A band performing on stage in front of an audience in a room with art on the walls at hunt house creative arts center in Saint Charles. The band includes a woman singing into a microphone, a guitarist, a bassist, and a drummer.

ABOUT

Hunt House is home to a variety of ultra-talented professionals who care deeply about each individual’s learning journey.

Faculty & Staff

Our mission is to enrich the community with our passion for music and songwriting by creating a nurturing space centered around connection and creative expression. With a focus on personal expansion, peer support and inclusivity, we aim for each student to feel seen + heard.

  • Leslie Hunt, owner/artistic director

    Leslie Hunt

    owner + band leader + artistic director

    - lead singer and co composer of ‘District 97’

    - has been playing and singing her own music for over 35 years

    - has released 5 solo albums

    fun fact: was a semi-finalist on American Idol, a.k.a top 10 females

    Contact Leslie
  • A smiling woman with long hair wearing a floral-patterned top, necklace, and pendant, posed against a dark background. Allyson teaches Trumpet ukulele and piano.

    Allyson Smith

    house manager + trumpet + ukulele + piano

    - has a bachelor's in music performance from Northern Illinois University 

    - loves to help students grow as people and musicians 

    - has been crocheting for 3 years

    fun fact: loves playing video games

    Contact Allyson
  • Black and white photo of a smiling man with medium-length dark hair, a goatee, wearing a black T-shirt, standing in front of a keyboard.

    Peter Aburto

    piano + voice

    - 20 years of playing and performing

    - has a Bachelor’s from Northern Illinois in Music Performance

    - likes to focus on the fundamentals of singing and playing

    fun fact: loves to talk about his cat

    Learn with Peter

  • John Stenger

    guitar + bass + drums

    - is a guitarist with a background in rock, alternative, and indie music

    - has been playing music for over 15 years

    - has played in multiple rock bands and has been honing his craft on guitar, singing, and songwriting.

    fun fact: currently writes and performs with the indie rock band ‘The Darling Suns’ in which he plays guitar and synth

    Learn with John
  • Portrait of a smiling man with glasses, facial hair, and light-colored shirt against a dark background. Jonny teaches drums and percussion.

    Jonny Gifford

    drums

    - has been playing drums for over 20 years

    - passionate about music education

    - a part of multiple bands including Leslie Hunt Band, Mungion, OPE, InFunktious, + Cowboy Co.

    fun fact: is a huge nerd + loves playing Pokemon, Metroid, and Persona 5

    Learn with Jonny

  • Emily Engstrom

    piano + voice

    - 25 years experience teaching classical, pop, rock, music theatre and composition for all ages and levels. 

    - Masters of Music Piano Performance/ Pedagogy Northeastern Illinois University 

    - K-12 Music Education Certification with Choral Concentration 

    - Bachelor's of Music Piano Performance / Pedagogy College of Performing Arts Roosevelt University 

    fun fact: loves tennis and played tennis in Gstaad Switzerland with Roy Emerson. 

    Learn with Emily

  • Jake Fitzenreider

    guitar + bass + piano

    - multi-Instrumentalist with 30 years of experience performing, writing, and studying


    - lived out of a van for five years playing with national touring band After the Crash


    - firm believer that music theory, technique, and artistic passion can co-exist


    fun fact: appears on the soundtrack to the video game Watch Dogs: Legion

    Learn with Jake
  • Portrait of a man with light skin and short hair, smiling slightly, wearing a casual sweatshirt, in black and white.

    Dave Tirio

    guitar + bass + drums

    - founding member of local band Plain White T's

    - spent 20 years on the road

    - would like to emphasize the teamwork, repetition and selflessness that's required to become a great live band

    fun fact: loves to draw, paint and write

    Learn with Dave
  • Close-up black and white photo of an older man smiling, wearing a dark zip-up jacket, with a blurred background. He teaches guitar, bass guitar, fiddle, fiddling, mandolin, banjo and songwriting.

    Kevin McGuire

    guitar + bass + piano + fiddle + mandolin +banjo + songwriting

    - classically-trained on the piano as a child by opera singer Alice Renouf

    - long history of playing in bands and jamming as a guitarist

    - specializes in rock and blues, with deep roots in folk, Scots-Irish, bluegrass, and country

    - wrote 200 songs

    fun fact: left home at age eighteen to start a rock band

    Learn with Kevin
  • A black and white close-up photograph of a man with glasses, a beard, and a bald head, wearing a checkered shirt.

    J.R. Miller

    saxophone + bass + piano + accordion + songwriting

    - playing professionally for 20 years

    - Bachelors of arts in music and minor in art from Valparaiso University

    - opened for Buddy Guy in 2015

    fun fact: is growing apple trees in Michigan

    Learn with J.R.
  • Black and white portrait of a smiling man with glasses, styled hair, and a beard, wearing a dark shirt, with a blurred background.

    Josh Finfrock

    guitar + bass + drums + music production + songwriting

    - multi instrumentalist with 15 years of experience Producing, Audio Engineering and Teaching

    - loves working in all genres of music including funk, hip hop, rock and blues

    - specializes in helping students discover and articulate their own authentic self through music 

    fun fact: I am a student of animal symbolism who loves to go outside and look for signs from nature!

    Learn with Josh
  • Close-up black and white photo of woman with glasses, long curly hair, wearing a jacket and a necklace, smiling.

    Ann Marie Schmidt

    voice + piano + guitar

    -  40 years experience performing, educating and coaching pop, R&B, jazz, blues & theatre

    -  received classical and jazz voice training and education from Northern Illinois Univ., American Conservatory of Music, Elmhurst College, College of DuPage

    Learn with Ann Marie