Bachelor’s Degree in Classical Guitar Performance from Frostburg State University. Master’s Degree in Classical Guitar Performance from Towson University. Todd has over 20 years’ worth of music teaching experience. Specializes in Classical Guitar, but also teaches Rock, Punk, Pop, Indie, Funk, and Folk guitar.
Studied rock and blues with Andy Jones, jazz and classical with Scott Elliott, jazz with Paul Wingo and classical with Troy King.
Had master classes with Paul Galbraith, the Brazilian Guitar Quartet, Rene Izquierdo, Matthew McAllister, Meng Su, Uros Baric, Allan Neave, Peter Stewart, and Irina Kulikova. Attended the Camino de Artes Guitar Workshop, in Carrion de los Condes, Spain and the Classical Guitar Retreat on the Isle of Cumbrae, Scotland.
Todd has over 25 years performing experience in a variety of styles, including big band and combo jazz ensembles, classical chamber ensembles, folk bands, and many original rock bands and musical projects. Todd is currently active composing, performing and recording for his original instrumental project Pergola, as a solo classical guitarist and as part of a mandolin and guitar duo called Duo Dyad.
Todd teaches steel string acoustic, electric and nylon string guitar. He also teaches beginners bass guitar, ukulele, mandolin and cello, as well as classical guitar ensemble and music theory. Todd welcomes students of all ages, backgrounds, skill levels and looks forward to collaborating with you on your musical journey.
Kevin Alexander has been playing music for over 15 years. He graduated in 2014 from McDaniel College with a degree in Music, specializing in Theory and Composition. Kevin first discovered his love for music after learning guitar at age 11, and has since added bass, piano, ukulele, and other instruments to his repertoire. Though he primarily considers rock and alternative to be his favorite music, he has performed and studied a wide variety of styles including jazz, blues, funk, country, and even mariachi. His favorite part about teaching is being able to share his passion for music with others. After teaching at Mike's Music previously in 2015, Kevin is happy to rejoin the Mike's family!
Marco began playing music at age 10, beginning with playing trombone in the school band. He received his first guitar at age 12, and was instantly hooked, eventually putting down the horn to focus on guitar full time. Marco currently studies music at Towson University, spending time under the instruction of John Lee, Eric Kennedy, John Dierker, Aaron Irwin and Dave Ballou. When he is not working or studying, Marco enjoys reading, physical exercise, composing music and most of all, playing music with others. Marco has spent time in a variety of musical settings including small groups, big bands and pit orchestras. He is also a member of the eclectic, Towson-based band, Captain Ahab.
Marco’s major musical interests include jazz, folk rock and indie rock. He draws great inspiration from jazz artists including John Coltrane, Jim Hall, Bobby Broom, Lage Lund and Andrew Renfroe. He also has been influenced greatly by Crosby, Stills and Nash, Jackson Browne, Led Zeppelin, Death Cab for Cutie, Brittany Howard and Dawes, in both playing and composition.
Marco takes an individualized approach to teaching, designing lessons around each student’s unique goals and interests. He focuses on helping students apply technical and conceptual skills to music that they both choose themselves and enjoy playing, emphasizing the importance of playing music with others to improve one’s own playing. Although he focuses mainly on jazz/rock/singer-songwriter in his own playing, Marco is capable of teaching multiple other styles such as pop, country, blues, funk, and R&B, and believes it is valuable to study a variety of musical styles to broaden one’s perspective and skill. Marco lives by two pieces of advice when playing and teaching: “You are your own best teacher” and “Your ear is your greatest tool”.
Garrett has been performing across Maryland, DC, and Virginia for 10 years and teaching students of all ages for 7 years. He started with the guitar as a self taught enthusiast in his teenage years but soon realized the value of instruction and the time saved by lessons.
Garrett studied with award winning guitarists Denis Azabagic and Mark Edwards before being accepted into the studio of Julian Gray at the Peabody Conservatory at Johns Hopkins University and graduated in 2017.
The most valuable lessons he learned with these leading musicians is self reflection, assessment, and the importance of imagination and visualization.
Ultimately, a student is their own teacher six days of the week; learning how to learn is the longest lasting lesson on any instrument or any field. This is the true value of art and developing one's own creative abilities.
Garrett teaches the fundamentals of all styles of guitar, and more advanced lessons are available for Classical guitar, Spanish, South American styles, and modern acoustic guitar.