“The great thing about the guitar is it’s something virtually anyone can pick up and enjoy. It’s soothing – even if you only know how to strum a few chords. I’ve had so many students that have come to me from all walks of life saying that they’ve always wanted to learn guitar, and just didn’t know how to get started. It’s always rewarding to see my students strumming through their favourite tunes in no time.”

Johnston, a professional guitarist and instructor at the Mary G. Hardin Center for Cultural Arts, began playing guitar at the age of seven, played in the school band program for eight years, and went on to study music at Troy State University before receiving a scholarship to study and work in France and Italy to pursue his other life-long passion of Art. Since then, he has traveled the globe working as both artist and musician, worked with hundreds of students of all ages, and recently self-published the first two editions to his “Hello Guitar” book series featuring his unique method of learning to play guitar.

“One of the many innovative things about the ‘Hello Guitar’ series is that all the diagrams are all from a first-person viewpoint, so it’s easier to imagine yourself playing guitar, and easier to learn. My philosophy is that students should have the right learning tools to practice ‘smarter not harder.”

Click http://www.gadsdentimes.com/article/20090526/NEWS/905269986 to read the Gadsden Time's article about Rob

And visit the Visual Arts & Music Class Scheudle pages to learn more.

Roland Lister
Mr. Roland Lister is the Associate Conductor of the Etowah Youth Orchestras. In this capacity he serves as the Principal Conductor for the June Moore Bugg Prelude Strings, and Director of the EYO's Summer Strings Camp. He also serves as the instructor for the EYO's Beginning and Intermediate Strings Program in the Etowah County and Attalla City School Systems. He holds a B.S. degree in Music Education from Jacksonville State University and a Masters degree in School Administration from the University of Alabama. He has studied viola with Mary Ann Noble and Roger James of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra.

Mr. Lister taught instrumental music in the Gadsden City School System for thirty years, spending twenty years as a string orchestra director. He retired in 1998 to work with the EYO. In 2000 Mr. Lister served as the conductor of the Premiere String Orchestra at the Alabama All-State Orchestra Festival. Mr. Lister made his Carnegie Hall debut in June of 2002 with the Etowah Youth Orchestras.

Jason Stevenson, Guitar, Drums, & Electric Bass

Jason started studying guitar at the age of 7 in Pennsylvania. At the age of 12 he added electric bass to his musical studies and put his first band together performing both original and cover songs in Wisconsin. He then moved to the Dallas, Texas area. While attending high school he again put a performing band together, won 1st place at his High School talent show for a solo electric bass performance, played another solo performance at the Hard Rock Cafe and added drums to his musical studies. While studying music education at the University of North Texas, he started his own business putting together a team of live sound engineers in Dallas and freelanced as a studio engineer. During the same period he put together an all original band performing regularly in Dallas and surrounding cities, released a full length CD and worked at Inside Track Recording Studio as an engineer. He then moved to South Florida to pursue other business ventures for 11 years and performed gigs in the Palm Beach & Ft. Lauderdale areas. He also served as Chief Engineer at Powerline Studios for a part of that time. Now he resides in Walnut Grove with his wife Diana and his 2 children Andrew and Amanda and has dedicated his career to teaching music to more than 60 students currently in Blount & Etowah Counties. He recently opened his recording studio providing young aspiring musicians a reasonable way to record a quality product while teaching and preparing them for major recording studio situations.

Estefanía Cuevas, Voice Instructor

Estefanía Cuevas is a senior majoring in music with a minor in drama at Jacksonville State University. She discovered her love for singing at an early age, but it was not until she reached the age of sixteen that she began to explore her gift proactively. During her high school years, she performed in Alabama All-State Choirs, including SSA, SATB, and Show Choir from 2001 to 2004. Through this endeavor, she was chosen as Outstanding Choral Student for District V during both her junior and senior years. Her formal voice studies began during her freshman year in college under Dr. Patricia Corbin at Jacksonville State University, with whom she studied for four years. Through her studies at JSU, Ms. Cuevas has been cast by the Jacksonville Opera Theatre in leading and supporting operatic roles, including Hansel in Hansel and Gretel, Mrs. Page in The Merry Wives of Windsor, Arminda in La Finta Giardiniera, Ruth in The Pirates of Penzance, The Duchess in The Gondoliers, and Pitti-Sing in The Mikado. She was also cast as a chorus member for Opera Birmingham’s production of La Boheme, as well as by the Gadsden Community Theatre as Madame de la Grand Bouche in Beauty and The Beast and Lily in The Secret Garden. In 2007, Ms. Cuevas was selected as a scholarship winner through the Birmingham Music Club Guild Voice Competition, and received an honorable mention during March of 2008. She currently studies voice under Dr. Nathan Wight at Jacksonville State University and plans to pursue a master’s degree in vocal performance upon graduating from JSU. Ms. Cuevas’s mission is to guide students of different levels of musical development toward a healthy and fulfilling approach to singing, as well as helping them discover the beauty found in their individual gift of music.

David Handler

David Handler began his study of music on the piano at age 6, and later took up the violin "for fun". He continued his violin studies at the Indiana University School of Music, the Cleveland Institute of Music, and at Meadowmount. He joined the Alabama Symphony in 1977 as its youngest member at the time, has been serving as Assistant Principal Second Violin since 1997, and served as acting principal for the 1993-4 season. He is also a member of the New Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra. Mr. Handler performs on and teaches both violin and viola.

Terry Williams - Guitar Instructor

Terry lives in Rainbow City with his wife Eileen and their two sons Devin and Dylan.

He decided early in live that music would be his vocation. He has played with several popular local groups such as Smokin’, Forever and Wild Horses. Terry has two degrees from Gadsden State Community College, an Associate Degree in Music plus an Applied degree in Clinical Science. He also holds Bachelors and Master degrees from UAB in Clinical Science. Terry has sixteen years teaching experience. He enjoys Classical, Rock, Country, Funk and Jazz and teaches all types of Guitar. He has appeared with the Etowah Youth Orchestras and the Jacksonville Community Symphony. He currently plays lead guitar for the popular duo “Rick and Tad” and has completed his first Concerto for Guitar.