Music Teachers that Combine Passion and Progress

Bryce graduated from SMU with a Bachelor of Music in Music Education and obtained his certification from TEA. Bryce has a wide array of music experience from playing in full orchestras to teaching privately. Since graduating in 2017, he has been teaching with Zera Music Company, started to grow in record production, and perform with local bands. He also works as a substitute teacher with Plano ISD & Richardson ISD.

Stephanie has been with us since the summer of 2019. Music is an integral part of her life and nothing makes her happier than to share her love and passion with eager students. She received her B.A. in Music Performance from Lubbock Christian University, and has been using her degree to teach privately and publicly since 1991. She is currently the Choir Director at Lake Dallas Middle School and is celebrating her 20th year teaching music with Lake Dallas ISD. She has two grown children and one beautiful granddaughter who are also musically inclined!

Elyssa was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah and graduated from Patrick Henry College in Purcellville, Virginia where she received a minor in music pedagogy, and now lives in Sandy, UT with her husband and son. She has studied piano since 2000, and has grown in her understanding of guitar, voice, and other instruments since 2008. She started teaching with Zera Music Company in October of 2018 and enjoys trying new food, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Ricardo is a multi-talented music lover from Dallas, Texas that has been with us since February of 2020. He has been a student of music for over 10 years, and has been involved in a plethora of school ensembles, taken private music lessons, and studied music at the University of North Texas. His musical influences include bands like The Beatles, Mana, Young The Giant, Bacillos, Queen and many more. He also has a background in classical music as well so he also enjoys the music of artists like Villa Lobos, Andrew York, and Francisco Tarrega. His passion for music and love of teaching shine through in his lessons and his teaching philosophy can best be described by saying that he knows each student learns in their own way so he incorporates the teaching styles and methods that best compliment each student’s learning style. His approach as a teacher is to have fun and practice hard.

Caden is a talented, hardworking musician from Houston Texas that has been with us since March of 2020. He graduated from Dallas Baptist University in 2017 with a Degree in Music Business with emphasis in Songwriting and Worship Leadership. Caden started learning the guitar in 2007 and also has 10 years of piano experience. With this experience, he also hasn’t shied away from applying these skills to a plethora of other instruments. Caden is a singer/songwriter, releasing music under the name Water & Bone. He has a passion for music and people, in hopes of spreading his love and understanding of the language of music.

Kyle is a percussionist, pianist, bandleader, and dedicated instructor from Santa Barbara, California with experience in every genre from jazz to metal. He began studying drums and learning the language of music in 2008, and since then has been part of bands, drumlines, and orchestras as a percussionist. In 2010, Kyle began studying piano and developing his skills further as a musician. Currently, he is a Drum Set Performance student in his second year at the University of North Texas and has been with us at ZMC since May 2021. Outside of music he enjoys exercise and spending time with his family. He is dedicated to helping others improve their musicianship and increase their love for the art of music.

Jim is a musician living in the McKinney area who has been learning and playing music for over 15 years. Jim is currently studying Classical Guitar at the University of North Texas and has studied many styles of the guitar including classical, rock, jazz, and pop. Some of the awards he has received during his studies are 1st Place at the Collin College Guitar competition and placing at the Mountain View Guitar Competition. Jim has been with ZMC since November 2021, and his teaching encompasses the overall musicianship of his students, with a primary goal on technique and musicality. His main goal while teaching his students is for them to come away with a new level of music appreciation while giving them a solid foundation on the instrument..

Reagan resides in Denton, TX where she is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Music Education at the University of North Texas. She is a part of several choir ensembles including A Cappella, Kalandra, and Up Front and has been teaching with us since December 2021. She has been singing for over 10 years and has been continuously developing her skills in voice and piano. Her passion for music comes with a passion for teaching, and her goal as an instructor is to grow students into well-rounded musicians with knowledge, understanding, and passion for their instrument. instrument.

Owen is a devoted and hard-working musician who comes from a musical family in Denver, Colorado. His musical interest began early, and he picked up the trumpet, French horn, and piano as a pre-teen. Since then, his young musical career has taken him to several different countries and countless ensembles. He has performed in several musicals as an instrumentalist and as a vocalist, and has recently been active in worship bands on both piano and guitar. Owen studies Music Education at the University of North Texas, where he is active in several ensembles and continues to develop his brass and piano playing. He has been teaching with ZMC since January 2022. Outside of music, his strongest values are his faith, his family, and putting smiles on others’ faces. He wants nothing more than to use his gifts to help develop a love of music in the next generation.

Harli is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of North Texas in Denton with a career goal of being a professional opera singer. In high school, she began her pursuits of piano and voice, and qualified for the Texas All-State Choir two years in a row. Harli has been with us since April 2022 and her teaching technique centers around creating strong music readers with impressive problem solving strategies.

Elizabeth is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s of Music in Audio Production from the University of Texas at Arlington. She has been studying classical piano since 2010 and classical voice since 2015. Elizabeth is passionate about furthering the love of music through her students. Her teaching technique focuses on the passionate understanding of music while creating a safe space for musicians of all backgrounds!

As the son of a piano teacher, Stephen has been around music all his life, taking piano lessons at a young age and later switching to guitar upon discovering The Beatles. Self-taught until entering college, he went on to complete a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Studies and a Master of Music degree in Classical Guitar from University of North Texas. As a longtime resident of the DFW area, he has years of experience teaching guitar, music theory, and music appreciation at Tarrant County College, and currently teaches guitar at North Lake College and Brookhaven College. Owing to his diverse musical tastes and background, Stephen understands the desire of his students to be working towards playing the music that they love, while imparting the fundamentals of music theory as well as the physical mechanics of guitar playing.

Minnesota native, Jacob has his Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from Jackson State University. Throughout college, Jacob was a member of the “Sonic Boom of The South” Marching Band where he was a saxophone section leader for three years and was awarded 2nd and 1st prizes in the James E. Hefner HBCU Piano Competition held at Tennessee State University in 2011 and 2012 respectively. Upon graduation, Jacob moved back home to St. Paul, MN to work as the Assistant Music Director at his home church, and was soon promoted to the Minister of Music. Throughout his time in St. Paul, Jacob had the privilege of working with the Minnesota State Baptist Convention Choir, and also collaborating with an eclectic background of artists such as Stokley, Dottie Peoples, “The Voice’s” Jesse Larson, and Kierra Sheard, to name a few.

Aidan is a hardworking and thoughtful musician from Dallas, Texas. He realized his interest in music when he joined his middle school band and picked up the trombone, eagerly learning and practicing. Aidan’s middle school band experience inspired him to up the guitar at the age of 14, and since then he has spent much of his life focused on music and his guitar playing. Playing in local rock bands and studying the instrument whenever he can, he hopes to teach a solid understanding of the guitar while passing on love and interest in playing the instrument.

Cheyenne is currently pursuing a Music Education degree with an emphasis in Choral Studies at Texas Woman’s University in Denton, TX. She quickly picked up a musical interest early on in life and has performed in several choral ensembles as well as served in worship bands on piano, guitar, and vocals. She is currently in the TWU Concert Choir that has recently traveled all over the United States, as well as Europe and has seen firsthand the impact music has on her life and has a passion for equipping others to be able to experience that impact as well. She is excited to see growth in each of her students in both technique and love of music!

Savanna is a dedicated musician from Hillsborough, New Jersey. At the age of 9, she began to sing in her church choir and take private lessons on the flute. In her early high-school years, she showed interest in the piano and piccolo. She has traveled and performed in Europe, Carnegie Hall, The Vatican, and Canada to participate in concert choirs and small ensembles. She is featured on Elem Eley’s Christmastide CD as a soprano soloist. She has performed in multiple pit orchestras, concert ensembles, and choirs, and recently joined a community orchestra. Savanna is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s of Music in Education at the University of North Texas. Her teaching philosophy centers around fostering a positive environment for student growth and musicianship development.

Katelyn is a senior Music Education major at the University of North Texas. She is originally from Canyon, Texas and has been involved with music since elementary school and was a member of the Texas All State Choir in 2018 and 2019. Katelyn has a love and appreciation for all styles and genres of music and a teaching philosophy rooted in musical literacy and a genuine love of the art. She is passionate about making sure her lessons are tailored to the needs of each student!