Meet our Music Teachers

Each MIXON MUSIC teacher is a trained, professional musician, specializing in multiple areas of musicality. Whether you're looking for a voice teacher, piano teacher, guitar teacher, strings teacher, woodwinds teacher, or kid’s summer camp you'll find what you need here. Plus every student has the benefit of our combined musical experience. We have extensive communication, both with our clients and with each other. We also give our students recording and performing opportunities with and bi-annual MIXON MUSIC recitals and a summer camp through MIXON MUSICal Theatre Nonprofit. We look forward to working with you!

Founder Rachel Howe Mixon

Rachel Howe Mixon is the head of our group of teachers, and director of our summer camp program.

It all started when I begged my parents for piano lessons. I've always loved to sing and I wanted to accompany my voice. Too expensive for them at the time, I had to make due with the 3 piano songs my big brother taught me. (One of them was Heart & Soul, of course.) Later, I began trading babysitting and yard work for piano lessons and voice lessons. Not only was I increasing my musical ability, I was working hard to do so! What a great lesson from my amazing Mom & Dad.

High School lead to many more performance opportunities. I was singing in top choirs and at solofests, performing in musicals, soloing in church, and playing piano for everything (pep rallies, homecoming, other school choirs, more musicals, church meetings.) At one point, some of the kids in my choir class asked me for help singing. I'd already had 3 or 4 different vocal coaches at that point, so my head was swimming with info. I already had musical theatre training, jazz training, and classical/opera training all by age 15. And by helping my classmates, I was becoming a teacher.

I became an official teacher with my first post-college job. As Musical Director for a children's theatre camp doing Footloose: The Musical, I was able to put my BA in Theatre to work. Not only did I land a gig in LA doing what I loved, the gig payed actual money! That was 2004. One of my students asked me if she could stay after camp to receive additional piano and vocal instruction. Then 2 students. Then 4.

It's many years later, and I've taught literally hundreds of children, some of them all in one room! I landed many gigs with adults, too. As a musical director, piano accompanist, and instructor, I've been lucky to teach children and adults of all ages, proficiency levels, and personalities. Teaching is my favorite thing to do. I've had many jobs in the Musical Theatre world. I've performed in countless shows to different audiences. There is no better job than mine as teacher. There is no better audience than my wonderful students. I am so happy to share what I know.

(NEW!) Violin and Viola TEACHER Caitlin

Caitlin Smith has been playing music for most of her life, starting Piano at age 6 and Viola at 10. Her earliest teaching experiences began 8 years ago when she worked as a Teacher’s Assistant and individually mentored new students who needed extra help, pushing them to reach a higher level which brought fulfillment to both student and teacher.

Caitlin found herself teaching part-time throughout her music education, even tutoring peers in ear-training. Trained in both Classical and Jazz, Caitlin was a frequently sought-after Violist for recording sessions, concerts, Folk and Pop groups, and she even toured across Canada with a chamber-ensemble. 

Caitlin now holds a Bachelor of Music from McGill University and teaches Violin, Viola, Piano and Song-Writing. She uses a fun yet methodical approach which focuses heavily on ear-training, individual learning and enjoyment, while following standardized books to provide structured and supportive foundations. Caitlin is very familiar with teaching on Zoom or in-person; she loves watching her students learn and musically flourish!

NEW! GUITAR, DRUMS, PIANO TEACHER AARON

Aaron Benowitz is a performer, instructor, artist and producer who has been teaching music lessons since 2014. With his main instrument being guitar, he has been playing and performing for over 14 years. His work consists of performing with his New York based band "Buddy Rogers" as well as his Jazz trio "Friends with Benowitz" in Los Angeles. He has also played for various Pop, Rock, RnB and Funk artists on guitar and bass throughout the years.

Aaron studied Classical Guitar and Music Education at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam in upstate New York, where he became a certified music educator for grades K-12 in Choir, Band, Orchestra and General Music. After his studies as a classical musician and educator he pursued his Masters Degree in Jazz Studies and Guitar Performance at the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California. There he studied under professional touring and recording artists such as Paul Jackson Jr. (guitarist for MIchael Jackson), Frank Potenza (Joe Pass's pupil), Bob Mintzer (Frontman of the Yellowjackets) and others. With this experience under his belt, Aaron has become a more well rounded instructor and performer able to understand and teach a variety of genres such as: Classical, Jazz, Rock and Blues, Funk, RnB/ Hip-hop, Soul, Latin and many more.

Piano and Vocal Teacher Caroline

Caroline Hisel is a long-time performing artist and songwriter, and has been teaching beginner to intermediate piano and voice for over 7 years. She first began her study of music with classical piano at the age of five, which led to the study of choral voice, broadway musicals, guitar, and songwriting throughout her life. She went on to get a Bachelor’s Degree in Popular Music Performance at the University of Southern California while studying closely under vocal mentor Sean Holt and piano/songwriting/arranging mentor Patrice Rushen. Caroline strives to provide a comprehensive music education while encouraging the student's personal interests. Her primary goal is to instill a love of music while developing the skills they need to make that music.

Guitar TEACHER Dylan

Dylan Gorenberg is a guitarist from Pleasanton, CA who is currently attending the University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music for his Doctorate in Musical Arts.  Dylan also earned his Bachelor and Masters degrees from the Thornton School of Music. Since moving to Los Angeles Dylan has toured all throughout the United States, EU and UK ranging from small clubs to venues that have held over 10,000 people. 

Dylan’s teaching philosophy is that each lesson should be catered to the student’s specific needs and interests. He feels that it is the teacher’s job to inspire and excite the student about music so that they can develop their own musical voice. Dylan has been teaching to students of all ages for over 8 years with some as young as four years old. Some of his students have gone on to study at some of the best music schools in the nation including USC, UCLA, University of Washington and the Lionel Hampton School of Music at the University of Idaho on a full ride scholarship. 

Piano and Vocal Teacher Emily

Emily Kollars has over ten years of teaching experience with both children and adults. Her passion for music stems from 13 years of classical piano training, and formal vocal study. She holds a Bachelors degree in music from Sarah Lawrence College in New York, where she immersed herself in jazz studies and songwriting. Along with teaching virtually, she is a professional singer and pianist in a variety of genres including jazz, R&B, rock and classical.

Her approach to teaching encompasses music theory, technique and expression tailored to the individual student. An advocate for the continuation of musical knowledge and skills passed down through generations, she knows how to instill the love and joy of music in her students. She teaches piano with a classical approach to reading, a strong emphasis in music theory, and the welcome addition of basic rock, pop and jazz elements. With classical reading, her students gain a basic foundation to enjoy playing piano music for their entire lives. Music theory nurtures their ability to breakdown music into its basic parts, then to rebuild - to improvise and to create. Emily’s vocal students improve their delivery, tone and pitch in the varying genres of rock, RnB, and jazz genres.

"When people see me sing, they often wonder about my training. I always credit the wonderful mentors and teachers in my life. They gave me invaluable information: how to practice efficiently, how to enjoy practicing, and how to be truly musical and artful while playing and singing. Some of them were very demanding, some of them super fun, and some of them incredibly encouraging. These are the gifts I hope to pass on to my students." -Emily

WOODwind TEACHer Spencer

Spencer Danielson began taking piano lessons at the age of 6. He then picked up the clarinet, saxophone, and flute along the way at the ages of 10, 12, and 16 respectively. He went on to study music at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah where he got his degree in clarinet performance. Spencer has traveled abroad performing in both the Philippines and Australia in BYU’s Chamber Orchestra and Wind Symphony playing Bb and Eb clarinet. Spencer’s primary focus in teaching revolves around the importance of both music theory and aural skills. He is trained in both classical and jazz styles of performing.

ADVANCED PIANO TEACHER SARA

Sara Araya is a musician and instructor with more than 12 years of experience teaching both children and adults. She began her musical journey in her hometown of Los Angeles, CA where she received over 15 years of private instruction in piano and music theory. Her training allows Sara to teach many styles of music, including classical, contemporary and jazz.

At the start of her teaching career, Sara attended the Musicians Institute (MI) in Los Angeles where she earned a professional training certification in Keyboard Technology and Recording Engineering. This training affords her special skills in improvisation, playing by ear and music theory. During this time at MI Sara served as a keyboard player for many bands, with genres varying from funk and R&B, to jazz and Afro-Brazilian.

While living in New York City from 2009-2015, Sara was able to continue her teaching career throughout boroughs such as Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan at various music schools. She also had numerous private students that she provided instruction to. Sara places a high importance on teaching music theory and ear training during musical development lessons and makes it a point to find innovative and fun ways to teach these fundamentals to her students.

A note from Sara: 

“Contrary to what some believe, ear training is a skill that can be taught. And while having “perfect pitch” is a gift some are born with, training your ear is absolutely possible! The key is repetition of the sound. Such as, repeating a major/minor sound until one can recognize the differences between the two in a simple sound.  I incorporate creative and fun ways of training the ear, such as extensive interval training using your voice and your ears, and improvising in a song that we will jam on together. This way students can explore the different pitches in a particular key, then learn to transpose the key using the theory practices in congruence with the ear training.”