Education: Associate of Arts in Art and English Literature from Concordia University, MI; Bachelor of Science in Elementary and Early Childhood Education from Concordia University NE; Continuing Education from the University of South Florida

Experience and Expertise: Over 25 years of teaching experience in early childhood and elementary private, parochial and public schools in LA, FL and GA; developed and implemented art in Pre-K through 8th Grade programs, taught summer student arts camps, served as Assistant Director and Instructor for Alliance for the Arts and Recreation Consultant in FL; Art Instructor for Lutheran Social Services of GA after school program; private art teacher

Specialty: Drawing and acrylic painting; helping children and adults develop a desire to create, explore and appreciate God’s amazing world through the visual arts

Education:  Associate of Arts in Elementary Education from Concordia College Ann Arbor; Bachelor of Science in Math and Music Education from Concordia College Seward; Master of Curriculum and Instruction from University of New Orleans; Ministerial Colloquy from Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne

Experience and Expertise: Played trombone in high school concert, jazz, and marching bands; played in college concert and marching bands; played in various brass groups accompanying church music; taught beginning band and directed bands for 18 years in schools in LA and FL; led hand bell choirs for 23 years at churches in FL and GA

Speciality: Music Education: teaching beginning woodwind and brass instruments; advanced teaching in brass; teaching basic music basics for reading music

Education: Associate of Fine Arts - Music from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College; Continuing education in Bachelor of Music Performance with a concentration in drumset jazz studies at Kennesaw State University.
 
Experience and Expertise: Tift County High School drumline camp technician for two years; 10+ years church worship band experience on drum set and guitar across Georgia; 2+ years professional jazz drum set experience; Played in opening bands for artists such as Felipe Pelaez, Omar Gelez, Nelson Arrieta, and Orquesta Adolescentes; Currently playing congas for El Kartel de Atlanta and Orquesta Macuba at Loca Luna in Midtown, Atlanta.
 
Speciality: Commercial, Jazz, and Worship drum set work; Afro Cuban hand percussion for salsa bands; Auxiliary percussion instruments for accompanying singer song writers and small musical ensembles. Fluent in Spanish and English.

Education: Bachelor of Music from the University of Southern Mississippi, home of the largest and most respected music departments in the Southeast

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Experience and Expertise:  Completed teacher training in all ten volumes of the Suzuki curriculum as well as numerous supplemental courses under the auspices of the Suzuki Association of the Americas

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Teaching Experience: Private Suzuki violin teacher in the Atlanta area since 1983; many of his students obtain positions of leadership in their school orchestras, in youth symphonies all over metro Atlanta, and have been admitted to university music programs

Education: Bachelor of Jazz Performance from Kennesaw State University

Experience: Over 10 years of experience teaching and performing various guitar styles. Composed for independent films and media projects. Developed engaging jazz lecture series informing audiences of great American jazz composers and style periods. Currently directs and performs with the RH Group and RH Trio in the greater metro-Atlanta area.

Specialty: Electric & Acoustic Guitar, Jazz, Blues, Music History Education, Arranging & Composition

Experience: Began pursuing music at the age of 11 with the cello in Middle School Orchestra, and soon after purchased his first electric guitar.  At age 14, Justin began serving his church’s worship team on both guitar and bass.  Justin serves with his wife Melissa as Worship Director and Youth Leader for Living Hope Church.

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Expertise: For the last two decades, Justin has had opportunities to write, record and perform music spanning many genres and environments.  Justin recognizes the honor and privilege to have worked with well-know worship artists, platinum songwriters, Nashville artists, The Voice contestants and finalists, and many good friends along his music journey.

Specialty: “Music has been so transformative in my life. I love getting to share the inspiration and joy music brings me with others. I cherish all the relationships I’ve built while doing music – I even met my wife on the worship team of our old church!  I look forward to helping you begin your very own musical story!”  - Justin

Experience: Melissa has been singing all her life and received choral and classical training from age 9 (the same year she wrote her first song, Bubblegum). She competed as a First Soprano through her high school years and has experience in classical, jazz, blue grass, pop and contemporary performance. Melissa has trained with top vocal coaches, Jan Smith and Heidi Higgins, through Jan Smith Studios. Melissa serves with her husband Justin as Worship Director and Youth Leader for Living Hope Church.

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Expertise: Melissa has had the privilege of working with songwriters who have written songs for the church such as, "God's Not Dead", "Good Good Father", and "How Glorious You Are". Melissa has also recorded with various artists, including Third Day.

Specialty: In 2017, with the help of Jan Smith Studios and an ENT doctor, Melissa learned that she had been fighting a silent battle with acid reflux for several years. This had caused vocal damage and required Melissa to relearn the art of singing. Since then, her voice has made significant improvement, though she is still in recovery. From this experience, she has become more passionate than ever about teaching young singers safe and proper vocal care. She also has a passion for crafting words and melody to bring inspiration, healing, and hope.

Education: Master’s Degree of Arts with Conducting Major from Simferopol, Republic of Crimea, Russia

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Experience and Expertise: Classically trained musician in piano and individual/choir vocal performance, including solfeggio – sol-fa and music literature; Music Arts teacher and Music Conductor; Actors, Model and Talents for Christ classes and performances in Atlanta

Teaching Experience: Vocalist and keyboardist for award winning Christian blues rock band; Music Director of Kiev mega church with special event choirs with 1000 singers; wrote songs for church worship team album; originator of two international professional ensembles that performed in churches and for government events in the Ukraine; written, performed as an actor on film for professional projects in Atlanta