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Meet Our Instructors

We offer private lessons in piano, guitar, bass guitar, violin, viola, cello, voice, bassoon, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, flute, composition and electronic media. We also have a variety of group classes including those in early education, music theory, piano, and guitar.  Read more about our instructors below.

Piano Instructors

String Instructors

Guitar Instructors

Kevin Davison

Kevin Davison

Guitar

Kevin was born and raised in Newark, Delaware. With encouraging parents who are fans of Motown, Soul, and Rock & Roll, he caught the music bug early. He started playing guitar as a child, and began studying seriously as an early teen. In high school he participated heavily in the school’s performing arts department, while also studying music theory privately with his choir director. He then went on to major in classical guitar at the University of Delaware. While there he also studied jazz and folk guitar, and taught guitar lessons at the school’s Community Music Program and at a private music studio in Elkton, MD.

Kevin first came to Eugene in 2007 on a trip with a college friend, and fell in love with Oregon immediately. He moved here soon after, and shortly after that met the renowned guitar maker Ralph Novak of Novax Guitars. He began working for Novax, and with Ralph’s guidance learned the craft of guitar making. Since then he has built dozens of guitars for the company, as well as a few personal builds and countless repairs and setups for customers throughout the region. All the while, he has performed as a founding member of three different bands, and has toured up and down the west coast.

Kevin lives in South Eugene with his partner Carrie, and their two adopted cats, Zuul and Ash. Together they enjoy running, hiking, camping, skiing, and long road trips (the cats usually stay at home). Kevin and Carrie play music together, and also enjoy acting in independent films with their local filmmaker friends.

Bradley Perry

Bradley Perry

Guitar, Ukelele

Bradley spent his formative years in Spokane, WA, where he discovered his love for music and guitar as a preteen. Following that, he received a guitar as a gift and started to teach himself how to play. When his parents realized that his interest in guitar wasn’t just a phase, they signed him up for private guitar lessons to study under Spokane Falls Community College instructor and “Learn to Burn” music studio owner Roy Jackson. There he started learning about how to not just play music, but understand it. He also started performing in bands and playing in local competitions.

Next, Bradley attended Spokane Falls Community College himself, where he took courses in Music, Audio Production, and Computer Science. While life led him down a path of working in Computer Science during the days, he continued to study music and perform live with several acts in Spokane, as well as teaching guitar lessons in the evenings.

In 2018, Bradley decided to make a career change and follow his true passion for music, when he moved to his hometown in Grants Pass, OR, and started teaching lessons full time. He taught over 50 students every week in the Rouge Valley, before moving to Eugene, OR, where he continues to teach students guitar, uke, and bass guitar.

David Rogers

David Rogers

Guitar, Lute

Termed, ‘a prominent guitarist,’ by the New York Times, David Rogers maintains an active solo and ensemble performance career as a classical guitarist and performer on early plucked strings. The Washington Post has praised his ‘astonishingly florid’ improvisations. He has been called a ‘modern master’ of the classical guitar’ by 20th Century Guitar. Classics today.com has praised his ‘first rate instrumental artistry,’ and the Lute Society of America Quarterly has called his technique ‘formidable.’ He is an endorsing artist for Aquila Strings and his music has been featured in major guitar magazines such as Fingerstyle Guitar in the United States and Akustic Gitarre in Germany.

David holds a Bachelor of Music from Wayne State University, Detroit, MI a Master of Music from Oakland University, Rochester, MI and has studied at the Music Academy of Basel, Switzerland and has pursued Doctoral studies at Indiana University, Bloomington, IN.

David enjoys teaching classical/jazz guitar and lute to all ages and levels of previous experience. Beginners are welcome.

David was a musician with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for 18 years and taught at Southern Oregon University for 13 years.

Max Brinster

Max Brinster

Guitar

Max Brinster hails from the beautiful and rugged landscapes of Homer, Alaska. Growing up amidst the breathtaking wilderness, Max developed a love for fishing, camping, and snowboarding. He discovered his passion for music at Bearfoot Music Camp in Cordova, Alaska, where he began playing the guitar at age nine. Max was always infatuated with the guitar and began taking private lessons at age 11. When Max was 13, he began studying classical guitar with Eric Fenger. After high school, he moved to Santa Barbara to expand his musical expertise at Santa Barbara Community College, where he studied jazz and music composition. During his tenure at SBCC, he discovered a passion for classical and jazz music.

He moved to Portland in 2012, where he continued his jazz studies under the guidance of jazz guitarist Peter Herman. In Portland, Max became an active performer, playing jazz at world-renowned venues like The 1905 and performing at weddings and events with the Hot
Club of Hawthorn, focusing on the music of Django Reinhardt.

In addition to performing, Max has been teaching private guitar lessons since 2012. In 2022, he taught guitar at Alpine Music School, where he further developed his love of teaching and sharing the joy of music with his community. Max currently lives in Eugene, Oregon, with his partner Jillian. In his free time, he still enjoys hiking, camping, bicycling, and snowboarding.

Percussion / Drum Instructors

Cameron Wick

Cameron Wick

Percussion / Drums

A graduate of Douglas Anderson School of the Arts in Jacksonville FL, Cameron comes from a background of symphonic percussion, drum set, and hand percussion. He has been teaching privately for 12 years and is an instructor at the Music’s Edge Rock Camp. In addition to teaching, Cameron has performed at the Oregon Country Fair, the Eugene Salsa Festival, Eugene Saturday Market, and regularly plays with The Sugar Beets and El Borko Surf. He is inspired by the deep cultural traditions of percussion, whether it be drum set, congas, tabla, cajon, djembe, doumbek, marimba, vibraphone, or xylophone. 

Mason Caldwell

Mason Caldwell

Percussion / Drums

Mason Caldwell, a native of Eugene, was immersed in the world of music from an early age.  Initially drawn to the clarinet, he honed his musical skills throughout middle and high school. However, it wasn’t until he discovered his true calling in drums and percussion that Mason’s musical journey took a transformative turn.

His pursuit of musical excellence led him to Lane Community College, where he became a student of Brian Scott. Continuing his education at the University of Oregon, Mason earned a Bachelor’s degree in Percussion Performance under the mentorship of Sean Wagoner and Pius Cheung. It was during this period that he co-founded the band Senza, a musical collaboration that endures more than a decade later.

While Mason exhibits proficiency across various genres such as jazz, funk, pop, and blues, his true passion lies in the realms of metal, punk, and screamo. Beyond being a skilled performer, Mason is enthusiastic about sharing his love for music and the transformative power it holds for both individuals and communities alike. With over a decade of experience, he continues to contribute to the vibrant musical landscape in Eugene Oregon and beyond.

Voice Instructors

Paula Alva Garcia

Paula Alva Garcia

Voice

Paula Alva Garcia (soprano) started her music education in Trujillo, Peru with the renowned soprano Martha Perez. She participated in numerous recitals and concerts and received several master classes. In 2017 she came to the United States to study with Dr. Jeanie Darnell at FGCU. She played the role of Berta in “The Barber of Seville” in Trujillo in 2018 and has also been a soloist with the Symphonic Orchestra of Trujillo many times. She has participated in several performances in and out of school and she was also an active member of Opera Naples (Florida). Currently she is studying for a master’s in music performance at the University of Oregon under the guidance of Dr. Camille Ortiz, where she performs with the Opera ensemble and has GE duties.
Denise Norwood

Denise Norwood

Voice

Denise Norwood is thrilled to be a member of the Pavilanis School Of Music team. She retired from several decades of full-time performing as lead vocalist in a myriad of different bands (including Top 40, New Wave, Disco, Country, and Jazz), and, in conjunction, has been teaching voice for many years. Denise’s early training was in classical voice, and she seamlessly weaves in technique and solid fundamentals, while supporting the musical genres preferred by each individual student. Denise has also served as vocal arranger, choreographer, costumer, director and performer in Musical Theater, and for over 20 years worked alongside her husband producing year-round theater in a beautiful turn-of-the-century Opera House.

Denise welcomes students of all ages and skill levels and specializes in those who are extra challenged by shyness or anxiety. She takes great joy in using her skill and committed heart to provide a nurturing environment that inspires risk-taking and ever higher levels of growth and creativity. Denise will work with you to set individualized goals…and honor the unique and beautiful partnership between student and teacher.

Tea Mercer

Tea Mercer

Voice

Tea Mercer has had a passion for music and helping people find their own voice since they began their voice training in musical theatre at the age of nine. Their natural talent was honed through their teenage years by several talented coaches and teachers; including Dorian Holley (former vocal coach of Michael Jackson, and American Idol).

Tea began their professional music career in 2010 performing at small independent venues. During this time they began their own music coaching with a dual bachelor’s degree (Drama & Education) at the University of California at Irvine.

In 2017 Tea’s professional performing career took center stage as they moved to Los Angeles and pursued a professional pop music career including 2 EPs and several single releases, and performing at iconic venues throughout Southern California. During this time, they continued teaching and coaching performers in singing and piano of all ages and abilities.

In 2024 Tea was accepted to the University of Oregon’s College of Education seeking Master’s Degree in Speech Language Pathology. Tea’s experience, passion, and patience gives them a uniquely broad and effective perspective.

Woodwind Instructors

Early Music Education

Chauncey Mauney

Chauncey Mauney

Early Ed / Songwriting

Chauncey Mauney is a performing and devising artist specializing in theatre, music, songwriting, storytelling, and accessible programming. His work with children and young adults has spanned two decades, four states (not including tours), and includes credits with Chicago Children’s Theatre, The Red Kite Project, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Chauncey has a particular knack and affinity for working with people with disabilities, making access and inclusion cornerstones in his engagements. He has been on the Lane Arts Council’s roster of teaching artists since moving to Eugene in 2021; this has given him the opportunity to bring his skills and talents to scores of children and classrooms in the form of residencies, assemblies, camps, and professional development for teachers.

Originally from Mississippi, Chauncey grew up around “pickers and grinners” making music anytime there was a gathering. He happily sang and played along on the spoons until he started learning the guitar at about age 11. The sense of closeness and accessibility around those campfires, porches and living rooms is what Chauncey strives for when making music with others.

Discover your relationship with music.

Through private music lessons, group classes, summer camps or early education, begin your journey today.  Inquire about your first lesson or joining a class.  We are proud to serve Eugene, Springfield and Lane County