Pfluger-Rock School of Music Staff

Go directly to the instructors: Guitar, Bass, Piano, Drums, Violin Viola, Voice, Saxophone, Flute

Alyssa : Office Manager

Monday & Tuesday

Barbara: Office Manager

Wednesday, Thursday & Friday

Todd Barth: Guitar Lessons

Todd Barth is a graduate of the University of Texas and the Guitar Institute of Technology (G.I.T.) in Hollywood, California.

Todd has been playing for 38-years and teaching for 31-years. Locally, he has played lead guitar for Rick Trevino, The Debonaires, Texas Unlimited Band, Mark Winston Kirk, The House band at Coupland Dance Hall, Six Sanchez and Allie Danielle. Todd has extensive experience as a working and recording musician performing with many top bands in Texas and California. He has performed at concerts, nightclubs, dance halls, cruise ships, Disneyland, Disneyworld, Vegas, Reno and Lake Tahoe. He has played regularly with the band at Riverbend Church.

Todd's demo tape was one of only three selected from over 600 monthly submissions to be profiled in Guitar Player magazine's “Spotlight on New Talent,” a column featuring hot new up-and-coming players. He was also featured in the “Resume” column of Guitar for the Practicing Musician and in the “Hometown Heroes” column of Guitar World magazine. In college, Todd was chosen by audition to play with the University of Texas Jazz Lab Band and the Sam Houston State University Big Band.

Todd has designed a well-rounded guitar curriculum and uses an extensive checklist to track each student's progress. He also incorporates a large collection of recorded music, hand picked for its relevance to guitar instruction, into his lessons. Todd has worked as a teacher at nine different music stores, Sam Houston State University and at the Guitar Institute of Technology. Todd is also the author of a nationally distributed instructional DVD/Video and two CD/Books. His latest CD/book, Country Licks, is available from Carl Fischer music.

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Carlos Ufret: Guitar Lessons

Carlos E. Ufret-Vincenty was born in 1977 in Humacao, Puerto Rico. He was inspired to pursue music as a career from an early age. During his growing-up years, he enjoyed listening to his father’s classical records, to rock artists and folk artists, as well as the traditional music from Puerto Rico.

At age 17, Carlos entered the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music (CMPR). He graduated with honors in December 1998 with a Bachelors degree in music, receiving the string department medal. From 1998 through July 2000, Carlos taught guitar lessons at the CMPR's Extension Program. In 2000, he entered the guitar program at the Indiana University (IU) School of Music in Bloomington, IN, and received his Master of Music degree in May 2003. During his years of study there, Carlos served as an associate instructor of guitar for IU's guitar department, teaching guitar classes and lessons at all levels, including teaching undergraduate classical guitar majors and students minoring in jazz.

Throughout his years of study, Carlos has been chosen to play in master classes for some of the most distinguished names in the classical guitar world, including Pepe Romero, Manuel Barrueco, William Kanengiser, Andrew York, and Richard Savino. Carlos has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Roberto I. Ferdman Award from Pro-Arte Musical de Puerto Rico, the Olympia Barbera scholarship at Indiana University, as well as scholarships to attend the National Guitar Summer Workshop and The Domaine Forget Summer Academy in Québec, Canada.

At Pfluger-Rock, Carlos teaches his students both note-reading and tablature. His greatest satisfaction in teaching comes from witnessing a student’s progress.

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Matt Read: Guitar Lessons

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Carter Arrington: Guitar Lessons

Carter Arrington began playing guitar at the age of 12 and studying with various teachers in the Roanoke, VA area. At the age of 15, he earned one of 25 nation-wide scholarships from Berklee College of Music in Boston for the upcoming summer guitar sessions. Previously versed in rock and metal styles, his Boston experience led him to explore more avenues of music in an intense musical environment and a decision to pursue music as a career. At 17, he attended the Atlanta Institute of Music, a vocational performance music school specializing in preparing students to become successful working musicians. Atlanta also provided a large R&B and funk music scene, and opened up Carter’s musical doors to the likes of Prince, Earth Wind and Fire, and various other fusion artists that greatly enhanced his rhythmic sensibilities. Upon graduation, he taught various courses and levels at the Atlanta Institute of Music including scales, rock performance, jazz concepts, rock styles, and odd meter performance. Carter also taught private students independently, and as an instructor for Mars Music, teaching around 35 students weekly. He currently resides in Austin and recently completed his Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Performance from the University of Texas at Austin.

Carter is versed in many musical styles ranging from rock, metal, funk, R&B, jazz, fusion, Latin, and some classical and finger-style guitar. Recent experience included a European tour that included performances at the North Sea and Montreax Jazz festivals, two of the most renowned in the world, various other gigs in Germany and Switzerland, and opening for The Headhunters. He gigs regularly in the Austin area and occasionally in Lubbock, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. Local gigs have included groups such as the UT AIME ensemble, Groovin’ Ground, Larry, Apostrophe, The Palm School Choir, and currently enjoys various R&B projects. Carter has been teaching guitar for 7 years.

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Alex Adinolfi: Guitar Lessons

Alex has been playing guitar for more than 30 years. He has gathered experience in Italy and in the UK, deepening his knowledge of American music in Texas over the last 12 years, covering different styles. He has played for musicians such as Rick Trevino, Hal Ketchum, Kevin Fowler, Dale Watson, Cindy Cashdollar, Jason Roberts, and Haydn Vitera, among others. Alex studied music theory at Austin Community College and is currently the lead guitar player of the ACC Jazz Big Band, directed by Dr. Tom Husak, with which he performed at President Obama’s inauguration in Washington, D.C. He also has extensive experience as performer, co-producer, and arranger for various recording projects, including albums and commercials. Alex lives in Pflugerville with his wife and young son.

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Matt Brooks: Guitar and Electric Bass Lessons

Matt has been playing and studying music his entire life. He started learning drums and piano at age five, guitar at age six, and upright bass at age ten. He has been in steady working bands since the age of twelve, and has been teaching guitar full time since 1987. Matt has been one of Pfluger-Rock’s busiest teachers for over five years.

Matt studied at The University of Northern Iowa, Northwestern College, and Bemidji State University, with a dual major in Art and Music.

As a live performer, he has played everywhere from weddings to nursing homes to 60,000 seat festivals. He has even played at the top of the World Trade Center! Along the way, he’s shared the stage with dozens of acts including Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, Brooks and Dunn, Tim McGraw, Alan Jackson, and the Allman Brothers.

For four years, he was a member of an internationally touring Grand Ol' Opry band, backing artists such as Ray Price, Charlie Louvin, Del Reeves, and Tommy Cash. As a member of the Red Stallion Band, he was featured on the national video release ‘Johnny Counterfit Live’.

Matt was also a staff composer and musician at Metro Studios, in Iowa. He has played or added vocals to over 150 TV and radio commercials – both regional and national – as well as dozens of commercial and industrial films, winning several awards for original composition. His music can even be heard in a display at the Smithsonian institute!

As staff guitarist and Asst. Musical Director for Theatre Cedar Rapids, he played both on and off stage roles. One of the largest community theatres in the country, TCR sold out two seasons a year with shows including ‘Little Shop of Horrors’, ‘Beehive’, and the Who’s ‘Tommy’. The ‘Bakers Dozen Players’ of Lockhart, Texas included Matt in their 2004 cast, and he was featured in ‘Pump Boys and Dinettes’ as well as several variety productions.

After relocating to Texas six years ago, he immersed himself in the Traditional Country scene in Austin, and can be seen performing regularly at places like Gruene Hall, the Broken Spoke, and Ginny’s Little Longhorn. He’s also been lucky enough to play with or open for Jimmie Vaughan, The Derailers, Jerry Jeff Walker, Corey Morrow, Reckless Kelly, The Flatlanders, Dane Sterling, Sunny Sweeney, Dean Seltzer and his own band Hillbilly Zen.

Well versed in all decades of Country, Blues, and Rock, Matt prefers beginning and intermediate students, aged 13 and above, putting an emphasis on goals, motivation and practical application. Instruction on home recording and songwriting, as well as custom made charts and transcriptions are also made available to his students. Matt has a tablature library with over 10,000 songs in published formats, a CD collection of 6000 discs (that’s 70,000 mp3s!), and he utilizes the latest in audio editing and tablature writing software.

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Russell Shores: Acoustic and Electric Bass Lessons

Russell earned a Bachelor of Music Degree from Central University of New York, N.Y. He is a Peavey Artist Endorser. Mr. Shores has performed with Diana Ross, Julian Lennon, Elliot Fikes, Lucid Dream, Soul Serenade, The Central University Symphony and Jazz Band, the ACC Jazz Band, SWT State Symphony, The Mahor Burkes Band, and The Steve O’Neill Band. Russell has taught privately for sixteen years and has been at Pfluger-Rock since it opened seven years ago.

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Jessica Arnobit: Piano Lessons

Jessica started piano lessons at the age of 8. At the age of 12 her family relocated to another city where her love for music deepened. It was her new teacher who inspired her to work hard and develop her talent for music. During those years it was not uncommon for Jessica to spend hours at the piano only to have her mother interrupt her to get outside and get some fresh air! The obsession with music continued into college and Jessica obtained her Bachelor of Music in 2002. That same year she began teaching private piano lessons in the Chicago area. At her busiest time she was teaching over 75 private lessons a week! She has worked with students of all ages and abilities and considers teaching piano to be a joyful, creative, and rewarding experience. She hopes that her students will grow to enjoy piano as a lifelong gift.

Jessica enjoys many musical endeavors including playing the keys with her church worship team, running the sound board, and accompanying for local theaters.

As a new resident of Austin she is also excited to get to know the local musicians and experience the culture the city has to offer!

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Lisa Brewer : Piano and Voice Lessons

Lisa's background in music and arts is extensive. From Walt Disney World Epcot Center to the 25,000 member Willow Creek Community Church in Illinois, Lisa has enjoyed a music career for the last 25 years in both performance and teaching. Lisa's passion for music began at a very young age through exploration of the arts by way of piano and vocal lessons, singing and playing in her hometown church in southwest Virginia.

By the time she graduated high school, Lisa's love for music had taken deep root, and she began her college level studying at Radford University in Radford, VA, later transferring to Lee University in Cleveland, TN. While in college, she participated in honors recitals and special performances. She also traveled and represented Lee University in the summers with a performance ensemble. Lisa graduated with honors and a BA in Music.

After graduating, Lisa toured as a back up singer for Christian Artist, Larnelle Harris. The following summer, she married Stacy, her college sweetheart, and they began a career in arts ministry. Shortly thereafter, Lisa was hired to sing with Epcot Center Voices of Liberty as First Soprano/Swing Soprano. She has enjoyed many performance opportunities with churches, community groups and as a soloist.

In addition to performing, Lisa has always had a heart for developing young artists, and has coached, mentored and produced childrens music for much of the last 25 years.

Stacy, Lisa and their three amazing daughters relocated to Austin two years ago from Chicago, where Lisa served as the vocal director/coach for Willow Creek Community Church. Her husband, Stacy, currently serves as the Arts Director at Gateway Community Church in Austin.

Lisa enjoys teaching students of all ages in vocal performance and piano, helping each student find his or her unique contribution and expression of voice and song.

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Grace Brooks: Piano and Voice Lessons

Grace Brooks is the consummate music teacher, music therapist, choral conductor and theatre teacher. She has been a voice teacher and piano teacher at the Louisiana Academy of Performing Arts, the Allegro School of Music and the Stoneham Teacher. Ms. Brooks served as a member of the music ministry team in several churches and taught acting lessons at Western Washington University. As a music therapist, Grace worked with developmentally disabled children at Human First in Brooklyn, New York. Grace graduated from Longy School of Musics Graduate Performance Program in Opera Performance after receiving a Masters of Arts in Acting and Bachelors of Music in Sacred Music. During the 2009-2010 season, Grace was a member of the Opera New Jersey Studio and the Marion Roose Pullin Studio at Arizona Opera.

Grace also teaches at our sister school, Northwest School of Music.

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Kay Salinas: Piano Lessons

Mrs. Salinas began studying piano at age six, organ at age twelve and by age fifteen, started teaching piano and organ lessons at a music school in the St. Louis area. Kay’s love for music was encouraged by her mother, a professional vocalist, whom she accompanied for years, as well as accompanying students auditioning at Butler University School of Music. Only in middle school, she started accompanying school choirs and continued through high school and college at Ohio Wesleyan University, where she majored in Piano and Music Education. While at Wesleyan, she tutored other piano majors in theory. Kay taught at Daarrud School of Music where at one time she had 68 private students. She has experience teaching music and piano to elementary and middle school children. In addition to teaching, Kay has played the piano and pipe organ in several churches over the years. Kay loves to teach students of all ages and has taught beginners as young as three and as "young at heart" as 78. With forty years of teaching experience, she believes in teaching music, not just how to play the piano. Kay teaches theory in her lessons in order for her students to use what they have learned to apply to other instruments or types of music. Kay recently moved back home to Austin and is excited to be able to share her love of music with students at Pfluger-Rock School of Music.

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Marianna Tanguy: Piano Lessons

Marianna began playing piano at the age of five after begging her parents for piano lessons. They agreed (thank heavens) and she enthusiastically studied formal, classical piano from age five through college in 1985. She attended North Texas State University, majoring in Jazz Studies for three years and graduated with a major in psychology and a minor in music. Since the age of 15, she’s played, in rock, funk R&B, and blues bands. Marianna currently plays keyboards in four Austin based bands, two of which are original projects and has been teaching for over 15 years and love it. Before returning to Texas, Marianna played, recorded and taught piano in Santa Barbara California. She also holds a Ph.D. in Psychology.

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Mark Ramsey: Piano Lessons

Mark has been an active Austin musician for 30 years and has played piano, drums or guitar with several rock, blues, jazz and country bands in central Texas including bands with Pete Denney (one of George Strait’s guitar players) and Mark Winston Kirk. Mark studied percussion with George Frock, head of percussion at UT Austin, while still in high school. He then went on to study Music Theory and Composition at UT Austin as a piano principle. As a result, Mark is able to offer both classical and contemporary improvisational instruction on piano.

Mark has been teaching piano and drums in Austin since 1989 and began offering guitar instruction in 2000. Mark also taught history at the secondary level and brings to music instruction a well-developed teaching ability, a lot of patience, and a love of teaching.

Mark has three children. He currently leads worship and coordinates the music program at Red River Church in Austin.

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Kirk Sonnenberg: Piano Lessons

Kirk Sonnenberg grew up in a small Texas town just south of Dallas. He began playing drums and piano at age eight in church, and played his first professional gig at age fifteen. In college, Kirk studied drums, piano, and guitar. In addition to playing all three instruments in a number of Rock, Folk Rock, Heavy Metal, Jazz, Trip-hop, Funk, Country Rock, and Alternative Rock bands over the years, Kirk has been teaching all three instruments since 1995. He played Classical recitals on piano at his alma mater, The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), while obtaining his degree in Music Media. At UTA, he studied piano under Dr. John Solomons and Dr. Larry Wiley and played drums in two different Jazz bands. One of the Jazz tunes that Kirk played both keyboard and drums on was even voted #1 Jazz MP3 on the MP3 website. After spending five years in Chicago, IL, where he taught music at Truman College, Flatts & Sharpe Music, and Northside Catholic Academy, Kirk has returned to Texas. He now lives in Austin with his beautiful wife and daughter. All three are pleased as punch that they will never have to endure subzero temperatures for an entire winter ever again.

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Lisa Brewer : Voice and Piano Lessons

Lisa's background in music and arts is extensive. From Walt Disney World Epcot Center to the 25,000 member Willow Creek Community Church in Illinois, Lisa has enjoyed a music career for the last 25 years in both performance and teaching. Lisa's passion for music began at a very young age through exploration of the arts by way of piano and vocal lessons, singing and playing in her hometown church in southwest Virginia.

By the time she graduated high school, Lisa's love for music had taken deep root, and she began her college level studying at Radford University in Radford, VA, later transferring to Lee University in Cleveland, TN. While in college, she participated in honors recitals and special performances. She also traveled and represented Lee University in the summers with a performance ensemble. Lisa graduated with honors and a BA in Music.

After graduating, Lisa toured as a back up singer for Christian Artist, Larnelle Harris. The following summer, she married Stacy, her college sweetheart, and they began a career in arts ministry. Shortly thereafter, Lisa was hired to sing with Epcot Center Voices of Liberty as First Soprano/Swing Soprano. She has enjoyed many performance opportunities with churches, community groups and as a soloist.

In addition to performing, Lisa has always had a heart for developing young artists, and has coached, mentored and produced childrens music for much of the last 25 years.

Stacy, Lisa and their three amazing daughters relocated to Austin two years ago from Chicago, where Lisa served as the vocal director/coach for Willow Creek Community Church. Her husband, Stacy, currently serves as the Arts Director at Gateway Community Church in Austin.

Lisa enjoys teaching students of all ages in vocal performance and piano, helping each student find his or her unique contribution and expression of voice and song.

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Grace Brooks: Voice and Piano Lessons

Grace Brooks is the consummate voice teacher, music therapist, choral conductor and theatre teacher. She has been a voice teacher and piano teacher at the Louisiana Academy of Performing Arts, the Allegro School of Music and the Stoneham Teacher. She has served as a member of the music ministry team in several churches and has taught acting lessons at Western Washington University. As a music therapist, Grace worked with developmentally disabled children at Human First in Brooklyn, New York. Grace graduated from Longy School of Musics Graduate Performance Program in Opera Performance after receiving a Masters of Arts in Acting and Bachelors of Music in Sacred Music. During the 2009-2010 season, Grace was a member of the Opera New Jersey Studio and the Marion Roose Pullin Studio at Arizona Opera.

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Chris Carroll: Drum Lessons

Percussionist Chris Carroll has been called a musical chameleon. He brings a wide range of experience and knowledge to share with the students of the Pfluger-Rock School of Music. In an eclectic 20 year playing career, Chris has been fortunate enough to perform orchestral music under the batons of Robert Shaw, Keith Lockhart, Benjamin Zander and Pierre Boulez as well as the Austin Symphony musical director, Peter Bay. He has been a percussionist for over 40 professional musicals including: Les Miserables, Jesus Christ Superstar, Oklahoma, Sweeney Todd, The Sound of Music, Into The Woods and RENT. As a member of bands in a wide range of genres, he has opened for what can only be described as a wildly random group of artists including: Fishbone, Taylor Swift, Toots and the Maytals, Lady Antebellum, Blues Traveler, Josh Turner and Great White. (Yes that Great White!) He has toured extensively in the United States and internationally and once played at Carnegie Hall and CBGBs in the same week!

He has been teaching privately since 1993 and his private percussion students have gone on to study at the Berklee School of Music, Boston University, the New England Conservatory and the Julliard School. He has been a guest artist/ lecturer at his alma mater (University of New Hampshire, BA Music Performance) as well as at New York University, Bates College, Dartmouth College and the Boston Conservatory. In addition, Carroll has worked as the coach of the percussion section of the Greater Boston Youth Symphony and as a member of the faculty of the world renowned Interlochen Summer Arts Camp.

Chris enjoys working with students of all ages and abilities in developing their drumming skills. While focusing on developing proper technique, reading ability, development of good practice habits, critical listening and transcription skills his curriculum is as diverse as his influences, and he strives to tailor lessons to encourage students interests while imparting his enthusiasm and love of music. In his spare time Chris is an avid reader and lifelong Red Sox fan.

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Kirk Sonnenberg: Drum Lessons

Kirk Sonnenberg grew up in a small Texas town just south of Dallas. He began playing drums and piano at age eight in church, and played his first professional gig at age fifteen. In college, Kirk studied drums, piano, and guitar. In addition to playing all three instruments in a number of Rock, Folk Rock, Heavy Metal, Jazz, Trip-hop, Funk, Country Rock, and Alternative Rock bands over the years, Kirk has been teaching all three instruments since 1995. He played Classical recitals on piano at his alma mater, The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), while obtaining his degree in Music Media. At UTA, he studied piano under Dr. John Solomons and Dr. Larry Wiley and played drums in two different Jazz bands. One of the Jazz tunes that Kirk played both keyboard and drums on was even voted #1 Jazz MP3 on the MP3 website. After spending five years in Chicago, IL, where he taught music at Truman College, Flatts & Sharpe Music, and Northside Catholic Academy, Kirk has returned to Texas. He now lives in Austin with his beautiful wife and daughter. All three are pleased as punch that they will never have to endure subzero temperatures for an entire winter ever again.

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Milena Georgieva: Violin and Viola Lessons

Milena Georgieva is a native from Burgas, Bulgaria and began playing violin at the age of 7 with Stefan Kantchev in her hometown. At 10, she was admitted to the National Secondary School of Music and Stage Art with Prof. Pantcho Vladigerove, in Burgas. During her school years, Milena achieved great progress as a performer and artist. She performed in various concerts and was the winner of numerous prestigious prizes in many significant musical forms – including, third prize at the Competition for the Best Performance of German musical works in 1991, first prize at the Competition for Best Performance of Bulgarian musical works in 1988, and second prize in the same competition in 1990. Following, Milena continued to take charge of her professional and musical education by enrolling in the Academy of Music, Dancing, Pictorial and Plastic Arts of Plovdiv, Bulgaria, where she earned her Bachelor of Music in Musical Pedagogy and Violin Performance, studying with Alexander Spirov. During these years, she participated in a variety of symphonies, chamber orchestras, and ensembles, as well as, teaching violin. Since her graduation, Milena has performed in productions throughout France, Switzerland, Netherlands, Spain, Greece, Italy, Austria, Lebanon, Japan, and the USA. Currently, Milena plays with the Waco Symphony Orchestra, and can be seen in various musical productions throughout central Texas in Georgetown and Austin, as well as, teaching at Pfluger-Rock and Northwest School of Music

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Patty Moore: Saxophone, Flute, and Guitar

Patty Moore recently moved to the Austin area from Charlotte, North Carolina. She was employed in Charlotte as a teacher with Elm Lane Music School and with Howren Music Company where she taught guitar, flute and saxophone. Her guitar style leans heavily toward finger picking styles and melodic accompaniment. She is an experienced and patient teacher.

Patty earned her B.A. from San Francisco State University in the Early Education Liberal Studies program with the Focus in Music and graduated with honors. Her A. A. was earned in Music and Fine Arts from Lincolnland Community College, Springfield, Illinois. She also has Kindermusik International Training and Certification.

Sax and flute experience include a wide variety of contemporary groups with styles mainly focused in Blues and Jazz, but including Rock, Irish music, Serbian Folk, Classical, Folk and World Music. Most recent bands include Charlotte, NC groups, The Victor James Band (rock/blues) playing cover tunes and originals and The Tony Berkley Band playing Soul, Motown and Jazz. Patty has a long history of working as a solo artist singing and playing guitar. She also composes her own music.

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