Meet Our Instructors

Coleman Smith
Music Director

Violin, Mandolin, Guitar & Bass Instructor

Coleman started playing the violin at 3 years old. In his youth Coleman traveled across the country studying various styles of fiddle music and competing in some of the nation’s most prestigious fiddle contests. Coleman was awarded a Presidential scholarship to the music department at Marywood University where he studied music performance and minored in music pedagogy. Coleman has a unique style that fuses Gypsy Swing, Jazz, Celtic, Bluegrass and Texas Fiddle, all from a classical perspective. 

Buena Vista, Colorado Music Instructors

All of our instructors are experienced musicians, educators, and performers.

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Christian Masters

Beginner, Intermediate & Advanced Piano + Guitar Instructor

Christian Masters has been a musician since the age of 10, picking up the viola as his first instrument. He began playing piano and guitar when he was 15, taking lessons for both instruments throughout high school and college. While in college, he played for the school’s jazz combo on piano, guitar, and vocals and began teaching lessons privately. He graduated from college with a degree in music production and an emphasis in guitar. Christian enjoys playing a variety of genres from Rock to Jazz to Blues to Classical.

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Kathryn Phillips

Beginner Guitar, Ukulele & Percussion Instructor

At the age of ten, Kathryn started learning guitar through a free class offered at her church. Finding that she loved to play guitar, she pursued lessons through high school and graduated college with a degree in both guitar performance & music recording and production. She then spent one year as a guitar instructor at Calvary University while pursuing a master’s. During college, she joined the University’s performing band as well as a punk rock band in Lawrence KS.

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Bonnie Culpepper

Beginner Piano Instructor, Ukulele, Voice Instructor

Bonnie Lea Culpepper has a trained background in the classical styles of piano and voice. She also has a great love for the Ukulele, which she taught herself to play at the age of 7. In school, her passion was performing Operatic pieces in many different languages and time periods. Her love of music has led her to become a touring singer/songwriter in the styles of contemporary rock, folk, Americana, jam, bluegrass, jazz, and blues. As a passionate professional musician, Bonnie places utmost importance on creative musical freedom.

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Leslie Jo Osborne

Beginner Violin Instructor

Leslie Jo began learning violin at the age of eight.  She studied the Suzuki method in her youth and participated in school orchestra programs in Michigan and Texas.  

She discovered fiddling in her adult years.  From jams, to camps & clinics, to fiddle contests, it’s a world in which she delights to play a part.  Leslie Jo studied under Keenan Fletcher, Gene Gimble, Randy Elmore, Megan Lynch Chowning, and many more.  She’s most passionate about Swing, Jazz, and Texas-Style fiddle, and she’s had many unique opportunities to learn from some of the best musicians in their respective fields.

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Anna Holloway

Beginner Piano Instructor

Anna Holloway has a trained background in the classical styles of piano. Anna’s very first piano lessons were taught by her dad, but she was finally able to start official lessons at the age of 7. Through these lessons, she was classically trained all the way through high school. During this time she competed in many classical competitions at the local, regional and national levels. She loves that music can tell a story in a powerful way and encourages her students to use music to help them tell their stories.

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Alex Blocker

(Substitute Teacher) Beginner to Intermediate Violin Instructor
Alex Blocker is a Violinist, Songwriter, and Touring Performer. He was born in Chicago and grew up studying Classical, Jazz, Hip-Hop, and more. Blocker received a bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO, and immediately began teaching music for public schools. During his stay in the southwest, Blocker was introduced to Folk and Bluegrass styles of string playing.