s
c
s

 

Pierce Murphy - Guitar, Voice

Born and raised in Denver, Pierce is an established teacher, guitarist, vocalist, producer and songwriter in the city’s various music scenes. He holds a Bachelor of the Arts in Music with an emphasis in jazz guitar from Metropolitan State University of Denver and a Performance Certificate in jazz voice from University of Denver. 
He has extensive studio experience, with performance, production, and engineering credits on more than 30 albums and projects, and in live music settings as the production manager for Dazzle Jazz where he worked with the biggest names in the jazz world. 
He performs regularly in Denver and has recently enjoyed taking his music overseas on a Japanese tour in the Fall of 2017 in support of an album he wrote there in 2014. He is one of Vrain Street Music’s artists, a local licensing and recording company, preparing to release multiple albums with the group in 2018. 
Pierce comes from a family of music teachers and has himself been teaching privately for over 13 years. He tailors his lessons to each individual student and class, addressing the interests and goals of each to maximize understanding and fun. That’s because a core tenet of his music philosophy is that it should be, if nothing else, a lot of fun.

Kimberly Bird - Electric/Upright Bass, Beginning Guitar

 

Kim has over a decade of experience teaching bass and guitar from the beginner level through more advanced students.  From rock to pop to jazz to classical, her musical background and training is extremely versatile which is reflected in her approach to teaching.  She holds a Master's Degree in Double Bass Jazz Performance from the Lamont School of Music, and maintains an active performing schedule. 

 

Jim Venis – Ukulele 

["Venis" rhymes with "Dennis"]:

Jim has a special sensitivity to adult learners, to people who do not read music, and to people with little musical background—or none at all. He considers it his mission to help people unlock the music in themselves, and ukulele is the key.

Jim played with his mother's ukulele at the age of 4...until the strings broke! He played trumpet in bands from elementary school into college, and he studied piano, music theory, and composition. Over the years, Jim tinkered with a lot of instruments (harmonica, lap dulcimer, fife, Cajun accordion, and so on), but he re-discovered ukulele while on Kauai in 2003.

In 2004, Jim became the founding leader of the Denver Ukulele Community. An unanticipated consequence of this was that he had to learn to sing. That organization is still going strong and still meeting at Swallow Hill, where 50 or more ukulele players assemble to share their enthusiasm every month. In 2012, Jim helped to found the Rocky Mountain Ukulele Orchestra (RMUO), and he served as both concert master and board member. He also composed and arranged music in as many as eight parts for the Orchestra. His ukulele quartet performed with the Orchestra.

 Find Jim on Facebook as @UkuleleLaboratory.

 

Also see Joe Engel for Guitar.