Choose Your Guitar Teacher

Chris is known for his work as a performer, producer, songwriter, educator and recording artist. Chris studied guitar under Grammy-award winning guitarist David Cullen and recorded Jay Umble’s Spirit Crossing album. His live performances share the hallmarks of bands such as the Grateful Dead: evolving setlists as well as some improvisational explorations. Songs from his Sun Debut album appear in Walt Disney Productions’ television series Hollywood Lives. As a producer and songwriter, Colby’s collaborations with pop stars across the MENA (Middle East / North Africa) region helped launch a digital media platform serving the entire region. Collaborations with Rouwaida Attieh, Aline Lahoud and DJ Osane produced several hit songs and music videos with Rouwaida Attieh’s “Kawn Jdeed” receiving a music video award in Egypt. Notable musicians appearing on Chris Colby’s studio albums include: Jamey Haddad (Paul Simon), Clyde Lucas (Illinois Jacquet, Ray Charles) and Robin Diaz (KISS, Courtney Love, Live, Train, O.A.R., Daughtry). Chris’ album Begin was mastered by Grammy award-winning engineer Steve Fallone at Sterling Sound, New York. Current activities include the release of his latest album Chris Colby - II, the completion of an album of 21st-century classical piano variations and a return to the stage.

As ALL of my students know, I am from Ohio and began teaching there in 2009. My love for music started in the 2nd grade, when I began to take formal piano lessons. In middle school I added guitar to my arsenal of instruments and my passions for organized sound grew even more. I studied Architecture and completed my Bachelors of Arts degree in Jazz Composition in guitar at THE Ohio State University, GO BUCKS! I have been teaching in public, private, and charter schools since 2009, including private lessons. I thoroughly enjoy composing and arranging privately and for my school's bands.

Emily is a graduate of Eastern University, earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in general music with a concentration in voice. While there, she also studied piano under the chair of the music department Ronald Matthews, as well as 10+ years of private piano lessons prior. Emily has sung in several touring choirs and has toured up and down the east coast as well as internationally in places like Canada, France, and Germany. She has led worship in her church for 10+ years and was worship coordinator for 2. She was in several musical theater productions both in and out of college. Emily has taught privately for 5 years both in-person and remotely. She was the music director for a theater company in New Jersey called Sojourn Theater Arts Academy for 3 years, teaching the music for shows like Annie and The Little Mermaid to a cast of close to 100 students ranging from 6 to 18 years old. Emily has experience and training in the instruction of voice, piano, guitar, and ukulele. She loves to teach many topics and genres, including musical theater, classical, pop, Disney, music theory, singing while playing, improvisation, jazz chords, note/sight-reading, worship leading, and technique.

Ana Salas is a wide range music teacher with a fundamental knowledge of many instruments like the Piano, Voice, Guitar, Clarinet and Flute. With 8 years of experience public school teaching, Ana has taught subjects like Choir, Band, Guitar and Piano in large classroom settings. You will learn the basics and much more fundamentals for the instrument that you choose with Ana as your teacher.

Whether you are picking up a guitar for the first time or looking to master advanced lead techniques, you will learn from a seasoned professional dedicated to your goals. With over 10 years of experience teaching in public schools and holding music degrees and teaching certifications from both Texas and Wisconsin, I bring a structured, highly encouraging approach to every lesson. Beyond the classroom, I am an active touring and recording artist whose original music has charted in the Top 10 on the Texas Music Pickers and played across Latin America. As a former Music Director for the Damian Isaac Band and touring guitarist for Dustin De La Garza, I bring real-world stage and studio experience straight into our sessions. We will focus on what you want to play—whether that is rock, classical, fingerstyle, jazz, or blues—while building rock-solid technique, improvisation skills, and theory that actually makes sense. Let’s make some music!