meet the m u s e team
Ashley
I grew up in Clinton Iowa with a large musical family. Mom played organ at church, and we had an old piano at home where everyone would gather around and sing.
My first guitar was an old Harmony archtop with a gold foil pickup. You could talk into the pickup and hear yourself in the amp. Unfortunately, I took it apart to see how it worked, and that was the end of the pickup. I wish I still had that old guitar! I eventually joined a band in high school and have been playing for fun in various bands ever since.
I graduated from college in Clinton with an Electronics degree. For a career I worked as a field tech across eastern Iowa on pretty much everything (computers, ATMs, scanners, printers, you name it) until I retired as a computer network admin in Cedar Rapids.
I fell in love with a beautiful Oskaloosa native named Karann, got married and moved here. Being new to town, I needed a way to connect to the music scene. What better choice than the local music store?
I’ve worked here since March 2019 and have loved every minute. I am thrilled to be part of the excitement and culture that is Oskaloosa Music!
For hobbies, I enjoy working on the old Audi TT convertible, making art guitars (the Tiki one is my favorite), and kayaking around the barrier islands of southwest Florida with Karann.
To sum it all up: Why do I work at a music store? I love helping people get in touch with their creative sides. We all have a creative side. Are you in touch with yours? We’d love to help you with that.
Muse:/myooz/
A spirit or source
of inspiration
Muse isn't just a music store, its a place where people can come and get lost in the Lyrics and melody of life. Big or small, there's something for all.
We carry a variety of new and used instruments, equipment and accessories for every musician from beginner to pro.
We also host events to showcase local talent and strengthen the local music community.
Meet The Team
Ashley
My name is Ashley Flaherty, I was born and raised in Oskaloosa. My passions are my family, my children, and my music. I have been very blessed throughout the course of my life to be surrounded by musicians and passionate people. I know everything from the Beatles to Beyonce. Being a well-rounded listener of lots of genres of music and using my gifts has made me want to chase my dreams of opening a music store and create a destination to inspire others to follow their passions, goals, and gifts.
Contact Ashley at ashley@musemusicstore.com
Daniel
Wassup? I'm Daniel Thatcher and I am from Afton, Iowa. I've grown up surrounded by music of all types, but my passion for it really grew in high school when I started teaching myself piano. I am currently a student at William Penn studying music and I am a part of the marching band, concert band, and choir there. I play the guitar, piano, ukulele, percussion instruments, and bass. I teach a group ukulele class at the Muse every Saturday morning, so come check it out!
Contact Daniel at
Brittany
Hey, I’m Brittany Bedford (Sword) a guitar Instructor at the Muse. I’ve been playing instruments since 2002. Music has always been a constant in my life, I can’t stay away from it! As a solo artist under the name Brittany Sword, I write and record my own music and play live throughout Iowa and neighboring states. Throughout my teens and adult life, I’ve had experience fronting rock & folk bands as a vocalist, guitarist and keyboardist. My favorite instruments are Guitar and Vocals! I love blues rock! John Mayer, Jimi Hendricks and Jimmy Page are among my guitar heroes! I teach Beginner through Intermediate Advanced Guitar. I create my own lesson plans as well as teaching from books (for young beginners), Guitar Tablature (beginner through advanced) and Sheet music (by request/young beginners).
I love sharing the gift of music and I can not wait to help you become the guitarist of your dreams!
Contact Brittany at
Marina
Hello! My name is Marina Flores and I have been teaching lessons at the Muse for about a year now. I have been singing ever since I can remember and have been teaching voice lessons for over two years. I recently started teaching beginner lessons in ukulele, piano, and flute! I also lead the choir at the Muse called The Muses. We are always looking for more voices to join our choir!
Now a little bit of background on me:
I have been in choirs since I was five years old and have taken private voice lessons throughout the years. I was in Chamber Choir when I was in high school and had the great opportunity of singing in Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia. Later, I attended Graceland University and Majored in Communication and minored in Music, with a focus in Vocal Performance. I am currently the lead singer in a band based here in Oskaloosa called 9:53. I have also recently joined the Central Reformed Church as one of their vocalists!
Contact Marina at
Chris
My name is Chris Snyder and I'm the new Muse guitar repairman! I'm a native born Oskaloosan with a passion for electric guitar! I believe all guitars are beautiful in their own right, as they are all instruments but also visual and mechanical works of art. My favorite music styles are classic rock, outlaw country, southern rock, and blues. Some of my hobbies include hunting, fishing, kayaking, and building guitars.
Aden
Hi! I am Aden Scott, I have lived in Oskaloosa my whole life. I am a Junior at Oskaloosa Iowa. I have been playing violin and viola for 7 years, and am a violist in orchestra. I have recently branched out into choir and guitar which has sparked a greater interest in music for me and I have been inspired to start sharing what I know about violin and viola with others. I love spreading the love of stringed instruments and have been blessed so far with amazing students. I can’t wait to continue this musical journey I have started!
Contact Aden at
Vlad
My name is Vlad Munger. I been playing the saxophone for 7 years and currently I am finishing my senior year at Oskaloosa High School. My favorite saxophone to play has to be the Bari but I can also play alto and tenor. I have a deep love for music and plan to go to college for music education.
Nate
My name is Nate O'Lear. I am a citizen of Oskaloosa, Iowa and a traveler of the world. I have lived in 8 states, two countries, and experienced multiple cultures. I have a BA in political science and currently work as a supervisor/manager at Wood Iron Grill. I have been playing guitar for over ten years. I started playing an acoustic when I was twelve years old and have not looked back since. My passion for music and development have brought my interests to multiple genres and styles of playing. I hope to continue to inspire others who also wish to go down the rabbit hole of musicianship with me.
Contact Nate at
Patrick
I am a junior at the Oskaloosa Senior High has been playing the cello for 8 years starting when I was 10. I have studied under Bruce McLellan, Ben Davis, Yoo-Jung Chang (a faculty member at Grinnell College), and Eric Graf (of Lux String Quartet). I have also attended the Oskaloosa Chamber Music Camp put on by the Oskaloosa Music Festival 4 times. I greatly enjoy teaching and inspiring the next generation of musicians and spreading the love of music, both classical and contemporary.
Giovanni
Ciao everybody! My name is Giovanni, but you can call me Gio. I was about 10 when I fell in love with music, a guitar was available at home, my father knew how to play few songs. Later on my sister took few guitar lessons, but somehow that guitar ended in my hands, and the love story that has changed my life begun.
Gio has a music degree in contemporary guitar obtained from the Musician’s Institute of Hollywood and is currently getting his master’s in Jazz Guitar at the Padua Conservatory of Music (Italy)
Gio’s services cover a broad array: performing, teaching, composing, track productions and more. With more than two decades of experience he now has joined the Muse to teach Jazz, Pop-Rock and R&B guitar! We are excited to collaborate abroad and offer on-line lessons with Gio!
Contact Gio at