Meet the Teachers

Adam Clark teaches percussion, piano, guitar, and bass. Adam Clark has been teaching guitar, piano, bass and drums/percussion for close to 20 years. Growing up in a family of musicians, he had his first musical training on piano, guitar, and bass. In grade school he gravitated towards drumming and spent the next 15 years diving deeply into the rhythm universe. This culminated in a degree from the New England Conservatory in Contemporary Improvisation in 2005 after a three-year apprenticeship with the legendary drummer/composer/mystic Ra-Kalam Bob Moses.

Andy Buckman teaches old time clawhammer banjo. Andy has played clawhammer banjo and sung in church since childhood. He has performed and recorded with Mac and Jenny Traynham, the Reed Island Rounders, and the Wolfe Brothers, and has taught at numerous workshops. His music is rooted in the playing of Wade Ward, Abe Horton, and Harold Hausenfluck. Andy teaches both fretted and fretless banjo in traditional Blue Ridge clawhammer and thumb lead styles.

Corbin Hayslett teaches old time and bluegrass banjo, guitar, fiddle and vocals. Corbin grew up around his father and mother's musical talents in religious and secular music. From an early age he was singing and cultivating a passion for bluegrass, old time, and traditional Americana and southern musical forms. He has won multiple competitions in banjo and vocals throughout Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina. Corbin now manages County Sales in downtown Floyd and performs with Nobody's Business.

‌Jamie teaches guitar, bass, and beginner to intermediate fiddle. She has worked with children of all ages since graduating from East Tennessee State University in 2012; receiving a Bachelors Degree in Education, and a minor from the Bluegrass Old Time and Country Music Studies. "My teaching philosophy is centered around the student. I believe that we as teachers have a responsibility to teach students how to build their self esteem and feel ready to enjoy their learning process. Through teaching music, I have the gift of teaching self confidence, self expression, team building, perseverance, and appreciation for the arts and cultural diversity. Music is a universal language that bridges gaps of diversity. Students and families can experience joy and make memories through cultural experiences that are provided through The Handmade Music School!

Gina Dilg teaches all levels of old time fiddle as well as flatfoot dance. Gina has been steeped in the traditions of the music from the Southwest to the southern Appalachians since she was a young child. Raised in a family of musicians, she developed an affection for the bright, energetic music of these traditions.

Jesse Smathers teaches bluegrass guitar, mandolin, and vocals. Jesse is currently performing on guitar and singing lead and tenor vocals with the Lonesome River Band, Jesse Smathers is an accomplished guitarist, mandolinist, and singer from Eden, North Carolina. Heavily influenced by the music that runs in his family, Jesse has found inspiration and takes pride in his musical family lineage. His grandfather, Harold Smathers, and grand uncle, Luke Smathers, recorded for June Appal and were awarded the North Carolina Folk Heritage Award in 1993 for their contributions to North Carolina Folk Music with the Luke Smathers String Band. In 2009, Jesse won the guitar championship of the Virginia Folk Music Association. The Lonesome River Band welcomed him to the group as a mandolin player and lead and tenor vocalist in 2015 and Jesse won the 2017 IBMA Momentum Award for Vocalist of the year. He now resides in Floyd, Virginia.

Jason Wheeler teaches bluegrass banjo. Jason Wheeler has been playing banjo and guitar for over 15 years. His traditional approach to the bluegrass banjo has allowed him to play professionally with Chosen Road, Avery County, and numerous other regional bands. Coming from a musical family, Jason has been surrounded by a variety of music his whole life and wishes to instill a love, as well as an understanding of music into his students. As a professional educator, Jason brings a variety of educational perspectives to teaching the banjo, in the hopes of allowing his students to discover their own style to the bluegrass banjo. Jason now resides in Floyd, VA with his wife and three kids.

Mac Traynham teaches old time fiddle, banjo, guitar and mandolin as well as harmonica and vocals. Mac Traynham is an accomplished fiddler and banjo player as well as a fine guitar player and singer. Influenced by well known and obscure musicians of the past, Mac has developed a hard-driving style of playing which keeps the rhythm going strongly and delights dancers! He teaches at numerous music camps and has won many ribbons from various Fiddler’s Conventions.

Community Programs Coordinator

Ipi Hello was born and raised in the Blue Ridge Mountains in and around Floyd, Virginia. She has a great love for her region, its many traditions, and a passion for passing them on. Ipi started playing guitar at The Handmade Music School and in the local JAM program when she was 12 and since then has learned to sing, play banjo, fiddle, flatfoot dance, and call square dances. She has taught in the local JAM program and for the Handmade Music School Youth Get Together and is currently a teacher for the Handmade Music School's Youth Stringband Program.

Jared Boyd grew up in the small community of Laurel Fork in Carroll County, Virginia and spent the early years of his life surrounded by old-time music on both sides of his family. He learned clawhammer banjo from Ray Chatfield through the Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) program as well as from his grandfather Jimmy Boyd, co-founder of the Franklin County, VA old-time dance band, The Dry Hill Draggers. His playing has also been influenced by local players of past and present such as Kyle Creed, Tommy Jarrell, Brien Fain, Emily Spencer, and Eddie Bond to name a few. Jared has won 1st place in clawhammer banjo competitions at all of the fiddlers conventions around the Galax and surrounding areas, including winning the blue ribbon four times at the Galax Old Fiddlers Convention and Best All Around Performer at the 2022 and 2023 Galax conventions. Jared currently plays with the Twin Creeks Stringband, 1st place winners of the Old-Time Band competition at the 2022 and 2023 Galax Old Fiddlers Convention.

Stephanie Wolf has been dancing for decades and is excited to offer private, semi private, and small group dance lessons through the Handmade Music School. She is teaching COUNTRY/TEXAS TWO-STEO, other styles of TWO-STEP, CAJUN, ZYDECO, and WALTZING. These lessons will be FUN and ATTAINABLE for all.

I took my first Waltz class in 1995 and I was hooked! Next came Swing dancing, Square dancing, Contra dancing, Two Step (several styles) Cajun Two Step, and Zydeco dancing. I learned every style I had access to! Dancing is a consistent place of joy, and my favorite exercise. (Yes, it’s great exercise!)

I was a dancer first, and musician second. Playing music gives me an even deeper sense of the rhythm associated with different dances. In my classes I pass on, and emphasize, the importance of hearing the beat in the music. Dancing and music go hand in hand! One of my great JOYS is to see people LAUGHING, SMILING and enjoying exercise that doesn’t feel like exercise! Learning to connect to one another, and the rhythm of the music through dance, is an innate part if our humanity."

Dancing has been proven scientifically to increase serotonin and help keep your brain young! Click here>Dancing Makes You Smarter