Musicologie Lewis Center

With as spirited as Jeff is standing on the podium, teaching in the studio, or composing new music, you probably wouldn’t have guessed that he holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer & Information Science from The Ohio State University.

With specialties in woodwind instruction, Jeff is the Assistant Director of the Clintonville Community Band, which performs 10+ times annually throughout the Columbus area. He strongly believes that musical discovery serves a noble purpose: to provide a break from the monotonies of life by giving you something to be look forward to – a spark!

Jeff strives to be a little nontraditional, yet finds grounding in his passion and love for developing musicians, both young and old, to be everything they want to be, and then some. Just because you didn’t go to school for music, or don’t plan on it, doesn’t mean you can’t become an accomplished musician. Jeff's goal is to provide a well-rounded experience to students, showing just how connected we all are in this world.

Ahmad Hasan is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a bachelors in music education. Ahmad has spent the past year directing a 90 piece orchestra as well as concert band and teaching music theory. During the recent school year he also spent his free time performing with the Grove City Community Winds where he studied under world renowned James Swearingen.  Ahmad is known as a brass specialist who also teaches beginner piano.

Ahmad’s philosophy of music education is to make music as accessible as possible. He believes giving the opportunity for private lessons can instill passion and motivation for a skill that can be with them for the rest of their life.

With 6 years of experience, Ahmad is excited to teach music to all ages! His charismatic personality can blend with any type of learner and is excited to continue giving back!

Sam Johnson is a teacher, performer, and recording artist living in Columbus, Ohio and is in the final stages of the degree of Doctorate of Musical Arts from The Ohio State University. Sam is the artistic director and primary arranger for CELLOHIO, OSU’s cutting edge cello ensemble that brings music to dynamic spaces and underserved audiences. Sam plays in the band Sweet Teeth, Columbus-based electronic pop punk duo. Sweet Teeth will release their third full-length album in 2019.

Specialties; Drums, Beginner Guitar, Beginner Ukulele, Young Learners / Beginners

Jordan Latas is a recent graduate of Ohio University with a degree in audio production and
recording technologies. During his time at Ohio University Jordan played drums and guitar in a
multitude of musical projects, gaining experience in live performance as well as logging many
hours in studio recording environments. Prior to his college experience, Jordan fell in love with
music from a young age, learning guitar at the age of eight and picking up drums soon after. This
eventually led him to dabble in other instruments such as saxophone, piano, bass, and ukulele.
Never being able to sit still, Jordan put his talents to use, writing and recording music eventually
leading him to pursue a degree in audio production.
As a Columbus native, Jordan returned to his hometown after completing his degree to pursue
music full time. He has extensive experience in childhood education, serving as a camp
counselor and teaching assistant throughout college summer breaks. From this experience, and
his personal endeavors of learning music from a young age, Jordan specializes in beginner drum
and guitar lessons for children aged 5 and up.

Nia Dewberry is a graduate of The Ohio State University where she completed a Master of Music degree in Violin Performance. In addition to her studies at Ohio State, Ms. Dewberry also holds a Bachelor of Music (BM) degree from Bowling Green State University.

Nia started playing violin at the age of 11, and from there continued her studies at Stivers School for the Arts until she was 18. She has won multiple violin scholarship competitions, including the Dr. Paul Makara Competition (Bowling Green) and the Dayton Music Club Scholarship Competition. She has performed in multiple pit orchestras, such as The Muse Machine orchestra and both BGSU and OSU Opera orchestras.

Nia’s goal is to “enrich the lives of children in underserved areas through music.” She enjoys teaching both children and adult beginners. Nia not only wants to teach her students classical music, but jazz, rock and roll, and country. “I strive to teach musicians the type of music they want to play. It’s always so much fun to watch the joy on a musician’s face when they are playing their favorite piece!”

Geoffrey Gear has been singing and playing music for as long as he can remember. Whether he was listening to his grandmother play the piano for him as a young boy, performing in choirs and musicals in his teens, or studying and performing opera in college, music has always been a crucial part of his life. 

A graduate of Otterbein University, Geoffrey earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance where he studied under Dr. Helen Allen. On stage, he has performed with Opera Project Columbus, in workshops with Opera Columbus, as well as other various Columbus theatre companies. 

A resident of Westerville Ohio, he has studied, and practiced many forms of singing for nearly a decade -- from jazz, pop, musical theatre, opera, and even scat singing, Geoffrey does a little bit of everything. In the future, he hopes to continue his passion for performance, while continuing to pass on the joys of music to the next generation of students.

Hannah Bullock is a recent graduate of Ohio University with a master’s in Vocal Performance. Throughout her academic studies, Hannah has appeared in a variety of productions. Hannah was recently seen singing the role of First Lady in Ohio University Opera Theater’s production of Die Zauberflöte and as a 2018 Vocal Academy Artist with Prague Summer Nights Young Artist Music Festival. In addition to solo work, Hannah also has an extensive background in choral music and has performed with ensembles such as the Capital University Chapel Choir, the Capital University Women’s Chorus, and the St. Joseph’s Cathedral Choir. Hannah holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Technology from Capital University.

Abby Wagner is a violist and fiddler based in Columbus, Ohio. She received a Master of Music in viola performance from The Ohio State University, where she served as a Graduate Teaching Associate. She holds a Bachelor of Music in viola performance and music education from Lawrence University of Wisconsin. Before moving to Columbus, she taught English and conducted field research in Austrian folk music as a Fulbright scholar in Vienna. Abby performs regularly with area orchestras such as the Central Ohio Symphony, Lima Symphony, and Springfield Symphony. Passionate about chamber music, Abby enjoys performing in a variety of small ensembles for events, ceremonies, and in concert. She is active in the Columbus folk music and dance scene as a member of Columbus Folk Dancers, Ohio Old-Time Music, and Square Dance Columbus.

Abby has been teaching violin and viola lessons to students of all ages for ten years. She believes that every person has the ability to learn to play an instrument with joy, skill, and ease. Her current students are engaged in projects ranging from playing in the Columbus Symphony Youth Orchestras to learning to play their favorite fiddle tunes; from playing their violin in the context of community outreach to composing their own music. Abby’s teaching methodology is eclectic, blending inspirations from master pedagogues, ways of learning found in oral traditions, current research, and the spontaneous spark of creativity that makes each lesson different from the one before.  She strives to guide all of her students toward their unique goals and help them to learn how they learn best.

Wesley graduated from University of Illinois in Chicago with a Masters in Public Health and from Ohio State University with a BA in Health Sciences and a minor in music. During his time at Ohio State, he was a member of the OSU Jazz Ensemble and club. He was also a regular member of the UIC choir club. Wesley has performed throughout several venues in Chicago before relocating to Ohio as a member of the Musicologie team.

Since music has been such an important presence in his life, Wesley hopes to spread the joy and passion that it brings to both new and experienced students alike.