INSTRUCTORS & STAFF

Our team of instructors teach tutorials & assist with our guitar programs. They can help you get to the next level. We're very selective about our instructors when we hire them as employees so that we can offer excellent quality. Our instructors are all positive, skilled and patient, and LOVE teaching others and sharing the gift of Music. They are experienced in the music industry and experienced in teaching. They are all active as performing musicians.

In our Professional Music programs we also hire guest instructors throughout the year such at Tommy Aldrige (Ozzy Osbourne, White Snake, Randy Rhoads), Kenny Lee Lewis (Steve Miller Band), BJ (New Rock DJ), Mark Davison (Managing & Marketing) & Daniel Whittington (Social Networking & Song Craft) and more...

DARREN CLARKE

Darren Clarke founded Modern Music Academy in 2003 after years of professional music and touring. He started performing as young as age 13 in clubs in his native country, Great Britain and is known for his exceptional guitar playing, arrangements and musicality. Highlights of his career so far include recording in Nashville's Sound Kitchen and opening for Aerosmith with his previous band 'Rhodes'. Darren is a published songwriter and has developed many of the programs at MMA and still teaches a lot of them. His talent for teaching and passion to see others succeed has been a staple at Modern Music Academy. He is currently performing locally with Truth About Seafood and is often hired to produce records as well as music for film / web / corporate businesses.

BILLY IMPERIAL

Billy is an accomplished guitarist & bassist with years of international touring experience. At home in the studio, on stage (and evidently in the class room) with styles ranging from Jazz to Pop & everything in between. Billy helps teach our Professional Music programs and the Players Club.

NICK BILICH

Nick graduated as an English major at Cal Poly. We hunted Nick down after hearing him perform with local band STILL TIME who were recently voted best band in SLO. He specializes in Lead Guitar and modern contemporary styles and when he's not on the road, Nick teaches some of our foundational programs.

JESSIE CLARKE

Jessie co-founded Modern Music Academy with husband Darren Clarke in 2003. Jessie is behind the scenes as Business & Marketing manager, but also plays an active role in the Professional Music Programs as Student Advisor & Performance / Vocal coach. Jessie has a background in singing backing vocals and songwriting. Her guitar playing is embarassingly bad so we don't talk about that.