Meet Our Teachers
Chris Swan
Chris is a pianist, hip hop artist and the founder of STL Piano Lessons from St. Louis MO.
After years of traveling the world playing music, Chris founded STL PIano Lessons as an alternative to traditional piano instruction. He wanted to focus on playing by ear because that is what made music fun for him when he was a kid. While still focusing on strong fundamentals, he developed a method of teaching that combined traditional theory with exciting playing by ear techniques.
Chris currently lives in NYC and is teaching piano lessons online for all ages.
Nick Schlueter
Nick is a pianist, vocalist and composer from St. Louis MO.
Nick Schlueter is a native of St. Louis, Missouri. Nick is one of the original Dueling Hobbits and co-owns Dueling Hobbits Productions. He earned his bachelor’s degree in composition from Webster University. He studied Jazz performance and composition with Peter Martin, Paul Demarinis, Dr. Michael Parkinson, Kim Portnoy, and Joachim Mencel. An active musician and keyboardist, he has performed with Pavlov’s Dog, Charles Glenn, Upright Cabaret, Naked Groove, Dawn Weber, and many others. As a composer, he has written songs, tunes, charts, and pieces for Pavlov’s Dog, Rich Landers (Jerry Lee Lewis, Tina Turner, Marty Ballen) Charles Glenn, Grace Church (Maryland Heights), and the Krakow Conservatory, among others.
Nick has been an active dueling piano player touring the country playing piano bars and leading entertainment at the Jive and Wail. Nick has an enormously diverse song list. His natural tenor voice lends itself well to covering Pop, Hip Hop, R&B, and artists such as Justin Timberlake, Adam Levine, Hall and Oates, Bruno Mars, Journey, R Kelley, and Eminem. His business, Dueling Hobbits Productions, books private events, helps develop entertainment for clubs, and helps to train dueling piano players to better learn their craft and get hired.
Nick resides with his beautiful wife and their cuddly puppy in St. Louis, MO where he performs regularly, teaches at Webster University, and manages the midwest and east coast markets of Dueling Hobbits Productions. Nick teaches online lessons as well as in-person lessons out of his office located in Olivette.
Ryan Benthall
Ryan is a musician, composer, and pianist from St. Louis MO.
He began private teaching in 2012 and has pursued an active career in performing, writing & teaching ever since.
Ryan accomplished a Fine Arts degree in Music from STLCC class of 2013. He then went on to complete his undergrad studies at the University of Missouri St. Louis, finishing with a Bachelors Degree in Music Composition and a minor in Jazz. While attending UMSL, Ryan studied with internationally acclaimed professors including Alla Voskoboynikova for Classical piano, Barbara Harbach for Composition, & Ken Kehner for Jazz piano. Ryan was recognized with top honors in his class receiving a Distinguished Performance in Keyboard award & the Outstanding Music Composition award from the UMSL Music Department as well as being a member of the Honors Society & Deans List.
. He is a super talented pianist, composer as well as a really sweet guy. Ryan currently only teaches online lessons.
Justin Nelson
Justin Nelson is a pianist born in Gainesville, Florida.
He began studying the saxophone at age 12 and ever since has had an intense passion for music. He received his A.A. from Florida State University, with an emphasis in jazz saxophone performance and philosophy. During his time there he had the pleasure of learning from great musicians such as Chick Corea, Rufus Reid, Bill Peterson, Bill Kennedy, Leon Anderson Jr., Rodney Jordan, Scotty Barnhart, Doron Kima and Marcus Roberts.
Upon deciding to switch instruments to the piano, he then transferred to the University of Florida (UF) to pursue a degree in English. During this time Justin began studying the piano seriously and realized it was what he wanted to do with his life. He has had the pleasure of working with Gordon Goodwin and his Big Phat Band, including but not limited to: Wayne Bergeron, Eric Marienthal, Andy Martin, Sal Lozano, Bernie Dresel and Brian Bromberg. He has also had the pleasure of performing internationally in Paris and Prague. He stands on the shoulders of giants and recognizes the humble nature that is intrinsic to becoming great in the field of music.
Upon his graduation from UF, Justin then attended and graduated from a groundbreaking course in piano music-making and classical technique, entitled “Injury-Preventive Keyboard Technique,” created by world-renowned musician Barbara Lister-Sink. The three-year program helped him to free himself from physical limitations at the piano in order to allow his artistic ideas to flow freely. He is a certified teacher of the Lister-Sink Method and a fervent proponent of its principles.
Now, having performed and taught all over North Carolina for the past 9 years, Justin has moved to St. Louis to further pursue his career in music, excited for the opportunities and friendships this new area of the U.S. will bring. Justin teaches online lessons as well as in-person lessons out of his home studio in University City.
Ron McGowan
Ron is a pianist and vocal coach in St. Louis, MO.
Ron McGowan has a BA (cum laude) in Music History and Performance from Pomona College. He studied with Peter Hewitt in Los Angeles and Stephen Sondheim in New York. Ron returned to his hometown of St. Louis after thirty years in Los Angeles, where he accompanied countless singers, including Joanna Gleason, Dale Kristien, Susan Egan, and John Raitt and served as the resident accompanist for organizations including Musical Theater West, Fullerton Civic Light Opera, Remsen Hillside Theatre, South Coast Repertory Theater, and the Pasadena Boys Choir.
Ron was Musical Director, resident pianist, and vocal coach for Cal State– Los Angeles, Occidental College, UC–Irvine, Fullerton Civic Light Opera, and Pomona College. Since returning to St. Louis, he has accompanied singers and productions for The Muny, Stages St. Louis, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, New Line Theatre, Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre, the Cabaret Project of St. Louis, Lindenwood University, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, the National Association of Teachers of Voice and the St. Louis Cabaret Conference.
Ron is currently faculty at Webster University as Musical Director/Vocal Coach for The Webster Conservatory of Theater Arts, and is Professor Of Collaborative Piano for the Webster University Departments of Music and Dance, as well as staff accompanist for the Center for Creative Arts
(COCA) and Dance St. Louis. A member of the Musical Theatre Educators’ alliance, he also teaches piano privately in his Clayton studio and throughout the St. Louis area. Ron was Musical Director/pianist for the 2018 St. Louis Literary Award for Stephen Sondheim at the Sheldon Concert hall, and was Musical Director for Max and Louis’s 2019 production of Paula Vogel’s “Indecent” at the Grandel Theatre. Ron teaches online lessons as well as in-person lessons out of his home studio in Clayton.
Gen Lobonc Billhartz
Genny Lobonc Billhartz is a St. Louis native who studied voice, piano, and chorus at Carthage College in Kenosha, WI and holds a Bachelor of Music from Lindenwood University. She is excited to promote her love for music education through the opening of Shock City School of Music and acquisition of STL PIano Lessons and functioning as director. Gen has performed locally and toured with two choirs through Europe. She has collaborated with local musicians and has hired several talented teachers to join in her endeavors.
Gen is a certified Kindermusik educator and loves to teach the youngest of musicians beginning at age 3 months through 7 years for this wonderful music and movement program. She teaches private and semi-private piano lessons beginning at age 4. She specializes in early education and elementary level music but has enjoyed working with students of all ages and abilities!