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Patrick Smith is a composer/guitarist/teacher based in Maryland. Although Patrick's passion for guitar performance started at an early age, his interest in composition began to emerge as an adolescent in the form of songwriting. As a guitarist in various bands throughout his young life, Patrick performed an eclectic variety of styles (mostly classic rock, pop, blues, progressive rock, etc.) and could often be found taking on the principal songwriting responsibilities, writing guitar-centric songs in the style of The Who, Led Zeppelin, and Van Halen.
As his musical interests widened, Patrick found a new passion in the composition of art music. He studied composition under Dr. Anna Rubin and Dr. Linda Dusman at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), and studied classical guitar under Dr. Zane Forshee. Patrick's music has been performed at UMBC’s Livewire Festival (an annual New Music festival), Carroll Community College faculty recitals, and he has worked with ensembles such as Baltimore’s SONAR New Music Ensemble. His music explores various areas of compositional interest including timbral variety, extended instrumental techniques, imitative counterpoint, and non-functional tonality.
Equally present in his musical life, Patrick has been teaching privately since his early 20s. He has established a reputation as a meticulous, careful instructor who values the individual musical personality of each student, and provides a respectful, productive atmosphere for musical growth. Patrick has been an adjunct music faculty member at Carroll Community College in Westminster, MD since January of 2010, and has been a guitar instructor at Mike’s Music since January of 2010.
Patrick received his Bachelor of Arts degree (summa cum laude) in music composition from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in May of 2015 where he was also recognized with the 2015 Music Achievement Award, as well as the award for Outstanding Student in Music Composition for 2015.
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.
Nik started playing the guitar at the age of 8 at a little known local music store called Mike’s Music. Under the direction of Steve Colón, he studied a wide berth of genres and techniques ranging from the dizzying harmonic complexity of jazz to the impressive technicality of metal and instrumental rock. He has also studied the electric bass with Andrew Freed for upwards of 3 years, learning funk, soul, and jazz in the style of Victor Wooten, Jaco Pastorius, James Jamerson, and many other influential bassists. Nik plays electric bass live nearly as much as he plays guitar.
Nik loves listening to and playing music from a large assortment of genres including progressive metal, jazz, rock, R&B, funk, and soul just to name a few.
Nik’s learned technical ability, proficiency in music theory, and performative prowess displays the epitome of what Mike’s Music’s lesson program strives to achieve.
Steve Wagner has been playing and studying guitar for over 50 years. He enjoys both acoustic and electric guitar as well as electric bass. He is happy to teach beginning students as well as more advanced students interested in rock, blues, country and/or jazz. He can instruct students in a variety of right hand techniques including comping, flat picking, hybrid picking and finger style.