Lauren

VOICE and Piano

Soprano Lauren Carter holds a Master of Music from Southampton University in the UK and a Bachelor of Music and Musical Theatre Certificate from Northwestern University.  Lauren has trained a diverse roster of singers ranging from classical to pop, and her studio focuses on vocal health, proper technique, and performance preparation.  As a recording artist, Lauren has co-written and recorded with Grammy-award winning producers Andrew Williams and Josh Monroy (Igloo) as well as Decca classical chart-topping artist, Martians Levickis.  She released her debut pop EP, ‘American Dream’, in April 2017.  It charted at #6 in the Swiss Dance Charts and she was nominated for a Hollywood Music in Media Award.  She has appeared in recital and concert around Europe and the US, most recently at Thayer Hall Los Angeles in 2016, and played the role of Buffy in the world premiere of A Wedding at Lyric Opera of Chicago, directed by Robert Altman.  She was a member of Co-Opera Co in London from 2010-2012 and was a soloist in the opera Paix a Peyresq with New London Singers.  Also an accomplished voice-over artist, her clients have included Skittles, NATO, documentaries, audiobooks and more.  In addition, she is a member of SAG and Equity, and an accomplished actress having trained at Atlantic Theatre Company in Manhattan and in professional studios in LA and Chicago.  Most recently she portrayed the lead in the world premiere of The Mark of Lia, a psychological thriller at The London Theatre.  Her film work has screened at festivals around the globe, and she has appeared in numerous commercials and print ads. She was a voice faculty member at AMDA from 2014 - 2016, and is also a founding member of the voice faculty at The French Conservatory of Music in Beverly Hills

Francisco

Percussion

Dedicated and passionate multi instrumentalist with academic background in music. Over 10 years of experience writing, performing, recording and teaching.
I teach through empathy by understanding each persons weaknesses. I have developed a method based in self competition and written results that emphasizes in technique and sound.

Multilingual : Spanish, English, French.
Multi instrumentalist : Drums and percussion, Bass, Guitar, Keys.
Musicians Institute, Los Angeles CA
           Associate of Arts in Performance

Michael

Guitar, Bass, Ukulele and Piano

Michael is a jazz guitarist and graduate of the Global Jazz Studies major at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music on a full-ride scholarship. During this time, Michael performed with many different jazz groups across the greater LA area and studied with world-class faculty like Jacques Lesure, Wolf Marshall, Tamir Hendelman, Terence Blanchard, and Arturo O'Farill. In this program, Michael won the ASCAP Louis Armstrong Award for Composition and the Barbara Abell Award.
Before UCLA, Michael previously attended Los Angeles City College on the Herb Alpert Scholarship where he gained certificates in Jazz Guitar Performance, Composition, and Music Technology. During his time at LACC, Michael won the Outstanding Honors Performance award as well as awards for leadership and composition.
Along with this, he studied at the Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) where he was in the Guitar Program studying jazz guitar, flamenco, and classical guitar. His time at OCSA gave him the opportunity to perform in top-tier music venues like the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, the Observatory, and many more. At the start of his high school year, Michael was taken under the wing of Vasil Chekardzhikov, studying privately and teaching afterschool classes throughout high school. Michael also won Most Improved Guitarist his Freshman year and Most Outstanding Guitarist his Sophomore and Junior year.
Michael has also composed and recorded his own music with his band teot, formerly known as Chakra, and taught private instruction from High School to the present. When his college career began, Michael picked up piano and music production to add to his list of skills.

Alex

Saxophone, Clarinet and Flute

Alex Young is a multi-instrumentalist and composer originally hailing from Zionsville, Indiana. After completing his degree in Jazz Saxophone Performance from the prestigious Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Alex has gone on to tour, perform, and record with a wide array of artists. Alex has toured nationally with Durand Jones and the Indications and performed with legendary five time grammy winner Dr. John. He was recently featured on Jimmy Kimmel Live, performing as a member of the Todd Glass Band. 

Alex maintains a very active teaching schedule, teaching all age ranges and multiple instruments - Saxophone, Clarinet, and Flute as well as Improvisation and Composition. He has worked with countless students individually, as well as giving clinics on jazz improvisation and performance nationwide.