Our Approach
Our approach to lessons is specific to each student's age, existing skills, learning style, personal relationship with music, and their music goals. With this in mind, lessons often include ear training, songwriting skills, improvisation, beatmaking, content creation, production and recording, music collaboration, stage and performance skills, integrating effects, and more.
Additionally, we incorporate regular video and audio recordings into our learning program. When you have the perspective of seeing or listening to yourself perform, it is incredibly valuable for several reasons:
it can reveal things you didn't realize you were doing, or not doing
It gives insight into what might be happening during difficult parts of what you're practicing
It chronicles where you are, where you've been, and the progress you've made
It informs how to proceed in future lessons.
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Beginner to advanced, from Jazz to Metal. Whatever your interests are, we can help you get to where you want to be with your drumming!
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Do you want to be the next Van Halen, or Jimi Hendrix!? Or maybe you just want to know enough to write and sing your own songs. Either way, we can help you achieve your musical goals!
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The Bass is what really holds everything together. Whether it’s funky grooves, smooth walking lines, or low, sustained droning, we’re here to help you explore everything that the Bass can contribute to great music!
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The piano is probably the most versatile and valuable instrument for a musician to know their way around. In many ways it’s the link to so many other instruments! We often end up teaching some basic piano proficiency to students who take lessons on other instruments, just because it’s so helpful to learning music in general.
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The Ukulele is just plain fun! Taking Ukulele lessons is a good way to learn a lot about music, without realizing you’re actually learning a lot about music! It’s also a great jumping off point for younger kids to begin learning music.
Instruments we Teach
Meet the Team
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Ben Mouritsen
Drums - Guitar - Bass - Piano - Ukulele
Ben began playing drums at the age of 12, and was performing regularly by age 14. Throughout high school and college, he immersed himself in music, and soon became fluent in guitar, bass, and piano as well. Over his nearly 30 years as a musician, he's performed in many various rock, punk, pop, jazz, Funk, variety, and cover bands; and still performs several times a month. Ben first began sharing his love of music through teaching at the age of 18. Over the years he's taught many different ages and experience levels. Ben’s students love how fun and engaging he makes the lessons, and parents are overjoyed at how much their kids look forward to their lessons every week!
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James Mouritsen
Guitar - Bass
James grew up with an ever-present desire to play music. He began learning guitar around the age of 13 and immediately started learning songs from his favorite bands. Throughout high school and college he performed in the jazz band and several rock bands. After auditioning to the guitar program at Utah State University, James was offered a scholarship and completed a Bachelor of Music degree with an emphasis in jazz guitar performance. He has over 10 years experience teaching individual guitar lessons, group classes, and rock camp workshops. He has also performed extensively, including a summer playing in a jazz quartet at a resort run by Princess Cruises in Alaska and as part of the stage band for a music revue theatre in Savannah Georgia. Since moving to the twin cities, James has been active in the local music scene, performing with several original and cover bands.
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Dalton Lightkeeper
Guitar - Bass
Dalton picked up a guitar when he was 12, started his first band at 14, and has been teaching others to play for the last 20. Whether working with children just beginning to explore their musical abilities, adults looking to reconnect with a long-dormant passion, or the intermediate player looking to expand their vocabulary in a new genre and take their playing to the next level, Dalton lives for the moments when a student has their “a ha!” moment. His primary guiding principle is that each student’s journey in music is incredibly personal and therefore each student needs a tailored and guided curriculum in order to reach their specific goals.
Dalton champions the unique benefits of music education; increased cognitive function, improved self-esteem, a sense of personal fulfillment, increased creativity, enhanced social skills, improved academic performance, and reduced stress and anxiety amongst myriad others. More than that, he is excited to pass these benefits on to YOU!
