Teachers
Austin Jones
Co-Owner/Founder
Austin started Lessons With Austin in 2012. He has been singing and playing guitar, bass, and drums for over 22 years now! He’s performed at many festivals, conferences, venues, radio shows, religious ceremonies, and other events over the years both as a solo artist and with his band “The Austin Jones Band” which has released 4 albums and several music videos and received radio airtime around the world.
Favorite Bands: The Beatles, The Police, Chon
Carson Jones
Co-Owner,Operations Manger, Drums
Carson has been playing drums since he was 7 years old. His older brother Austin (yes that Austin!) seemed to be in a different band every week and as if by magic, a new drum set would appear in their garage. He started learning by playing along with Austin and has not stopped since! Carson has continued his music education through private lessons, college music theory programs and a drive to push himself to be a better musician and educator every day. He began teaching drums in 2011 as LWA's second ever instructor! Carson plays regularly at different churches in the Houston area as well as his own band The Causeways.
Favorite Bands: Relient K, mewithoutYou, Pedro the Lion
Randy Wright
assistant manager, director of sales, senior instructor, guitar
Randy is our Director of Sales and one of our Senior Guitar Instructors. He has been a vital part of Space City School of Music since 2021. He has over 20 years of guitar experience and specializes in instruction with younger students. Randy believes that music is powerful and provides so many ways for students to express themselves without words. It is something that engages the mind, physically and spiritually. Randy believes the real gift of teaching is experiencing the "ah-ha" moments and little victories students experience when learning something new.
Favorite Bands: Incubus, Portugal the Man, Stars
Andrea Torres
Senior Instructor, Voice, Piano, Sales
Music has been a core memory for Andrea since the age of 5 or 6 when she would perform through her Barbie boombox for her friends and family. Her singing journey began in her church’s children’s choir, which eventually graduated to being a part of her junior high’s choral program. Andrea learned about the advantages of taking voice lessons when her own high school choir director paid for her to take lessons throughout high school. This allowed her to be very involved in her high school’s choir program, eventually advancing to be a part of the 2014 All-State Women’s Choir- an experience that taught her how important dedication and technique were to her musical passions. She received her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Sam Houston State University. Her higher education allowed her to not only learn piano, but also concentrate on contemporary vocal styles, as well as standard Opera repertoire, and golden age musical theatre selections. Her most fond performance experience was getting to sing in Japan with her university’s Opera program in 2018. This will be Andrea’s 5th year teaching private voice and piano lessons, with expertise in teaching voice students of all ages and levels, as well as beginner piano students. Andrea wants her students to understand the following sentiment she learned from Dr. Geoffrey Redding while under his baton: “Technique clarified your Passion. Your Passion carries your Purpose. You can’t have one without the other.” Andrea knows that her students love music because of how it makes them feel. What she wants them to understand is the “what”, “ why” and “how” within the music they love.
Favorite Bands: Paramore, Amy Winehouse, Hozier, Ghost!
Blake Carlsen
Senior instructor, Guitar, bass, drums, piano
Blake has been playing music his whole life. his Uncle had started teaching him guitar when he was 4 years old! When he turned 10 his family got him lessons as a gift and from there he went on to learn Violin from orchestra. When he was 14 he wanted to join the youth band at his church where Carson (yes that Carson) was the youth pastor. They needed a bass player and it became very apparent that he needed lessons, so he signed up with Austin Jones. After a few months, Austin hired Blake as an intern and as soon as he turned 16, he was hired on as an instructor. Ever since then Blake has been teaching and learning new instruments. Teaching and music are his two greatest passions. Nothing makes him happier than helping his students set and accomplish their goals.
Favorite Bands: Early Eyes, Periphery, Foo Fighters
Matthew Coleman
Piano
Matthew’s musical journey started in 6th grade playing Saxophone in his middle school band but in 8th grade, a new instrument caught his attention - piano. Taking what he learned about reading music in band, Matthew began to teach himself how to play from a hymnal and practiced on an old out of tune piano in the back of his church. As years progressed Matthew continued his education, learning to play songs from mentors who would give him musical wisdom. In college, Matthew had the opportunity to play in his first band. Now, Matthew is completing his degree in History to be a teacher, but loves the opportunity to teach piano to students and watch them grow! Matthew loves to see students' excitement when they learn something new and accomplish a task they couldn’t before.
Favorite Bands: Stevie Wonder, Maverick City Music, Ondatrópica.
Arno Roensch
Piano, Drums, Percussion
Arno is a third generation musician and has loved a good drum performance since he was a child. He began playing trumpet too. His musical endeavors started in the 6th grade and included music programs in public-school and a bachelor’s degree in music from the University of New Mexico and post-baccalaureate music study at University of North Texas, Denton, Tx. He enjoys performing in small jazz combos, big bands, and any music genre that requires drums/keyboard percussion. Teaching music is his way of sharing his love for music and music performance in drums, keyboard percussion, and piano. His goal is to support others with similar endeavors and encourage students, including himself, to forge a balance between the inner and outer aspects of music. When he’s not teaching and performing intermittent gigs live around Houston and surrounding areas, he is spending time with family.
Favorite Bands: Brad Mehldau, Jon Batiste
Matthew Martinez
Guitar, Bass, Ukulele
Matthew has been playing guitar since he was twelve years old. He had always been enamored by the sound of good music, specifically Rock and Metal. His favorite toy as a child was a little toy electric guitar that played some awesome metal tunes. As he grew older, he told his parents he wanted to start taking guitar lessons. They were excited, but not very surprised. He took private lessons from a family friend who taught him all the fundamentals of guitar. After some time, his instructor recommended that he attend Canzion Institute of Music, a Christian based music school that would further his education and technique. In two years, Matthew graduated alongside his younger brother. Since then, he’s been playing at many different churches and his passion for music has only grown. His personal philosophy for music is that it is a tool to be used to express freedom and gratitude for life. Matthew wants to assist his students in finding that same freedom and to play to their hearts’ content and to just have a plain old good time while doing it!
Favorite Bands: Metallica, Dio, Black Sabbath
Dayne DeGroot
Drums, Percussion
Dayne started by playing percussion in his junior high band class. This eventually led to him joining the Clear Lake High School marching band. Late into high school, Dayne had a strong desire to start playing drums for his church’s student worship team, and started taking drum lessons with Carson. With a musical experience and rhythm developed in marching band, and his newfound love for music, Dayne picked up playing drum set quickly and was brought on as an intern only 2 and a half years after starting his first drum lesson. Now as an Instructor, Dayne loves teaching his students and supporting their passion for music. If he could teach his students only one thing, it would be that practicing music doesn’t have to be a chore if you play what you enjoy. Dayne regularly performs at this church on Sunday mornings as well as playing tenor drums for the University of Houston Drumline. You can see him perform at UH football and basketball games across the country.
Favorite Bands: Metallica, Gojira, Tony Rice
Angel Martinez
Drums
Angel has been playing drums since he was 8 years old. He’s always been fascinated in rhythm and his family knew it! In 2017, Angel graduated at the top of his class from the Canzion Music Institute! Angel is an experienced and natural performer. He has performed at different churches and has experience with different styles in order to be flexible in his craft when it comes to teaching his students. He enjoys all types of genres of music including Jazz, Rock, Funk, and Soul. Angel believes being consistent, having a good groove and feel, and of course having a blast, are all key features in how he teaches drums and wants all his students to be great musicians!
Favorite Bands: Last Dinosaurs, HYBS, Ruffin
Roberto Rodriguez
Guitar, Bass, Ukulele
Roberto picked up guitar at age 10. He saw his sister buy an acoustic guitar and started using it as well whenever she would put it down. Roberto started performing/playing music with his friends around middle school and high school. Around highschool, he began studying and taking music lessons with a local instructor. From then on, he continued playing around town, giving lessons as well to friends and family. One lesson that Roberto strives to teach each of his students is to have fun and the instrument as a form of self expression! You can find Roberto playing guitar every Sunday at his church or anywhere around town supporting local Rnb, country, and jazz artists!
Favorite Bands: Chon, Thrice, Pierce the Veil
Ellis Wendt
Guitar, Bass, Ukulele, Drums
Ellis has been playing guitar and bass since 2015 and ukulele since 2016. He joined LWA as a student in 2016 and eventually became an intern, and joined the staff in 2017. He is currently a student at San Jacinto Community College, with plans to transfer to the University of Houston. Ellis has played music as a solo performer and with different bands through out the years. Ellis loves teaching guitar because he believes music is a life-changer. Music can be a hobby, or it can be a career. Everyone has enough time and energy to play music. "I'm a patient teacher who focuses on the student's preferences and needs. I go out of my way to see students preform, whether it's getting them ready for recital or helping them with songs before a show."
Favorite Bands: Breaking Benjamin, Linkin Park, The Hives
Jaden Gunter
Guitar, Bass, Ukulele
Favorite Bands: Backseat Lovers, Peach Pit, Djo
Daniel Delgado
Social Media/ Communications, Drums
Daniel started playing music around the age of 12. His dad was a worship leader at their church, which gave him many opportunities to play in a live setting. Daniel began to take drumming more seriously in high school, and since then, has had some amazing opportunities to travel and make great connections through music.
Favorite Bands: Telephone Friends, Mutemath, The Killers