Coaches and teachers

Our eight teachers

Each band has a coach, and each student has a teacher for their instrument. Many of them are the same person.

Margo Dobson
Director, voice and guitar
Margo runs Overdrive and coaches the House Bands. She teaches voice and guitar to every level and plays rock, blues and pop.
Merrick Howze
Ukulele, guitar and first bands
Merrick coaches the First Bands and teaches ukulele and guitar to students just starting out. He starts every rehearsal by getting the band to listen.
Isabela Melgar
Keys and songwriting
Isabela teaches keys and helps bands write their own parts and short songs. She coaches the First Bands and Garage Bands on keyboard.
Stanford Bagby
Violin and strings
Stanford teaches violin and other strings, and writes string parts for bands that want them. He works with students who read music and with those who play by ear.
Ansel Tilton
Bass and cello
Ansel teaches bass guitar and cello and coaches the Garage Bands. He plays the low end in his own band on weekends.
Haruka Konishi
Piano, theory and ear training
Haruka teaches piano and the theory a band needs: chords, keys and how to follow a chart. She runs the weekly ear-training half hour.
Poonam Mahajan
Voice and flute
Poonam teaches voice and flute and coaches singers in the Garage and Stage Bands. She teaches how to warm up, rest and look after a voice.
Harlan Nunn
Drums, percussion and cello
Harlan teaches drums, percussion and cello and coaches the Stage Bands. He keeps a quiet, steady beat and expects the band to do the same.

How we match

How a student gets a teacher and a band

By instrument
Your teacher is the person who teaches your instrument, on a night that works for you.
By level
Your coach is the person who leads a band at your level, so you play with students your age.
By fit
If a match is not right, tell the front desk. We would rather move you than have you stop.

Try a class and play with the coach for your level.