Meet Our Teachers
Jonathan Shanley – Guitar
M.M. San Francisco Conservatory of Music (Present)
Jonathan Shanley – Guitar
Jonathan Shanley
Guitar
Degree: M.M. San Francisco
Conservatory of Music
San Francisco, CA
Acoustic, Classical Guitar
Jonathan grew up in the Poconos and started playing guitar at 11 after falling in love with blues and Jazz music. Jonathan quickly realized music and the education of music was going to be his path but didn’t discover Classical Guitar until around 17. Classical Guitar immediately made an impression on him because it provided the freedom to use the guitar as a solo instrument. After being introduced to it he decided to pursue the study of the instrument at Bloomsburg University with Dr. Matthew Slotkin where he earned two Bachelor of Arts degrees, one in Guitar Performance and the other in Music Education. Along the way, he has taken part in Master Classes with notable figures in the field such as Thomas Viloteau, Anthony Lalena, the Newman & Oltman Duo, Kahlil Sarikey, and Evan Drummond.
Jonathan has been admitted to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music where he will further his studies with David Tanenbaum and earn a Master of Music degree. Jonathan has been teaching guitar to all ages and ability levels since 2018.
“There is an ocean of creativity within every human being.” -David Lynch
I believe that as a teacher, my goal is to cultivate my students’ love for music, art, and life. I like to constantly expose my students to new music and find things that speak to them. I use my observations of what inspires them to develop lesson plans that encourage an enthusiasm for their art form, discipline in their study, and confident freedom of expression in their performance.
Jeff Frantom
Guitar
Degree: M.M. University of
Southern California
Los Angeles, CA
Jeff Frantom is a guitarist, bassist, composer, and teacher based in Los Angeles. After playing hundreds of shows around LA as a sideman guitarist and bassist, Jeff has spent much of the past two years traveling the world with the indie rock artist, Blondshell. He has performed all over North America, the UK, Europe, and most recently, Australia and Japan, including TV appearances on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and CBS Saturday Mornings.
In 2019, Jeff released his debut EP, Happy Accident, a 4-song collection of instrumental songs that explore his influences in jazz, Americana, and indie music. In 2022 he released two more cinematic-instrumental solo pieces as part of an EP titled In the Well.
After moving to Los Angeles from his hometown of Henderson, Nevada, Jeff earned a Bachelor’s of Music in Studio/Jazz Guitar from USC in 2018 and a Master’s of Music in Studio/Jazz Guitar in 2020 on full scholarship. While at USC, he taught 4 semesters of guitar classes as a Teaching Assistant. He continues to teach both privately in his home studio and at music stores around LA
Born and raised in Muskogee, Oklahoma, Ryan Liebig has been playing music since he was 14. First studying guitar at the local music store, then majoring in music at Northeastern State University where he studied jazz guitar from Bobby Brewer and classical guitar from William Reyes. Ryan graduated in 2016 with a Jazz Studies degree with a guitar focus. During his time at NSU, Ryan performed in a wide range of ensembles and styles. Ryan has had the privilege of performing alongside musical greats such as Doc Severinson and Terri Lyne Carrington as featured guests of the NSU Jazz Ensemble. Outside of the university Ryan has been a freelance musician in the Northeast Oklahoma area performing in rock, funk, jazz, blues, and soul groups in addition to classical gigs and musicals on guitar, bass, and double bass.
Ryan began teaching instrument lessons while in his undergraduate through both private schools and through the university’s community music program. On guitar, Ryan welcomes any playing level and any background from complete beginners to professionals. Ryan also accepts bass guitar students from beginner to intermediate.
As a professional guitar teacher, Ryan tailors lessons to the individual by using the student’s goals and musical tastes as vehicle for fundamental musical concepts. Along with instrument technique, important skills such as ear training, reading, theory, and improvisation are topics that Ryan covers while fostering an appreciation of the creative art form of music.
Levi Matthews is a professional guitarist and music producer currently based in the Midwest. He holds dual Bachelor degrees (Summa Cum Laude) in Guitar Performance and Music Production from Berklee College of Music, as well as a minor in guitar from Central College. Levi primarily studied under Berklee professor Joe Stump who Guitar One magazine rated Top 10 Fastest Guitar Players of All Time.
Levi has been a musician for over 30 years and a teacher for over 6 years. He has toured with numerous bands, written numerous albums, and currently writes music for a Los Angeles based A&R company, with which he has had placements with many large music libraries and syncs. All audio samples (below) were tracked produced and mixed entirely by Levi (drums, bass, guitars, and special instruments). All video samples guitar and production work completed by Levi, with backing tracks by others as noted in each video.
“Using what I learned from studying at Berklee and Central with my own teaching I take a holistic student by student custom approach. First, we establish where the students love of music began and why the student picked up the guitar. Next, we establish the vision of where the student wants to go. Then, we draft short term and long-term goals to maximize results. Many times, I see guitar and music students frustrated from not making gains in their playing. Using this custom short-term approach, we see fast gains which accelerates us to the long-term goals and ultimately sculpts the student to their vision of the musician they want to be. The curriculum starts with making a custom plan for each student. The custom plan is holistic and typically entails chordal studies (triads, 7th’s, extensions, complex chords, and the inversions of those), melody (scales, modes and chord tone targets), music theory (why the above items work and learning the language of music), ear training (intervals, and recognizing chords), and reading music (sight reading, tablature and the Nashville system). These holistically round the student while learning the beautiful language of music and taking them to their goals.”
Born in Schenectady NY, Jacob Billings was introduced to the guitar at the age of 13 when he was given his first guitar by his pastor at his church. He learned church songs and played in the youth group worship services. From there, he began learning Pop, Rock, and Blues as well as writing his own music. Jacob received his bachelor’s degree in Guitar Performance at The State University of New York at Buffalo, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude. There he played in a variety of ensembles that spanned from Classical, Rock, to Jazz. At UB, Jacob studied Classical and Jazz Guitar with Dr. Sungmin Shin, as well as Jazz studies with George Caldwell.
During his time at University at Buffalo and after graduation in the Spring of 2020, Jacob has kept a vigorous schedule of teaching, performing, and writing. From beginner to advanced, Folk to Metal, Jacob welcomes all guitar learners of all levels and styles. Whether you are looking to learn guitar for professional reasons or just as a hobby, Jacob can provide you with the tools necessary to achieve your musical goals!
Acoustic, Electric, Bass, Extended Range
Lucas is a guitarist, producer, and engineer based in Los Angeles. He has performed with Trevor Daniel, Rick Nowels, Dame Dash, Vic Mensa, Chance the Rapper, Nothing Nowhere, Desiigner, and many others. He’s also appeared on VH1, Vice, Rolling Stone, and Billboard.
Lucas started playing guitar and producing at age 10. He learned numerous instruments and played in high school symphonic and jazz bands. Lucas received a Bachelor of Science in Music from Northwestern University and eventually moved to Los Angeles. Lucas has worked as a touring & gigging guitarist and does studio recording sessions for Rock, Pop, Alternative, Hip/Hop, Rap, and R&B artists. Lucas’ teaching philosophy focuses on learning by ear, improvisation, and composition.
Acoustic, Classical, Electric, Bass Guitar
Maya Ratsey was born in Guatemala and raised in Vero Beach Florida. He has been a professional musician teaching, recording, and performing for over 15 years.
Maya grew up in a household with music always playing and at the age of 10, he began learning guitar and bass. In 2011 he graduated from the Schumann School for the Visual and Performing Arts, part of the Indian River Charter High School system. Maya then attended McNally Smith College of Music where he graduated with a Bachelor of Music in Guitar Performance in 2015. Teaching has always been a passion for Maya, as he believes teachers can change lives. Maya has spent the last 10 years touring and recording around the world. Performing and recording credits include Selah, Shelia E, Wintley Phipps, Rae Sremmurd, Phillips Craig and Dean, Jason Derulo, One Drop, Dividing Eden, Michael Gabriel, The Lioness, Kurt Stevens, Josh Hoaby, Kimberly Brown, and more.
Maya currently lives in Charlotte NC performing with many local bands. Maya also serves on guitar and bass at Elevation Church. Maya prides himself on being a catalyst to help the student he is working with reach their goals and beyond.
B.M. in Guitar Performance -McNally Smith College of Music, MN
Jess Kerber is a songwriter who hails from just outside New Orleans, LA. Picking up the guitar at age 12, she quickly learned the instrument on an atypical path. Heavily inspired by the likes of Joni Mitchell and Susan Tedeschi, she primarily gravitated towards alternate tunings, leading her playing to take on a color unlike most other musicians. Her musicianship developed quickly as playing and writing music became an obsession within the isolation of small-town Louisiana. However, by the time she was a teenager she began cutting her teeth playing solo shows in and around New Orleans. Her voice grew to attain a deep purple heaviness, which enchanted her early recordings, all backed by the tasteful intricacy of her guitar playing, melodic and captivating enough to stand on its own.
Before long, she found herself at Boston’s Berklee College of Music as the 2018 Berklee Lollapalooza full scholarship recipient. The environment challenged her tastes and songwriting style, leading her to take on a more subdued and lyric-driven approach, influenced by the indie-folk of artists like Andy Shauf and Adrianne Lenker. As her sound evolved, she became entrenched in the burgeoning folk scene of Boston, centered around Cambridge’s historic Club Passim. Shortly before the emergence of the pandemic, she crossed paths with fellow New England based songwriter Will Orchard, who became her partner and collaborator. The pair spent much of the early days of the pandemic producing what would become Kerber’s eponymous full length record, which marked a sharp turning point in her sound.
Arranged with a cosmic blend of instruments ranging from drum machine to pedal steel, the record is rooted in Americana but takes the genre several steps forward. To contrast the greater depth of the arrangements, her songwriting simply and intimately provides snapshots of self-reflection. Mixed by Charlie Dahlke of rising indie-rock fixture The Brazen Youth, the record has moments both gently uplifting and serenely heartbreaking. Kerber debuted many of these songs in acoustic duo form on a month long self-booked European tour with Will Orchard in late 2021. Having released her self-titled album in May of 2022, she now resides in Nashville, TN with her cat.
Sean Atkinson, based in Indianapolis, IN, is an adept guitar teacher, professional guitarist, vocalist, and pianist. Hailing from Orange, California, he holds a Bachelor of Music in Classical Guitar Performance from Chapman University which he received in 2016, and has been consistently teaching ever since.
Having moved to Brooklyn in 2017, Sean thrived in the New York City music scene, contributing his vocal and guitar talents to prominent bands, including There, There — the premier Radiohead tribute band. With a versatile musical background, he shifted gears during the pandemic, working more as a producer and songwriter.
Simultaneously, Sean has been an enthusiastic remote guitar and ukulele teacher since 2020, leveraging technology to guide students of all ages and skill levels. His teaching philosophy aims to create a fun environment where students can explore their vast musical potentials, while at the same time learning a wide-range of important, universal musical skills.