Our Studio Team.
Musician Makers is run by a small, dedicated team who strive to offer excellent customer service and the best private music lessons experience in Nocatee and Ponte Vedra, Florida.
Austin Pillsbury
Founder, CEO, Guitar, Voice & Songwriting Instructor
Austin founded Musician Makers in 2016 after years of teaching guitar on his own. He now has a total of 13 years of teaching experience.
His passion is to infuse music education with fun and creativity, and encourages all of our students to make their own music.
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As well as teaching, Austin is also in a country rock band, Kaden & the Meeks, a volunteer worship leader at his church, is a live musician for parties and events, and a music producer with multiple published projects.
Grace Pillsbury
Marketing & Events, Customer Service
Grace is the brains behind our branding, marketing, events, and community presence.
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She also helps provide excellent customer service to our clients throughout the week and loves to help find solutions for our growing business.
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Grace has a B.S. in Communications & Public Relations from University of North Florida and has been a freelance marketer and brand consultant for the last 8 years.
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She is a Jacksonville native, born and raised, and loves starting business and being able to see them grow in the city she grew up in.
Amber Sanders
Executive Administrator,
New Student Support
Amber Sanders is a key part of our administrative team. She graduated from Salisbury University in 2012 with a Bachelors in Communications, and received a Masters in Business Administration from University of Maryland in 2017.
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She and her husband have two sons, a five-year-old budding musician, and one-year-old future musician. She finds enjoyment in helping people and organizations be more organized, prioritized, and less stressed.
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"I'm excited to work with such an amazing team of musicians who are passionate about instilling a love of music in others."
Meet Our Teachers
All of our teachers are passionate about inspiring a love for music in each of their students. We work together as a team to provide an effective and dynamic approach to curriculum and lesson planning. Our teachers all bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the table, ranging from classical training to years
of live performances & songwriting.
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Every instructor is educated, trained and background-checked for full transparency.
Jacob Shearer
Guitar Teacher
Jacob has been playing guitar since 2005, and was trained classically for 8 years. Two of those years were at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts where he also studied music theory and piano. He has 10+ years of live performance experience and has been with Musician Makers for 4 years. He has experience teaching people of all ages, and believes that music should be fun!
Mike Pruitt
Piano & Voice Teacher, Instructor Manager
Mike has been studying piano for 10+ years. He has been with Musician Makers for 4 years and also works as the Director of Music for St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church. Mike has traveled around the country playing piano in multiple bands and in many worship communities! He has a gift for teaching and helping his students find their inner creativity.
"I love what I do, and can’t wait to share the gift of piano with everyone!"
Emily Stewart
Piano & Voice Teacher
Emily has been performing since she was very young, in ministry and academic settings. Although Emily’s primary instrument is voice, she is also experienced in playing piano and acoustic guitar.
Emily began her study of singing at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts. She continued her studies at Florida State College at Jacksonville and Jacksonville University, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education. She has also earned her Master’s degree in Music Performance at Lee University in Cleveland, TN.
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Emily has been with Musician Makers for over a year now, and is beloved
by all her students.
Bella D'Amico
Guitar + Piano Teacher
Bella started teaching herself guitar in 2016 and quickly fell in love with it. Attending a fine arts high school, she studied classical-style guitar and music theory for 4 years.
Bella has continued her music studies at the University of North Florida, majoring in Music Technology and Production. Bella's motivation for music comes from an eagerness to understand it and create her own.
Writing and producing music is Bella's favorite hobby. She plays guitar, bass, and piano in numerous bands outside of school.
Although Bella loves writing and producing as a creative outlet, she finds working with kids rewarding and hopes to teach elementary school music after graduation.
Sarah Bryan
Piano Teacher
My name is Sarah Bryan, and I teach piano with Musician Makers!
I have my Associate of Arts degree from the University of West Florida, and I am currently studying for a bachelor's degree in music education and music performance at the University of North Florida.
I play the flute and piccolo full-time at school, but before my flute adventures began, I played piano all through grade school! Music is my biggest passion in life, and I want to share the joy that I have found with everyone! I put a lot of love into my studies and all I do, and it is important that I put that same love into my students as well!
In grade school, I entered several piano competitions in my hometown, and also participated in the National Piano Guild for 10 years, receiving a Paderewski medal. I competed in Solo and Ensemble at the district and state level on both flute and piano, and have received superior ratings on each.
I am proud of my career thus far, and I look forward to sharing my passion with students through
Musician Makers!
Guitar Teacher
Bradley Cox
I am a music performance major at the University of North Florida with 2 years of teaching experience. I began my teaching journey at a local music store in Venice, Florida, where I developed a passion for helping students learn guitar at all levels!
My teaching style is personalized to each student's interests and skill levels, ensuring a fun and engaging learning experience.
When I'm not teaching or studying, I enjoy jamming with friends and exploring Jacksonville's vibrant music scene. Music has the power to unite and inspire, and I love sharing that passion with my students.
Kaden Gaines
Guitar + Piano Teacher
My name is Kaden Gaines. I have extensive experience in the music industry, having worked at four different schools of music. I am a multi-instrumentalist, proficient in playing eight instruments, and I am also fluent in three languages.
My favorite genre of music is Bosa Nova, and I have a passion for sharing my love of music with others.
With a strong background in music education and a versatile skillset, I pride myself on being well-equipped to succeed in any music industry role, including teaching!
Dominik Guerriero
Guitar Teacher
My name’s Dominik and I’ve been a guitar player for 7 years now! I started on a cheap ukulele I got off the internet and taught myself daily for many years before seeking out lessons from a mentor. I then spent several years as a worship guitarist at Melody Church in Live Oak, Fl. playing as often as 5 days a week being the campus’ only guitar player!
While volunteering in church, I got into music production and picked up mixing front of house, as well as producing/mixing songs my church created/covered.
Now, I’m here at Musician Makers inspiring a new generation of creators and chasing a Bachelors of Music Production and Technology at the
University of North Florida.
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Piano Teacher
Stevie Saracson
Stevie "Fingers" Saracson started music lessons at age 8 and earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Jacksonville University. He plays all keyboard instruments, accordion, sings, and composes and arranges music for ensembles ranging from small combos to big bands and symphony orchestras. He has been performing professionally since 1974.
Stevie is well-rounded stylistically, covering all genres of popular music, including rock, country, jazz, zydeco, top 40 pop, Latin, R&B, and European ethnic music. Some of his notable past gigs include serving as the music director for James Brown's trumpet player Teddy Washington straight out of college, playing synthesizer at the Alhambra Dinner Theatre, and being a piano and accordion player for the St. John's Dixie Five's three-month residency at the Knoxville World's Fair. His most recent contract was a 10-year engagement as a resident entertainer for American Cruise Lines.
Stevie feels blessed to be able to share his talents in venues worldwide!
Kennedi Bingham
Piano, Guitar, and Ukulele teacher
Kennedi has always had a passion for music, starting from her desire to play piano and guitar as a child. She pursued music lessons in high school and developed a deep love for playing these instruments. Currently, she is in her third year at the University of North Florida, working towards a Bachelor of Arts in Music Technology and Production.
Kennedi's teaching experience includes working with kids and providing tutoring, making her adept at creating engaging and enjoyable lessons. Her background in customer service has honed her skills in customer relations and task management.
Her education includes relevant coursework in Sound Reinforcement, Music Production, Audio and Acoustics, and Digital Audio Production. She brings expertise in music theory, sound design, and audio production to her teaching, offering a well-rounded and enriching experience for her students.
In her free time, Kennedi enjoys setting up microphones, mixing, and mastering music. She is dedicated to inspiring a love for music in her students and helping them grow in their musical journey.
Jarvis Braswell
Guitar, Piano, Drums Teacher
Jarvis is a dedicated and accomplished music teacher with a passion for inspiring his students to reach their highest potential.
Music has been a part of Jarvis's life since his grandmother introduced him to it and he began playing for church. With piano and guitar as his main instruments, he has developed exceptional skills in time management, music theory, lesson planning, arranging music, group and individual instruction, and instructional strategies.
Jarvis graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Trinity Baptist College in Jacksonville, FL. He has studio teaching experience since 2021, where he has been teaching at Wind of Change Academy in Jacksonville.
In addition to his teaching experience, Jarvis has many years of experience playing live music and is highly respected in his community. His ability to effectively engage a wide range of students and to foster a positive learning environment, along with his commitment to his students and his passion for music, is evident in his teaching, making him a beloved teacher by all his students.
Chris Fairbanks
Guitar Teacher
Chris was initially trained in piano since age 6, he has been playing guitar since he was 12. Throughout his teens, Chris was in multiple church bands and even lead for his high school chapel band.
When he moved to Jacksonville in 2012, one of his first jobs was teaching guitar for an elementary after care program. He has been teaching with Musician Makers for over 3 years!
"I have a passion for teaching and love passing on knowledge to those who want to learn!"
Piano Teacher
Sherryl Cochran-Shaffer
Sherryl Cochran-Shaffer is an Army Veteran who has enjoyed playing piano from a very young age. She began accompanying in junior high school and prior to moving to Jacksonville in 2017, she was staff accompanist at Cowley College in Arkansas City, near her hometown of Wichita, Kansas.
She is currently playing solo piano performances, is one of the keyboardists for Parker's Lab Band, and a percussionist with the First Coast Pops Orchestra.