Julie Holloman Bio
Julie is the president and founder of the Aria School of Music & Art. She teaches guitar, piano, voice & ukulele. She plays guitar and tenor ukulele in Aria 51, plays solo Flamenco guitar and ukulele, and teaches a variety of workshops.
Julie has loved music her whole life. She started singing on pitch at age 2, and playing piano by ear at age 4. She begged her parents for a guitar, and she got a Sears-Roebuck steel string for her 10th birthday. She bought her first ukulele at the Plumas County Fair when she was 15, and continued to teach herself to play both instruments. She eventually found a private guitar teacher, but had to drive 60 miles round trip for her lessons, as there were no teachers in the small town of Portola, CA at that time.
In Jr. High and High School she played French Horn in the school band, and sang in the concert choir. She played guitar accompaniment for the Jazz choir and various musicals. She also began writing music. When she graduated she received the Bank of America Music Award.
She studied Music Education at the University of Nevada Reno, and graduated Suma Cum Laude with a B.S. in Music Education in 1990. She was offered a Rhodes Scholarship, but wasn’t accepted because she was too old (24). She was hired right out of college by the Washoe County School District, and taught K-6 Elementary Music for 13 years. She wrote and arranged many musicals for her students to perform, and did at least 15 performances each school year. While teaching in the School District she received the Distinguished Service Award for outstanding teaching from both the Music Department and the School District.
She was working on her Masters Equivalency and Board Certification when she became sick. She was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, so changed direction with her teaching and her music. She helped establish and administrate a Music Academy in a Reno music store and taught private guitar and voice lessons. After 5 years she decided to open her own school, and so we now have the Aria School of Music & Art. She continues to teach and learn, and loves what she is doing.
She performed solo Flamenco on her guitar and ukulele at Fuego Restaurant from Aug. 2014 to July 2015., when Fuego closed.
Currently she teaches guitar, uke, piano, and voice. She teaches Beginning and Intermediate Ukulele Classes for the Truckee Meadows Community College Epic Program. She teaches Intermediate and Advanced Ukulele Classes for Aria. She is the Director of the Reno Ukulele Group. She plays tenor ukulele, guitar, and baritone uke in the staff trio Aria 51. She also sings and arranges music for the group. Aria 51 became featured performers for the Pioneer Center Youth Program in 2018,2019, and 2022. Julie taught Flamenco ukulele Workshops at the Reno Ukulele Festival , the Palm Strings Festival, and the Auburn Uke Festival . She co-taught a Beginning Uke Workshop at the Reno Aloha Festival from 2016-2019. She played tenor uke and sang as a member of the Legacy Ukulele Ensemble from 2016-2020.
Evan Stern has been playing musical instruments for 26 years. He started with the violin because his older brother played it. 3 years later, in the 6th grade music program,he decided to switch to cello and never went back to violin. Over the last 12 years, Evan has added upright and electric bass, guitar, and ukulele to his musical arsenal. Evan studied music at TMCC in Reno for 3 years and has been teaching private and group lessons for 18 years.
His playing credits include playing cello in the Ruby Mountain Symphony while still in high school, cello in the Reno Philharmonic Youth Symphony, principal cello as a 1st semester freshmen in the University of Nevada, Reno orchestra, has performed as a soloist with the Carson Valley Pops orchestra, principal bass in the Carson City Symphony, and has toured regionally with a local hard rock band on electric bass.
Currently he he plays cello, tenor ukulele, baritone ukulele and electric bass in the Aria trio called Aria 51. This group became featured performers for the Pioneer Center Youth Program in 2018, 2019, and 2022. He also arranges music for the group. He played bass in the Carson City Symphony. He has co-taught a Beginning Uke Workshop at the Reno Aloha Festival from 2016-2019. He is a guitar Instructor for the Truckee Meadows Community College, and teaches guitar for the Truckee Meadows Community College Epic Program. He is a music teacher at North Valleys High School, where he teaches guitar and orchestra.
Aria 51
We're delighted to welcome Kat MacMartin to the Aria Music Staff. Kat has been playing music since the age of 12, starting on the violin and moving on to play piano, electric bass, ukulele, and guitar.
Kat specializes in both classical and Celtic fiddle music, and currently serves as Principal second violin in the Carson City Symphony and the Carson Valley Pops Orchestra.
Kat also plays second violin in the Nerds of Paradise string quartet, has played electric bass in a local rock band, and frequently provides fiddle music for events in the area.
In addition to teaching at Aria, she has provided private lessons at various elementary schools in Washoe County through the Sierra Arts program.
We're excited to welcome Moses Padilla to our staff! Read on to learn more.
Moises Padilla Bio – 2/14/2024
Moises Padilla specializes in drum set percussion and has a strong background in piano, particularly as a song writing tool. As a drummer, he has experience in an array of musical styles, including rock, pop, jazz, rhythm and blues, country, Brazilian, Latin, classical, and bluegrass. He truly loves all things drums and emphasizes the joy of music in conjunction with proper technique and consistent practice.
Moises has been playing drums for 37 years. He received his B.A. in Music from Western Illinois University in 2001and immediately began playing professionally in the St. Louis, Mo metropolitan area. In 2008, he moved to Seattle, WA where he played consistently with a plethora of bands and artists, both live and in the studio. After his stint in Jet City, he made the move to Nashville, TN and carved out a career as a steady, working drummer and songwriter. He toured regionally and nationally in addition to regularly performing on Nashville’s famed lower Broadway. After nearly 15 years in Music City, he moved to the Reno/Tahoe area with his spouse to be close to family and brings with him an abundance of musical experience.
He currently plays with country/bluegrass/oldies group The Dayton Drifters and country artist Rick Hays and American Steel.
WITH GREAT SADNESS we announce the passing of our beloved drum teacher Lee Warner. He lost his battle with brain cancer on May 11th, 2015. He was an outstanding teacher, musician, and person. No matter how sick he felt he always had a smile on his face and a good word for all of his friends and students. His energy and love for music was an inspiration to everyone who knew him.
We'll always consider him a member of our staff, and we feel privileged to have worked with him. He's jamming with the angels now, so it's still a "win, win" for him!
Lee Warner, Drum Instructor
I've been teaching private drum lessons since 1971. After 43 years of teaching, I'm enjoying it now more than ever.
I want my students to be well-versed in drumming fundamentals, like rudiments, reading and counting. It's my job to put the fun in fundamentals. I also want my students to know about melody, harmony and theory. The most important thing about each lesson is that particular student's needs on a given day. If a performance, rehearsal or audition is coming up, I want to make sure my students feel comfortable in telling me where they're confident and where they think they need the most help.
IT'S ALL GOOD. I'm a busy jobbing drummer, and I enjoy drumming in all kinds of bands and settings. My favorite drumming is big band jazz, and you can click the link here toYouTube to see a 30-sec video of me playing in a big band. I present frequent drumming clinics in local middle school and high school jazz bands, free of charge. I also bring bands to local elementary schools for concerts.
I play in the local 50s-60s oldies band called "Route 66," which has been a fixture in the Hot August Nights music line-up for years. Prior to that, I was the drummer for 19 years in "Papa Clutch & the Shifters," another local oldies band. Oldies rock, blues and country drumming are also passions of mine.
As much as anything, I try to promote the sheer joy of drumming.