Chris

I don’t teach bass, piano, and guitar—I teach MUSIC. I want my students to understand how music works, no matter what instrument they are on. And you better believe we’re going to have a blast while doing it.

I was born into a family of musicians, and I was exposed to a lot of different music styles—classical, jazz, and rock. My mom was a very talented pianist and singer, and she instilled a deep love for music that has stayed with me throughout my life. I picked up my first instrument at the age of seven, and became instantly obsessed. I played music in my school band programs, and at the age of fifteen, I started playing in churches and local bands in my hometown.

Since then, I've been fortunate enough to tour the world with Grammy award-winning artists like Israel and New Breed and Marcos Witt. It's an honor to share the stage with such talented musicians and to bring joy to audiences around the globe.

But what I love most is using that experience to inspire the students in front of me every week. Nothing compares to the joy teaching brings me. I’ve been working with kids for over 20 years, and it’s something I’m very passionate about. Watching that kid who walked into his first lesson with his head down walk off the recital stage standing tall, head held high, after just nailing his song? That’s an incredible feeling.

I also want my students to have someone to look up to—a positive role model in their lives. Music has a way of teaching lessons that go far beyond the notes: patience, confidence, dedication, and grit. Those are the kinds of skills that spill over into school, sports, and every part of life.

When I teach, I want my students to know it’s ok to mess up. It’s ok to sound bad. That’s part of the process. I’ll be right there to show them exactly how to break things down to nail that part they’ve been struggling with. And I’ll be their biggest cheerleader when they finally do. I want them to come home from lessons, running to show you the riff they finally mastered. I also want to make sure they understand how to break things down at home so they can get the same results on their own. I don’t want to just feed my students fish—I want to teach them how to fish, so they eventually don’t need me.

Teaching is not just a job. It’s a calling. I put 100% of my heart and soul into every lesson. It’s a privilege to see my students grow, and I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to be a part of their journey. I don’t just want students to play songs. I want them to fall in love with music so they have something positive, creative, and confidence-building that sticks with them for life

Music Director, Inspire Church

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