Eric Ottinger

lessons@melodymusicshop.com

Ryo Kaneko

Piano

Winner of the 2014 Miami Music Festival Piano Competition and the 2015 Jacob Flier International Piano Competition, Japanese pianist Ryo Kaneko is a rising star in the next generation of pianists. He has performed with conductors such as Vladimir Feltsman, Michael Rossi, Victoria Gau, and Bohuslav Rattay and has presented recitals on many prestigious venues including the Kennedy Center, New World Theater, Rosa Hart Theater, McKenna Theater, Manhattan’s Steinway Hall, and the Studley Theatre. His performance has been consistently praised for his unrivaled, visceral energy.

Mr. Kaneko received his undergraduate and Master’s degree at Rice University, where he studied with the internationally acclaimed artist Dr. Robert Roux. Currently, he is earning his Doctor of Music in Indiana University under the guidance of Professor Emile Naoumoff.

Akira Kaku

Piano

Pianist Akira Kaku is a current doctorate student at the Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University. He has 8 years of experience teaching piano in the Ann Arbor (MI) and Houston (TX) local scenes prior to arriving in Bloomington. Over this time, Akira has taught students ranging from beginner to advanced levels. His prior degrees include a Master's Degree in Piano Pedagogy and Performance from the University of Michigan, and a Bachelor's Degree in Piano Performance from Bowling Green State University (OH).

Noel Koontz

Guitar

Noel Koontz is an artist, musician, and teacher who has been playing guitar and ukulele for many years. He teaches at The Academy of Science & Entrepreneurship and is a current PhD student in art education with a focus on drama education and performance at IU. He is excited to share his joy and lifelong love of making music.

Elias McDermott-Sipe

Guitar

Elias has been teaching guitar & music lessons the past 3
years and started at Melody in May of this year. His primary instrument
is guitar, but he is proficient in piano, bass, ukulele, & music
theory as well. Endorsed at a young age by one of the largest guitar
manufacturers in the world, Ernie Ball, Elias has always been recognized
by his peers for his outstanding talent and passion for music. He
also enjoys practicing drums & composing instrumental samples and
loops to send to music producers that are all across the globe! Also,
his favorite album of all time is Joshua Tree by U2. And Elias’ favorite
guitarists are Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Dave Dwinell

Drums

Dave is currently the drummer for Nashville recording and touring artist Jake Dodds. Dave Received his Bachelor’s in Percussion from The College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati and his Master’s from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in Cincinnati and his Master’s from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music where he also served as an Associate Instructor. 

In orchestral performance, Dave has appeared with multiple regional orchestras including the Cincinnati Symphony and youth orchestras, Columbus, Evansville, Owensboro, Camerata, and Bloomington Pops orchestras. As a teacher Dave has taught numerous high school drumlines as well as front ensembles for drum corps. He has been a visiting instructor of percussion for Morningside College, served as a consultant for Marcato Independent indoor drumline, and an assistant band director.

Jonah Jaisen

Drums

Jonah Jaisen, originally from Middle Tennessee, holds a bachelor's in Music Industry with a percussion focus from MTSU (2024) and is pursuing a master's in Percussion Performance at the Jacobs School of Music. Since 2012, he's excelled in drums/percussion and guitar since 2011, performing extensively with Nashville artists like Becca Bradley, Chris Crump, Cole Ritter, and Scott Cash. At MTSU, Jonah played in ensembles including Jazz Ensemble 1, Wind Ensemble, Percussion Ensembles, and Steel Pan Bands.

An avid educator, Jonah has been teaching private lessons since 2016 to students of all ages. He has also taught drumlines and front ensembles since 2021, most recently as the front ensemble technician at Siegel High School.

Jonah is capable of teaching all genres and styles. Outside of music, Jonah loves hiking, cooking, and ocean documentaries.

John Donlon

Drums

Born in the legendary music city of Memphis, Tennessee, John grew up around many greats from Blues, Funk, Rock, and Country genres. This sparked him to pick up the drums over a decade ago.

Since moving to Bloomington, John has studied under Luke Narey (10 Years, Brave The Royals, Blue Rising) for multiple years, and taken instruction at IU for Jazz and Latin Percussion. 

This has led to performing or recording with roughly 10 different groups including Dacota Muckey, Jukebox Luke, Hank Ruff, and Lilly Meister to name a few. These connections have taken him to many different states playing at music festivals and other reputable venues, opening up for national and regionals acts. 

John has a fun, easy-going attitude with all the experience and skill to prepare you for success whether it be studio work, songwriting, or playing live in ANY genre.

Zoe

Violin

Violinist Zoe Willingham is a classically trained performer and educator, finishing her degree in Violin Performance at the Jacobs School of Music after ten years of dedication. Zoe’s journey into education began in 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The process of helping a student grow in their musical journey entranced her, so she decided to start an online violin studio. Since
then, she has worked with students of all ages through organizations and privately. Her teaching extends to all musicians through her book: “Practice Journal: A Mindful Guide for Musicians and her short guide
“Thinking Like an Athlete: A String Musician’s Guide to Warm Up and Cool
Down.”

Alyssa Holley

Voice

Alyssa is currently a Doctor of Music in Voice student at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. She has also obtained a Graduate Certificate in Vocology and is minoring in Music History and Literature.

At the Jacobs School of Music, she has recently appeared in Pauline Viardot’s Cendrillon, as well as scenes from Anna Bolena, Les Dialogues des Carmelites, and Le nozze di Figaro. This past March, she performed her second doctoral recital, which included works by Rachmaninoff, Poulenc, and Brahms.

Alyssa has experience teaching a variety of ages and skill levels, and she is passionate about cultivating a healthy, sustainable vocal technique.

Outside of singing, she is an avid Cleveland sports fan (her hometown) and spends most of her free time either cooking or at the gym.