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Course Listing - by Instructor

Name Biography
Chess4Life

Elliott Neff is a National Master in Chess, author of A Pawn's Journey (October 2018), and Founder/CEO of Chess4Life, which exists to help kids develop life skills through the game of chess. What began for Elliott as a childhood fascination with chess has blossomed into an opportunity to positively impact hundreds of thousands of kids per week through Chess4Life programs. Elliott enjoys sharing his love of the game and especially the benefits of chess through speaking engagements, special appearances, simultaneous chess exhibitions, and blindfold chess demonstrations. His enthusiasm for making a difference in kids' lives through this fun game is contagious as he makes strategic moves toward the goal of reaching 1 MILLION kids per week learning life skills through chess. Learn more at www.chess4life.com.
Rich Brubakken

I have been a life-long educator who enjoys working with adults. 40 years of my life has been spent working in education, but my love has always been in the arts. I have undergraduate work in the field of art from Augustana University and have spent time working in stained glass with glass teacher, Steve Spencer. I am looking forward to passing along his gifts to the students I have the pleasure of meeting and working with.
David Gunner
Amy Hartzler

Amy recently moved to Sioux Falls from Minnesota where she worked as a K-12 school social worker and also taught piano lessons. She has a music minor from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota. She has been involved in accompanying for various musical events and worship music for 30 years. Amy has experience teaching beginner, intermediate and adult lessons. She enjoys helping children and adults have fun while learning to play piano!
Luis Martinez

Luis began his guitar journey in his home town of Los Angeles, California where he studied two semesters of classical guitar at Santa Monica Community College. He later studied guitar under private instructors from some of the best instructors in Los Angeles. After several years of playing guitar as a hobby, Luis decided it was time to return to academia and pursued his Music Degree at Berklee School Of Music where he earned a Bachelor Degree In Music Production and Guitar Performance.

“Music is a journey and I have been privileged to teach students of all ages. It was here in Sioux Falls South Dakota,that my teaching journey began, at the former Brennan Rock and Roll Academy”.

Over the years I have created two after school music programs in Memphis Tennessee and later opened our first music store in Nixa, Missouri providing private lessons and instrument sales. I will be assisting you through your musical journey, whether you just want to play at a campfire, play live or pursue a degree in Music...the journey will be fun, exciting and challenging!
Archery Outfitters
Neil Peterson


Neil Peterson has been singing and playing music his entire life. In addition to being a band, choir and orchestra director, he has been a music director at several churches and has taught individual lessons on any musical instrument for over a decade! A composer and performer, Neil loves helping students learn, play and sing their favorite songs they hear on the radio, youtube or their personal music collection.

Community Relations
Allan Saugstad
Ever since taking lessons as an elementary student, I have played the piano-even accompanied the Sunday School as a teenager. When my first daughter was only 6 I would drive 45 miles (one way) for her weekly lessons! I helped my younger daughters with their violin lessons, and taught beginning piano to two nephews, three grandchildren and three step-grandchildren. Last year I performed Widor's "Toccata" on the organ after practicing it for 2-1/2 years. Every day I play something before leaving the house in the morning. I love music and I love kids!
Lynn Thomason
Lynn Marie Stetler Thomason was reared in Waverly, Pennsylvania and started to learn Latin in the 7th grade. She graduated from Gettysburg College with a double major in Greek and Latin and a double minor in education and music. She received a Masters of Science in Library Science with a specialization in Health Information Management from the Catholic University of American in Washington, DC. Lynn loves teaching Latin to students at Lincoln and O'Gorman! She resides in Sioux Falls with her husband. She started taking piano lessons in the first grade and continued all the way through college! Lynn is a trained accompanist for both instrumentalists and vocalists. One of her favorite musical activities is to play in piano-organ duets!
Levi Tvedt