Teachers

jed ashby

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Born into a family of musicians, Jed developed a love for music at a very early age, watching his father perform in various bands over the years. Jed has been playing guitar for just over 30 years now. By age 13, he joined up with some other local musicians and has been hooked since, actively playing in local heavy metal bands Anomaly, Tapered Mind, and Arming the Architect for the last 25 years. Over his music career, he's shared the stage with several internationally known acts such as Hell Yeah, Black Label Society, Nonpoint, Buckcherry, 10 Years, and Saliva among many others. Jed started volunteering at The Martinsburg Rock School in 2018 when his son, Carson, started taking drum lessons. He started managing bands in 2023, and currently performs with school bands whenever he's needed.

Sam stilwell

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Graduating from Shepherd University, Sam went on the road in May performing 500 shows that summer at Cedar Point Amusement Park. Later going out west for 4 years playing country dance halls 6 nights a week. Got the call to come home and join Rivers Edge, a Nashville based country group touring the east coast. Later Sam headed to Nashville and played Broadway until getting a call from Steve Whiteman to join Funny Money.

Sam has spent countless hours recording with country, Christian and numerous ensembles as both a performing percussionist and a recording engineer. Meanwhile, Sam began teaching home school kids, then KnB music and finally Saint James School for the past 16 years, where he has had the pleasure to teach students from all over the world.

Along with Saint James School he is also an adjunct teacher at Hedgesville Middle School, The Let There Be Rock School and various other after school programs. He also tours as drum tech for KIX, performs regionally with Amanda Wilkins, and various other groups.

Jamie Seeley

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Jamie Seeley is a veteran guitar slinger with 50 years of experience. Jamie's interest in live music performance started at age seven when he attended a Three Dog Night concert with his older brother in 1971, and by age 9, finally got a guitar and took lessons for about a year. By age 12, Jamie began jamming with other local musicians. He has constantly played music professionally throughout his life, including such bands as Jfactor Blues, The Road Ducks, J3, and The Jamie Seeley band, and has shared the stage with internationally known acts such as Johnny Winter, David Allen Coe, Molly Hachett, and 38 Special, to name a few. He owned Mountaineer Music for a number of years and has been teaching at The Martinsburg Rock School since September of 2023.

Amanda Stilwell

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Born and raised in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia and Winchester, VA, Amanda Stilwell (Amanda Wilkins) has been performing since the young age of 12. She has shared the stage with various acts as Phil Vassar, Travis Tritt, Rascal Flatts and Marty Stewart. Amanda is a BMI songwriter and has cowritten many tunes with that have been featured on such cable shows as; Inside the NBA, WWE Wrestling, and the Lifetime Network's Wife Swap.

She has four albums under her belt, and currently writes, performs around the country. Along with teaching vocals and piano, Amanda is also our president and manager of The Martinsburg Rock School, as well as a former Music Therapy group lessons at ADAPT for Grafton, music director for various productions at ACT and the Black Box Theatre in Hagerstown, MD, and Hedgesville Middle School (current Assistant Show Choir Director with Jessica Funck).

Helena goldberg

Helena Goldberg is a conservatory-trained musician, educator, and arts leader with over 20 years of experience in piano, voice, songwriting, and performance. A graduate of the Manhattan School of Music, she studied piano and composition with renowned composers including Marc Silverman, Richard Danielpour, and Julia Wolfe, following early training under a descendant of Franz Liszt. Her classical foundation was shaped through years of competitive performance with the Northern Virginia Music Teachers Association and advanced study at prestigious programs including Aspen and the Amalfi Coast. In 2018, Helena founded the Goldberg School of Music, a thriving music school in Berryville, VA, where she teaches students of all ages, from young beginners to adults. She specializes in performance-based learning, songwriting, and individualized instruction, including work with students who have special needs. As a performer, Helena is the vocalist/bassist, and creative force behind Akris, an original rock music project centered on immersive, conceptual work including Wake the Sleeping Village.

We are pleased as punch to have Helena with us at MRS as a piano and additional vocal teacher!!!

Eyndia dehaven

Eyndia joined the Martinsburg Rock School in Nov 2022. She has always loved music, but her passion for it excelled after becoming a part of the school. It opened numerous opportunities for her and helped shape her into the musician she is now. She is excited to be given an opportunity to help teach and to continue to grow as a player and singer. Eyndia assists with guitar and vocal instruction with a few our our rock school bands, as well as instruction for our summer camps. Happy to have Eyndia on board!!!

Carson ashby

Bio TBA

Nick unger

Nick Unger has been going to Martinsburg Rock School since December 2019. He started with guitar lessons, his first band manifested, and has since played with 10 bands from the school, taking various roles as vocals, guitar and bass guitar. Nick first started teaching in 2023 and continues as a band director for the school, while also furthering his other current music projects and bands, covering and writing.

We are so pleased to have Nick teaching and band directing at the school!

Keric ellis

"Hi, my name is Keric Ellis. I've been playing drums for 18 years and have been teaching for about two years. I was heavily involved in band through middle school, high school, and college. This included concert band, marching band, orchestra, steel band, percussion ensemble, and pep band. I was a member of the front ensemble while in marching band, specializing in keyboards. I have played in bands off and on throughout my life, and am currently the drummer for a 90s/00s pop punk band. I am a member of Kappa Kappa Psi, and honorary band service fraternity, while in college and participated in district band. Outside of drumming, I write stories as well as music and perform in live theatre. I believe that music is a freedom of expression. You can learn a lot about a person by what music they play and listen to. Being able to spread that love and knowledge of music is a true joy in my life and my day is always made when a concept clicks for my students. When people find their voice, their rhythm, their sound, it brightens the world, brings more color to it and being just a small piece of that is why I teach."

Keric is a former drum/piano teacher for The Martinsburg Rock School and helps out with our summer band camps! Happy to have him on board! :-)