Putting Music 1st in your life because it is so much more than just song
Meet our Instructors. They are here to make your musical dreams and goals a reality, and to ignite the spark of music in your children and teens.
One of the things that makes Music 1st different is that we are not just a bunch of individuals that all teach our own way, but a team of instructors (and a music therapist) committed to the fundamentals, relational teaching, and great music together. And, we were founded by Sean-David McGoran (SD) and his wife Jenna, who also founded The Tuned In Academy (TIA). TIA serves over 450 students every week so they know what works, what families want, what students need, and how to grow students as musicians. Music 1st team members all go through multiple interviews, reference checks, and an audition with SD, Jenna, or other TIA lead faculty.
Yair grew up in Israel where he was exposed to a diverse array of music. An experienced professional with over 15 years in the music industry, diversity as a musician is a defining part of who he is. Yair was a member of the Berklee Global Jazz Institute at Berklee College of Music where Yair graduated summa cum laude with a dual degree in Performance and Music Production & Engineering. Yair has shared the stage with artists such as Kenny Werner, Joe Lovano, Mark Turner, Sam Yahel, Indian Ocean, David Gilmore, John Patitucci, Shadow & Light, Mulgrew Miller, Ofer Ganor, and The Berklee Indian Ensemble. Yair has taught over 200 students privately, and has given several workshops and clinics on topics including harmonic rhythm, the art of practice, and motive development. Yair keeps pushing his musical boundaries both as a performer and a producer, employing years of experience studying genres and cultures from around the world while exploring new horizons
Josie is a musician and board certified music therapist originally from North Carolina. Their passion grew in high school and community wind band where they played the flute, oboe, and English horn. They obtained a Bachelor's degree in music therapy from Appalachian State University where they also participated in Sigma Alpha Iota, a women's music fraternity, and various ensembles such as the Appalachian Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, and was a founding member of the Video Game Ensemble, a student-led group in which they performed a variety of compositions from video games. After completing an internship at Springfield Hospital Center in Sykesville, MD, Josie specialized in working with adults recovering from mental illness. It is their belief that healing can be found in self expression, connection, and motivation through love of music. Josie looks forward to sharing and experiencing music with students and clients and watching how music shapes each individual!
Fuchsia is a student at The Evergreen State College majoring in Linguistics (she speaks excellent Japanese and lived in Japan for several years where she taught English as a second language). She enjoys all kinds of music, but there's a special place in her heart for classical music, especially viola focused pieces. Fuchsia has been playing violin for 15 years, and viola for 7 years. In her free time, she loves to draw, play video games, and ride horses. She’s bright, passionate, and committed to fostering fun and effective learning environments. While she may be young, Fuchsia loves teaching and has significant experience in tutoring and tailoring learning plans for not only older students, but also for young children.
Chivan Limn is a graduate of South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC). At SPSCC he discovered his passion for building communities and making his visions come alive. He has also demonstrated these skills with his band WINEHOUSE. Often booking gigs, networking, and communicating with groups, he is dedicated to enhancing the events he hosts. Being an active member of many local communities has given him a great sense of variety and an understanding of what people want to see. In addition to WINEHOUSE, Chivan is an active part of the South Puget Sound music scene often working with other musicians and bands as well.
Millie Martin, originally from Washington DC, grew up surrounded by the wonderful music programs of the Northern Virginia Youth Symphony and Fairfax County Public Schools. She started with piano lessons at the age of 7 years old and bass at 11. She received a BM in performance at the Cleveland Institute of Music and plays everything from baroque to classical and modern music, musical theater and jazz. She received her Masters in Music at the University of Memphis School of Music as a full graduate assistantship at Memphis State while working with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. Currently she is busy performing in baroque and modern music festivals and recording in Europe. She has toured with the baroque groups Divino Sospiro and Americantiga and also performed with the classical and modern orchestra The Orquestra Metropolitana de Lisboa. Millie has coached the bass students at the University of Lisbon and is teaching bass and piano at St. Julian’s International School in Lisbon, Portugal in addition to teaching her online students around the United States. Millie brings a lifetime of experience and love of music to her students and passes on the knowledge of the great teachers she has studied with throughout her career.
