Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
Instructor Bios
Billy Sloan
Billy Sloan is a teacher at BC Music, whose Varied accomplishments include a four year European tour as an International Pianist, Ten years on Major Cruise Lines as a solo pianist, and Leader of both a Rock Variety Band, and a Jazz Trio.
- Studied piano at American University in Washington, had His first solo concert there at age 12.
- Studied Violin from the First Chair
Violist in the Air Force Symphony, went to a Summer Music Camp as part of the Wheeling West Virginia Youth Orchestra at age 14, and later Studied violin at Jacksonville University in
Florida. Holding an Associate of Arts in
Music Production Technology from Northwest Florida State College.
- Billy continues independent studies in Cello, Violin and Fiddle styles, Banjo, Guitar, Drums, and Pedal Steel Guitar at his Recording Studio.
Clint Hall
Clint Hall-2017 - Current Performing Musician Emerald Coast, FL
Perform with “The Clint Hall Group” for a variety of venues.
Festivals, special events, etc.
Large repertoire of music to fit demographic.
Sing and play guitar to entertain listeners of all ages.
Perform regularly.
2022-2024 Performing Musician Seaside, FL
Perform with “The Wavy Winstons Band” Seaside Amphitheater, FL.
Festivals, special events, etc.
Large repertoire of music to fit demographic.
Sing and play guitar to entertain listeners of all ages.
Perform regularly.
2017- Current Performing Musician Emerald Coast, FL
Perform solo acoustic with vocals for a variety of venues.
Assisted living facilities, cafes, etc.
Music in a variety of genres from the 1930’s-Today.
Sing and play guitar to entertain listeners of all ages.
Perform regularly.
2017- 2020 Performing Musician Niceville, FL
Perform with “Deepwell” local cover/ original band.
Play venues on the Emerald Coast
Large repertoire of roots rock, blues, country, Americana, funk music.
Guitarist/ vocalist entertaining listeners of all ages.
Perform regularly.
2017- 2021 Worship Musician Gulf Breeze, FL
Perform with The Gathering Point Gulf Breeze U.M.C. worship band.
Multi- Instrumentalist (mostly bass)
Quickly learn parts to be performed the same week.
Transpose music to different keys.
Perform songs weekly.
Performed with “The Northwest FL Collegiate All-Star Band”
Performed with Wayne Bergeron at 2017 Pensacola Jazz Festival
Passed audition. Learned music to perform.
Multiple instrumental features.
.Highly technical repertoire.
2016-2017 Worship Musician Niceville, FL
Perform with Crosspoint Niceville Campus worship band.
2012-2014 Worship Musician Breckenridge, CO
Regularly performed with the worship team at Agape Outpost Church
Played guitar, piano, bass, and drums for Sunday Worship
Assisted with music arrangement.
Learned weekly repertoire.
2011 Guitar Instructor @ B.R.C Breckenridge, CO
.
Clients include: The Motherloaded Tavern, 320South, Bagali’s, The Backcountry Brewery, The Dam
Brewery, Bootlegger’s Saloon, Howling Coyote Café, The New Moon Café.
Playing a variety of styles including: Jazz, Funk, Rock, Pop, Folk, Classical.
2001-2002 University of Washington Seattle, WA
A/V Technician/ Engineer
Engineered and Coordinated UW “Sessions” music series.
Local as well as burgeoning national acts.
Engineered talent shows, showcases, and concerts.
Delegated tasks to others to ensure smooth setup and performance.
1998-2000 Fallen Skyward Gig Harbor, WA
Recording Artist/ Producer/Manager
Wrote, recorded, produced, and mixed full length CD.
Received “Honorable Mention” from the John Lennon Songwriting Contest.
Have ability to learn or read material quickly to satisfy clients’ requests.
Performed on many large stages including The Taste of Tacoma, Whaling Days, and The Bite of Seattle.
Involved in technical aspects of sound and lighting at many of our gigs.
1994-1995 Southeast High School Bradenton, FL
A/V Technician/ Engineer/ Music Student
Engineered sound and lights at choir/ba
Engineered sound and lights at beauty pageants.
Performed at both graduation and post-graduation ceremonies!
Education 2001-2003 University of Washington Seattle, WA
Firm grasp on piano playing skills.
Played jazz guitar for several touring ensembles.
Composed and arranged charts for performance.
Attended courses in music history and ethnomusicology.
Working toward a B.A. in music education.
1996-1999 Pierce C.C. and Tacoma C.C. Tacoma, WA
A.A., Associates in Arts and Letters.
Will Corbin Jr.
I began with music in grade school, playing Tuba and Baritone in the concert and marching bands of my middle and high school, where I learned basics of music theory. I began to play ukulele as mostly a hobby and gimmick in 2010, when I was living in Thailand. After a year or so of joining local Thai ukulele workshops, I entered the Thailand Ukulele Championship of 2011 and ended up winning the competition for my performance of the Thai song "Sao Chaiyaphum" in conjunction with my musical partner at the time, a fellow named Kitti Bronco.
Consequently after winning the competition, I received many offers from local venues to come and play exhibition shows and gigs, which I was wholly underprepared for, but quickly began to assemble a performative show. Eventually I was playing 4-5 nights a week at some of the most popular speakeasies and small nightclubs/music rooms in Bangkok with my trio, Lips Manly - notably Smalls, Apoteka, Bangkok Mojo and Bitterman. Our set was a very eclectic, energetic show with songs ranging from the 1920s up to the 2000s and spanning every genre.
I have also written many of my own original songs and was a songwriter and player in a band that was signed to Warner Music Thailand at one point, Jenny and the Scallywags, also performing at many venues around Thailand.
My teaching experience began while working for the Mechai Viravaidyha Foundation, a non-government organization in Thailand that focuses on education programs for the underprivileged provinces in Northeastern Thailand. I established Thailand's largest youth ukulele orchestra with roughly 40 members at any given time, and they performed all around Thailand for charities and concerts. I worked with mostly young teen students over the course of 4 years.
Mariah Picot
Pianist/Vocalist, Mariah Picot has spent her life in the arts. After childhood concerts and formal training completing a Bachelor of Music, in voice at Queens University, Kingston, Ontario, she started a professional career in musical theatre, with lead roles in many musicals and cabarets In Toronto and across western Canada.
She has also had extensive theater training with teachers from CAST [Centre for Actors Study in Toronto] in Toronto, and Herbert Bergoff Studio in NYC.”
Mariah was asked to sing for the Canadian Command Performance at Massey Hall, along with other guests including Jim Carey, Rich Little & Buffy St. Marie. She was the only performer that evening to have 2 paragraphs written about her by the reviewer in the Toronto Star. “a dynamic singer” -Ray Conalogue.
She eventually changed her focus to jazz piano studies, and began performing in piano bars. Her longest running gig was 2.5 years at Tom Jones Steak House, right in the middle of the theater district.
She and her husband spent a number of years in the 90s living in Santa Monica, going to pilot and commercial auditions and playing private parties and retirement homes. They had an agent on Sunset Blvd who used to send them out.
Eventually, Mariah was brought to Florida in the late 90’s for a gig, and began working in clubs and hotels as a solo artist. She was also a member of “Steeplechase”, a jazz quartet with an emphasis on vocal harmony. She has since been heading her own group, “The Mariah Picot Trio” and Quartet, on piano/vocals where she sings in English, French, Portuguese and Italian.
She has been the musical director for 4 different Unity Churches, the longest at Unity of Panama City for 7 years, for whom she wrote, directed and co-produced two multimedia musical events.
In the spring of 2004, to critical acclaim, Mariah released her first CD of original songs “Notes on the Bridge...”, with the Bill Peterson Trio. – ‘Jazz influenced art songs with a Spiritual Perspective’. Mariah wrote 8 of the songs plus the lyrics to 5 of Bill Peterson’s tunes. So far, she has a catalogue of about 60 tunes.
In Canada she has performed: at Massey Hall, appeared with the London Symphony Orchestra, original tunes for August Moon artist showcase, Performing Arts Lodge, various cabarets, piano bars and a variety of corporate event across western Canada and toured with the show band ‘Chamelion’ .
In Florida, she has been seen at the Gulf Jazz Society Jazz Jubilee, Seaside Jazz Festival, Seaside Concert Series, Gulf Place Concert series, Concerts in the Park, Monk & More Jazz Gumbo, Gulf Beach Presbyterian Concert Series, Unity of Tallahassee, plus countless corporate and private events along the Gulf coast. Since moving to Dallas in 2007, she has appeared in local clubs solo and with her trio, Unity Dallas Concert series, plus events at the Dallas convention Center.
Mariah worked as an accompanist at The Acting Studio in Grapevine and Frisco for 10 years until the pandemic hit. She taught voice and piano and was the choir director at First Christian Church United in Lewisville for 8 years.
She has written a musical that is in development and several of the students have been involved in professional reads at the studio.
As the beginning of 2023, she was offered a music director position at Trinity United Methodist Church in Fort Walton Beach, FL. She currently lives there and plans the music and directs the choir for the traditional 11AM service.
Will Corbin Sr.
I have done a little bit of private instruction in the past -- at Playground Music, at Grow Your Gift and with my own grandchildren (trombone and trumpet). I'm not a musician by education, but have played in bands nearly continuously since Pryor Jr. High School (yes, from before it was a "middle" school) -- marching, concert, jazz, quintet, rock-n-roll. I'm a co-founder of the Downbeat Jazz Orchestra. I played lead trombone for the University of Florida Jazz Band for a couple of years while I was in school there studying other stuff.
I'm also an arranger, mostly of brass quintet music, but also some big-band and concert band pieces.
I've played in bands in Florida, California, Virginia and Austria, mostly as an amateur and for the fun of it, but I've been paid from time to time.I'd consider myself a semi-pro. My primary instruments are trombone and euphonium, but I've also played tuba in the recent past. In addition, I'm a moderately capable accordionist.
Leila Hobbs
“Leila has been teaching violin and viola for over 17 years, and excels at working with students of all ages and ability levels. From total beginners who are picking up an instrument for the first time, to advanced students looking to expand stylistically or improve their technique.
With a foundation in Classical technique and theory, Leila also enjoys performing and teaching other genres, including Celtic, Bluegrass, Country, Jazz, and Sacred/Worship music.
Leila is also a member of the Pensacola Music Teachers Association and the Choctaw Bay Music Club which provides additional opportunities to her students.”
Gene Ballard
My musical back ground spans over 4 decades. I have taught hundreds of student throughout my journey with foundational methods in technique and theory. I believe the blues helps build everything else that one could learn and build from musically. I have various methods of teaching using exercises to breakdown theory and songs.
In addition to teaching music I have experience in sound engineering working with companies such as Muscle Shoals Sound Studio and Seriously Sounds Record Store. I am able to teach mixing live sound, set up, ear training, EQ, Balance, and more. I have traveled up and down the road with bands and have helped in running sound for various Church Organizations.
Brennon Castillo
I have been a student of music and music education since the age of 5. I have learned throughout the years
that I love composition being a multi-instrumentalist and a songwriter that spans over 2 decades of my
life. I have lead music ministry in several Christian Church congregations for over 20 years and have been
teaching music fulltime for over a decade. In 2020 I formed BC Music LLC with a vision to impact a
community with the power and inspiration of music. I have taught hundreds of students throughout the
years growing them through lessons, programs, recital performances and recording sessions. I take every
student with the utmost importance with one task in mind, to make thier dreams and passions come alive
through the powerful influence of music.
Educated Through Crossroads Christian Academy my studies of music education came mostly through homeschooling studies, private lessons, mentorships that include a deep dive into the science of music theory and education.
With over a hundred songs written and published song writing and composition is what I specialize in. From vocal and instrument arrangements to lyric and song structure I can help your songs find life and even help produce your projects from start to finish.
I also specialize in band development giving mentorship advise to strengthen the bands commercial success. From beginner to Professional Rock bands I can help you find your Brand, Your Sound, and Your Niche.
In addition to my personal achievements I have been successful in mentoring young musicians from 3 years to students in their 90's.
I have also been successful with kids who have various disabilities such as Down syndrome, and autism. My teaching methods vary based on the students ability to learn using a demonstration method known as the Suzuki Method. I teach kids and adults to train the ear, feel the groove and to find the musical flow within each practice song and exercise. I teach students to read, write and understand what the music is saying giving them an understanding to the language of music.
I hope to stir up passion, awaken the musical pioneers of this generation, and continue to help make DREAMS a REALITY!
Tony Santos
Tony Santos
Music Instructor:
Acoustic and Electric Guitar (Rhythm and Lead).
Electric Bass Guitar.
Worship Guitar, Bass Piano and Keyboard
I have been playing guitar for 50 yrs. I am proficient in Diatonic Major Scales and their relative minor scales. I am also proficient in the Pentatonic Major, Minor and the Minor Blue scale. I also am familiar with all the modes of the Diatonic scale.
I have been playing in worship bands in the Fort Walton Beach area since 1987 in various church's. I have also taught Worship Guitar in several worship conferences in the South East. In 2000 1 injured my right index finger and wasn't able to play guitar for a year. That is when I started playing keys in church. I have been a Worship Leader for the past 15 years alternating between the Guitar and Keyboard.
Mark Vandermark
I've always believed learning to play a musical instrument
teaches young people goal achievement skills without them realizing it.
When a child sets out to play even the easiest tune, they practice at home
then in a fun activity like band apply what they practice and see and hear the
fruits of their labor.
That's why they call it "playing an instrument" not "working an instrument"
I Started playing the Trumpet in 4th grade switched to Bariton/Euphonium in high school.
Attending Penn State University played bass trombone in the Wind ensemble and the PSU Blue band.
Also studied privately with the bass trombonist in the Pittsburg Symphony.
Looking for more performing opportunities I picked up the tenor saxophone and
within a few years was working paying gigs. Eventually working my way up to performances with
well known bands including The Climax Blues Band, Bill Haely's Comets and The Beach Boys.
Playing at The New Orleans Jazz festival, Miss Mississippi Pageant and many well attended venues.
Living in Baton Rouge Louisiana I was invited to join the LSU School of Music and Dramatic Arts faculty working as instructor and
curator/technician of musical instruments for the School of Music and The LSU Tiger Band. " THE GOLDEN BAND FROM TIGERLAND"
While in Baton Rouge was a guest performer with the LSU Symphonic Winds and worked with many local artist, R&B bands.
During my tenure awarded Honorary Membership in Kappa Kappa Psi The National Honorary Band Fraternity in 2012
Retiring from LSU relocated to the beautiful emerald coast, now teaching and
enjoys my favorite hobby, fishing.
Kurt Schaefer
Kurt is a passionate and experienced musician originally from Dayton, Ohio. Growing up in a musical family with a jazz guitarist father and a jazz vocalist mother, he developed a love for music at an early age. At the age of 12, in 1995, he received a bass guitar as a gift and quickly excelled, performing in churches and local Christian rock bands, including "Herman's Dew" where he performed across Ohio, Kentucky, and Illinois. In 2001, Kurt expanded his musical skills to include guitar and vocals, taking on leadership roles in worship. From 2004 to 2008, he served as the Associate Pastor of Music, leading and directing both music and audio/visual teams. His musical journey continued in the Air Force, where he led worship for the base chapel and local churches in Japan, Guam, Texas, Ohio, and Washington DC. From 2014 to 2018, Kurt was on staff at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, where he led worship services, directing the band and vocalists and helped with the training and learning of songs for Steven Curtis Chapman's live worship album perfomed at their main campus. He continues to play in his local church and is a skilled bassist, guitarist, and vocalist with a focus on modern worship, rock, blues, and jazz. In addition, he excels in custom electric guitar effects boards, building guitar effects, custom guitars, repairing instruments, and audio/video engineering.
Jonny lawless
Jonny has been passionate about music for over sixteen years, starting his journey with the drums, he soon moved on to guitar after being inspired by AC/DC and other classic rock icons like Led Zeppelin and The Who. Over time, his interests expanded into jazz, swing, and big band music (from the golden era of the 1940s to the 1990s swing revival) and today he enjoys everything from catchy pop hits to mid-2000s emo rock anthems.
With a background that includes guitar in jazz band during high school and college, bass clarinet in concert band, and bass drum in marching band, Jonny completed extensive coursework in music theory before pursuing performance. He has played in multiple bands, performed as a solo guitarist, and explored unique instruments such as the contrabass violin and the dulcimer.
Jonny teaches using a combination of proven method books and a laid-back, encouraging approach. He focuses on building solid fundamentals while keeping lessons fun and tailored to each student’s goals. He is comfortable teaching in a variety of genres: pop, jazz, swing, rock, and classical. Jonny also enjoys guiding students in improvisation on guitar, as well as introducing them to songwriting and recording.
Whether a beginner picking up an instrument for the first time or a developing musician looking to expand skills, Jonny helps students gain confidence, enjoy the process, and discover their own musical voice.
Jon Emmons
Started playing guitar when I entered third grade in 2010.
Spent my formative years honing my craft learning various techniques such as sweep picking, tapping, pinch harmonics, etc to become the best lead player I could be. I’m still learning more to this day.
In 2020 I formed my first band and in 2022 joined my second. Both went through several lineup changes before eventually disbanding in late 2024. Through both of these bands I gained a large amount of live show experience and touring experience as well as elevated my sense of group playing and songwriting tremendously.
Hey There!
WELCOME TO BC MUSIC!!! WHERE DREAMS BECOME REALITY!!!
Now serving Fort Walton and Niceville
Communities. Come see us live!
850-376-8380