Music Lessons

Preston Nash has been playing drums for over 40 years.  His touring and recording credits include Dope (Sony Records), Primer 55 (Island Records), Society 1 (Earache Records) and more.  He's played all over America, Canada and parts of Europe, on stages including CBGB's, Carnegie Hall, the Montreux Jazz Festival and Sun Devil Stadium. 

As an educator, Preston's been teaching music since the early 1990's, privately as well as at the high school and collegiate level.  In 2011 he started the award-winning Ash Rock Program at Sam Ash Music, and in 2020 co-founded the Rock Garage music lesson and rock band program, based out of Indianapolis IN.  He has earned 3 degrees in music, including a Masters Degree in Music Theory/Composition from Montclair State University in NJ.

Preston is endorsed by Pearl Drums, Sabian Cymbals, Evans Drum Heads and ProMark sticks.  He is currently playing with Gasoline Chaser, and is a high-demand free lance drummer in the Indianapolis area.

Amanda Tewell, Soprano, is a native of Indiana holding a Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Performance. Amanda engages audiences and fellow artists during performances with her passion and confidence her versatility in vocal range and genres, along with her dedication to her continuing training and experience.

In college, she enhanced her skills with dance and linguistics. She completed courses in German and Languages for Singers with French, Italian and Latin allowing her solo repertoire to flourish.  Amanda was a member of The Indiana Southeast University Concert Choir and has performed in classical concert settings, cabarets with Carmel Community Players, operas and pop concerts with the Indiana University Southeast, as well as singing with the Orchestra at Indiana University Southeast and their brass band. 

Amanda’s hard work at her university resulted in invitations for two consecutive years to preform solos at the Indiana University Southeast commencement ceremony, by the Music Department Coordinator and was invited to perform at the Chancellor’s Installation to sing the National Anthem and the school’s Alma Mater solo. After these performances, the school invited her to perform solo and group song at the Chancellor’s Medallion Dinner with her Acapella Club. Her reputation and abilities became well known throughout her college years and she was personally sought out and invited to sing a solo for a senior student’s composition, “Fantasy on an American Folk Hymn” with the Indiana University Concert and Brass Band.

Amanda not only pursues her passion, she advocated and supported others to pursue music and voice education as well. She took the initiative to create a curriculum and support services within the Indiana University Southeast Music Department allowing accommodations for students who have dyslexia in their music education.  She also enjoys volunteering her talent with different military and veteran groups.

 Amanda embraces opportunities to learn and master different and new genres of music and further strengthen her already vast vocal range and versatility. She is experienced as a solo artist since 2018 and currently performs with several local cover bands, as well as those within the Rock Garage program.

“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.” -Plato

Eric Jones has been playing drums for over 40 years, and has played with over 200 bands!  He has toured across the USA and has played in Europe.  His credits include playing for Lindsay Lohan (Casablanca Records/Universal Records) and has worked in the studio or live with many established artists such as Steve Lukather, Trev Lukather, Black Eyed Peas, Kelly Clarkson, Snoop Dog, and many others.  Eric has been in MTV hit videos, live MTV and TV performances, and has performed stadium concerts.

Eric is a graduate of the Percussion Institute of Technology at Musicians Institute in Hollywood, CA.  He has been teaching privately for 25 years, and has taught at 2 academies in Los Angeles, as well as IRC Music, Sam Ash, and Rock Garage in Indianapolis.  Eric also plays and teaches 5-string bluegrass banjo, Logic Pro classes, and recording classes..

Eric plays Ludwig drums, Zildjian Cymbals,

Remo drumheads, Vater sticks, and Gibson banjos. 

 Derek started his journey in music after receiving an electric guitar at age 10 and beginning private lessons. Since then, he has performed with multiple bands and choirs through high school and college, and graduated with a Bachelor's in Music Media Production from Ball State University. In his 20s, Derek traveled coast to coast with his current group "The Indigos," and internationally to vocal festivals in Taiwan and Moscow with a contemporary A Cappella group "Impromptu."

20 years since he first picked up the guitar, Derek now teaches what he loves and is currently living out his passion of being a high-quality professional musician.

Harley Brier-O’Brien has been playing drums, bass, and guitar since early childhood, and in bands since the age of 11.  He's performed with over 100 different groups in a multitude of styles all around Indiana, including the Indianapolis Rooftop Ballroom and the Egyptian Room in Indianapolis.

As a drummer, Harley has experience in a variety of genres including jazz, metal, rock, funk, punk and more, including years of marching band and drumline at Pike High School on tenor and snare.  He currently writes and records with his psychedelic blues band Sundame.

A trained guitarist in rock, blues and jazz, he was an award-winning jazz guitarist in high school, and now writes and performs with his doom-metal band Heretic Caravan.  Harley is a popular band Music Director at Rock Garage, and is available to teach private drum, guitar, and bass lessons. 

Rachel Beasley is a full-time musician and instructor based in the Indianapolis area.  She’s been a performing vocalist since the age of 8, growing from choral to solo singing through show choir/musical theater in middle and high school.  She expanded her instrument studying classical vocals and music theory at Indiana State University.  During her college years, she started her career as a musician after a local band manager needing a singer found her at a karaoke night.  From there, her focused switched to R&B, Pop, and Rock vocals.

She furthered her knowledge of vocal pedagogy through vocal therapy and independent study after a singing related injury in her early 20s.  Soon after, she found a passion in teaching music to people of all ages and has been teaching private lessons for 5+ years.

You can find Rachel jamming with The Indigos, Magnolia Soul, Honey & Hutch acoustic duo, and filling in for other bands in the community.  Rachel firmly believes that the best way to use your instrument is by creating music with the people you love, inspiring the next generation of musicians, and sharing your voice with the world.