Instructor Patrick Stillman has been playing guitar for 38 years and teaching for 23 years.  As a professional musician he has a vast and varied resume, from playing with Frank Zappa tribute band “the Furious Bongos,” curated by original Zappa bass player Arthur Barrow, touring the country with award winning “Unity” the band, and playing  country music festival “Country Thunder” as a last minute sub with a major label Nashville touring artist, when the artists manager was frantically calling Wisconsin music stores looking to someone who could step in on short notice, his name came up repeatedly.  Patrick also plays and directs various praise bands at area churches.  He is a musical chameleon of sorts.

As an instructor, Patrick has mentored many students who have gone on to become professional musicians themselves and graduate from various UW music programs.  Some of the honors his students have won have been winning the WMSA “Launch Pad” competition for high school rock bands to being recipients of the “Louis Armstrong Scholastic Jazz” award.