Meet Our Staff
Our instructors teach a range of instruments and styles. Their varied approaches cover musical genres from Classical, Jazz, and Blues, to Rock, Pop, Folk, Country, and World Music. Some follow a formal syllabus, while others tailor their lessons to the desires of the student.
We’re always looking to connect with other musicians and teachers. Please contact us if you’d like to be part of our community!
Guitar, Bass
Karl Allweier: Guitar, Bass
Karl Allweier (Director) is a Hudson Valley, New York based guitarist / bassist who has been performing and recording in the area for over 20 years. He has composed music that has appeared on the A&E Channel'sBiography series, The Travel Channel Road Trip series, The History Channel's Da Vinci Code and Big Texas documentaries, and others.
He has played and recorded with an array of musicians and bands, including George Kooymans (Golden Earring), "Bumblefoot" Ron Thal (Guns N Roses), John Platania (Van Morrison, Bonnie Raitt, Don McLean), Augie Meyers (Texas Tornadoes, Sir Douglas Quintet), Larry Coryell and son Murali Coryell (touring for opening act B.B. King, Cyndi Lauper and David Sanborn), Knack Drummer Bruce Gary, The Coasters, Richie Scarlet, Dr. Know and Daryl Jenifer of Bad Brains, as well as drummers Anton Fig and Adam Nussbaum.
Karl is also currently a member of Frank Carillo and The Bandolero's.
Karl offers instruction on upright and electric bass and Acoustic and Electric guitar. He has a great ear for figuring out any song you’d like to play and is also well studied in Music Theory and Sight Reading. Karl is an excellent slide guitarist and can teach anything in the genres of Rock, Blues, Folk, Country, Jazz, and Funk. Lessons are catered to the individual student and their musical taste and skill level. Beginners and hobbyists are welcome.
See Karl perform solo, as well as with his band, " The Real Men" throughout the Hudson Valley and beyond! Visit his website at www.karlallweier.com.
Karl is available Monday through Thursday for lessons.
Sign up with Karl Now!
Guitar, Ukulele
Erin Hobson: Guitar, Ukulele, Mandolin
Erin Hobson (Director) is a partner in an independent record label and publishing company and an accomplished singer, songwriter, guitarist, who has been teaching private and group lessons for 20 years. Erin studied with amazing guitarists, like local legend Steve Gravino, before attending SUNY New Paltz for Jazz Performance with Tom Dempsey and Mark Dziuba. She later moved to Los Angeles, CA where she studied wth Jazz greats Ron Eschete and Ted Green and eventually landed her first teaching job at Instrumental Music in Thousand Oaks, CA.
Erin plays and teaches a variety of styles on Acoustic and Electric Guitar, as well as Ukulele. She offers instruction in Sight Reading, Basic and Advanced Music Theory, Chord Construction, Chord Melody, Lead Guitar, Scales and Modes, Improvisation, Acoustic Finger Style and anything in the genres of Folk, Funk, Jazz, Blues, Metal, and Rock. Lessons are catered to the individual student and their musical taste and skill level. Beginners and hobbyists are welcome.
Erin is a warm, approachable person, who truly cares about her students and helping them learn. She is especially patient with young children and beginners.
For samples of Erin’s playing and teaching style, visit www.redhookguitar.com or her YouTube channel. Catch Erin performing locally with The Compact by visiting www.the-compact.com.
Erin is available Monday through Thursday for lessons.
Sign up with Erin Now!
Guitar, Piano, Ukulele, Mandolin, Bass
Theodore Gresler: Guitar, Piano, Ukulele, Mandolin, Bass
Available Tuesdays Only!
Theodore Gresler has been teaching around the Hudson Valley privately for ten years whilst pursuing degrees both in music performance and philosophy at DCC and SUNY New Paltz respectively. The former cemented the tools necessary to playing and the latter the tools necessary to communicate that playing. Through this education and subsequent teaching positions he’s come into contact with a host of notable musicians ranging from the fantastic Jazz pianist Larry Ham, Jazz and Classical guitarists Steve Raleigh and Daniel Stevens and a wealth more.
Theodore can teach a variety of instruments including: Guitar, Piano, Ukulele, Mandolin, and Bass; he has and continues to work well with children and teenagers though equally capable of addressing musical struggles in adults. He can help in cultivating the basics technically, theoretically, and most fundamentally emotionally in most contemporary styles with some rudimentary Jazz ability thrown in to boot,
“Everyone loves music, that much is undebatable. What’s essential to me is that with an instrument in your hands you have the opportunity to be closer to and further engaged in that music, to make it a part of you. The ideal is to leave every lesson with a little bit more to love about the role music plays in your life.”
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Piano
Eileen Landman: Piano
Eileen Landman, NCTM (Nationally Certified Teacher of Music by the Music Teachers National Association).
Eileen has studied at Indiana University and Shenadoah Conservatory of Music.
She has been an adjudicator for both MTNA and National Federation of Music Clubs.
A classically trained pianist, who now plays all genres of music, Eileen has been teaching piano for over 30 years. She teaches all styles of music as well as music theory, sight reading, and technique to students who are beginners to advanced.
"My philosophy is that music lessons should be informative, instructive, and mostly fun!"
Eileen is available Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday for lessons between 4pm and 8pm.
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Piano - Jazz, Blues, Improvisation, Jazz Band
Galen Pittman: Jazz Piano
Available Thursdays only!
Galen Pittman is a Pianist with over 25 years of experience, currently located in New Paltz, NY. He is primarily self taught, but has had the privilege of receiving direction from several elders in the jazz field in a playing environment. Galen has hosted well attended Jazz jam sessions in Brooklyn and has performed all over the NY area including NYC, Brooklyn, Long Island and the Hudson Valley.
Galen has extensive knowledge in music theory, and has developed his own inventive concepts for approaching improvisation on any instrument.
Galen's method of teaching, will give students a thorough knowledge and understanding of how to use the building blocks of music to express one's self, and to excel at navigating the difficult waters of the Jazz idiom.
Beginners of any age are welcome to study and explore the world of improvisation. Galen is also interested in leading a Jazz band at the school. Visit SoundCloud to hear recordings of his band's music. Sign Up with Galen Now!