Creative Cultivation Studio

Shannon Saravia - Piano Teacher + Studio Owner

Hi, I'm Shannon! I took my first piano lesson when I was nine years old. I taught my first lesson at the age of 16. I began teaching full-time in 2019.

Giving piano lessons had always been a side job for me, to make ends meet, and then as a sort of revenue-generating hobby. I’ve never given it up completely, even while holding down a full-time office job, because of just how much joy it brings me.

When my husband and I relocated from LA to the California Central Valley for his job, I had a choice to make: would I simply find another office job, or would I take the leap and try to start my own music studio? The decision was simple--I wanted to teach music and continue to share my knowledge, skills, and passion for music with the world.

I started Creative Cultivation Studio in 2020, and we found our beautiful little studio home in downtown La Verne in 2023. The culture of my studio is one of kindness, nurturing to students, and focusing on cultivating creativity and knowledge in students' lives. I make sure that all of my staff are a great fit with this culture, and have a love and a joy for music that is evident in their teaching.

We build lessons around each individual student, catering to what it is they need, and where we can best help them build their skills. We understand that every person is different, and want to ensure that each student is learning as much as they can so they can become the best musician they can be.

Sarah Dollins - Administrative Coordinator

Hey y'all, I'm Sarah! I grew up with a family full of musicians and have been singing longer than I've been talking. ;) The rule "no singing at the table" never applied in my household.

Though I'm not a teacher at this studio, I love music and believe everyone should know how to play an instrument if they can. (Our voices TOTALLY count as instruments!) I love that I get to work for a studio and alongside teachers that are passionate about making learning music FUN, while striving to help students become the best musicians they can be.

I was born and raised in sunny Southern California, where I first met the studio owner, Shannon! We grew up at the same church, and eventually became roommates after college, made music together, met our husbands around the same time (literally we both had our first dates on the same night!), got married within a few months of each other, and the rest is history!

My husband and I moved to the Austin, TX area in 2021 and we love it so much! We have a cute little calico kitty named Luna Belle and a baby BOY on the way! :)

Bell Martel - Scheduling + Communications Assistant, Guitar/Ukulele/Bass Sub Teacher

Hi everyone! My name is Bell and I am thrilled to be a part of the staff here!

Music has had a major impact on my life. I began learning and playing instruments in 4th grade! Since then I continue to play the ukulele, guitar, bass, and even sing!

My last endeavor was into the world of music production. I had the amazing opportunity to record music in many various studios as well as release 4 singles between 2021-2023. This opportunity created a whole new perspective of music for me.

I now currently attend Citrus Community College where I am a major in Film. My dream is to combine my passion for both film and music, and work closely with artists from all over!

Desi Whorton - Piano, Guitar, Voice Teacher

Hello everyone! I’m Desi. Music is one of the things in my life that I am most passionate about and it brings me so much joy to share my passion and knowledge of music to those around me.

I grew up in a musical family since both my parents and older brother are all musicians. I began singing at 6 years old and have taken vocal lessons at performing arts schools as well as Vanguard University. I have always loved classical music! Because of this, I have been involved in different operas and musical theater shows. I also love to sing and teach in different styles including Opera, Musical Theater, Pop, and Jazz. I have been teaching voice for the last 8 years and love doing it!

Guitar is one of the first instruments that I started to learn when I was 8 years old. I picked up a guitar at my grandpa’s house and haven’t put it down since! I have had the fortune of playing guitar in an orchestra for musical theater shows, on a worship team, and in a traveling band for many years. I love to play and teach many different styles of this instrument and it will always have a special place in my heart.

Piano is an instrument that I picked up shortly after playing the guitar. As a matter of fact, I spent a year learning music theory before I started playing this instrument and I was able to just sit down and start playing piano because of my knowledge of music theory! That’s one of the amazing things about the world of music! I have been teaching piano for about 7 years and I absolutely love to play and teach all styles.

I am very happy to be on the teaching staff at Creative Cultivation Studio and am so happy to be sharing my love and passion for music with all my students!

Sydney Noell - Piano, Guitar, Ukulele, Bass Teacher

Hi everyone! My name is Sydney! My musical journey started when I was about 7 years old when I started taking piano lessons. Through middle school, I picked up ukulele and guitar in my free time and played snare in my high school's drum line all throughout high school. Towards the end of high school I picked up bass guitar and have mainly played bass guitar and piano ever since. I currently play bass guitar, piano, acoustic guitar and occasionally sing at church and school and it is such a joy to have in my life!

Throughout my whole life I have always been drawn towards music and all of the complexities and beauties it has to offer. I am in love with how each instrument is connected and I am constantly learning and growing and am so excited and grateful for the opportunity to be able to share it and teach others about it here!

I am currently a college student at Azusa Pacific University pursuing a degree in Chemistry with a minor in Mathematics, hoping to get my PhD and become a college professor. I think I have always been passionate about teaching others things that I am passionate about. I am so excited to be a part of your music journey as I have seen how much of an incredible impact music has made on my life! :)

Brooke Proctor - Voice + Piano Teacher

Hey everyone! I’m Brooke. Music is something I hold really close to my heart and it's even more special to me to share that with others!

In my childhood I took piano/voice lessons and quickly fell in love with it. Those lessons were the foundation of my music education, and the things I learned in them I’ve carried all through my musical journey. As I've grown up I've been involved in choir and classical music training. At the same time I've been consistently involved with worship ministry in my local church. I also love the piano. From studying it in educational settings, to playing it in worship bands, the instrument has been a part of my life in so many beautiful ways. Years of experience and education has made me fall even more in love with music, and keeps me excited for the never ending growth ahead of me!

As of now I get the amazing opportunity to sing for, travel with, and compete with Mt. SAC Chamber Singers. To work in such a prestigious program under a world renowned director has helped me grow and further my knowledge like nothing before.

It is an honor to be teaching and watching students grow in their skill and their passion for music! Teaching students for the last 2 years has given me such a new perspective on music. Music is for everyone and everyone has the ability to learn and progress. To be a part of that journey is a privilege and supporting students is something that fills me with so much joy! I like to keep learning environments fun and positive because there is always progress being made and always something good to celebrate about a student!

So thrilled to be on staff here at Creative Cultivation Studio!

Emily Cacnio - Piano + Voice Teacher

Hello everybody! I'm Emily, and music is everything to me. I grew up watching Disney Channel, so seeing shows like Hannah Montana and High School Musical made me realize that I had to become a singer songwriter when I got older.

At the age of seven my parents enrolled me in piano lessons. My teacher was wonderful, but she had vicious chihuahuas that scared me. However, the adults in my life pushed me to keep going and to face my fears, and I eventually became very grateful for these piano lessons and continued attending them until my senior year of high school.

I started taking voice lessons when I was twelve which helped me get into the chamber choir in high school. Eventually, I ended up going to a college conservatory in Hollywood called AMDA. I did the musical theater program my first two years and then for my last two I did commercial music. Being surrounded by other aspiring artists gave me inspiration to start writing my own music. I currently have an EP titled Golden State out everywhere. My favorite thing is to perform my own songs at local open mics as well as some small venues out in LA. It feels so special to share art that I’ve made with all of you.

Using my passion for music and storytelling along with the music theory I’ve learned over the years, I am so excited to spread my love for music to the students at Creative Cultivation!

picture coming soon!

Jonas Huffer - Piano, Guitar, Ukulele, Bass Teacher

Hi there, my name is Jonas Huffer. I am a guitarist, composer, and audio engineer. I began my relationship with music writing on bass and guitar for different bands/groups I brought together. Soon after, I began receiving formal jazz instruction on the guitar, which led me to Oberlin College and Conservatory. While at Oberlin, I studied with their jazz department and performed in a variety of small ensemble environments. I also worked in the conservatory audio department during this time, developing a live sound and recording practice. Currently, I use my skills as a bandleader and composer in multiple groups, performing in Jazz and pop settings.

I have been teaching my peers and students for nearly as long as I have been playing. I am passionate about my students and their goals, and I enjoy learning new things from the variety of musical experiences they bring to the table.

RJ Sanchez - Guitar, Bass, Piano, Ukulele Teacher

Hi, everyone! I’m RJ. Music has been one of those things in my life that has always been there. It’s allowed me to express myself in so many different ways and has helped me grow into the person I am today.

From a young age, I’ve been tapping and banging on tables to whatever sound or song I could hear. I've been told by my parents that they first saw me nodding my head to the beat of a song in the car when I was just a couple months old. Growing up around a dad who was a DJ allowed me to listen to a variety of music from all different genres. Some of my favorite genres consist of Indie, Rock, Classical, and Pop. Throughout high school I played in my school's Jazz band and have a background in musical theater.

At the age of 7, I was introduced to my first instrument, the drums. It wasn't until 2021 that I had picked up a bass guitar. Around this time, I also started to play for the worship team at my church. Since then, I’ve learned guitar, piano, and ukulele. While expanding my knowledge with these instruments, I’ve picked up a fairly good amount of music theory. That being said, using these instruments, I’ve been able to create my own music, and have grown more as a musician.

I’m starting my first year of college at Mt. Sac in the fall. I'm majoring in music and hoping to transfer to a 4 year college as soon as I complete all the requirements to do so.

In my free time, I like to jam with my friends and make music with them. A goal I have set for myself as a musician would be to one day release songs with them. My goal I have as a teacher will be to strengthen others' musical abilities and understanding of music theory.

I’m so excited to get the opportunity to share my love for music with all of you!

Taylor Cummings - Piano + Voice Sub Teacher

Hi everyone! I’m Taylor. Music is something very near and dear to who I am. It is one of my favorite avenues of expression, and is one of my favorite ways to connect with others! I could not imagine what life would be like without music - personally I think it’d be pretty boring!

Growing up I was notorious for being found humming on long car rides, or making up songs with my friends no matter where we were. At age 4, I started taking group piano lessons, then moved to private lessons at age 9. Singing was something I simply loved and would do anywhere at any time, but once I entered high school, I started taking it seriously and began voice lessons. Later in high school, I added songwriting lessons to the mix and realized that might rival singing for my favorite musical expression!

Recently I graduated from Azusa Pacific University with a B.M. in Music and Worship, and a concentration in Songwriting. During my time at APU, I studied voice and piano even more intently, gained a deeper knowledge of musical theory, and even gained lots of experience performing with live bands. This time in college grew me immensely as a musician and solidified my deep love for music.

Along with music, another thing I love is teaching! The ability to walk alongside students, helping them grow their gifts and see their potential, is one of the most rewarding things. When it comes to teaching music, my biggest passion is to make it fun and full of joy! I seek to help each student pursue their musical goals while learning to love it more and more! It is an honor and joy to be one of the teachers on staff at Creative Cultivation Studio.