About Me

Bachelor of Music Education degree from Central Washington University plus many graduate level classes.

Twenty five years experience teaching band from beginning through high school in both public and private schools.

Thirty years experience teaching instrumental private lessons.

My students have performed at high levels in school band, the WIAA regional and state music contest, all state concert and jazz bands, the Yakima Youth Symphony, college performing groups and some are playing professionally.

Performing group experience includes playing alto saxophone and previously playing bass clarinet in the Yakima Valley Community Band since 1978 and previous to that in the Yakima Symphony.

Other performing groups included the local rock band Painted Glass and the Yakima River Jazz Band.

About Me

Rich Riggs began his violin studies with the National Institute for Music and Art at the age of four.  He played the violin exclusively until high school, where he began to pursue the viola.  The viola was his primary instrument throughout his college years.  While still in high school, Riggs played acoustic bass for the Polka Knights and the Midnight Suns.

Riggs began his public school teaching career in 1965, having earned a teaching degree (BA) from Western Washington University.  He worked his way through college by playing electric bass at the Up and Up Tavern. He continued to be a working musician during his entire thirty-three year teaching career.  In 1970, he received a Master of Music degree from the University of Oregon.  In 1994 at the age of fifty, he earned Doctor of Education degree from, Columbia University in New York, having received a full tuition scholarship.

Now retired, Riggs continues to be an active performer with the Yakima String Quartet and with Coupe de Ville, a local blues band.  Continuing to learn, he recently made four trips to Roanoke, VA to study bluegrass fiddling with the masters.

Riggs continues to serve as string specialist for Yakima Valley College.

About Me

James Durkee holds a graduate certificate from G.I.T. and a B.M. in Classical Guitar Performance, Cum Laude, from Central Washington University where he has headed the Guitar Department since 1992. He also heads the guitar departments of Walla Walla University and Yakima Valley College. He has maintained an elite private student studio at Ted Brown Music since 1997.

Throughout the U.S.A. and Japan, Mr. Durkee has performed hundreds of solo guitar recitals and has been a featured performer with orchestra and symphonic choir. He has premiered a number of new compositions for the instrument. Contemporary composers have been inspired to dedicate works to him.

James Durkee was a founding member of the Yakima Valley Classical Guitar Society and held the office of president of the organization for an unprecedented five consecutive years. His students have earned the highest honors in national and state competitions.

Mr. Durkee is also in demand as an adjudicator and has officiated local, regional, state and national competitions. He studied classical guitar with Steven Novacek at the University of Washington and Tom Bourne at Central Washington University and performed in numerous master classes with world-renowned artists.

While attending the Guitar Institute of Technology, he studied with such luminaries as Joe Pass and Howard Roberts. James Durkee has released numerous recordings that are available throughout the world. For more about Mr. Durkee, please visit: http://www.jamesdurkee.com

About Me

Ty has been playing music for the last 32+ years. After attending Berklee College of Music as a scholarship recipient and graduating from Musicians Institute with full honors, he decided to move back to Yakima to start up his teaching practice and has been adjunct faculty for Y.V.C.C. and a private instructor for Ted Brown Music for the Last 15 years.

As one of the region’s most popular instructors, Ty chooses to let the student determine the focus of their one on one lessons, while advising the best course of action to take in achieving their goal. The pace and is set by the student in a relaxed and positive atmosphere that is designed to push them further and past their boundaries.

An exciting and favorite performer in and around the Pacific Northwest area, Ty divides his time between a busy teaching schedule, and performing & touring with numerous local and regional acts.

About Me

Pete Hernandez

About Me

Kurt Schuchman

About Me

With Bachelors Degree in Wind Performance and Teacher Certification from Central Washington University, Jeff has performed in each of the lower 48 states and in over 13 countries: as far west as Thailand and as far east as Turkey as a trumpet player for a variety of groups, including The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Don Menza Big Band, Showboat, David Sanchez, Ralph Lalama, Jiggs Whigham, The Mills Brothers, Stan Mark Big Band, Carnival Cruise lines, Princess Cruise Lines, Kenny Rogers, Heart, and many others. Performance credits also include showband stints in Las Vegas at the Imperial Palace, Light at The Bellagio, the Flamingo, and many hours of studio recording for television, radio, and album productions. In the year 2000 Jeff made his television debut in Japan for TNC television with Liberty On The Street, on an 8 week, 27 city tour featuring a 12 piece gospel and the world renowned “Tap Dogs.”

With the added benefit of 6 years in public education, and 15 years giving private lessons, Jeff has the education and real world performance and teaching experience to convey the importance of versatility and execution in genres, from Purcell to Kenton.

Jeff studied the application of classical trumpet, lead trumpet playing, and Jazz improvisation with Thomas Gause, Bob Panerio, Jr., Charlie Butler, Bobby Shew, Allan Vizzutti and others.

Beginners to advanced welcome.