Our Staff
Nick Michalski
Voice/Guitar
Nick and his wife Sara founded Music Greenhouse in 2015. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Music with a minor in Worship Leadership, from Oral Roberts University. He has led worship and played guitar with multiple worship teams since 1999. He has taught private and group voice and guitar in many different settings, most recently partnering with Children’s Clubhouse in Danbury, TX to provide weekly music instruction for the students in the community. He is passionate about raising up worshipers of all ages and helping his students find their voice!
Sara Michalski
Piano/Voice
Sara studied music/worship leadership at Oral Roberts University and Nazarene Bible College. She has played classical piano and sang since childhood, and began leading worship and playing keyboards for worship in her teens. She has taught private piano and voice for over 25 years, and is the author of Keys in Worship - a curriculum to teach worship-style piano. She leads worship regularly in many different contexts, and is an ordained minister providing Biblical trauma counseling. She is passionate about seeing Music Greenhouse’s students and teachers become all that God made them to be!
Rachel Schaefer
Lead Administrator/Setup/Our Hero
Rachel is gifted in organization and streamlining behind the scenes, which along with a lifelong enjoyment of music give her the background to help Music Greenhouse run smoothly. She has been married to her engineer/pianist husband for 20+ years and they have three teenage and up daughters who have all inherited a love of music. She is a former voice student at Music Greenhouse herself and some of her family members are current students on multiple instruments. Her family keeps her life filled with music and she loves helping Music Greenhouse families keep music in their busy lives as well!
Vickie Burke
Violin/Guitar/Woodwinds/Traditional Piano/Admin Staff
Vickie started her music journey at 7 with violin, began playing acoustic guitar at 9, flute at 11, and oboe at 14. She also played electric guitar and bass in worship band and marching/jazz band. She received a full ride scholarship to CSU-Pueblo for oboe. While in college, she also began teaching piano. Sometimes life throws us a curve ball though, and bi-lateral carpel tunnel prevented her from completing her degree. Vickie’s obvious love for music throughout her life continues however, and she is excited and honored to teach! Vickie is married with 2 young boys, and she runs two in home businesses when she is not teaching, helping Music Greenhouse with admin work, or momming - Vickie’s Sweet Tooth (we have already benefitted from her cookie baking skills!) and Mary Kay.
Kathryn Allen
Voice/Guitar/Piano/Ukulele
Kathryn is a lifelong musician, who really wishes to share the gift of music with everyone she can! She began picking out songs by ear on the piano at age 6, and remained in lessons through college. By age 16, she was working as a paid musician around her hometown, at up to 4 different churches at a time! Piano remains her first instrument, but she is also an accomplished guitar fingerpicker, a rhythm ukulele rockstar, and a vocalist with collegiate musical theatre training. Kathryn holds a B. A. in Theatre from Meredith College, and attended the Audio Engineering program at UNC-Asheville. She remains active in the theatre as a sound designer/music director, and has worked with theatre companies all over America.
Jonathan Henderson
Piano/Voice/Guitar/Brass
Mr. J has a wonderful wife, 5 sons and a grandson. He has played piano and trombone since age 9. For more fun after 50, he learned euphonium, trumpet, and guitar (acoustic and electric). Although he has lived in Russia, Ukraine, Germany and Japan, he likes to remember, "My citizenship is in heaven". A favorite food is his colorful Colorado pizza!
Craig Jones
Piano/Voice/Theory
Craig Jones has been a church organist for 45 years and has arranged numerous hymns and anthems. He was music director at Christ the King Lutheran Church leading a choir of 25 members for 16 years. He has performed on the East and West coasts with a jazz trio, toured for 2 years with the Symphonic Jazz Concert Orchestra as pianist and arranger. He also toured Europe performing in Italy, Germany, Slovenia, Switzerland, and Austria. Craig taught jazz studies at Reed College, Portland State University, Lewis and Clark College and Multnomah University. Credentials include a B.A. in Psychology with an emphasis in chemical dependency, a B.M. in Jazz Performance, and an M.M. in Classical Performance.
Jenna Rock
Piano
Jenna is an engineer by trade but enjoys playing the piano in her spare time. She has been taking piano lessons off and on for 22 years. Her last few years of lessons were here at Music Greenhouse, learning to take her knowledge and develop the skills to play worship music. She enjoys working with kids and helping them discover the joys of music and how it can be used in worship.
Hannah Michalski
Piano/Voice/Violin
When Hannah was only three years old, she was able to pick out the alto harmonies in church. She has been playing piano since she was five, and in her free time loves to write songs. With her experience on the piano, Hannah recently decided to pick up the violin, and found a new instrument to love! Hannah enjoys musical theatre, and played the role of young Cinderella with Starz Theater company, and had a solo in the Greatest Showman song “This Is Me.” Hannah loves helping people learn to express themselves through music.
Audrey Michalski
Guitar/Piano
Lucy Combs
Piano/Ukulele/Voice
Lucy is passionate about music and kids, so teaching for Music Greenhouse is her dream job! She has played the piano almost every day since age six, and she loves music in any form; listening, playing, composing, learning, singing… the list goes on. She serves on the music team at Front Range Alliance Church, helping lead worship regularly. She enjoys applying skills learned as a former voice student at Music Greenhouse. Lucy also aids with the homeschooling of her eight younger siblings, and it is her joy to help others glorify the Lord through music.
Joel Clay
Acoustic and Electric Guitar/Bass/Piano/Voice/Songwriting/Composition/Mandolin
Joel has always had a DIY mindset. At age 12, he began teaching himself to play bass guitar, and soon after began performing in garage rock, jazz, and worship bands. His continued performance experience throughout high school soon expanded to an interest in composition and songwriting, and in 2021, Joel graduated from Colorado Christian University, earning a B.A. in Music with an emphasis in composition. Joel’s personal interests include cooking, comedy, working out, and planning his next DIY project!
Nate Knitter
Drums
Nate is a classically trained orchestral percussionist who found his way to the drum set. He likes to lean on his classical background to be as versatile a drummer as possible and has performed in various Rock, Blues, Polka, Jazz, Alternative, and Pop groups, as well as Symphony Orchestras, Wind Ensembles, and Brass Bands all throughout Colorado. Some of the groups he currently plays with include Ozonic Band, The Shrikes, Dream Fugitive, Pikes Peak Brass Band, Rocky Mountain Wind Symphony, and the Pueblo Symphony Orchestra. He’s also a Colorado Springs native who loves to share his knowledge of drumming with his students and hopes to see the music scene in the city grow and flourish!
Brent Law
Drums/Guitar/Vocals
Brent started his music journey at six years old when his dad bought him an electric drum kit to start playing on. He started a band with his dad and his brother and jammed along to classic rock songs in the evenings. Since then, he moved on to pick up the guitar at 14, and the piano and singing at 16. Aside from spending most of his time on a guitar or a drum kit, Brent also spends a lot of time on a dirt bike, snowboard, or climbing rocks.
Stephanie Milano
Violin/Drums/Percussion/Guitar/Mandolin/Voice
Stephanie has a love of music and the arts. She has enjoyed making music for many years. In addition to her primary instruments, she also plays the bass guitar and ukulele. Ms. Milano has played in various settings and has an eclectic style. She has taught through private lessons, group classes, and in the general music classroom.
Music and the arts are very important. They help us to express our feelings/emotions, share of ourselves, enrich the lives of others as well as our own lives. The arts also help us to experience new things and learn from our history. The goal for her students is to spark a love and appreciation of the arts.
Natalie Jensen
Voice/Piano/Acoustic Guitar/Bass/Ukulele/Mandolin/Songwriting
Natalie has been leading worship at her church for 5 years playing the keys, guitar, and singing. Her passion for music began at the age of 3, and developed her skills through professional choir, musical theater, jazz ensemble, songwriting, and worship music. She is passionate about helping others grow in their talents. She has toured in Hiroshima, Japan, San Francisco, and all over Colorado! Natalie will be graduating with a B.A. in vocal performance in December 2023.