Great teachers make great students. Check. Crummy teachers make crummy students. Check, check. Every single Flying Fingers instructor has earned (or is earning) a college degree in music. Every. Single. One. We hire people who are passionate about their love for music – because when they’re working with your child you’ll witness that this passion is more contagious than the measles.

Of course we fully vet and background check all of our instructors. We don’t hire any mean teachers or weirdos. We grill ‘em, press ‘em, and train ‘em before they ever knock on a door. Each is thoroughly trained in the proven Flying Fingers’ methodology. They all get access to our extensive resource library of teacher and student materials. We pay them well with real money and bonuses. And flextime. And paid vacations. Great teachers are hard to find. They make the difference. So when we do find them, we take good care of them. While they’re your consistency, they’re the backbone of our Company.

Ladies and gentlemen, please allow us to introduce you to...

Nick

devoted himself to music as an early teenager in the roaring 80's when he brought home his first used drumset from a junk store in Huntington Beach, CA. By the time he was ready to set off for college on a music scholarship, his curiosity and determination already helped him find his way to the guitar, the bass guitar, and the piano. He went on to spend the entire decade of the 90's scorching stages all around the southeast and working in recording studios as a session musician, engineer, and producer. The "long and winding road" as a professional musician eventually led Nick to an unexpected and yet very comfortable place in his life. Through a career in teaching, he began to realize an unmatched level of fulfillment, showing up and coming musicians the secrets to success with music.

Marielle

(Voice/Piano)

was born and raised in the suburban-Chattanooga area, and later moved to Neenah, Wisconsin where she discovered her love for choir, musical theatre, and dance. Marielle pursued a Bachelors of Music in Music Education at Kennesaw State University, where she met her husband. During her time at KSU, she proudly sang for their University Treble Choir and served as the Feature Twirler for "The Marching Owls." Marielle transitioned into a full-time career as a middle school choir teacher upon graduation and served in that role for four years. It was during these four years that she also completed her Masters of Music in Music Education at the University of Georgia, received consistent superiors with her choirs at LGPE, produced four school musicals, and married her husband, Jacob. Marielle now enjoys teaching piano and voice lessons while raising her daughter, Jameson. In her spare time she enjoys exercising, dancing, reading, and of course, singing!

John

(Piano/Beginner Guitar)

is the son of two musical parents. His father, a pianist, performed as musical director of gospel artist Daryl Coley before starting a church. His mother, a singer, performed as a vocalist alongside him. John began learning the piano at 4 years old. He studied privately with faculty at Morehouse College in high school, continuing his study as a music major at Morehouse. Through college, John performed with the Morehouse College Glee Club across the city of Atlanta, the United States, & internationally as an accompanist & student director, reaching audiences from Carnegie Hall to huts in Honduras. He expanded his learning through collaborative piano studies at Mercer University, where he also began writing & releasing music independently. Since then, John has cultivated a style & sound drawn from his broad range of musical experiences, growing him into a dynamic writer & vibrant performer across genres. John now seeks to inspire similar passion in others as a teacher. John is dedicated to helping students find new ways of being well through music & the love of music, empowering them to lead lives of love & creativity.

Jeremy

(Guitar & Beginner Piano)

is a guitar teacher, performer, and songwriter based in the Atlanta, Georgia area. The product of two musical parents, he and his brothers grew up surrounded by music. They all fell in love with music and Jeremy was hooked on the guitar at the age of 13. He studied classical guitar as well as a potpourri of other styles, earning a Bachelor's of Music in Performance in classical guitar from Kennesaw State University. Jeremy has performed in masterclasses for and received private lessons from renowned guitar performers and teachers from around the world. He is now an oft-requested performer in the Southeast, both as a soloist and with his rock and roll outfit "Third Sound". He has a wide range of teaching experience, teaching beginning to advanced guitar and beginning piano. Jeremy strives to help enable students create positive, healthy experiences with music and to live the soundtrack of their lives more fully and richly. When not performing or teaching, Jeremy enjoys recreationally competing in powerlifting.

Esther

(Violin & Guitar)

was introduced to classical music at a very young age by her parents, who valued fine arts and eagerly encouraged her to dive into the world of music. After starting piano at age five, Esther wanted to try something different, resulting in her discovering her love for the violin - and she has not stopped playing since. Esther has been involved in youth ensembles, including GMEA’s Allstate Orchestra since she was in middle school. She’s held concertmaster positions in her school and county-wide orchestras, played a key role in Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra all throughout high school, and was even a Governor’s Honors Program finalist in 2017 - one of the ten violinists in the entire state of Georgia chosen to attend the program. In addition to her many personal achievements, she’s also taught students throughout the years and has helped them successfully audition for youth orchestras alike. Esther is now studying at Kennesaw State University for an undergraduate degree in Music Education and Violin Performance. She has been concertmaster in the KSU Symphony multiple times and is excited to continue her musical journey. When she is not playing violin, Esther loves to drink coffee, journal, go on outdoor adventures and play the guitar in her church worship band.

Nico

(Drums & Percussion)

first started rocking the drums at age 11 in the Gulf Coast town of Clearwater, Florida. Following in the footsteps of his father and his father before him, what really started out as a fun after school activity progressed into an obsession. This obsession soon lead to studying jazz and classical music at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. Soon after graduation, he started building his career by teaching students of all ages in the Jacksonville area, and refining his performance skills by playing in clubs and venues across the southeast and the country at large. After spending a few years on the road, he eventually landed in Atlanta where he has continued his love of performing in venues with original bands and artists and even a few wedding bands. In his off time, Nico enjoys lifting weights and hiking the beautiful north Georgia hills.

Tatyana

(Piano)

started learning and playing piano at age of 6 in Russia. Upon moving to United States she attended a local Ridgedale School of Fine Arts in Tennessee. Throughout middle and high school, she collected eleven state festival competition wins and performed on several occasions throughout each year. Tatyana graduated with High School Diploma of Fine Arts. Currently she is attending Kennesaw State University pursuing her Bachelors Degree of Music in Piano Performance. Outside of school she likes to spend time with her family, gardening, and going to local concerts and festivals. Tatyana believes that music adds color and excitement to the world and she wants to help her students discover, explore, and enjoy their musical journey.

Nick

(Guitar & Bass)

after being inspired by the music of groups like the Beatles and the Who, quickly realized that his dream was to be a musician. He began playing the guitar constantly at age 12. Further into his journey, he became drawn to the music and culture of the South and relocated from his hometown outside of Boston to Atlanta. Nick graduated at the top of his class from the Atlanta Institute of Music in 2007 and soon thereafter became an active member of the Atlanta music scene. While maintaining a busy teaching schedule, Nick has enjoyed performing on the Future of Jazz stage at the Atlanta Jazz festival and has traveled all over the country with acts that include; Col. Bruce Hampton, the Yonrico Scott Band, and the Last Waltz Ensemble. Most recently, Nick has had the privilege of opening for Bonnie Raitt as part of the Randall Bramblett Band. Keep an eye out for Nick playing guitar in the upcoming film Jayne Mansfield’s Car starring Billy Bob Thornton and Robert Duvall!

Courtney

(Piano and Voice)

was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. She has been around music her entire life! Her uncle is a famous gospel singer and her father performed and trained actors on Broadway. She studied piano starting at a young age before discovering her love for singing in the church. At 12 years old, she was the youngest person on the praise team singing every Sunday for both services switching from alto to soprano. She won the title of the 2020 girls soloist champion in her senior year. Courtney then graduated in 2020 from Atlanta Girls’ School where she sang in the honor choir from 8th-12th, performed in musicals starting in 7th grade, and was often chosen to represent the school in regional and national competitions. In 2021, she was asked to be the administrative assistant to the minister of music at her church and now not only sings soprano, alto, and tenor... she warms up the team, and works on the business side of the department. Coutney continues to pursue her own education in music at Georgia State, where she is a vocal performance major, passionate about teaching private voice lessons to individuals who love music and singing just as much as her.

Jimmy

(Saxophone & Piano)

first started music taking piano and saxophone lessons when he was 11 years old. It didn't take long for music to become an obsession. Throughout middle and high school, Jimmy dedicated himself to improving on his instruments and found himself playing in all sorts of bands from marching band, community bands, jazz bands and honor bands. Jimmy decided to really commit to music by attending Kennesaw State University pursuing a degree in Jazz Saxophone Performance studying under Sam Skelton. This is where Jimmy really developed not only his playing, but knowledge of music theory and music business. Now Jimmy is a gigging musician and loves to share his passion for music with the next generation.

Bethany

(Piano, Violin & Voice)

was born and raised in Georgia. She grew up in a musical family and was always playing or singing music. She was and is heavily involved in choirs, orchestras, and small ensembles. She began violin lessons at age 8 and continued with that into her teen years. She played piano by ear on the side and it became her passion. She is currently enrolled at Kennesaw State University pursing a Bachelors in Piano Performance. While she isn’t focusing on violin, she still enjoys playing in the Kennesaw State University Orchestra. When Bethany isn’t doing music she loves trying out new coffee shops, baking, running, hiking, bullet journaling, blogging, drawing, dog sitting, watching football, and hanging out with family and friends.

Will

(Guitar/Viola/Ukulele)

has been playing all kinds of instruments since he was old enough to sit up straight. He sparked his musical journey by teaching himself piano at an early age. But that spark became a flame when he learned guitar in an after-school program in 4th and 5th grade. After learning the basics of guitar in elementary school, he rapidly grew his catalog of musical knowledge with various genres and instruments until high school where he began to study the beautiful world of jazz. He's also been producing music for several years, combining his love for soft instrumentation and intricate production with various styles of instrumental music (some on Spotify, too!) In addition to his love for music, Will has also spent much of his life learning about computer hardware and software and has been teaching students to code for two years now. When he's not busy studying Computer Engineering and Jazz Guitar at Kennesaw State University, he spends a lot of his time producing music, playing video games with friends, or playing basketball at the gym.

Paul

(Guitar)

Paul grew up amongst the sunsprinkled waves and gentle swaying palm trees of the Salsa music capital of the universe, Miami FLA. As a youngster he participated in his elementary school band, trying to decide if his future was going to be with the clarinet or “bari” sax. It was around his 12th birthday when he finally “picked” the guitar. Like most of his guitar playing peers, he was excited about the classic rock riffs and great music he heard on the radio. But someone handed him a CD from the band Phish in high school and a spark was ignited in him that sent him off in a far more interesting direction. From there, Paul went on to study Jazz guitar at The University of North Florida. He’s since had the great privilege of sharing the stage with everyone from John Popper (Blues Traveler) to George Clinton (Parliament Funkadelic). Now in his 10th year of spreading his musical germs amongst a new generation of guitar students, Paul continues to enjoy the rewards of watching his students’ fingers fly. When he’s not teaching or on a stage somewhere, you may spot him at a local gym, on a hiking trail or even attempting to impress his friends with his cooking (key word ATTEMPT).

Ja'Bree

(Piano & Voice)

has had a strong love for music as far back as she can remember. Singing seemed to come naturally to her at a very young age, and she quickly found herself competing and winning a variety of talent shows and show cases. After joining a piano class at 10 years old, a new world was opened up to her where she became able to join singing and piano together. The excitement of being able to learn her favorite songs and create made her the star of the household. It wasn’t long before her siblings were begging her to teach them all she was learning, planting the seeds that would ultimately lead her toward a rewarding teaching career. In the 8th grade, Ja’Bree auditioned and found herself a home in the school choir, and was recommended into the advanced women’s choir, All state choir, District Honors Choir, and LGPE. This inspired her to go even further and pursue a degree in music performance (vocal) at Georgia State University and sing in the Gospel Choir. Aside from music I just love to have a good time and laugh.

Side story….. I’ll never forget the day I was in 5th grade, and I wrote on a piece paper that one of my goals was “to sing the national anthem in front of a bunch of people”. By the time I graduated highschool I was a regular performer at high school sports games and even sung at my graduation. This is one of my favorite memories just to help me remember that you can do anything and to always have patience.

Daniel

(Guitar, Bass & Recording)

began slinging the strings at the young age of 9. It would be only 4 more years before he was jamming on stages around the Atlanta area at age 13. As he continued to hone his fretboard skills, Daniel knew that a career in music was going to become his destiny. He went on to study the guitar intensely and graduated from the Atlanta Institute of Music in the summer of 2003. Afterwards, he began teaching students, touring with bands, and recording with Grammy Award winning artists such as India Arie, Snoop Dogg, Macy Gray, and Nas. While playing with his band, I.O.Z, and backing up other artists, he has had the opportunity to share the stage with bands like Galactic, Fishbone, Col. Bruce Hampton, and many more.

Chase

(Guitar)

began his musical journey right here in Atlanta, Georgia…and raised on a steady diet of classic rock and blues. Growing up in a musical family, he showed an interest in music from a young age by participating in his church and middle school choirs. But soon became obsessed with the six-stringed instrument he heard in the rock music he so loved. Having a guitar playing father, it was only a matter of time before Chase fell down that rabbit hole. He would play guitar and rock out all day, much to the dismay of his parents and neighbors, copying licks from his guitar heroes Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and David Gilmour. As he continued to improve and hone his craft, he decided that music was the only the only career for him. Having an affinity for working with kids and an obsession with the guitar, he saw teaching guitar as a no-brainer. Chase strives to create a fun, engaging, and approachable musical environment where students can learn and be inspired - one that is catered to the needs and musical interests of each student. Chase is currently an undergraduate student and hopes to one day to pursue a music degree at the Georgia State University School of Music. When he’s not playing guitar, he enjoys listening to music, hiking, watersports, and cheering on his beloved Georgia Bulldogs.

Jack

(Guitar & Piano)

Born and raised right here in Atlanta, Jack has been a lifelong lover of music. Growing up, his dad exposed him to a wide variety of great music on the stereo. However, everything changed when he first heard Van Halen's first album. What started as an interest soon turned into an obsession, and he found himself spending just about all his free time learning how to play his favorite songs on the guitar. Throughout high school he found himself in a variety of bands. From being a bassist in a praise band to lead guitarist in his own rock band, wherever there was a chance to play music, he was there. Nowadays when he's not teaching up and coming guitar students, you can find Jack making music with his band and playing local gigs around town.