At Kudzu Music, we have experienced, highly qualified instructors for piano, guitar, violin/viola/cello, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, harmonica, 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.

Jeanie Hawkins - piano

We are fortunate to have Jeanie join our Kudzu teaching staff on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.

Originally from Arkansas, Jeanie  taught general music and chorus at Hardin Park School before she retired in 2022.  She is a Music Education graduate of the University of Central Arkansas. 

Jeanie and husband, John, have 3 grown children and a beautiful granddaughter.

Terri Miller -piano, music theory

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 40 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 owners of Kudzu Music.

Cindy Tate – piano, music therapy

Cindy is a native of Burlington, NC. She earned a Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy from ASU and  completed her Master of Music Therapy degree 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.”

Lauren Hayworth - piano, guitar, banjo, ukulele, voice

Lauren has a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Florida State University (2005, Magna Cum Laude) and a Master’s Degree in Music Performance from Appalachian State (2010, Summa Cum Laude). 

 

She has over fifteen years of experience teaching private music lessons for students of all ages as well as decades of experience as a gigging musician and recording
artist. 

You can visit her website: 
http://www.laurenhayworth.com

Travis Price - guitar, bass, uke

We are so happy to add Travis to our teaching staff at Kudzu Music. Travis has many years of experience as a teacher and performer and has a real gift of connecting with his students. He is currently the Worship Pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Deep Gap, NC.

Meade Richter - Violin, Fiddle & Mandolin

Meade Richter is a Boone native. He began instructing violin students as an assistant at music camps at the age of fourteen (over a dozen years ago) and went on to study Bluegrass, Old Time, Country, and Celtic fiddle styles as well as Classical violin at East Tennessee State University before earning a Masters in Jazz Performance at the Norwegian Academy of music. 
There, he was lucky enough to study under one of the worlds greatest Jazz violinists, Tcha Limberger. He’s gained extensive teaching experience with all ages and experience levels and
performed internationally over the past 12 years. Among the students of his that have gone on to have professional careers in music are the Burnett Sisters, Willow Dillon, and Liam Purcell.
“One of my favorite things about teaching is being able to help students quickly gain and master, from one place, the skills and understanding that it’s taken me over a decade to accumulate          from different sources.”

Savas Altuntas - Guitar Instructor

With over 20 years of experience as a professional musician and educator, Savas brings passion, patience, and deep musical knowledge to each lesson. A graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory, trained in classical, flamenco, and world music styles, he tailors his teaching to fit every student's goals - whether you're a beginner or an advanced player. His teaching style is warm, encouraging, and rooted in a love of music that's truly contagious.