A Word About Our Instructors

You will find the instructors at The Music Factory VA to be highly qualified, professional, and accredited. They are happy to instruct the recreational student, aspiring professional, as well as the student wishing to continue his or her musical education at a university level. Lessons and classes are tailored to the individual student’s personal musical goals. We have helped many students get accepted into college music programs throughout the country.

Lane Drum
540-308-5123

Guitar, Bass, Ukulele, Bazouki and other fretted instruments, Double Bass, Beginning Piano, Music Theory

Lane received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Virginia Commonwealth University, where he participated in a master class with Eliot Fisk.  Mr. Drum later studied Jazz Performance at Berklee College of Music where he studied with Jon Damien. After Berklee, he lived and performed solo classical, jazz, rock and blues in New York City for six years. He also privately taught more than 100 students in NYC. While in New York he studied with Mike Stern, Peter Bernstein, Adam Rafferty and Joe Giglio. In the Fredericksburg area Mr. Drum teaches numerous students. His areas of instructional focus include classical, jazz, blues, rock, contemporary pop, country, bluegrass, and contemporary Christian. He was the guitar instructor for Fredericksburg Area Young Musicians, a local home-school music program. Mr. Drum also taught at Forte music and Picker’s Supply for over ten years. His teaching emphasizes music theory, improvisation, ear training, and sight reading. He also focuses on simple songs and the ability for a student to learn a song by ear. Mr. Drum directs multiple ensembles including rock, jazz, classical. These ensembles perform regularly. Mr. Drum has a Passion for music that is evident in his teaching. His own excitement and enthusiasm for music and instruction are demonstrated for his love for teaching. Many of his former students have gone on to study music in local Universities as well as Berklee College of Music. One of his extremely talented former students had the privilege to audition for Prince.  Mr. Drum performs regionally in all musical styles.

Wesley Hockaday
540-834-7009

Piano and Vocal

Wesley Hockaday is the piano and vocal instructor at The Music Factory.  Wesley performs regularly with several local opera companies, both as vocalists and conductor. He graduated with Highest Distinction from the University of Mary Washington, earning a Bachelor’s of Liberal Arts of Music.  He is an assistant conductor of the UMW Fredericksburg Singers, the Assistant Music Director of Emmanuel Church on the Hill (Episcopal) in Alexandria, Virginia,  and piano substitute with the Rappahannock Pops Orchestra.  His passion for teaching has resulted in inspiring several students to pursue music studies in higher education.  He describes his mission in these words: “To inspire in others a love for the art of creating music, to build musical foundation in young musicians, and to encourage students to take responsibility in their musical practice, studies and ensemble participation.”

Shelby Brown

Drums

Shelby Brown began playing the drums at the age of 16 with a driving passion to learn and grow as a musician. A graduate from Music Tech in Minneapolis,Minnesota with an associate’s degree in music performance, Shelby has had the privilege of studying with many reputable drum instructors in the drumming community such as Dom Famularo (known as drumming’s global ambassador), and Gordy Knudtson (the drummer for the Steve Miller Band) as well as others. He has also performed in many bands and ensembles in a variety of styles including: Metal, Jazz, Funk, Rock, Fusion, Country, and World Music, etc. Shelby’s goal as an educator is to inspire growth and creativity. Through developing a solid base in the fundamentals of music and technical proficiency, he hopes to expand each student’s musical vocabulary. The goal would be to help every drummer to develop their own voice on the instrument.

Dre Gould

Violin, Viola, Cello

Dre has been making music in the Fredericksburg area since 2009. Dre played in the orchestras at Freedom Middle School and Riverbend High School as a student, and after completing an undergraduate degree in Music Education at James Madison University, returned to the area to student teach at Massaponax High School. Dre has also taught at Walker-Grant Middle School, James Monroe High School, and now at Courtland High School. Dre offers lessons through the Music Factory VA in Fredericksburg. Dre also performed as a student with The Rappahannock Youth Symphony, and now performs with The Virginia Cello Ensembles and The Fredericksburg Symphony Orchestra.