Music Academy

Peter Leyden is a Whitman College graduate, born and raised in Seattle. After teaching himself to play the Stairway to Heaven solo in 5th grade, guitar continued to provide him with a source of boundless creative inspiration and self discovery. Throughout high school and college, Peter played in numerous bands including (most recently) "Loose Collective" a reggae/ rhythm and blues staple of the Walla Walla winery scene. His personal guitar style is largely influenced by 70s & 80s legends as diverse as James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Slash, and Van Halen. He also admires new generation players such as Ben Howard and Garry Clark Jr.

Peyton Levin is the lower school music specialist here at Hamlin Robinson School and is an active musician in the Seattle area. He is a studio drummer for local bands and Electro-Kitty Recording Studio and performs in multiple Pacific Northwest-based groups. Peyton is also experienced with teaching a variety of instruments including drums, piano, guitar, ukulele, bass, voice, and more in schools and private lesson settings.

Jessica Thaxton is originally from Tampa, Florida, and is currently a student at the University of Washington studying voice and psychology. She has loved singing for as long as she can remember, harmonizing in the car with her sisters or singing in choirs. Jessica is trained in voice, violin, and piano. Her proudest accomplishment was playing the violin in concert at Carnegie Hall. Jessica is now in the University Chorale as an executive board member and loves to create music with like-minded musicians, with a fond spot for singing. She is incredibly excited and dedicated to helping students grow as musicians and people.