Private Lesson Faculty
Jennifer Keeney – creativeflutist@gmail.com
Jennifer Keeney's playing and teaching reflect her joyful, creative and dynamic approach to music and the flute. Ms. Keeney enjoys collaborating with a variety of Classical, Jazz, Pop, Latin, and World Musicians. She performs as a soloist and chamber musician as well as giving classes and workshops throughout Texas, the United States and abroad. Jennifer served as Flute and Piccolo in the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, Principal Flute of the Hong Kong Philharmonic and the New World Symphony and has performed with the Detroit Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Houston Grand Opera and Colorado Music Festival Orchestra, among others.
Ms. Keeney, the "Creative Flutist" is the owner and creator of The Creative Flutist Studio and also teaches in the Round Rock High Schools in Austin, Texas. Jennifer was the Affiliate Artist of Flute at the University of Houston, Moores School of Music for the past 9 1/2 years. She taught at the Interlochen National Music Camp and the Bowling Green University Summer Flute Camp, at The Baylor Flute Seminar and Floot Fire. Now her summers are spent teaching and performing on the flute faculty of The Panoramic Flutist at The University of Colorado, The Texas Summer Flute Symposium, and is celebrating 12 years of her summer Creative Flutist Classes in Austin, Texas.
She is the author of several books, Creative Practice Ideas and Exercises for the Whole Musician – Flute, is available as an e-book and in hard cover. She is also the author of Creative Practice Recipes: Flute Flash Set 1 & 2 and The Creative Flutist. Ms. Keeney completed 3 years of training as an Alexander Technique teacher and is certified as a Yoga Teacher by Dharma Yoga in Austin, Texas. Ms. Keeney received her flute performance education from The University of Michigan, Royal Northern College of Music in England, University of Southern California and The Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. Jennifer is grateful to all her teachers and her principal teachers include Clemente Barone, Julius Baker, Jeanne Baxtresser, Judith Bentley, Leone Buyse, Walfrid Kujala, Keith Underwood, Jim Walker and Trevor Wye.
In her free time she enjoys being in nature, yoga, nature, poetry, friends, writing and volunteering at the animal shelter and playing at assisted care homes. Jennifer adores being an aunt to her two nieces and two nephews and has two wonderful sisters whom she treasures, her twin sister Rebecca and younger sister Allison. She moved to Austin, Texas in January, 2015.
Ashley Cook – ashleycook91@gmail.com
A native of Charleston, South Carolina, Ashley received her Bachelor's in Oboe Performance and minor in Music Entrepreneurship from the University of South Carolina. She was the recipient of the Leadership Scholars grant, which funded outreach performances for her award-winning woodwind quintet, Garnet Winds. In May of 2016, she received her Master's in Oboe Performance from the University of Texas, where she was the holder of the prestigious Recruitment Fellowship.
Since moving to Austin in 2014, she has been a finalist for the University of Texas Concerto Competition, freelances in the Austin area, and frequently subs with the Brazos Valley and San Antonio Symphonies. She also holds an extensive studio of aspiring young oboists in the Austin area, and is an instructor in the summer at the nationally recognized Bocal Majority/Operation O.B.O.E. double reed camps.
Adam Drake – adrake608@gmail.com
Bassoonist Adam Drake is an active musician across the central Texas region. Based in Austin, Adam teaches a large studio of middle and high school bassoon students. While a student at The University of Texas, Adam performed with the University's Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, and on many recitals and chamber concerts at the Butler School of Music.
His past summer experiences include the National Music Festival, Brevard Music Center's Institute, and the opportunity of performing as bassoonist for the American Wind Symphony Orchestra's 55th season. As a founding member of listen, a wind quintet, and bassoonist for prismatx ensemble, a contemporary chamber ensemble in Austin TX, Adam is also a dynamic chamber musician.
In May 2017, Adam was awarded a Master of Music degree from The University of Texas's Butler School of Music. His former teachers and other musical inspirations include Kristin Wolfe Jensen, Jeff Keesecker, and Amanda Swain.
Dr. Nicholas Councilor – ncouncil@utexas.edu
Nicholas Councilor is currently on the faculty at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. He also teaches master classes and private lessons to many students in the Austin area and is a clinician for the D'Addario Woodwinds Method Program. He serves on the faculty for the Austin Chamber Music Center and has been on the faculty for the UT Butler School of Music's Longhorn Music Camps since 2013.
Recently, Nicholas performed as guest principal clarinetist with the Dallas Winds in their performance at the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE) conference in San Jose, CA. During his time at UT, he regularly performed as principal clarinetist in both the Symphony Orchestra and Wind Ensemble, and in 2014, he performed in nine concerts with the UT Wind Ensemble in a tour across the United States, Asia, and Europe. In February 2015, he was a soloist with the UT Wind Ensemble in a world premiere performance of John Corigliano's Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra transcribed by Craig B. Davis. Nicholas is a member of the Round Rock Symphony and performs with the San Antonio Symphony on numerous occasions each year. As an avid chamber musician, he has earned the silver medal at the prestigious 2016 Fischoff Competition and is a prizewinner of both the Coleman and Plowman chamber music competitions.
Dr. Councilor earned his Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music degrees in clarinet performance at The University of Texas at Austin, where he served as both Teaching Assistant and Assistant Instructor (replacing a faculty position) for the clarinet studio. Originally from Michigan, he earned a Bachelor's degree in music education from Eastern Michigan University, graduating summa cum laude.
Dan Bechdolt – dbechdolt@icloud.com
Dan Bechdolt is an accomplished musician, composer, and educator who has lived in Austin, TX for the past 17 years. Mr. Bechdolt hails from Southern California, but relocated to Denton, TX to study at the University of North Texas where he received his Bachelor's of Music in Jazz Studies – Performance in 2000. While at UNT, Bechdolt studied under Woody Witt, Jay Miglia, Dan Haerle, Mike Steinel, Keith Javors, and Alan Baylock.
While in Denton, Bechdolt co-founded the soul-funk collective Mingo Fishtrap, who continues to record and tour nationally and internationally to this day. The band has performed alongside greats such as Sting, Snarky Puppy, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Blues Traveler, Earth Wind & Fire, Trombone Shorty, & Parliament Funkadelic among many others.
For the past 13 years, when not on the road, Bechdolt has taught saxophone privately in the north Austin area and his students are often recognized at the state level. Bechdolt also frequently clinics local-area jazz bands, and performs with many top local ensembles such as the Red Young Quartet, Red Young and his Hot Horns, the N.O.W. Jazz Orchestra, and the Urban Achievers Brass Band.
Michael Rey – michaelreytrumpet@gmail.com
Michael Rey is a professional trumpet player residing in Austin, Texas. In a city known for its live music, he has carved an impressive path for himself, in not only performance, but instruction, adjudication and studio work as well. A founding member of the acclaimed Austin-based horn trio, The Fresh 2 Def Horns, Michael has busied his performance schedule with groups of many varying genre. From the Grammy award winning Latin piece, Grupo Fantasma, to another Grammy-awarding winning artist, Country singer/song writer Rick Trevino, to say he is a versatile musician is a gross understatement.
Michael has been a long-standing performer at the well-known jazz venue, The Elephant Room, down in the basement on Congress Ave. in downtown Austin; a place where many aspiring Austin transplant musicians hope to one day cut their teeth on the same stage that has been graced by the likes of Winton Marsallis and Harry Connick, Jr. He is among the elite who have had that opportunity, and he has done so on hundreds of occasions – showcasing his chops as the "high note guy" in various established local jazz ensembles.
In between performances, local and on tour, Michael also has quite the rap sheet as a recording artist, playing both solo and within a horn section. He can be heard on the four records of esteemed Austin group, The Nightowls, many tunes featuring horn lines on which he collaborated creatively as well. Most notably, he has found himself blowing away within the walls of the famed Sun Studio, where Elvis Presley was discovered, in addition to being in the talented hands of Grammy-award winning producer Laurence "Boo" Mitchell at renowned Royal Studios.
Michael's resume is one to envy, yet some of his proudest accomplishments are those where he is not even the recipient of the glory. For almost 15 years, Michael has been a private trumpet instructor, working with kids from the time they first put a horn to their mouth, to when they're preparing their college audition material. He has coached several students who have excelled in district, region and state competitions, and many of his mentees have achieved the highest accolades during solo and ensemble performances.
Mr. Rey, as they call him, has helped them hone the skills necessary to enter confidently into their respective universities as aspiring music students. Some of his former students are pursuing their own musical dreams at Stephen F. Austin University (Michael's Alma Mater), Oberlin Music Conservatory, Texas State, the University of Texas and the University of North Texas.
He has had the honor of being an adjudicator and guest artist at Jazz festivals on an annual basis. For the past 15 summers, he has paid homage to his Alma Mater by traveling back to Nacogdoches, Texas to lead trumpet Master Classes, teach private lessons and perform as a guest artist with the campers.
Michael is married and has two children with one on the way!
Ben Carroll – bencarroll@utexas.edu
Ben Carroll is a brass musician and educator in Austin, Texas. He holds a Bachelors of Music degree from the University of Texas at Austin where he studied horn performance under the instruction of Patrick Hughes. During his undergrad, Ben auditioned into the top ensembles and was a part of the University of Texas Wind Ensemble 2014 world tour.
Ben is currently a member of the Austin Civic Orchestra, and is a member of Lab Orchestra ATX, a flexible, collaborative, and modern 21st-century-minded chamber orchestra dedicated to sharing new and old music with the audiences in Austin, TX. During the week, Ben works as a private horn instructor in the surrounding Austin area for Pflugerville High school, McNeil High School, and its surrounding feeder middle schools
Ben's passion for the marching arts has lead him to three summer tours with the Santa Clara Vanguard 'A' Drum Corps, and a Taiwan tour with the Santa Clara Vanguard International Corps. He dedicates his time to local high school marching bands as visual and brass instructional staff at Cedar Ridge and Pflugerville High School.
During the summer you can find Ben on the road with the Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps form Denver, Colorado. This season is the start of Ben's third year on brass staff with the Blue Knights.
This fall Ben will be pursuing a master's degree in horn performance from the University of Texas at Austin.
Dr. Javier Stuppard – jastuppard@gmail.com
Dr. Javier Stuppard strives for excellence as an eclectic musician while upholding the highest of standards. He maintains an active performance schedule in various styles of music including Jazz, Salsa, Orchestral and Commercial. He has been featured at several major conferences such as the International Trombone Festival, the National Trombone Workshop and the Texas Music Educators Conference with both the Minor 4th Trombone Quartet and JazzBonez. In addition, the Minor 4th Trombone Quartet presented at the Texas Bandmasters Association Conference, have been featured guest artists with professional and collegiate Symphony Orchestras, and perform recitals and master classes at Universities nationwide.
Dr. Stuppard is an energetic advocate of music in public schools and often serves as an adjudicator, clinician, and mentor. In 2015, he gladly accepted the position of Artist Mentor for Electrify Your Band!, a program that was created to assist with the promotion of fine arts in school districts around the nation by bridging imagination and intellect though musical self-expression. This program allows him the opportunity to teach students the important combination of being an educator, performer and entertainer though clinics and performance on Electric Trombone.
Additionally, he is a founder the Fresh2Def Horns, a horn section who's soulful sound is a culmination of an exceptional blend, superb musicianship, and creativity that is adjusted to enhance any genre of music. They have a distinct style that is deeply rooted in entertainment; their delivery of a "complete package" is evident though choreography, and high-energy that engages the audience through interaction. To further enhance the experience the look of the section is chosen from a wardrobe of matching attire such as suit and ties, fitted hats and Air Jordan shoes.
As a free-lance musician, Dr. Stuppard has performed with Lukas Graham and taped live for the MTV Woodies, played festivals such as SXSW, Austin City Limits, Blues of the Green, and opened for a variety of artists such as Canadian Brass, Leon Bridges to Kool & the Gang. On the orchestral side of music he has also performed with the Austin Symphony Orchestra, Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra, Temple Symphony, Round Rock Symphony and the Bermuda Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2010, he had the distinct honor in opening for a speech given by President Obama in Austin, Texas.
From 2009-2018, Dr. Stuppard served as Assistant Professor of Music at Huston-Tillotson University. He holds a B.M.E from Norfolk State University, a M.M and D.M.A. from The University of Texas at Austin. His principal teachers include Paul Adams, Ron Westray and Dr. Nathaniel Brickens.
Dr. Stuppard has served as the International Trombone Festival Competition Coordinator since 2012, is an artist/clinician for Michael Rath Trombones, Applied Microphone Technology, 64 Audio, and plays exclusively on Pickett Brass Mouthpieces.
Tuba/Euphonium
Patrick Geren – pmgerenmusic@gmail.com
Patrick Geren is an independent music educator, performer, and composer across Austin (TX) and works as a brass instructor with the Bluecoats Drum & Bugle Corps (Canton, OH). He earned his Master's in Performance from the University of Georgia with David Zerkel and his Bachelor's in Music Education and Performance from Illinois State University with Dr. Andy Rummel and Dr. Mark Babbitt.
As a member of the University of Georgia Tuba Quartet, he earned honors as first runner-up in the chamber ensemble competitions at the 2014 Music Teachers National Association in Chicago and the International Tuba Euphonium Conference held at Indiana University. His original work, Tipping Point," was a finalist at the 2016 U.S. Army Band Tuba-Euphonium Composition Contest.
His works have been published through Potenza Music, reviewed in the International Tuba Euphonium Association (ITEA) Journal, and performed at regional and national conferences.
In 2016 he founded his own publishing company, Wiley Island Press. In addition, scholarly articles of his research have been published in multiple ITEA Journals.
Gabe Montemayor – chrisgabemontemayor@gmail.com
Christopher Gabriel "Gabe" Montemayor is originally from Elgin, Tx and has been studying percussion since age 4, learning under his father. As he grew older, he was in high school band, playing percussion, and became involved in Drum Corps International when he earned a spot playing timpani with Memphis Sound Drum and Bugle Corps at just 15 years old.
He then marched with Spirit of Atlanta and Boston Crusaders, until earning a spot as the timpanist for the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps in 2012 for the next 4 years. With the Blue Devils, Gabe went on to earn 3 DCI World Championships (two of which were undefeated seasons) and as part of the 2014 Blue Devils corps as a DCI world record high-score holder. In 2015, he won the System Blue Individual and Ensemble contest on timpani and earned the Percussion High Score for the contest.
In addition, with the percussion section at the Blue Devils, he was a member of two Fred Sanford High Percussion years (2012 and 2015) and in 2015 was named the Blue Devils Percussion Performer of the Year. Outside drum corps, he also attended the WashBurg Timpani Symposium in Washington, D.C. in 2016 as the winner of the Stanley Leonard scholarship. He has previously taught at Georgetown and Leander ISD high school percussion programs.
Gabe is a 2018 graduate of Loyola University New Orleans, where he attended on music scholarship, with a Bachelors of Music Performance as a percussion major. Gabe also enjoys sport caving, and is interested in hydrogeology.