About the Founder
The founder, Michele Kennedy, is a pianist and piano teacher who opened her studio in 2019. She moved to Denver from St. Louis, Missouri in 2017. She studied Piano Performance, Music Theory and Pedagogy at Missouri State University. While raising her twin sons, she taught, accompanied theater productions, composed music and performed in a seven-piece band for ten years.
Michele is the author of "Name the Note Workbook", a tool to help students remember where notes are located on the grand staff. By writing in the names of over 7000 notes in random, but sequential order. The workbook has proven to speed up the process of learning to read music.
Michele is a member of the National Music Teachers' Association and the Colorado Music Teachers' Association. She creates much of her students' curriculum and arrangements of music for her students and she is also in the process of developing a program for teaching piano to 4-6 year old students.
The school mascot is her dog Luther, a 2 year old Golden Doodle who greets students and then naps all day. When she isn't teaching, managing the academy or creating lesson plans, Michele most enjoys spending time with her 6 year old granddaughter and her 4 year old and 14 month old grandsons.
Piano/Vocal Instructor | Abby Skinner
Abby grew up in Denver. She is currently pursuing a double major in Voice and Piano Performance at Metro State. She has been teaching piano lessons since 2019 and she joined Denver Academy of Musical Arts in April 2023.
When she is not busy with her studies, Abby enjoys oil painting, making jewelry and attending music festivals.
Drum Instructor | Rich Carlson
Rich Carlson has been teaching drums since 1993. He is the author of a book for drum students called “Twisted Drums -A Dynamic Approach to Drumming Independence”. He has played in several successful bands over the years, performing 5 nights a week, and he has even opened for acts including Pat Benatar, Blue Oyster Cult, Great White and Bret Michaels of Poison.
Rich’s approach to teaching is non-intimidating and his objective is for each student to have fun while learning and improving their skills. Rich joined Denver Academy of Musical Arts in July 2024.
Guitar/Piano Instructor | Scott Askew
Scott began taking piano lessons at the age of seven. Inspired by his dad, who played the Scottish bagpipes, and his mother, who played oboe in high school. He took up saxophone in 5th grade, drums in 9th. Around that time, he fell in love with the guitar. Fast forward a few years, he began teaching guitar, bass guitar, and drums at Capital City Guitars in Olympia, WA after working as a DJ in radio and a nightclubs. In 1998, he released the CD “So It Happens” on his own label. In 2014, he graduated from St. Martin’s University in Lacey, WA, with a Masters in Teaching.
Piano/Vocal Instructor | Molly Drewry
Molly Drewry is currently an elementary school music teacher here in Denver. Molly has a BA in Music Theory and Composition, as well as a background in classical piano and voice performance. She has been teaching piano and voice lessons since 2021, and emphasizes creative expression in her teaching. Molly believes that music should be accessible to everyone, and loves finding new ways to tailor her lessons to her students' goals and interests. Her favorite thing to teach is songwriting, and she is in the process of creating her own album. When she is not playing or teaching music, Molly loves spending time outdoors with her dog Shadow.
Violin Instructor | Katie Overbey
Katie Overbey is a 19-year-old sophomore at the University of Colorado Denver, majoring in Music Business. Raised in a musical household in Los Angeles, she began violin at age 8 and has been performing ever since.
Her highlights include playing at Carnegie Hall, opening for ZZ Top, performing at San Francisco’s Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, headlining the main stage at Punk Rock Bowling in Las Vegas (alongside Madness, Devo, Billy Bragg, and Descendents), becoming a Gibson Guitar artist, and recording with members of the Rolling Stones, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, The E Street Band, and Neil Young & Crazy Horse.
Though classically trained, Katie loves rock, folk, and Americana—often singing while playing violin. Beyond music, she enjoys thrifting, vinyl collecting, gaming, and time with her cat. Katie is eager to connect with students of all kinds. As a neurodivergent musician, she brings patience and understanding, aiming to inspire students in both classical and contemporary violin.
Content Admin | DaeDae Rocha
DaeDae is a First-Generation graduate from the University of Denver, where she earned a Bachelor’s in Psychology and Socio-Legal Studies, with minors in Nutrition, International Studies, and Writing Practices. She aspires to become a lawyer for the U.S. Army. On top of a background in woodwinds, DaeDae specializes in education that fosters social, emotional, and leadership development for students across Colorado.
