Why Pathfinder Music Lessons?

Pathfinder Music Lessons Ringwood started out as Ben Plant Guitar back in 2015, a guitar-only school in Ringwood, whilst Pathfinder Music Lessons Kilsyth has been a music school for much longer, formerly known as Sammy’s Music School, Streams and Stormer Music.

In 2023, the two studios joined forces as Stormer Music Ringwood & Kilsyth, before eventually becoming Pathfinder Music Lessons in 2025!

Our goal is to teach musicians:

  • The most effective ways to learn and play

  • Practical techniques and lessons that get results fast

  • The skills you can't learn from the internet or books alone

  • To become an independent, confident learner

  • How much fun making music can be!

 

Adrian

Teacher - Guitar
Ringwood

Adrian’s our resident metal-head, into all things heavy! His focus on technique and advanced guitar playing is highly sought after by advanced students & beginners alike.

Adrian’s completing his Bachelors of music, and also gigs, writes and records with his metal band in Melbourne.

Dave

Head Teacher - Guitar
Ringwood

Dave's an experienced rocker who has created compositions for film, games, bands and avante garde soundscapes.

Dave joined the team in 2016 and runs many of our group guitar lessons for adults and beginners.

Dave holds a Masters of Music and a Bachelor of Applied Music from Box Hill Institute. On weekends, you can catch him playing in a variety of classic rock bands.

Connor

Teacher
Kilsyth

Connor is an experienced drum, guitar and piano teacher who also performs in a punk band.

Connor’s a big fan of structured learning and lives for teaching.

He also holds an associate music degree from Box Hill Institute.

Rory

Teacher - Guitar
Ringwood & Kilsyth

Rory’s an experienced teacher with a background in composition and music technology, which he’s studied through his Bachelors (Honours) at Monash University.

Students who are after extra depth and understanding in their lessons love Rory’s teaching style.

Rory’s a regular performer in a number of bands and has additional experience developing instruments and techniques for students with different needs.

Christian

Teacher - Drums
Kilsyth

Christian’s a drummer with a background in church music, soul and funk, so his students are very well developed at groove and timing.

Having now completed his Bachelors, Christian spends his free-time playing in bands as a drummer and also as frontman for his own band.

Noel

Teacher - Drum
Ringwood

Noel is a talented Drummer and an experienced Drums Teacher. He achieved Grade 8 certificate in Drums from the Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) while at high school. With his school bands, Noel was competing in various music festivals and competitions. He won the National Award for "Generations in Jazz" for the best drummer in 2019.

Luke

Teacher - Guitar
Kilsyth & Ringwood

Luke joined the team in 2017 as a student, and is now one of our most popular teachers for young students and advanced fingerstyle players alike.

Luke has established himself as one of the foremost modern guitarists in the world, with a number of endorsements, tours and awards under his belt.

He’s currently undertaking tertiary music qualifications at Box Hill Institute.

Dominic

Studio Assistant
Ringwood

Dominic’s a highly skilled guitar student who now helps manage the Ringwood studio.

Dom plays guitar and cello, both to high standards (he even accelerated VCE Music) and has worked as a busker around the community.

Outside the studio, Dom’s undertaking his final year of VCE in 2025.

Daniel

Teacher - Piano and Sax
Ringwood

Daniel is a talented and accomplished Pianist who earned an Associate in Music (AmusA) diploma from the Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) when he was year 11 student at Balwyn High School. He’s also a passionate saxophonist working towards a Certificate of Performance for Alto Saxophone. As a Band Leader of the most advanced Jazz Band at Balwyn High, Daniel frequently competes at Music Festivals, such as VFMS or Generations in Jazz in Mount Gambier, SA.

harriet-photo

Harriet

Studio Manager & Teacher
Ringwood

Harriet’s our Studio Manager at Ringwood, who teaches singing & beginner keyboard.

Harriet started her journey with us as a young up-and-coming guitar student, before focusing her efforts on vocals.

You’ll often be speaking with Harriet for all things to do with lessons, as she manages the studio and the team at Ringwood.

Now, as a Bachelor qualified music teacher, Harriet performs and records with her own band & others.

Miranda

Studio Manager & Teacher
Kilsyth

Miranda’s a highly sought after vocal coach with experience in everything from rock bands to musical theatre.

When she’s not belting out ballads with her students, Miranda manages the studio and team at Kilsyth, a studio where she herself learnt guitar back in the Sammy’s Music School days!

Miranda’s undertaken tertiary music studies at Box Hill, but her current passion is in music theatre.

Abtin

Studio Assistant & Assistant Teacher
Kilsyth

Abtin’s a master shred-guitarist, who now also helps manage the Kilsyth studio.

You’ll also catch Abtin helping out in guitar lessons, as he’s building up his skills to teach his own students.

Abtin’s also undertaking his final year of VCE in 2025


Hiring Teachers for Workshops

If you’d like a guitar teacher to present a specialist:

  • Guitar workshop

  • Seminar or

  • Performance

for your organisation, get in touch to let us know how we can help.

We do offer pro-bono workshops for charities, non-profits or special-needs educational institutions if applicable. You guys deserve some extra love!