Our lessons program at the Pepperell Music Center is a simple one. All lessons are $20 per half hour. One hour lessons are available if the student and instructor find it beneficial. All lessons are payable one month in advance on the first lesson of the month. There are no registration fees. A copy of the lesson policy is available at the time of registration.

View instructor profiles below!

Micheal studied guitar at age 6 and piano at 7. His real musical adventure began in high school where he found a large thriving music program from which he benefited greatly. He graduated from Berklee College of Music with a B.A. in Composition and Arranging--primary instrument saxophone/woodwinds. He studied with: Joe Viola (co-founder of Berklee), Herb Pomeroy, Phil Wilson, Greg Hopkins, Andy Magee, Bob Rose, John Bavicchi, Michael Gibbs, George Garzone, Tony Texiera, Wes Hensel, Ray Copland, and Bob Hores. In L.A., he also studied with Clinton Roemer who was a studio arranger/copyist for TV and movies.

Micheal has spent thirty years as a working professional musician: arranging, producing, recording, piano tuning, teaching, and forming/booking successful club/function bands. He has performed and arranged music in almost every venue including New England, L.A., Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Caribbean cruise ships.

Though Micheal has primarily worked in the music field itself, he also has about 15 years experience teaching music privately and in stores. His extensive field experience allows him not only a unique teaching perspective, but career coaching as well. He is able to give students direction in their musical pursuits and help focus their efforts productively. He plays/teaches: guitar, piano, saxophone, bass guitar, flute, trumpet, trombone, clarinet, violin (classical or country), viola, cello, and double bass. He also teaches conducting, music theory, advanced harmony, arranging, composition, song-writing, midi sequencing, hard drive audio recording, vocal and band coaching, ear training, and improvisation. He also conducts the band camps at the Pepperell Music Center.

Some of Micheal's music industry credits include: music prep work for orchestra pieces performed by Chubby Checker for the Boston Pops, arranging work and performances on saxophone and trumpet with Micheal Feinstein, produced demo with orchestral arrangements for an opera singer, produced numerous CDs for song-writing clients, countless arrangements and lead sheets for local bands, featured performer with Holland America Cruise Line, performances with Bobby "Tossin and Turnin" Lewis, the Belmonts, Greg Hopkins, Buckwheat Zydeco, James Cotton, Tab Benoit, Ernie Wilkins, Bob Hores, Ray Copeland, Terry Lynne Carrington, Keith Copeland, and the Winnikers. Micheal was also featured on WATD radio in Marshfield, MA - "Tomorrow's Dreams."

Andy has been a drum instructor at PMC since it opened in 2006. He is soon to be a graduate of UMass Lowell with a music performance degree in percussion, where he studies with Jeffrey Fischer and Fred Buda. Andy also studies drum set with Bob Gullotti of the Boston based jazz group the Fringe. Andy's own jazz/groove based quartet, Trip Fisk, can be seen frequently playing in the Lowell/Boston area.

John is one of PMC's new percussion instructors and attends Groton-Dunstable Regional High School. He has studied percussion for 6 years and plans on pursuing a music/engineering degree at the university level. He plays drumkit for local bands and holds the first chair percussionist position in the GDRHS Jazz Ensemble and Concert Band. John particularly enjoys more aggressive styles of music like rock and metal, but also has experience in other styles and can teach the basics in these styles.

Darrell has been teaching at the Pepperell Music Center since the fall of 2007 and was previously a martial arts instructor. He is 18 years old and has been playing the piano since 1999. He has been studying piano and music theory with three instructors for many years, and also attended Indian Hill Music Hall for a semester in 2000. He specializes in classical performance, but also has been trained to teach the blues as well as rock and roll based music.

When teaching, Darrell gives students the choice of classical or rock and roll, and bases their lessons accordingly. He teaches the students both songs that they can play for an audience and musical theory which shows students how music "works." He keeps students entertained by incorporating relevant games into the lesson.

Catherine has been playing the piano since she was 5 years old and has been teaching at PMC since its inception, where her passions for kids and music are brought into play. She recently graduated with a B.A. in Communications from Rivier College and alongside teaching, she does freelance work in web design, graphic design, and marketing.

Some of Catherine's influences/favorite artists include: Jewel, Fiona Apple, Bjork, Cake, Beck, Moby, Jeff Buckley, Bob Marley, Queen, Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd.

Amanda has been studying flute for about 11 years and is pursuing a B.A. in Music Education at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. She has been in many award-winning symphonic bands around nothern Massachusetts and is currently in UMass Lowell's conert band and wind ensemble. She is an active member of the Music Education National Conference (MENC), and in 2007 attended the yearly conference in Hartford, CT. She currently teaches trombone, clarinet, and flute, but can play about a dozen instruments.

Amanda's educational philosophy is that students should enjoy playing as a fun activity and not as a stressful experience. She feels building self-confidence is the best method for teaching.

She has studied flute under: Peter Maaser, JoAnna Byng, Jourdan Paul, Susan Gall, and Melissa Mielens.

Jimmy has played guitar and bass for 15 years. He studied for 5 years with Mark Marquis, 2 years at Berklee College of Music, and has been teaching for a total of 7 years.

Some of his influences include: Miles Davis, John Coltrane, John McLaughlin, Ravi Shankar, Pat Martino, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimmy Smith, Peter Tosh, Grant Green, Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter.

John is a guitar instructor specializing in rock (modern and classic), heavy metal, and blues. He is currently studying at Berklee College of Music where he is pursuing a degree in Performance.

His major influences are: Ace Frehley, Ronnie Earl, Eddie Van Halen, Steve Vai, and Dimebag Darrell.

Andrew has been studying, performing, and composing percussion for 10 years. In recent years he has been touring with the sensational rock group The Outside Inn, acquiring superstar status in the northeast. Aside from being a rockstar, Andrew studies business at the University of Middlesex Community College by day, and works as a professional Lifesaver by night.

Some of his influences include: Mike Mangini, Alex Van Halen, Dave Grohl, Buddy Rich, Ed Shaunessy, Tre Cool, and Mike Portnoy.

Dan has been playing guitar since he was 5 years old and has been in love with it for 12 years (he's 17). The styles he plays are blues, rock, jazz, funk, metal, and alternative. He teaches all ages and believes that if someone wants to learn something--they most certainly can. Dan will teach what is wanted and what is needed. He is friendly, laid back, and loves to teach!

Some of his influences are: Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Tool, Steve Vai, and Pink Floyd.

Alex Burgess Saint Croix is a drummer. His life is drums. He has been playing for the last 10 years and has been teaching for the past year. He is 15 years old and is a freshman at North Middlesex Regional High School where he is highly involved with the music program; he plays percussion in the Wind Symphony, plays snare on the drumline for the marching band, and has taken music theory and jazz band in the past. He has been in and out of bands for 2 years now and is searching for a new one.

Aside from playing drums, Alex sings, and tries to play the guitar, bass, and keyboards. He's known the owner of the store, Alan, for 15 years; he was there from the beginning. He enjoys (good) punk music, music in general, talking about drums and life, disagreeing with global warming, and even more music.

His influences as a musician include: Atom Willard, Travis Barker, John Bonham, Tom DeLonge, Mark Hoppus, Fred Macherino, Buddy Rich, Neil Peart (of course), Steve Smith, and Rodney Holmes.