At Kudzu Music, we have experienced, highly qualified instructors for piano, guitar, violin and voice. Whether you are just beginning or want to improve your skills as a seasoned musician, our instructors can help you achieve your goals.
Diane Rydell, voice and piano
Diane and her husband, Stephen, are the previous owners of Rydell Music Center. She has taught piano and voice in Boone 27 years. She also taught piano and voice to students at Lees-McCrae College in Banner Elk for 9 years. Diane earned a Masters in Music degree from Manhattan School of Music in NYC and performed there several years. As the Music Director at Banner Elk Presbyterian, Diane is the organist/pianist, directs the Men’s Choir and the Handbell Choir. The church music program is very active and includes adults from 18 to 92 years of age. “Music has been and continues to be a way of life and sharing it through teaching is a joy and a blessing.”
Terri Miller, piano
Music has been a vital part of Terri’s life since the age of 6. She earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano and Music Therapy from West Texas A&M University and certification in Instrumental Music Education from Appalachian State University. She has over 30 years of teaching experience – including preschool music, church music directing and accompanying, middle school band and orchestra, and private piano. Terri loves sharing her passion for music and strives to pass it on to her students. She and her husband, Richard, are the new owners of Kudzu Music.
Jim Greene, guitar
Aubrey Spurlock, guitar
Aubrey has extensive knowledge and experience in all areas of music – producing, performing, creating, and teaching. He is the owner of Trout Cove Lutherie and handles all the repairs for Kudzu Music. His love of music is evident in the number of students he has positively impacted throughout his teaching career in Boone. You can read more about Aubrey and his musical instrument creations at Trout Cove Lutherie.
Cindy Tate, piano, music therapy
Cindy is a native of Burlington, NC. She earned a Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy from ASU and is currently working on her Master of Music Therapy at ASU. She is trained in the Suzuki Piano method, Music Together, and the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music and has taught private and group piano lessons in Raleigh, Lenoir and Boone since 2000. Cindy currently provides music therapy services to school-aged children in Caldwell and Watauga counties and piano instruction to people of all ages and abilities. “I am especially interested in the healing nature of the arts. I feel that participation in music and arts provides a benefit that goes beyond the classroom, beyond the modality itself. Music is often a strength for the children I work with. I love that their musical ability provides them a way to share their voice with the world.”
Kimberly Ray, violin
Kimberly is an ASU graduate with a degree in violin performance and alumni of the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts. She performs with the Johnson City Symphony and Western Piedmont Symphony and is a certified Suzuki instructor. Kimberly is very interested in The Alexander Technique and using it to help people play their instrument with the least amount of tension and more ease. She also has experience playing the viola.