Director of Noise, Guitar lessons, Bass lessons, Uke

Nate McCormick

Nate McCormick is a performing guitarist, with almost 2 decades of experience on stage and playing - either solo, or in various bands and groups.  With years of one-on-one and classroom teaching experience, Nate is able to cover a wide variety of guitar subjects suitable for players of most styles and proficiency levels.  His performance experience will provide you with all the tools you need to get out and get playing! Now available for guitar and bass instruction.

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Nate wants his students enthusiastic and curious - music is a language!  The best way to learn is to immerse yourself in habits and a lifestyle that surrounds making great music, and learning every day.  He wants you to be the best player you want to be.

Chief Roadie and Workshop Leader

Marissa Levy Lerer

Marissa Levy Lerer is the passionate owner of The Listening Booth, a haven for music lovers and artists alike. Holding a degree in music education with a concentration in opera from NYU, Marissa brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her teaching.

As a singer/songwriter, she has released four acclaimed albums. Marissa's dedication to her craft and her community has made The Listening Booth a beloved institution for nurturing musical talent and fostering a deep appreciation for the art of sound.

Piano Lessons

Scott Schoem

Scott Schoem is an accomplished Sussex County piano teacher who has been fostering an appreciation of music through piano lessons for over 20 years. He teaches students of all ages.

Scott has performed as a professional musician in the DC area for nearly 30 years at venues such as Blues Alley, 9:30 Club, the Fillmore (Silver Spring, MD), the State Theatre (Falls Church, VA) and the Kennedy Center.  Now a resident of Lewes, DE, you can find Scott playing keyboards locally with several different bands.

Each student is an individual, and Scott caters to their interests and strengths to develop their musical abilities. Musical styles taught include classical, rock, pop, blues, etc.

Youth Group Classes and workshop

Erika Gray

Erika's lifelong love affair with music began early and has remained a constant source of joy. Her creative journey was enriched at the Southern Delaware School of the Arts, where she honed her talents. High school found her dedicated to music, particularly the saxophone, in both marching and concert bands, deepening her passion for musical expression. Dance further expanded her artistic horizons and performance skills.

Beyond music, Erika has found fulfillment working at a local school for children with disabilities, discovering a profound sense of purpose in fostering creativity and positivity. As a devoted mother, she shares her love of music with her children through concerts and performances, believing in its transformative power to nurture creativity and empathy. Erika advocates passionately for arts education, recognizing its vital role in children's development.

Bass Guitar Lessons

Drew Fitzkee 

Meet Drew Fitzkee, our talented Bass Guitar instructor at The Listening Booth! Hailing from the Delaware Beach area,  Drew has been immersed in music from a young age, picking up the bass in kindergarten. Over the years, Drew has honed his skills across various instruments, but his passion for bass has always been at the forefront.  He wants to share that passion with you!

When he’s not teaching, Drew tours professionally with his brother, Alex, as part of the Fitzkee Brothers. Since 2018, the duo has been performing together - and most recently playing all across the country.  Most notably known for joining forces with members of the Allman Brothers extended family.

Drew’s youthful energy, outgoing personality, and easy-going nature makes him a joy to work with.   Whether you're a beginner or looking to really refine your skills, Drew brings the perfect combination of experience and enthusiasm to every lesson.

Join Drew at The Listening Booth and start your musical journey today!

Piano

Tim York

Tim York has been tickling the ivories since age seven and has only taken a few short pauses for snack breaks and the occasional reboot of his creative hard drive. With over 35 years of piano experience under his belt (and probably a few piano bench splinters too), he’s played it all: church services, vocal classes, awkward holiday parties, and most recently, served as musical director for a local theater production where no one forgot their cue… mostly. His roots in high school music and theater set the stage (literally) for a lifetime of playing, accompanying, and occasionally making up notes when the sheet music went flying.

Now, Tim’s ready to pass on his piano superpowers to the next generation. Whether you’re a total beginner or someone who just wants to impress your cat with Chopin, he brings patience, humor, and a deep love of music to every lesson. His goal? Help students find their rhythm, stay sharp (and flat), and of course have fun while learning the keys to success, one note at a time.

Drum Lessons

Michael “SPIKE” Bryant 

Spike is a self taught drummer who would also become a classically trained percussionist while attending Stephen F. Austin State University. He studied percussion under Dr. Laurence Kaptain, Drew Lang, and Dr. Chris Hanning. He arrived in Delaware in August 1993. In addition to being a freelance musician, He is a private drum instructor of 30+ years.  

In past years he has played in the Dover Symphony and played drums for many groups notably with Fazes, Smooth Play, Mari Hill Band, Rockett 88 Featuring Dr. Harmonica, The Bratcher Project, and Bad Juju. Currently Spike also fills in for lowercase blues, and is the drummer for the Teletones.

Woodwind Lessons, Flute Lessons

Tim Satryan

Tim Satryan is a woodwinds instrumentalist, originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A “woodwinds doubler,” he is proficient on multiple clarinets, saxophones, and flutes, as well as a Yamaha WX5 and an Akai EWI 5000. 

He studied extensively with Henry Marconi and Nestor Koval of the Paris Conservatory, and is a graduate of Duquesne University’s Pappert School of Music. He has been teaching woodwinds for over 40 years, in Pennsylvania, Missouri, Delaware and New Jersey. He has taught all levels of woodwinds from beginners through advanced, with many of his students advancing to district, regional and all-state bands.

Guitar, Bass, Ukulele, Piano and Voice

Ellie Stolte

Ellie Stolte is an enthusiastic music educator who has experimented in every type of music that she can. From a young age, she was always active in her school's choir and musical theatre program, both on the stage and behind the scenes working the sound booth. Some of her favorite performances include shows at the Vatican, Carnegie Hall, and The Stone Pony, located in her home state of New Jersey.

She received her bachelors in ethnomusicology from Bucknell University, where she developed a love for world music, with a special focus in Indonesian music and culture. After graduation, she quickly began teaching private lessons in guitar, piano, voice, and ukulele. She has experience teaching band and orchestra at the middle school level and teaching rock band classes to students of all ages. Recently, she has traveled coast to coast with her students to support them as they performed at many major U.S. cities including Seattle, Portland, Chicago, and Baltimore. She loves to learn from her students just as much as she loves to teach them, especially when they introduce her to new music.

Guitar

C.J. Cutsail

C.J. Cutsail is a self-taught multi-instrumentalist, guitar teacher, singer, songwriter, and producer from Bethel, Delaware. Gifted a guitar at age 7, he learned by playing along with the radio and memorizing songs on cassette. He gave his first live performance at 16 and has since played venues across the region, including Wilmington Wintergrass Festival, June Jam, Smyrna at Night, and more—sharing stages with acts like The Lionel Young Band, The High and Wides, and Robert Randolph and the Family Band.

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Cutsail was awarded the Louie Armstrong Jazz Award and the Laurel High School Music Key in 2006. From 2006–2015, he hosted Local Produce on WZBH-FM, spotlighting Delmarva musicians and their stories.

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Since 2013, he’s fronted Captain Blue's Grass Band, releasing two albums, and a solo EP in 2020. Cutsail is currently recording his second solo album, Familiar Haunts, while performing and teaching guitar and bass.