Private Lessons

AISD Private Lesson Program Information – Click here for information about cost, payments, financial aid, length of lesson, etc.

Private Lesson Sign Up Form – Fill out this form to get your student enrolled in lessons and to find out if you qualify for a lesson scholarship!

Hyeyeon Kim is a passionate performer and educator in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. She has performed as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player in the United States and South Korea. Ms. Kim serves as a Teaching Fellow at the University of North Texas as well as a flute instructor in Denton ISD and Aubrey ISD. As a soloist, she performed ‘Sonata Rubata’ by Steven Harlos as a flutist, piccoloist, and alto flutist in Dr.Harlos’ recital in 2023 and Busan Young Artist Festival Concerto Concert in 2017. Also, she had an International Chamber Series Concert as a Flute and Harp Duo, supported by Louisville Lake Symphony with a harpist Paulina Delgadillo in 2021. Ms. Kim has performed extensively in chamber and large ensemble settings as a member of Dallas Asian Wind, Inje Flute Ensemble, UNT Wind Symphony, and UNT Symphony Orchestra. She has been a winner the 2020 University of North Texas Concerto Competition.

Ms.Kim received her Bachelor of Music in flute performance from Inje University. In 2020, she earned a Performance Diploma of music in flute from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. She also received a Master of Music degree in the flute performance at the University of North Texas College of Music in 2022, and she is now pursuing her Doctoral of Music degree in flute performance at UNT, studying with Dr. Mary Karen Clardy.

Catherine Wardle is a private lesson teacher and performer in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. She is a member of the Lone Star Wind Orchestra and can often be seen playing both the oboe and English Horn with them. She graduated from the University of North Texas with a masters degree in oboe performance. While at UNT she had the privilege of playing and recording with the UNT Wind Symphony and the UNT Symphonic Band. She has a bachelor’s degree in music education and performance from Hardin-Simmons University. While there she was awarded the Presser Scholarship and named the first female drum major of The World Famous Cowboy Band. Her primary teachers include James Ryon and Susetta Rockett. She currently resides in Aubrey with her husband Caleb and two boys, Alex and Theo.

Lane Dunman is a graduate student pursuing his M.M. in Clarinet Performance at the University of North Texas studying under Dr. Kimberly Cole-Luevano. He received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas and studied under Dr. Caroline Taylor. While attending Ouachita, Mr. Dunman was a member of the Ouachita Wind Ensemble, Ouachita Clarinet & Saxophone Ensembles, and the Tiger Marching Band. He has privately taught in the Arkadelphia community as well as throughout his internship at the Bryant School District in Bryant, Arkansas. He was also the overall winner of the 2023 David Allen Glaze Music Competition and was named the 2025 Presser Scholar and Academic Achiever for the School of Performing Arts.

Saxophone coming soon!

Zachary McKinon is a horn player, instructor, arranger, and composer in the Denton area. He currently studies under Dr. Stacie Mickens at the University of North Texas as a Master’s student in Horn Performance. McKinon has had various performance opportunities in his musical career. This would include concerts with the UNT Symphony Orchestra, the UNT Wind Symphony, the UNT Center Brass Quintet, and the Sewanee Summer Festival Symphony Orchestra. As a teacher, he takes pride in creating a healthy and diverse music making environment for his students. He regularly works with middle school, high school, and adult horn players throughout Florida and Texas. His main focus is to set musicians up to be able to freely explore and experiment with music by giving them the tools needed to succeed. Outside of music, he enjoys cooking, bike riding, and taking care of his cat, La’Cari.

Caeley Hovanec is a student at the University of North Texas where she has begun coursework toward a Doctor of Musical Arts in Trumpet Performance. She currently serves as a Wind Studies Teaching Assistant where she works with ensemble directors including Eugene Migliaro Corporon, Andrew Trachsel, and Amy Woody. She also teaches an active studio of middle and high school trumpet students in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Caeley is a graduate of Messiah University (Bachelor of Science in Music Education) and the Ohio University (Master of Music in Trumpet Performance, Master of Music in Brass Performance and Pedagogy). Her teachers include Willam Stowman, John Schlabach, George Carpten IV, Maximillian McNutt, Kyle Sherman, Brian Walker, John Holt, and Raquel Samayoa. Some of her experiences include teaching undergraduate trumpet major lessons, performing with the Ohio University Faculty Brass Quintet(OhioBrass), competing in the National Trumpet Competition(NTC), and recording with the Pittsburgh Creators Project(PCP). Caeley’s career goals are to teach at the University level, grow her own private studio, and to perform with the Symphony. She believes that music should be available to all and that it is a vital component to the growth and development of a person.

Noah Davies is a trombonist and composer known for his expressive and energetic musical abilities, whose passion lies in spreading the joy of music to others. Noah’s mission in music is to instill positive feelings and emotions through his work, whether that be through trombone performances or his musical compositions.

Noah has recently graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Music Performance in May 2025. During his time at Baylor, Noah studied under the renowned Brent Phillips. While at Baylor, Noah was a member of multiple notable ensembles, such as the Baylor University Symphonic Band, as well as the trombonist of the Express Brass Quintet, an all-undergraduate brass quintet formed in 2021 during his first year at Baylor. Noah was also invited to participate in numerous notable summer seminars/institutes, including The Eastman Summer Trombone Institute, The Rafael Mendéz Brass Institute, the Southwestern Trombone Conference, The D.C Trombone Workshop, and the Michael Mulcahy Trombone Seminar. Noah will go on to study at the University of North Texas starting in August of 2025, where he will pursue a Master’s of Music Performance

Outside of Noah’s trombone endeavors, he enjoys musical composition, a passion initially conceived during his high school years, taking an AP Music Theory class, and composing small works for various instruments on the side. Now, Noah has composed numerous works primarily for trombone ensemble. Most notably, his work “Testament”, a piece that serves as an homage to his time at Baylor University. This piece was premiered at the widely known American Trombone Workshop in March of 2025. The piece was received very positively, which has pushed Noah to write more works, such as another trombone ensemble piece and a brass quintet. Noah hopes to be able to keep spreading his music anywhere he can!

Outside of the music world, Noah also enjoys visual art, practicing different mediums such as different styles of sketching and painting. Noah also enjoys spending time with his dogs Emma and Ali, and his cat, Theo, alongside his wonderful fiancée, Lauryn.

An emerging tuba artist and educator, Blake Lile is the Adjunct Instructor of Tuba and Euphonium at The University of Texas at Tyler. Prior to the University of Texas at Tyler, Blake has held positions at the University of North Texas, East Central University, Langston University, and Oklahoma State University.

As an active performer, Blake has performed with several different orchestras within Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas such as the Fort Smith Symphony, the McKinney Philharmonic Orchestra, the Lawton Philharmonic, and the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas.

As an advocate for chamber music, Blake Lile and Abby Ward formed a professional tuba and trumpet duo called Duo Flora. Duo Flora aims to promote and expand the repertoire of this ensemble through new commissions and recitals. Duo Flora finished a commission with composer, Evan Zegiel, for a new work for tuba, trumpet, and heavy metal accompaniment called Tapestry which premiered in March 2025.

Blake has found success in several different international competitions, being named a semifinalist for the Leonard Falcone International Tuba Solo Artist competition in 2023, the International Tuba Euphonium Conferences Artist Tuba Solo competition, Arnold Jacobs Mock Orchestra competition, Mock Band competition, Chamber Music competition in 2023, and placing Third Place in the Tuba Solo Competition Category 2 at the International Women’s Brass Conference in 2022. In 2024, Blake was named a finalist for the University of North Texas’s William Gammon Henry Concerto Competition. Blake was named a finalist in several of the International Tuba Euphonium Association Regional competitions such as the Tuba Solo Artist competition, Mock Orchestra competition, Chamber  Music competition, and the Young Tuba Solo Artist competition.

Currently, Blake is finishing his Doctoral degree at the University of North Texas in Tuba Performance. While at the University of North Texas, Blake served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant for the Center Brass Quintet and Graduate Teaching Fellow for the Tuba Studio. He received his Master’s degree in Tuba Performance at Oklahoma State University as a Graduate Teaching Assistant for the Tuba and Euphonium Studio. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Tuba Performance at Murray State University. His primary teachers are Professor Don Little, Professor Matt Good, Dr. Ryan Robinson, and Dr. Todd French.

Outside of music, Blake spends his time at home with his fiancé, Abby Ward, and their two cats, Penny and Eve.

Ryan Hurford is a well-versed percussionist with over 9 years’ experience.  Ryan is currently in his 3rd year with the University of North Texas (UNT) College of Music, majoring in Music Education with a concentration in Percussion.  He is from Katy, Texas and has been playing percussion since 6th grade. During his music career, Ryan has held leadership positions in both percussion sections in marching band, as drumline captain and as front ensemble section leader.  Additionally, he was a member of the youth and adult ensembles for 4 years at his home church in Katy playing both drum set and guitar.  Ryan also excelled in UIL competitions, playing both mallet and snare solos and ensemble performances. Additionally, he has performed with the UNT University and Concert band, African ensemble, Steel band, and numerous chamber ensembles. Ryan was also member of the Troopers Drum & Bugle Corp for the summer of 2022. Ryan chose to take the summer of 2023 off to work as a technician with a couple of high school marching bands around the DFW metroplex and teach private lessons while home in Katy.

Percussion coming soon!