Dr. Jake Jacobsen

9 Years with 26!

Dr. Jake joined in 2015 and is the Executive Director of the Vocal Department at 26.  Since moving to Austin in 2009, Dr. Jake Jacobsen has been very involved in the city's music community. He has performed with the Butler Opera Center at UT, as well as the ensembles of companies such as the Austin Lyric Opera, the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Austin, and One Ounce Opera. He has also served as a section leader for the Conspirare Symphonic Chorus.

Dr. Jake received his Doctorate in Vocal Performance from the University of Texas at Austin. He also holds a Masters Degree from UT, as well as a Bachelors Degree from Boston University. While his training has enabled him to make great strides as a singer, he also has a strong ability to establish his artistic identity by adding his own interpretations to the repertoire he performs.

As a teacher, he uses this knowledge to hone his students' craft, as well as help his students gain the necessary tools which will enable them to better themselves independently. His main goal, though, is to create an environment which motivates his students to continue learning.

Mr. Jonathan Schaub

Classical and Big Band and Band instruments 

Mr. Jonathan is the Executive Director of Music Education at 26 and specializes in piano and brass instruction. A former Texas All-State musician, Jonathan graduated Trinity University with a Bachelor of Music degree in Instrumental Music Education. Jonathan has been a valued instructor at 26-MUSIC since 2009. He has spent previous years as a K-12 music teacher where his students garnered many awards and honors in both ensemble and individual performances. A member of the Texas Music Educators Association, he especially enjoys teaching music theory.  

Terrance McDaniel has been a fixture on the Austin music scene as a drummer, bandleader, and educator for over a decade. A jazzer at his core, McDaniel’s voice on the drums is shaded by the scenes his musical path has taken him through: Greasy Soul in Memphis, energetic Fusion, and Smooth Jazz in Dallas, and rootsy Blues and Country in Austin. He has enjoyed regular sideman duties with trombonist Andre Hayward (Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Mingus Big Band, SFJazz Collective) and pianist James Polk (former musical director for Ray Charles) to name a couple. He is also the co-founder and co-leader of The Blacklist, a collective of like-minded Austin musicians blending the aforementioned musical flavors. 

In addition to performing, Terrance has always been a driven organizer and educator, looking to advance and expand the jazz cause wherever he is. Early in his career, he co-founded the Amarillo Jazz Society and has gone on to work with the Women In Jazz Association and the Austin Jazz Workshop. He is also Artistic Director, Director of Outreach, and Executive Director of the Drums and Percussion Department at 26-Music School in Austin.

McDaniel holds a Bachelor of Arts, Music Performance Degree, from Arkansas State University and teaches drumset, marimba, Rock Camp and percussion. McDaniel also teaches music fundamentals and frequently uses the "Audition Hacker" method to prepare students for regional and state competition and live performance. For more information about McDaniel, click the link: Terrance McDaniel YouTube Channel

Mr. Zak Loy 

Rock Team, all styles

Mr. Zak Loy specializes in Guitar instruction (acoustic, electric and bass) since 2007.  He is a Founder.  One of our original team members, Zak is the Vice President of 26-Music, Executive Director of both the Guitar Department and the of Rock Camp. 

Zak is currently a guitarist for the band "Live" and travels to Austin to work on special projects for us and to teach.

Zak opened for the Rolling Stones in Europe in the summer of 2014.

He is a member of VH1s "Bands You Oughta Know"  ALPHA REV. You can hear his music on GUITAR HERO 5 or in the movie The Last Song. Their single SING LOUD just hit #13 on the charts. http://www.americasmusiccharts.com/index.cgi?fmt=R1 

You can also catch him on MTV. Zak enjoys teaching budding young artists and comes to us with 20 years of experience in the music industry. He has opened performances for recording artists such as "Avril Lavigne" & "Bush" and has been the featured artist on 10 records. He was voted by the Austin Chronicle as one of the top three guitarists in Austin.

Mr. Jeff Bryant 

Jeff Bryant is a versatile artist and educator that comes to us from the Unversity of Massachusetts and received his Bachelor's degree from Hardin-Simmons University.   Jeff teaches Rock Camp and both Classical and Modern Piano and beginning guitar at 26.  His skills also include organ, accordian, mandolin and pedal steel guitar.  Jeff is the lead pianist with Alpha Rev and has toured with such notable artists as Dwight Yoakam and Merle Haggard.

Mr. Haydn Vitera 
Mr. Haydn 

Rock, Classical and more

Formerly a member of Grammy-winning Asleep at the Wheel, he is a multi-talented instrumentalist who plays guitar, keys, and most notably, electric violin. His 6-string fretted Viper, introduced by Vitera for the first time into the Latin genre can rival the guitar.