Our Team
Music Tree teachers and music therapists understand that everyone is unique. We help students and families march to the beat of their own drum!
Meet Our Team
Logan DeFranco
Logan is a multi-instrumentalist who specializes in guitar and vocals. He has worked with many students and families at The Music Tree on guitar, electric bass, ukulele, voice and piano, for over 4 years. Logan is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music where he studied music business, acoustics, and electronics. When he isn’t busy teaching or performing, Logan enjoys running, screen printing, and spending time with his family and friends!
Mike Dodson
Mike is a versatile musician who has been teaching piano, guitar, and electric bass at The Music Tree for over 2 years. He began playing and studying the guitar at age 8 and has been creating music ever since. Mike received his Master of Music degree in Music Production, Technology and Innovation at Berklee Valencia, where he studied production with Emmy award winning producer Pablo Munguia. Currently, Mike produces, writes, and records music for local artists in the Boston area, and is on the Production team at Bijou Nightclub.
Jennifer Lentz, MT-BC
Jennifer Lentz is a Board-Certified Music Therapist and a classically trained soprano vocalist, who currently offers music therapy sessions at the Congregational Church of Grafton through The Music Tree of Boston. As a music therapist of almost 20 years, Jennifer has experience working with people of all ages who have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders; Down syndrome; developmental disabilities; cognitive, communicative, and learning disorders; physical disabilities; visual impairments; and Alzheimer’s/dementia.
Jennifer received a Bachelor of Science in Music Therapy from Elizabethtown College, in Pennsylvania. Inspired by her sister with Down syndrome to help others who learn differently, she has a passion for facilitating adapted piano and voice lessons for students with special needs. Jennifer additionally is in her ninth year of being a Girl Scout leader in Grafton, and each summer she leads the music crew for the Westborough Ecumenical Vacation Bible School.
Brooke Tjarks
Brooke Tjarks is an independent consultant based out of Manhattan, and has been involved with The Music Tree’s development and mission for over 6 years. She has advised public and private companies of all sizes across various sectors, working with clients such as Morgan Stanley, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, to name a few. Brooke holds both a Bachelor’s in Science and a Master’s in Business degree from Pepperdine University, as well as a research based Masters from Harvard University.
We value our team members and support them as they continue to expand their careers.
These long-term teachers and workshop artists may not be currently active at The Music Tree, but are always a part of our growing community.
Marcela Bastida
Marcela is a jazz composer, song-arranger, and pianist originally from Mexico City. She is a graduate of Universidad Anahuac and the Berklee College of Music where she studied piano performance and composition. Marcela helps develop assistive technology that supports visually impaired students during their music lessons, inspiring others to overcome adversity through the power of music. After teaching remote music lessons at The Music Tree for over a year, Marcela took the role of Community Engage Programs Coordinator at the Community Music Center of Boston.
Christian Marrero
Christian is an accomplished professional trumpet player. He offers piano lessons and instruction on all instruments within the brass family. He is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music, where he studied with Sean Jones and Tiger Okoshi. Christian is a loving husband and father of three daughters. “I believe a good father makes a great music teacher because the principles are the same– be a good communicator, show love and respect, and apply practical wisdom.” Christian taught remote music lessons at The Music Tree for 1.5 years, and then went back to live musical performances on Broadway in New York City.
Kevin Metzger
Kevin Metzger is a piano and guitar teacher, who teaches remotely from Austin, Texas. He is a graduate of Syracuse University and the New England Conservatory, where he earned fellowships for both teaching and performing. Kevin performs regularly in the local scene in Austin, and has toured nationally as a rock and jazz sideman.
James Richardson
James is an internationally acclaimed musician and performer. He has been playing drums, guitar, and keyboard for Grammy-nominated artists MGMT since 2007. He holds a Bachelor's of Music from Manhattan School of Music, where he studied French Horn. James currently lives in New York, where he enjoys composing, producing and mixing music for TV, film, and video games.
Are you a music teacher or music therapist?
The Music Tree of Boston is growing and we would love to hear from you! Send us a message and we will reach out with the next steps of our hiring process.