Meet our Fabulous Instructors!

Alex is older than he was recently and that's okay. Drums are what he talks about if you are in the drum room and he is in there also. Chinese food is his favorite. He also plays other instruments but he won't tell you about any of them, not even if you ask nicely. No one actually knows where he lives. Hobbies include pollen allergies, cooking, surviving late stage capitalism, remembering, and telescopes. On a recent trip to the doctor, they took his temperature and didn't give it back. Box fans are his main fans and there are plenty of those. He plays in the Tommy Bentz Band and he has a microphone also. Sometimes he talks into the microphone. Sometimes there's trouble. 

Autumn has been playing cello since she was 14 (over 10 years ago!) and has been loving music ever since! Her mom instilled the love of classical music in her and her eight siblings at a young age while they were homeschooled. Nowadays she plays and teaches cello, violin, and piano. Autumn loves showing the fun in classical and modern music with her students. She also enjoys helping them become well-rounded musicians by incorporating ear training and music theory in their playing while also letting them explore other music genres.

Benjamin Allen has been teaching brass lessons at Brickhouse Music since 2008, specializing in all brass instruments with a strong emphasis on low brass. A passionate trombonist, he is dedicated to helping students unlock their musical potential. Benjamin holds a Bachelor’s degree in Science and Liberal Arts, with a Music Performance Minor from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. He creates a supportive environment for students of all levels, enhancing both their technical skills and love for music.

In addition to teaching, Benjamin plays in a Motown/funk/rock group called The Bad Habits Brass, which has been performing for nearly 15 years and continues to thrive in the Twin Cities metro and surrounding areas. He also works as a freelance trombonist, sharing his talent throughout the region.

Approaching his tenth year at All Energy Solar, a family-owned business with UWRF alumni roots, Benjamin has deep ties to River Falls. He cherishes the community and envisions a long-standing career at Brickhouse Music, helping musicians discover their paths and contribute to the vibrant local music scene.

Blane received his Bachelors of Music Degree from University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh with an emphasis on classical performance style. He was also the UW-Oshkosh Concerto Contest Winner in 2019. He was inspired by saxophonists Euguene Rousseau, Arno Bornkamp, and Lisa Simpson from The Simpsons.

Blane has been playing saxophone for over 20 years and has almost 10 years of teaching experience, which includes students from ages 10 to 86.

Brian Schellinger, a.k.a. B. Squat Woody, started playing guitar at age 15. He made his first 20 dollars as a singing guitar player with his first 3 piece band in 1970. He was going to frame the first dollar he earned that night, but he had to tip the drummer’s dad for driving them home from the club, as none of the band members had their driver’s license. His mother always said that she ‘rued the day’ they bought him a guitar, because after that, he wasn’t worth a’ lick’ for work on the farm.

Squaty dropped out of college in 1972 (actually, he was asked to leave) to pursue his budding musical career. Notoriety and the freedom of lifestyle which a troubador’s existence offered, appealed to him greatly. Many bands of various musical styles came and went over the more than 50 years of playing and performing. These musical influences included: folk, country rock, classic country, progressive rock, blues, bluegrass, classical, and reggae. All of these styles formed Brian’s unique take on singing, songwriting, and instrument playing. This was very evident in his career as an early childhood music performer and educator, which he did for 27 years. He and his early childhood music partner wrote and recorded 7 multi-cultural, award- winning, and nationally acclaimed tapes and CD’s.

B. Squat Woody also did a 10 year stint as band leader for ‘The Riverbenders’, which was the house band for Wisconsin Public Radio’s ‘Big River Radio Wave’.

Squaty started teaching with the staff at The Brickhouse this past June, 2024. He teaches many different styles of acoustic and electric guitar, bass, and harmonica. He also knows a thing or two about songwriting, which he’s always glad to share. He’s never met a student he didn’t like and doubts he ever will.

Daniel has taught Guitar, Bass, and Ukulele at Brickhouse Music for 10 years. He started playing music with his friends in Southeast Minnesota where he grew up. While pursuing his Music Tech degree, he started taking upright bass lessons and playing for musical theatre. From there, he moved to the Twin Cities and completed his degree in Music Education. He then worked as a music director on board cruise ships. Daniel is happy to be back home and teaching at Brickhouse Music again!

Gary has been playing piano since his legs couldn’t reach the pedals. He eventually decided to pursue a degree in Piano Performance at the University of Minnesota where he won several scholarships. He found student work as a modern dance accompanist at the U of M and later with the Minnesota Dance Theater. Gary also landed the piano chair with The Wolverines Classic Jazz Orchestra, performing and recording with them for several years. A Children’s Theater tour led to a new career working in theater as a pianist, music director, composer, and arranger. He joined Rob Dorn, a long-time collaborator, in starting a vocal group called Three Hits and a Miss, a ten-year venture in which Gary wrote dozens of arrangements, produced recordings, and toured the US. Gary worked with Rob again writing and directing original musicals for a small theater in Chicago. Other musical adventures included a three-month gig aboard the Oceanic playing in the house band, three summers as pianist, arranger, and recording producer for The Medora Musical in North Dakota, and many gigs as a soloist at Twin Cities restaurants and watering holes. When he decided it might be time to settle down a bit, Gary returned to the U of M for graduate studies in Theory and Musicology, teaching private and class piano, and working as assistant to theory prof, David Damschroder.

Gary continues teaching private lessons in piano and music theory and is delighted to join the folks at Brickhouse. He teaches classical and jazz piano, and specializes in teaching his students to play from lead sheets.

Josie Matti is a K-12 music teacher by day, lesson teacher by night. A recent graduate from UWRF, Josie is excited to teach band instruments to anyone ages 9 and up!  Whether you want to get ahead of others in band, learn a new instrument, or pick up your instrument again after years, Josie is the teacher for you!

She specifically teaches: beginner to advanced bassoon, beginner to intermediate clarinet and flute, beginner oboe, and beginner brass (trumpet, horn, trombone).

Lonny has played guitar for more than 20 years. He previously taught lessons in New Richmond and has been teaching at Brickhouse Music for several years now. Lonny used to perform with a band called Lariat.

Pete Rivard has been playing bluegrass banjo professionally for decades along the Minnesota/Wisconsin border region after performing for years previously in Texas and Pennsylvania.

Pete has been teaching banjo at Brickhouse Music since 2002 and ukulele since 2010. He also noodles around on button accordion and washboard.

Terry has been a piano teacher for over 25 years. She grew up in River Falls and has been back in the area with her husband and children since 2000. Music has been a huge part of Terry's life both as a child and an adult.  She began accompanying the Boys' Choir at her junior high when she was in 9th grade, started playing piano at church in high school, and has played at many churches since then.  Terry also accompanies choirs, vocal soloists, and instrumentalists at schools in the area. She started teaching at Brickhouse Music in 2021.

Tom has been teaching at Brickhouse for many years. He teaches Voice, Piano, and Music Theory. He also has experience with beginning guitar and percussion. Tom studied Vocal Performance at UWRF. He has been teaching for close to 20 years and has been a performer for much longer! Performance settings have included musicals, A Cappella, cantoring, large and small bands, solo voice, solo voice with instruments, and music directing.

Zeb is one of our fantastic Guitar Instructors. He has been teaching at Brickhouse Music since 2007, and has enjoyed playing guitar for over 30 years! Zeb has lived in the River Falls area since 2006, and actively performs live music in the St. Croix River Valley area. He has performed with several local music groups, including Firewater Gospel Choir, Chimney Fish, and more!