HSSM is now open for In-Person Lessons and Online Lessons! Please contact us by email (lessons@highstrungdurham.com) or call us at (919) 251-9401
Instructors
BANJO
Louis Landry Billie Feather BASS (GUITAR) Louis Landry Billie Feather Michael Buckley BASS (UPRIGHT) Will Postlethwait Billie Feather CELLO Douglass Payne COMPOSITION Ingrid Knight Michael Buckley GUITAR (ACOUSTIC, ELECTRIC) Louis Landry Will Postlethwait Billie Feather Michael Buckley Robert Thornhill Craig Wiggins GUITAR (CLASSICAL) Billie Feather Craig Wiggins MANDOLIN Louis Landry Billie Feather Robert Thornhill PIANO Louis Landry Megan Stewart Ingrid Knight UKULELE Louis Landry Will Postlethwait Billie Feather Michael Buckley VIOLA Megan Stewart Gabriela Potter VIOLIN Megan Stewart Gabriela Potter Sarah Grace Bindrim SUZUKI VIOLIN/VIOLA Gabriela Potter Sarah Grace Bindrim |
Instructor bios
Louis Landry :: Acoustic & Electric Guitar, Ukulele, Piano, Mandolin and Banjo
Louis Landry is a musical instructor and performer with a Bachelors degree in Jazz Studies from Virginia Commonwealth University. He teaches piano, guitar, ukulele, banjo and mandolin to students of all ages and skill levels. He has been teaching at High Strung for six years. During that time he has performed and recorded with The LL Orchestra, Curtis Eller’s American Circus, Katharine Whalen, Scott Solter, Ironing Board Sam, the Wiley Fosters, and many others. He has provided music for local theater works including Manbites Dog’s “The Best of Enemies,” Little Green Pig’s “Maccountant,” and Duke Theatre’s “Jacques Brel is Alive and Well.” He has also taught music at Durham Community Preschool and Wake Forest Montessori. Louis was previously based in Austin TX where he taught at Red Leaf School of Music, toured regionally, recorded extensively, and performed with Ryan Bingham, The Invincible Czars, Charlie Robison, and the Duke Ellington Orchestra. He writes and produces original music including the 2015 album “JJ vs the Digital Whale” which can be experienced in multi media at www.LouisLandryMusic.com. Will Postlethwait :: Guitar, Electric Guitar, Ukulele, Upright Bass and Electric Bass
Will Postlethwait brings more than ten years of teaching experience to High Strung, with the versatility of both bass and guitar instruction. Will holds a degree in music from UNC-Greensboro, and has been a section player in the Greensboro & Winston-Salem Philharmonic Symphonies. His enthusiasm for teaching is coupled with a proven ability to create and adapt his curriculum to meet the needs of the individual student. His students always seem to leave their lessons, smiling! Megan Stewart :: Violin, Viola, Piano
Megan teaches students from beginner to intermediate. She primarily teaches classical style, but also fiddle/folk style of playing. When teaching Megan emphasizes the importance of using proper technique. She uses several different methods of teaching including the Suzuki method. Although focusing on proper technique, she also facilitates heartfelt artistic expression. A recent transplant from Oklahoma, Megan has solo and ensemble performance experience playing in the string quartet "Bows & Arrows" and the Enid Symphony Orchestra. She is also a composer of solo piano music and contemporary Christian praise and worship vocal music. Michael Buckley :: Electric and Acoustic Guitar, Electric Bass, Ukulele, Composition
Michael received a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Performance from UNC-Wilmington where he graduated Magna Cum Laude and was the recipient of the Cape Fear Jazz Appreciation Society Scholarship. In addition to touring extensively both in the United States and internationally, Michael has ample experience in the recording studio and on stage playing with original projects across North Carolina. Michael aims to give his students the necessary tools to play the guitar with good technique and have fun whether they want to learn covers, music theory, improvisation, or songwriting. All styles and age levels are welcome! Billie Feather :: Electric and Acoustic Guitar, Banjo, Mandolin, Ukulele, Bass Guitar and Upright Bass
Billie Marie Feather is singer/songwriter/guitarist/banjoist/double bassist who originally hails from Johnstown, PA. Billie attended The University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Classical Guitar Performance for her last year of high school and college. Since then, Billie has performed in a variety of genres all over North Carolina as well as the USA and Europe. While being a performer comes naturally to Billie, she also has a passion for music education (she founded a teaching studio in Winston-Salem) and instrument repair (worked at Separk Music, Wes Lambe Guitars,The Luthier’s Workshop & High Strung Violins & Guitars). Billie, being a lifelong learner, completed a second bachelor's degree from North Carolina Central University in Jazz Guitar and is currently continuing her education at North Carolina School of the Arts where she is working on her Master's Degree in Jazz Guitar. Gabriela Potter :: Violin, Viola
Gabriela Potter is a professional violinist, violist, and registered Suzuki violin instructor residing in Durham. Since 2013, Gabriela has registered the following approved courses with the Suzuki Association of the Americas: long term teacher training for Violin Books 1-10 with world renowned pedagogue Joanne Bath, Suzuki Early Childhood Education teacher training with Danette Schuh, Revisiting Book 1 teacher training with James Hutchins, and Every Child Can!. She has also attended Music Mind Games teacher training with Kristen Tourville. Gabriela is a proud alum of the East Carolina University School of Music, serves as Secretary of the North Carolina Suzuki Association, and performs with the Tar River Orchestra in Rocky Mount and the Long Bay Symphony in Myrtle Beach. She is thrilled to be joining the High Strung School of Music faculty and is looking forward to gaining new members of her musical family. Robert Thornhill :: Mandolin, Acoustic Guitar
Robert, a guitarist and mandolinist born in Alabama, started his musical studies in classical music, but knew he had to move to NC to learn bluegrass. The following quote from Robert explains his approach to music: “Bluegrass has such an irresistible charm. I was and still am mesmerized by Bach’s violin partitas, which - by the way - sound better on mandolin than violin(!). My thought is, why not try them together? I bet Bill Monroe and Bach would’ve been friends!” By day, Robert is a high school science teacher. By night, he grades papers and plays music. You might even see him around town in the local music scene. Robert currently performs with Counterclockwise String Band; Alan Barnosky; and Hank, Pattie & the Current. |