About Me

Hi, I'm Brett! I'm a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and music educator based in Arlington, Virginia. I picked up the guitar when I was eight years old and haven't stopped playing since. After learning the basics, my first teacher, John Davis, encouraged me to pick up the bass, which sparked a lifelong curiosity for learning new instruments. Since then, I've added ukulele, piano, drums, and recording production to my musical toolkit, and I'm currently teaching myself banjo.

I've always been drawn to creating music just as much as learning it. I love improvising with other musicians, recording in the studio, and performing live.

Education

My formal music education began at Arizona School for the Arts, where I studied classical guitar under Joshua Pierce from fifth grade through high school. I was one of the youngest students at the time to be accepted into the school's advanced guitar program, and during my senior year I served as the Teaching Assistant for the beginner and intermediate classical guitar programs.

I later attended Western Washington University, where I studied classical guitar under David Feingold and music composition under Lesley Sommer. In 2024, I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and a Minor in Music.

Teaching Experience

Teaching has been one of the most rewarding parts of my musical career. Over the past five years, I've taught more than 200 students of all ages and experience levels, helping each student build confidence and grow through music.

For three years, I taught guitar, bass, ukulele, drums, and piano full-time at Guitar Center and freelance . Before that, I served as a Teaching Assistant at Arizona School for the Arts, mentoring beginning and intermediate classical guitar students, and later worked as a substitute instructor at Scottsdale Music Academy.

Throughout my teaching career, I've worked with children, teenagers, adults, retirees, english language learners, and people with disabilities adapting lessons to fit every student's learning style and musical interests. Whether someone is picking up an instrument for the first time, refining years of experience, or seeking music for therapeutic reasons, my goal is always the same:

help students become confident, well-rounded musicians while enjoying the process.

Beyond the music

When I'm not teaching, you'll usually find me outside. I'm an avid rock climber, mountaineer, and outdoor enthusiast, and I love spending weekends backpacking, mountain biking, camping, and exploring new places with friends. One of my favorite accomplishments outside of music is climbing to the summit of every active stratovolcano in Washington State!

I enjoy reading, traveling, seeing live concerts, and getting together with friends for board games/ cards!