Don has been teaching piano, voice, guitar and ukulele lessons for more than 37 years. He has taught at Music World since 2012.

When Don was eight years old, his grandmother was determined to get one of her grandchildren to play piano and dragged him to lessons. At the same, he began his vocal career singing in the children’s choir at his church. This was his first exposure to music. When Don was 12, he also took up guitar. Don studied and played music with various performance and touring groups throughout junior high and high school. He went on to study music at California Polytechnic State University and Voice at California State University in Sacramento.

Don has toured with Continental Singers and directed numerous choral groups over the years. He was a church music director for five years and has been the musical director for more than 45 musical productions at various theaters in California, Oregon and Washington since 2000. Don has two students who became American Idol finalists and many others who have gone into theater, TV and musical careers. As of 2014, Don has worked as the Vocal Director for Magenta Theater and Musical Director for Metropolitan Performing Arts Academy in Vancouver, Wash.

His approach to teaching is to create a love and desire to excel in music while having fun learning.

Originally from Southern California, Don moved to Oregon in 2011. When he isn’t doing something music related, Don enjoys trips to the beach, playing with his two grandchildren, hiking, and exploring all over Oregon and Washington.