Piano | Violin | Viola | Cello

Melissa Fargason received their Bachelor of Arts in Music Education in 2020 from Clayton State University. A Gwinnett native, Melissa Fargason has been teaching violin, viola, cello, and piano from ages 6 and up since 2016. Her studio has had students go on to play in many higher level orchestras and honor orchestras as well as play for various ensembles and functions. Along with teaching their studio, Melissa directs the Grace Snell Middle School Orchestra.

Guitar | Bass | Uke | Mandolin

Aaron is a multi-instrumentalist that has played acoustic/classical and electric guitar for over 15 years, as well as brasswind and woodwind instruments. He has many years playing professionally in the live music scene ranging from performing solo in intimate atmospheres at local restaurants to playing at sold out shows for 35,000 attendees performing on the same bill as bands like Keith Urban and The Marshall Tucker Band. Aaron stays active in the local music community by hosting Open Mic Nights, providing musicians of all ages and skill level a chance to perform in public. He also has experince in running "live sound" for events and music prodction taking on recording projects of many styles including recording and mixing/mastering for symphonic orchestra.

Learn more here: www.edgeoftheuniverseentertainment.com 

Trumpet | French Horn 

Mitch has been teaching trumpet for over 5 years at music stores and schools across the country. He received his degree in trumpet performance at the Hartt School of Music in Hartford Connecticut. There he studied under Jay Lichtmann and performed with the Hartt School's many theatre productions. He has been teaching as a clinician in Gwinnett County for the past three years. He specializes in classical trumpet technique and performance.

Violin | Viola | Cello | String Bass

Mr. Ken Billups is the former Orchestra Director at Couch Middle.  He retired from Couch in May 2021 and helped to open the school in 2009.  Mr. Billups taught middle school Orchestra in Dekalb for 5 years and in Gwinnett County for 28 years. Mr. Billups considers himself strongest in the lower strings, cello and the double bass.  The double bass, though, is his primary instrument. Mr. Billups received his BMUS with concentration in Music Ed from UGA, his MMUS from Georgia State University and his EdS in Leadership from Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee. 

Percussion | Drum Set

Wayne has been teaching percussion for over eleven years, with eight of those years at Gwinnett Discount Music. Wayne teaches drum set for all styles of music, traditional drum corps techniques, and orchestral percussion. He teaches students from age four through adult, including college level music students. Wayne has worked in both middle and high schools with concert band, and has served several schools as instructor for marching band drumlines. Wayne has a B. A. in Music from Lee University.

Trumpet | French Horn

Mrs. Jennifer Carwile is originally from the Grand Rapids, Michigan area. She attended Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan, and received her Master's in Music Education from Vander Cook College of Music in Chicago, Illinois. Trumpet was Mrs. Carwile's main instrument with French Horn as second, and she has studied privately with the following: Daniel Kovats, Trumpet instructor and Music Department Dean, Grand Valley State University, Michael Bowman, Principal Trumpet Player of the Grand Rapids Symphony, and Bryan Miller, Commander/Conductor of the National Guard Band of the Midwest. She wore wooden shoes for 6 years teaching in Holland, Michigan, as the Assistant Director of Bands, Holland High School. She currently teaches at North Hall Middle School and also is on staff with the North Hall High School Marching Band. Carwile's private lesson studio started in 1993 and continues to be successful to this day.

Guitar | Bass

Guitar and Bass instructor at our Lawrenceville location.