TEACHING STAFF

		Justin Branum Justin Branum is a professional fiddler, mandolinist, teacher, and arranger in the St. Louis area.  He holds a B.M. in Jazz Performance from Webster University where he is currently working on a masters degree in jazz arranging.  Justin has won or placed in many fiddle contest throughout the U.S. including a 1st place finish at the National Old-Time Fiddler’s Contest in Weiser, ID in 2008, and a top ten finish at the Grand Master’s invitational fiddle contest in Nashville, TN in 2007.  Justin has been fortunate to have performed with many great fiddlers such as Buddy Spicher and Bobby Hicks, and currently plays with Swing DeVille in the St. Louis area.
		Kevin Buckley A St.Louis native, Kevin was first introduced to Irish traditional music at the age of 9 and has since competed, performed and researched extensively throughout the United States and Ireland. In addition to the Folk School, he currently teaches fiddle at St. Louis Irish Arts and plays with a variety of both local and international musicians.
		Keith Dudding As host to FM 88 KDHX’s Down Yonder Bluegrass Show on Saturday mornings, Keith is the voice of bluegrass to many in St. Louis. He is also a fine mandolinist and teacher; Keith has been teaching mandolin at the Folk School since the school’s inception in 2002. He performs in various ensembles around the St. Louis area, including his band, The Lodge Brothers. Keith serves on the Board of Directors at the Folk School.
		Roy Farwell Roy started playing banjo and guitar during the Greenwich Village/Cambridge folk revival of the late 1950s and later performed in coffee houses in the San Francisco Bay area. Since leaving music as a full-time profession, he has continued to hone his proficiency in a variety of styles, including classical, rock, blues, country, old time and bluegrass.
		Steve Hall
		Dave Landreth One of the most driving clawhammer banjo players you will ever hear, Dave was named Best Folk Musician of the Year in the Riverfront Times Best of St. Louis 2004. His CD Chairs features some of the best stringband players in the country playing his original tunes. Dave currently plays at the City Museum every Tuesday night with his band, Yellow Dog. Dave also plays banjo with The Combine, an old-time stringband in high demand across the country.
		Dave Montgomery Over the years, Ranger Dave Montgomery has established himself as one of the best flat pickers in St. Louis. He has opened for bands like Beausoleil, The Dixie Chicks, and Tony Rice, and has appeared at bluegrass festivals throughout Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana. Montgomery can be heard with country rockers Liquid Prairie, the eclectic and acoustic Prarie Dogs, the Chris Talley Trio, and George Portz and the Friends of Bluegrass.
		Rick Nesslein Rick has been playing guitar for 30 years, four of those years playing lead guitar in a professional band. He plays many types of music including acoustic and electric rock and blues, Americana, Folk, Bluegrass and Fingerstyle guitar. He has also played bluegrass banjo and dobro, country pedal steel and blues lapsteel. Rick has composed several solo fingerstyle pieces and has recorded two CDs. He also has several years of teaching experience giving private lessons.
		Sean Ruprecht-Belt A multi-instrumentalist, Sean has been playing folk and old time music for more than 30 years with such bands as The Upstart Crows and The Hot Baloney Boys. His musical influences include Don Pedi, Bruce Greene, and Roscoe Holcomb. Sean previously taught mountain dulcimer at Music Folk in St. Louis.
		Ryan Spearman Ryan has recently returned to St. Louis after nearly a decade of musical and geographical rambling, including several years touring with old-time band High on the Hog. He developed an interest in traditional and acoustic music in his late teens and began performing shortly thereafter. For more than nine years he has taught fiddle, guitar, mandolin and 5-string banjo. Ryan has played professionally and conducted instructional workshops in countless cities across eighteen states at festivals, clubs, concert halls, elementary schools, square dances, barn raisings, weddings, house concerts, and everything in between.
		Ted Vasquez
		Collin Waltner