Lessons with Rachel Gentile

Rachel Gentile - Acoustic and Electric Guitar
B.A., Westfield State College

Rachel is proficient in many musical styles from rock to jazz to country. A prolific performer and songwriter, Rachel is a living, breathing example of the positive influence that music can have on a person's life. She has been passionate about music since she picked up her first guitar at the age of 1. Her teachers have included Phillip de Fremery (himself a student of the renowned classical guitarist Andres Segovia) and Ted Casher. She performs with several regional bands and works as a contract songwriter. Driven by a desire to bring personal enrichment to others, she teaches guitar to young and old alike and has taught students ranging in age from 6 to 88. Rachel is proficient in teaching all styles of guitar and songwriting ranging from, rock, jazz, country, classical and folk.
 

Rachel Gentile, Guitar Teacher, Songwriter and Lyricist for Rachel Gentile on Guitar, has been recognized by Cambridge Who's Who for demonstrating dedication, leadership and excellence in music instruction. 

A prolific guitarist and songwriter, Rachel Gentile relishes being a living, breathing example of the positive influence that music can have on a person's life. Driven by a desire to bring personal enrichment to others, she teaches guitar to the young and old alike, and currently has students aged between 6 and 88. As a teacher, Ms. Gentile works to instill in her pupils her passion for guitar and music, and will give lessons to anyone who wants to learn. 

Proficient in different musical styles from rock to jazz to country, she also performs with various bands and offers songwriting services, with some of her work published with the Library of Congress. Passionate about music since she picked up her first guitar at the age of 1, Ms. Gentile considers bringing joy into the lives of others to be the most rewarding aspect of her work. She attributes her success to the inspiration she received from her parents, two hard-working people who never gave up on their dreams, and her sister, who dedicated her life to helping others.

Ms. Gentile earned a bachelor of arts in jazz studies in 1994 from Westfield State College and an associate degree from Dean College. Rachel has been teaching, playing and writing songs for over 30 years. She names St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and The Humane Society of the United States as her favorite charities.
 

Jerry Wile - Banjo, Bluegrass Guitar, Bluegrass Bass
B.S., Bridgewater State College 

Jerry Wile is a bluegrass musician. He plays both guitar and banjo and has played for over 35 years in the New England area, performing at festivals and popular bluegrass venues throughout the area. He has played with many bluegrass bands and can presently be heard with the bands Granitegrass and Hurricane Hill, where he showcases the "Three Finger Scruggs" banjo style, flat picking guitar, as well as lead, and harmony vocals. Jerry has been teaching for over 20 years, primarily teaching the "Three Finger Scruggs" banjo style developed and made popular by Earl Scruggs. He takes on guitar students specifically teaching the flat-picking or bluegrass style of guitar. Jerry's goal is to give his students the skills they need to play and jam with other bluegrass musicians.

Jerry has a background in education as well as music and is adept at communicating with learning musicians of all ages.

If you'd like to study bluegrass music with Jerry, please contact us.
www.kellysmusicandmore.com 

We're excited to welcome Carl Strathmeyer as our new trombone teacher. Carl is a wonderful, accomplished trombonist who teaches all styles of trombone. He has a wealth of experience and expertise in teaching and playing. Utilizing a patient, encouraging, and comprehensive approach with all ages, Carl makes lessons fun, engaging, and brings about marked, consistent growth in all of his students. Carl also teaches trumpet and euphonium.

Carl Strathmeyer - Trombone and Low Brass

B.A., Dartmouth College 

Carl has played trombone for over 50 years in all types of ensembles from wind ensembles to brass quintets to big bands to Dixieland groups. He studied trombone performance and music theory with the late Philip Catelinet, principal tubist with the BBC Theatre Orchestra and noted composer and arranger for brass band. He also studied electronic music with Jon Appleton, inventor of the Synclavier, one of the first sampling synthesizers. 

Carl enjoys playing all genres of music, but has a special love for jazz in all its forms. He is a patient and encouraging teacher who enjoys seeing students become excited by their achievement.
 

Kevin MacDonald is a musician from Littleton Massachusetts who is currently in his senior year of earning a bachelor's degree in Music Studies at UMass Lowell.  

Kevin has taught through UMass Lowell as a student teacher with the Lowell String Project and is currently student teaching in the Morey Elementary School in Lowell. Kevin sang in UMass Lowell’s University Choir to perform Verdi's Requiem at M.I.T. in Boston with the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra in 2022.  

He has been at Kelly's Music and More from 1st-12th grade as a student, and has since moved into a teaching position. Between being in the school bands, attending Kelly's Music and More, and working at the Minor Chord, he has been involved in the music scene in Littleton since he could play. His primary instruments, which he has been playing since grade school, are guitar, piano, trumpet, bass and voice and he has taught brass and strings in addition to his primary instruments.  

At UMass Lowell, Kevin studied, learned to proficiently play and teach all the instruments. Studying piano in his early years starting at 6, Kevin has been performing and studying music for over 15 years.  

Adept at working and communicating with young musicians, Kevin has a patient, compassionate step by step teaching style based on sharing the fundamental building blocks of music, technical and aesthetic, while tailoring his lessons to each student's learning style. He is excellent with young musicians, encouraging them with positive reassurance, fostering their love for music, building their confidence and keeping their lessons fun!

Meet our dedicated music teacher, Hannah, a passionate musician and educator with a forthcoming B.A. in Music Studies from UMass Lowell, scheduled to graduate in May. Having honed her musical prowess as the lead trumpet player in the Littleton High School band, Hannah continues to showcase her talent as an active member of the UMass Lowell Wind Ensemble. Under the guidance of the renowned Joe Casano, she has developed a comprehensive understanding of musical theory and classical performance. Hannah is currently immersed in the world of education, gaining valuable experience as a student teacher at Stoklosa Middle School in Lowell.

With a versatile skill set, Hannah is adept at teaching trumpet at any level, as well as guiding students through clarinet and French horn up to the high school level. Additionally, she excels in instructing beginning and intermediate piano students. Hannah has already made significant contributions to the musical community, having provided private lessons and actively participated in the operations of the Minor Chord music store in Littleton.

As a testament to her commitment to music education, Hannah is poised to take the next step in her academic journey by pursuing a Master's degree in Music Education at Boston University in the upcoming fall. With a wealth of experience and a passion for nurturing musical talent, Hannah is dedicated to fostering a love for music in her students, helping them reach their full potential. Join us at Kelly’s Music and More for an enriching musical journey under Hannah’s guidance.

Welcome our newest teacher, Tori Richard!

Studied Music Therapy at Appalachian State University

Tori Richard is an equal-opportunity musician from Littleton, MA. They are classically trained with experience playing jazz and other styles of music. Tori studied music therapy at Appalachian State University.

Tori approaches teaching with a compassionate, supportive, accepting mindset. They strive to provide a safe environment for their students to explore their own personal music. Tori is constantly working to hear and support the “music” in everyday life, which extends to their work with students. They are open to working with all ages and specialize in working with our youngest students.

Tori started seriously studying music when they chose to play flute for band in the fourth 

grade and started taking classical lessons at Indian Hill Music School a year or two later. They studied primarily under Shan Liu. Tori has been Kelly’s student since 2016, where they learned how to be a leader-musician through Kelly’s modeling and by taking on the responsibilities of an older student. Throughout this time, they studied piano, guitar, voice, theory and harmony, flute, and oboe. Kelly opened their mind to a whole new style of teaching, as well as a whole new way to view music. 

At App State, Tori continued honing in their flute skills under Dr. Schneeloch-Bingham and participated in the flute choir, Appalachian Symphony Band, Appalachian Wind Ensemble, and Appalachian Symphony Orchestra on both flute and piccolo. They also refined their piano, guitar, and keyboard skills. Through their clinical practica, Tori has extensive experience leading and co-leading music therapy for groups and individuals of all ages and walks of life. Their responsibilities included: writing session plans, leading sessions, composing original songs for use in sessions, and maintaining the overall “flow” of the sessions. 

Tori is confident in their ability to transfer these skills to a music education environment and is excited to contribute their skills to educating others about music.

Justyn Shepherd is a dedicated music teacher with a deep love for fostering musical expression. Bringing knowledge in piano, guitar, bass, drums, saxophone, and vocal instruction, Justyn creates dynamic lessons that motivate students of all ages. Justyn is committed to cultivating a lifelong appreciation for music through personalized, encouraging, and innovative teaching methods.

Justyn studied voice and percussion with world renowned drummer, singer Eric Kennedy -Towson University Adjunct Professor, Jazz/Percussion, Voice and Jazz Combo and studied guitar with Bernard Bergenheier - Senchant Music.

He played lead alto saxophone and was section leader in high school band.

Playing music his whole life, Justyn started playing in a band with friends at age 7. He has performed professionally since the age of 12 at many festivals, clubs, museums, venues, libraries, and various social events. Justyn has performed at the Richmond Museum of Art, John Coltrane Celebration Concert series, Artscape Summer Festival in Baltimore Maryland, Discover Jazz Festival, Burlington Vermont, and the Twins Jazz Club Washington DC. 

A fiery musician with an intense love for playing music, Justyn is known for bringing passion, high energy, creativity, quiet confidence and fearlessness to every musical performance and setting.

Justyn is currently working on writing a book - "Piano Method Book of Melodies for Young Musicians".

Mike Mosca is a devoted musician and teacher with 10+ years of experience working with kids and inspiring students of all ages. A versatile and adept musician, Mike provides instruction for voice, guitar, bass guitar, violin, piano, and songwriting. He loves working with young musicians and approaches each lesson with warmth, patience, diligence, passion, and a great sense of humor! He is dedicated to cultivating a nurturing environment that facilitates continued growth and love for music in every one of his students. Additionally, he contributes his expertise to Marlborough High School and various Early Childhood Centers across the Greater Boston area where he conducts engaging music classes for infants and toddlers.

Mike was immersed in music at a young age by his father, a professional rock musician who shared stages with renowned bands such as Aerosmith, Metallica, and New England. Mike's own musical journey began at the age of 7 with piano lessons, and by age 10 he was performing alongside his father. He began playing the guitar at age 12 and his dedication to vocal training led him to study classical voice under Paul “Skip” Johnson (Choir Director at Hudson High School and Founder/Director of the Acton Community Chorus for 30+ years). Throughout high school, Mike showcased his vocal talents in the Massachusetts All State Choir.

Mike attended The University of Massachusetts Amherst where he graduated in 2014 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. Mike's passion for music and teaching remained unwavering amidst his academic pursuits. As a performing musician, he has graced major venues and festivals across the US, including Artscape Music Festival, Burlington Jazz Festival, Fenway Park, among others. Mike has had the incredible opportunity to perform and record with world-class musicians like Timmy Shepherd and Eric Kennedy. He has also recorded his original compositions under his own name. 

Mike is known for contributing to every project and endeavor by giving selfless support to the group, bringing exceptional skill and versatility, being fearless in taking musical risk while staying in good taste, and using his skill set to be the glue that quietly and assuredly brings any type of group together, particularly the rhythm sections of groups.

He thanks his teachers and mentors, his parents, and his brothers for their unwavering support.