About Us
After School Audio is a team of talented music teachers carefully selected and coached by Founder and Program Director, Darrow Andelin, BA Ethnomusicology – a professional Songwriter, Music Producer and Elementary School Music Educator.
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For eight years, After School Audio has brought its mission to “Cultivate Creative Confidence and Awareness in Young Minds,” by leading the Premier Songwriting and Music Production After-school classes in the greater Seattle area – inspiring the hearts and minds of thousands of students across over 20 schools.
After School Audio’s method prioritizes a child’s direct relationship with music – cultivating their creative confidence, followed by holistic instruction, because then they have a frame of reference and will have developed an inspired curiosity that fuels their desire to learn – an approach that has its basis in the revered Suzuki Methodology.
Our staff
Darrow Andelin
Founder & Program Director
For as long as Darrow can remember, he’s been a songwriter – but only beginning as an instrumentalist in his teenage years, when Darrow’s heart chose the guitar. Being self-taught until college, he began studying classical music receiving his BA in Ethnomusicology, studying the developmental processes of music in humans – asking fundamental questions about the underlying purpose of music and what it means for us evolutionarily.
His research culminated in the understanding that: “creativity is born from having the confidence to make mistakes.” And so he has brought his vision to cultivate creative confidence – knowing everyone is a gifted musician, capable of developing a beautiful, unique, and empowering relationship with music.
Darrow’s unique path from having been self-taught, followed by classical training, created his holistic approach. This, combined with Darrow’s mixing of his education, insights, long history as an elementary school music educator, and deep passion for music have developed a unique curriculum to cultivate creative confidence for any child.
Jade Jiaxue
Instructor
Jade is a passionate and versatile composer and musician. With an extensive background in classical piano performance, Jade’s music-making journey started with programming loops and experimenting with sound samples in GarageBand, one of the earliest and most popular digital workstations specifically designed for non-professional users to enjoy music production. Inspired by this experience, she pursued an undergraduate degree in Film Scoring in 2016. She has since composed and produced soundtracks for more than thirty short films, several of which have been honored with national and international awards.
Eager to have an impact within educational communities, Jade completed her Master’s degree in Music Education at California State University, Long Beach, in 2021, with a focus on culturally responsive education. As a teacher, she integrates classical, modern, and popular music samples to demonstrate music-making in culturally relevant and contemporary contexts that connect with students’ lives. Moreover, she values the importance of tailoring pedagogical methods to individual students’ interests and always brings joy and patience to her classes.
As the newest member of After School Audio, Jade upholds the program’s mission to provide a safe environment that allows students to explore, experiment, and create. She looks forward to helping kids of all ages and backgrounds enjoy music learning in a non-traditional way and thrive through creative expression.
Trevor Whitney
Instructor
With a sound that is as dazzling as it is heartfelt, Ruely is the project of 24-year-old Trevor Whitney, the triple threat talent hailing from Seattle, Washington. A singer, songwriter, and producer, Whitney’s passion to create music with a purpose is evident in both his emotionally rich compositions and his empathetic lyrics.
Whitney hopes to provide a listening experience that both capitalizes on emotional reflection and brings forth interpersonal growth. Many of Whitney’s works are motivated by the hardships of humanity, seeking to lend a helping hand to those coping with tragedy, struggling with mental illness, or to simply lift someone up on a bad day. If anything, Whitney’s music strives to inspire hope in those who need it most.
The overarching theme of Whitney’s discography truly demonstrates his belief that music creation should be inspired by the way you feel, rather than by the demand for a certain kind of song. Whitney’s fervor for music began at a young age, with the name ‘Ruely’ nostalgically inspired by a childhood nickname his parents gave him. Whitney has blossomed into a full fledged musician with vulnerability being his driving force.
