Instructors

Zak Kendall is a Maine Musician and songwriter that co-fronts the Indie/folk band GoldenOak. Since 2015 the band has self-booked tours all across the east coast and Maritime Canada and has developed a strong and grown fan base along the way.

Born and raised in Bangor, Sasha eventually began a dual life of high school chemistry teacher by day, playing in bands at night and on the weekends. In 2010 Sasha and her husband Chris Viner formed the duo When Particles Collide eventually leaving behind their day jobs to tour the US & Canada while living out of their van and exploring the world of DIY touring. The duo are currently off the road and rehabbing a one room cabin in Newport, Maine soon to house a studio space to write and record new work.

Justin Grevencamp is a native Mainer who has been playing the drums for eleven years in different settings. As a student he is an award winning drummer. Justin has also spent time learning basic audio engineering in a studio setting. He currently records with local artists. Justin has been involved with Bangor Comic and Toy Con for the past two years and supports their efforts in bringing more events to the community. When he isn't drumming he is spending time with his fiance and their animals.

Jeff Beam is a multi-instrumentalist songwriter. Jeff has written, recorded, and released several albums under his own name, and he toured the US & Canada regularly in the pre-pandemic times. He and his band have shared the stage with Spoon, Big Thief, Khruangbin, Chris Cohen, Bernie Sanders, and many others. Jeff currently serves as the interim executive director and programming director of One Longfellow Square, a nonprofit music venue in Portland.

Galen Richmond has been involved in the Portland DIY community for 20 years. In early 2020 he launched Repeating Cloud, an independent record label devoted to promoting local music and helping it reach a wider audience. Repeating Cloud currently has six releases out on cassette, vinyl and digital formats, with an additional eight pending for 2021. Galen also plays guitar in Lemon Pitch and studies electronics in his spare time.

Maine rapper Shane Reis is best known for his 2017 regional radio hit ''Wave'' but - like most overnight successes - his big break didn't come overnight at all. Reis (pronounced 'rise') has supported national act's such as French Montana, Khalid, MadeInTYO, Zion I, R.A. The RuggedMan and many more. He's released four solo albums including his last album ‘Sorry I’m Trash’ as well as a handful of collaborative projects and is widely renowned as one of New England's most respected emcee's. National tours in 2016 and 2017 with Spose have helped spread Reis's message of perseverance and hard work much further than his New England roots.

Meg is the co-founder and Executive Director of Launchpad, a Maine-based Arts Incubator founded in 2011. Her passion for supporting the DIY music scene and “all ages venues'' inspired her to create the DIY performance space Central Gallery, the All Roads Music Festival (2015) and the Bangor Arts Exchange (2017). Meg was also most recently the Lead Talent Buyer for the former Port City Music Hall in Portland, Maine; the 580 capacity sister venue of the State Theatre booking 150 national and locally touring artists a year, but sadly announcing its closure due to the COVID-19 global pandemic in August 2020.

Toby has been playing music since he got his first guitar at 13 years old. He immediately realized this was his passion, and hasn't stopped playing/performing since. Out of high school, Toby formed Sparks The Rescue, which signed to Fearless Records out of Huntington Beach, CA and put out multiple studio releases which can be found on all streaming platforms. Notably, Sparks did the Van's Warped Tour in 2010, toured Europe/UK with The All American Rejects, and have had their music on MTV. The band has over 6 million streams on Spotify.

Andrea Michaud Tracy is currently a national dance judge, a dance teacher of various styles for the past 25 years, and a professional dancer for more than 20 years. She is currently on staff at Stage Presence Dancers, Edge National Talent Competition, and Impact Dance Adjudicators. Andrea trained heavily with Andrei Bossov, Portland Ballet, studied at School of American Ballet in NYC, and internationally competed, representing the USA in Japan.

A.R. Clark is a local fine art photographer from Bangor, Maine. He has taken photos all his life, but has focused solely on photographing people for the last five years. His work evokes the fleeing nature of youth, the energy of lost summer nights, and the complicate desires of people in their mid 20’s. He has been published in Vogue Italia’s blog, Hamburger Eyes, and various independent magazines.

Andy Hurtt is a professional graphic designer and educator. He started his career over twenty years ago in the New York City area, working with clients like BMW and Sony Music before moving in 2003 to pursue a Master's Degree at the University of Maine. Since then he has worked with a range of clients, including the New England Patriots, the National Hockey League, Van Syckle Kia and Orono Brewing Company, and has taught courses at UMaine and Eastern Maine Community College including digital illustration, page layout, graphic design, photo editing and advertising campaigns.

A native of Bangor, Maine, Josh is an alumni of the University of Southern California. His previous work on film & television projects like American Idol, lead him to work as the Creative Director on the KahBang Music & Art Festival before co-founding Launchpad, a Maine-based Arts Incubator whose current projects include the All Roads Music Festival and the Bangor Arts Exchange. He currently oversees all digital properties and websites for Launchpad projects, and has helped develop several websites for outside clients as well.

Deirdre Yelverton is a lifelong artist and designer. Studying at MassArt, The School of the Museum of Fine Arts and New England School of Art and Design has given her a broad and varied experience in multiple mediums. Originally a sculptor/painter, Deirdre began taking classes in wheel throwing and was hooked. Clay in all forms is her favorite form of expression leading her to open a studio dedicated to sharing this passion called Sandy Acre Pottery. Deirdre believes the greatest inspiration comes from community involvement and sharing her skills and talent through teaching & demonstrations.

Kate Fogg (she/her), Soprano, is a Resident Teaching Artist at Burns Music Studio where she has taught privately for three years. She studies Classical Vocal Performance and Journalism at the University of Maine—she has studied both classical and musical theatre styles with Isaac Bray and Tina Burns. Kate is a part of the Penobscot Theatre Company, her credits include: Vocal Director and Ensemble Member, Matilda (2019); Ali, Mamma Mia (2019); Annie, Annie (2012); Ensemble, Cinderella (2013); and Esther-Jane, A Christmas Story (2011).