Teachers

Alex

Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Fridays

Hi my name is Alex Anlas and I am the owner and head teacher of Alex’s Music Studio! I graduated with a Bachelor’s of Music Education from Illinois State University where I played viola with the Illinois State Symphony Orchestra, was President of The American String Teachers Association, and taught private and group music classes. I then switched locations to Orland Park where I taught music lessons for over two years at a private studio. I am now very excited to be offering lessons from my very own store in Chicago! I have extensive training and over seven years of experience teaching viola, violin, cello, piano, voice, ukulele, clarinet, saxophone, and beginning guitar. I love using games and technology in my lessons and will get you playing wonderful music as quickly as possible while having tons of fun!

If you do not see your instrument listed or would like more information, please feel free to contact Alex’s Music Studio. I have many teachers available everyday but Sunday and I would be happy to find the teacher, day, and time that would work best for you.

Mimy

Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, & Fridays

Mimy(she/her), a seasoned performer and expert teacher, unlocks the magic of music in every child. Her over eight years of experience and infectious enthusiasm transform piano and voice lessons into playful explorations. Before thrilling American audiences, Mimy's talent resonated across continents. She graced stages in Moscow, Osaka, and even China's iconic CCTV. This rich international experience, coupled with her Master's degree and Artist Diploma in voice performance from The Hartt School, strengthens her ability to connect with students of diverse backgrounds, ensuring that every lesson is an enriching journey through the world of music. Mimy's passion extends beyond notes. Her Master's research paper, "The Benefits of Early Childhood Music Education in Character Development," explored music's role in character development, ensuring that lessons nurture the whole child. In her classroom, she strives to become an explorer alongside each student, unearthing their unique musical superpowers and nurturing them into dazzling constellations. Joy and confidence are central to her teaching, for she believes happy hearts make the most beautiful music. Let Mimy guide your child on a musical journey - watch them blossom in Alex's Music Studio!

Sam

Wednesdays

Sam Werk has been studying percussion since the age of 10, when he joined the local school band. Soon after, he discovered the drum set and a passion for music that he never knew he had. Playing in garage bands all through high school, he decided that he needed to study percussion at a more serious level and applied to study music at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. During his time there, he discovered the music of the Caribbean and he knew that that was what he was meant to play. He has since studied in Havana, Cuba under Alejandro Carvajal Guerra and has performed all over the world including the Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux, Switzerland, the Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia, Italy, and the Encuentro de Tambores in Juncos, Puerto Rico. He currently resides in Chicago, IL, playing with several folkloric Afro-Cuban and Afro-Puerto Rican groups in addition to maintaining an active teaching schedule. In addition to writing for reverb.com, he has recently written an article for Modern Drummer entitled "Puerto Rican Claves: Afro-Boricua Basics and Contemporary Appications for Drumset", as well as working with master Puerto-Rican drummer Jorge Emmanuelli Nater to write a book on Afro-Puerto Rican percussion. Most recently, he has published a book on Afro-Cuban music titled Songs of The Oru Cantado.

Jordan

Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, & Saturdays

Jordan Crice is a pianist living and working in Chicago’s vibrant music scene. She has been playing the piano ever since she was 5 years old and loves music of all kinds. She works with folks and organizations ranging from opera companies to ballet schools, and especially loves making music with other people. Jordan is excited to work with the kids at Alex’s Music Studio, and to help students of all ages and learning styles find their stride and develop a lifelong love affair with music. When she’s not behind the keys, she loves to dance, bake bread, read books, and visit the sea creatures at the aquarium.

Ashley

Mondays & Thursdays

Ashley McKinstry is a Chicago based musician originally from Sioux Falls, SD. She began studying piano at the age of 8, viola since the age of 9, and has been singing since before she could talk. Ashley loves working to inspire lifelong music lovers. She graduated with a Bachelor’s in Music Education from the University of South Dakota and her Master’s in Vocal Performance from Roosevelt University, Chicago College of Performing Arts.

Along with teaching, Ashley has sung with several companies in the area including Opera on Tap, MIOpera, Chicago Summer Opera, Chicago Civic Orchestra, and the Chicago Sinfonietta. When Ashley is not performing she likes to play Pokemon Go and Harry Potter - Wizards Unite while she explores the city or spending time with her husband, Kevin, and their two cats: Dimple and Dakota.

Ian

Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Friday, & Saturdays

Ian Walsh has been playing the guitar since he was 10 years old! it didn’t take him long to fall in love with playing music! At the age of 11, he was performing in coffee shops throughout the chicagoland with his older brothers’ rock band. He began to manage his own ensembles by the age of 16 and he started teaching music lessons to kids at several park districts throughout the Chicagoland suburbs by the age of 18. Ian moved to Chicago by the age of 21 to live near his college campus and to become a part of the active musical community. He studied jazz performance and education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He also has an extensive history of performing in Chicago, Chicagoland, as well as across the country. He will have a degree in Jazz Studies as of December 2019. Ian has enjoyed playing music and teaching music lessons for over ten years! He teaches guitar(primarily), piano, electric bass, and ukulele through musical encouragement and fun practice habits! Ian continues to work hard at becoming a better musician and better educator to this day!

Joseph

Tuesdays & Saturdays (in place of Lianne)

Joseph is a classically trained tenor from Wisconsin. He received his Bachelors in Music from Viterbo University in 2017, and went on to earn his Masters degree from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. Joseph is passionate about teaching and is elated when his students succeed; he puts the students goals as the focus of each lesson. Joseph has experience teaching beginner to advanced voice lessons as well beginner to intermediate piano. Joseph loves his cats, reading, and spending time with his partner, Kara.

Cait

Wednesdays, Thursdays, & Saturdays

Cait is a multi-instrumentalist and composer, originally from Springfield, OH. She has been playing music since she could talk, and began taking violin lessons at age 7. At 12, she began playing French horn, and found a passion for composition and performance that led her to pursue a Bachelor of Music at Oberlin Conservatory. During her time at Oberlin, Cait focused on studio recording, composition, and her passion project, Equiphonics - a system of finely tuned sensors that turn the movement of a horse in motion into music in real time. When not playing music, Cait is a professional equine photographer, enjoys training horses, and crocheting sweaters. She recently relocated to Chicago with her partner and their two cats - Aurora and Lobsterfest!