass along his knowledge and experience to his students and help guide them in finding their voice through their instrument.

Anthony Deyo

As one of the area’s primer bass players, Anthony has the capability to perform at a high level in any genre. 
   Anthony grew up playing bass as early as elementary school.  His passion for playing, writing, and appreciating music was obvious from the beginning.  Years of formal training in the disciplines of jazz and classical music allowed for Anthony to have a very deep understanding of music theory and composition. 
  After school, Anthony began touring around the country with bands such as Holy Moses and the High Rollers, and Patchwork Blue.  Continuously writing, recording, and touring with these bands gave Anthony the experience needed to perform at a high level on the stage and in the recording studio.  
  Now a musician for over twenty years, Anthony has discovered a new fuel for his musical passions, teaching!  Students in Anthony’s lessons are encouraged to think like a musician (not just a bass player) and create their own music by understanding the concepts learned though music theory.  Rock, Blues, Jazz, Classical, Funk, Reggae, & Latin styles are all covered throughout his teachings.  Finger style, picking, and slap techniques are also presented according to the ability level and interests of the individual student.  Anthony’s lessons are customized so that any electric or upright bass student from pure beginner to expert level will benefit from his instruction.

Allan Evett

Allan is a pianist/keyboard player, originally from Chicago. He has played for a wide variety of acts, and has covered many different styles of music for the past 25 years. These days he can be found: giving piano and keyboard lessons; covering the keyboard chair for various live acts; playing piano for diners at a local cafe; in a studio somewhere - putting down tracks for either his own compositions, or those of another artist.

Allan began playing piano at the age of seven and has never found himself far from a keyboard since then. In fact, over the years, various keyboards continue to find him. Somewhere back in the 80's - along a winding, lengthy trail of synthesizers, racks, and cabling - he managed to study music theory, composition and arranging at Columbia College, Chicago - under the guidance of William Russo - and graduated with a B.A. in music. From there he worked his way through the Chicago music scene: playing for several jobbing/big bands, accompanying improv theater, and doing a fair share of studio work.

Allan has had the honor of sharing the stage with many different acts and solo artists. In addition, he has played on numerous recordings, both in Chicago and Nashville, and has credits on several commercials and documentaries as a player, composer, and arranger.

John Franzen

  I have written and directed three operas.
 “Doomeager”  - San Francisco at the Firehouse Theater
 “Bone Songs”  - Copenhagen at the Mermaid Theatre
 “Lightning”  -  Minneapolis at The Heart of the Beast Theater 

I was Music Director and Composer for the Firehouse Theater in San Francisco for 4 years.  We toured nationally from New York to Los Angeles. 

I have been the Music Director and/or Composer for several theater companies in Minneapolis and have composed numerous scores for theatrical productions.  I was Composer-in-Residence for the city of Minneapolis for one year which was sponsored and funded by a joint grant of the U.S. government, the Minnesota State Arts Board, and the city of Minneapolis.  I was active in the modern dance community in Minneapolis, writing many scores for choreographers across the country. 

I have composed original music for 3 films.  One of them, “Autumn Passage” won a bronze medal at the Chicago film festival.  The other 2 films were shown as part of an art installation in London, New York, and Minneapolis.

Much of my work has involved experimental concepts using electronic and traditional instruments as well as theatrical and dance elements.  However, I have written many pieces for theater in traditional veins such as folk, jazz, ethnic, classical, and popular idioms. 

I have been a music teacher all of my life primarily focusing on the guitar.  Banjo is my second instrument.  I have taught ages 3 to 80.  I have taught the mentally and physically handicapped individuals at various social agencies.  I have worked with at-risk teenagers, helping them form a rock band.  I taught guitar at Metropolitan State University in St. Paul.  I have taught guitar to inmates at Stillwater State Prison, helping them achieve their BA degrees.  For 3 years I taught music for several grade schools throughout the state of Minnesota under the auspices of the Minnesota Board of Education.  In the schools I taught math, science, English, history, and art through the use of music. 

I can teach guitar styles such as classical, blues, folk, jazz, and popular with a emphasis on finger-style.  I teach students to read notation as well as to improvise.  I introduce music theory to help them understand what they are playing.  I play traditional “clawhammer” as well as bluegrass on the banjo.  I play steel-string, classical, electric and MIDI guitars.  I use various computer-aided tools for composition and performance.  I am accomplished in MIDI sequencing, notation, and software synthesis.  I usually write and record all of my music with the computer. 

My education includes ethnomusicology, musical composition, and electronic music at the University of Minnesota and contemporary music composition at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. 

 My special musical interests include early music, American folk, and experimental music.  I have been an electronic musician since the early 1970’s using homemade synthesizers, tape machines, and computers.  I compose, play, and record music daily.  I am an eclectic person who loves music from ancient times to the future. 

 I admire music from the whole planet.

My non-musical interests include photography, hiking and reading.

I have been a Human Resources Director, professional photographer, retail store manager, salesman, and ice cream vendor in past lives.

Jim Dupre

Jim has played professionally for 3 decades and is currently a member of the local favorite, 69 Times. His key influences include: Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Randy Rhoads and Chet Atkins.

Jim puts his focus on the student’s needs, as well as rhythm, use of chords and scales, improvisational phrasing, melody, technique and ear development. His calm cool demeanor is welcoming to all students, and with over 20 years of teaching experience and over 1,200 students along the way, Jim can deliver the results you are looking for.

Jen Loucks 

Jen has been a pianist and vocalist for twenty-five years.  Her interest began as the daughter of an accordionist who loved to liven family gatherings with music.  Jen began taking piano lessons in grade school, which soon evolved into a variety of musical outlets including piano recitals, contests, school choirs, and eventually drove her to pursue a degree in music education with an emphasis in piano and vocal performance at Roosevelt University in Chicago, IL. 

 Having performed recitals with works by Beethoven, Gottschalk, Debussy, and Mendelssohn, Jen’s musical interests lean heavily toward classical, particularly the romantic period.  She’s worked as a piano accompanist for vocal/instrumental soloists, choirs, and musical theaters on the academic and professional levels. For fun, she digs out Tori Amos, Ben Folds, and Elton John, and most recently, praise lead sheets.

 During Jen’s vocal career at Roosevelt University, she studied under Maria Lagios.  Jen’s experiences are in the styles of classical, opera, musical theater, and praise/worship.  She’s performed at such venues as the Auditorium Theater and the Symphony Center at Orchestra Hall in Chicago.

 Jen began her teaching career as a teenager with family members, friends, and colleagues, then moved to Fort Collins and taught at the Piano & Guitar Institute for seven years.  She believes that piano is the gateway instrument. If you can learn to play with ten fingers, a voice, two ears, and two feet, then you can pick up any other instrument and play. After twenty-five years as a pianist she decided to pick up a guitar and in six months, began teaching it.  Jen strongly believes that enthusiasm begets enthusiasm.  If she demonstrates her love for music, learning, and her instruments, then her students will be a product of that.  Jen delivers a well-rounded piano lesson, which instills independent reading, technique, theory, performance, and ensemble playing.   Jen has experience in teaching students of all ages and abilities, and provides a fun and consistent environment,instrumental in her students success.  

Subjects Taught: Piano, Voice, beginning guitar, and Theory.

Styles/My Speciality: Classical, popular, praise, and theater.

Joe Fyfe

I have been teaching and performing piano in the Fort Collins area for over 15 years. My music education is vast and varied. I started private lessons as a young child and continued in my adult life at University of Rhode Island and Keene State College. I currently play professionally with several performing groups and teach and manage sales at Spotlight Music. I can teach most playing styles and have learned some tricks along the way to help my students really understand the mechanics of playing, reading music and how to develop the ear. All ages and backgrounds welcome.

Natalie Silverman

Natalie Silverman has a Bachelors of Music Degree from the University of Northern Colorado in Voice Performance and has 18 years of experience playing the piano. She began her piano studies at the age of four and studied under Robert Nissonson and Edna Mador in Israel and Dr. Mills at the University of Northern Colorado. Natalie is a private piano teacher with 6 years of teaching experience and is presently teaching piano at Spotlight Music. She has experience in teaching classical as well as other musical styles such as jazz, popular music with knowledge of music theory. Her experiences include while living in Israel, piano recitals with some of the works of Bach, Debussy, Chopin and Gershwin. She was also an accompanist for classical performers at the Wizo School of Music in Haifa and toured with Meytar Nave performing two piano duets. Natalie believes in developing a proficiency in reading music, sight reading, musical coordination, flexibility, agility and developing a good musical ear, and having a good time playing the piano. She also teaches voice. Currently, Natalie is studying voice with Dr. Elmer Schock in Greeley, Colorado. Her specialty is Opera and stage performance. Her experiences include, touring in Europe with Opera Classica Europa from Germany which performed Carmen, Aida, and Tosca. Her latest performance was in Beaver Creek, CO performing Aida with the Bulgarian Opera Company. Her style of teaching voice includes breathe control, technique, developing a healthy singing quality and sound. Among the little ones, Natalie enjoys teaching the pure enjoyment of singing.

Brad Loucks

Brad has been playing musical instruments for over 20 years beginning with the piano and including guitar, bass guitar, mandolin, trombone, baritone, accordion, and flute.  He is constantly trying new instruments thanks to a firm foundation in music theory.  While his initial interest in piano was classically based, the focus shifted to Jazz in college where he majored in Piano Jazz Performance.  Brad feels that Classical music has enabled him to execute a wide variety of skill sets in all genres of music, and is an integral part of music as a whole. 

 Originally from Geneseo, IL, Brad began playing piano in grade school, which evolved into joining the school band and choir.  He continued to broaden his musical career with many performances throughout high school with groups including marching band, jazz band, madrigal choir, musical theatre, barbershop quartets, and jazz choir.  Performance opportunities also presented themselves on the stage as an actor through the community theatre for several years.  In addition to school bands/choirs, Brad also played the guitar with a rock/funk band.  They were a big hit through high school and beyond, with several original songs that showcased improvisation, lyrical creativity, mixed-meter, and well-composed epic forms.

 After high school Brad attended Iowa State University where he studied Mechanical Engineering.  At Iowa State he joined the Jazz Band as an extra-curricular activity.  Brad enjoyed this experience so much that he decided to transfer to Western Illinois University and began private piano instruction from Dr. Michael Campbell.  Dr. Campbell instilled the importance of all genres, but focused on jazz improvisation, phrasing, and chord voicings.  While attending Western Illinois Brad also participated in the top jazz band and jazz combo under the direction of John Cooper.  These two groups toured throughout Illinois in addition to several performances on campus.

 In 2003 Brad moved to Fort Collins with a band named “New Timber” and began to integrate himself into the thriving music network here.  “New Timber” incorporated Rock, Latin, Jazz, Funk, Blues, and Folk into their unique style.  Since 2003 he has played with several different bands, including “The 11 Theory”, “Orooni”, and the “Hugh Jazz Combo”, which was the house band at the Crown Pub for nearly two years.  Brad’s personal musical interests lie heavily in jazz, rock, and folk, including artists such as: Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Charlie Parker, Phish, The Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers Band, The Talking Heads, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, and James Taylor.

 Upon moving to Fort Collins Brad began teaching piano/guitar at the Piano Institute.  He taught at the institute for over seven years before teaching at Spotlight Music.  Brad has taught students ranging from ages 3 and up, and has had extensive experience teaching advanced jazz theory to several adult students.  He believes learning to play an instrument promotes social development, discipline, academic success, and happiness.  Brad thoroughly enjoys teaching music and strives to be a positive influence to students through high levels of motivation and encouragement.

 Subjects Taught: Piano, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Bass Guitar

 Styles/My Specialty: Classical, Jazz Improvisation, Theory, Blues, Rock, Singer/Songwriter, Folk, Acoustic

Mike Lopez

I started playing guitar in May of 1988. My primary influences coming up were mostly hard rock ones. In the interim years, I've added interest and experience with alternative pop, blues-y pop, heavy metal, funk alternative, and progressive music. I've been relentlessly recording music since 1992, releasing quite a bit of critically acclaimed music with the projects [Nil] (93-95), Reconcile (97), Eve's Drop (98-2002), GasHead (2003-current). I've played with some outstanding local musicians - Dave Beegle, Mike Olson, ect..- and some national guys as well - Chris Poland (Megadeth, OHM), George Lynch (Dokken, Lynch Mob). My approach for teaching lead guitar is to emphasize phrasing and improvisation under a foundation of technique. Some theory will be broached as it can inform our note choices...but even those can be broken.

All levels of student are accepted.

I use guitar tablature in my lesson plans.

If you own Guitar Pro 5 or Guitar Pro 6 computer tablature programs, I can email lesson files for playback and practice. This is optional.

Style samples are available on my teaching Facebook page: search “Mike Lopez Instructor” on Facebook.

Eric Imbrosciano started playing music live at a very young age due to his father, a gigging blues musician in upstate NY.  After studying percussion all through high school, Eric attended college for music in Oneonta, NY.  There he met, performed and toured with many great musicians including Jeremy Wall (Spyro Gyra), Peter Prince and Moon Boot Lover, Sam Kininger Band and much more. 

            After moving to Fort Collins CO in 2008, Eric quickly established himself as a well respected musician in the community.  Whether it’s a rock show, church group, funk performance, jazz performance, electronic show, hip hop show, bluegrass performance, or even in musical theatre, you can find Eric putting on a solid performance somewhere in Northern Colorado.

            You can currently catch him with his funk/soul group The Nu Classics, or his quickly growing electronic group Ill Mannered, or at Crossroads Church Greeley, or catch him every Monday at Hodis Half Note - where he hosts the “The Funk Jam”. 

After studying drums for 16 years and teaching private lessons for 10 years, you can now meet up with Eric at Spotlight Music for drum instruction.  He is skilled in all styles of drum set performance and instruction.  Eric teaches all the fundamentals in drumming music in general in a fun and exciting way.  Lessons are educational and enjoyable.  “We all started playing drums cause it’s fun, so lets have fun!” –Eric Imbrosciano

Jacob Lucero

Jacob Lucero started playing the violin when he was in 7^th grade. Born in Montrose, Colorado, he joined the Valley Youth Orchestra where he was a member and Concert Master until graduating from Rocky Mountain International Academy. During high school Jacob was also a member of the Valley Symphony Orchestra.

After graduation he attended Western State College of Colorado in Gunnison and received his B.A in Music Education and Music Business. While he was studying at Western State, he was the Concert Master of the Western State College Orchestra, and Western State College Chamber Ensemble. He was able to take lessons from Kenneth W. Todd, and had the opportunity to take a master class with Max Rabinovitsj.

Jacob moved to Fort Collins the spring of 2011, and is in the process of getting his Teaching License in the State of Colorado. Jacob performs for weddings, special events, and in a small chamber ensemble.