“Make a joyful noise to the Lord,
break forth into joyous song and sing praises.”
Psalm 98:4
About
First Protestant Music School
First Protestant Music School is a nurturing and professional music ministry of First Protestant Church in New Braunfels, TX. Our mission is to provide personalized music instruction for all ages, focusing on individual needs and skill levels. We offer a variety of lessons including piano, voice, guitar, wind, and string instruments. Our teachers provide a safe and constructive environment for students to build their musical skills for personal pleasure and/or enhancing their worship experience. Our school aims to support the development of its students through structured programs with an emphasis on spiritual enrichment.
Meet Our Instructors
Amy Huynh
(Piano)
Amy Huynh is a pianist passionate about both performing and teaching. Amy began her piano studies at the age of four and has been playing piano for almost twenty years. After graduating high school, she moved to The USA to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance at Texas State University. As an educator, Amy gives piano lessons in both one-on-one and theory group music teaching. She loves teaching kids. More than learning to use an instrument, she aims to help students discover their passion for music and how to communicate with music. In addition, Amy has many fun ways to give lessons to kids, including using technology and toys. Depending on students’ goals, she always finds the best way to help them improve their best. Amy also attended many performances as a soloist and accompanist, including at Austin Community College, Vietnamese Alliance Church, and the Conservatory of Ho Chi Minh. She was the director who held The First Melody concert for kids in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam.
Book a trial lesson with Amy by emailing musicschool@firstprotestant.com
Americuss Hirsch
(Strings)
Americuss Hirsch is a graduate student at Texas State University pursuing a Master of Music in Performance and Pedagogy. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Stephen F. Austin State University, where she also served as an intern with the university’s Strings Project from 2021 to 2024. With over five years of teaching experience, Americuss has maintained a private studio since 2020 and remains actively engaged in music education through her involvement with the ASTA chapter at Texas State. In addition to teaching, she has performed regularly for church services, including Christmas, Easter, and Palm Sunday at First Baptist Church in Lufkin. Beyond her work in music, Americuss brings strong organizational and leadership skills from her role as an Executive Assistant supporting senior leadership at Houston HOA Management, where she manages administrative operations and oversees accounts receivable. Her diverse background reflects a commitment to both artistic excellence and professional versatility.
Book a trial lesson with Americuss by emailing musicschool@firstprotestant.com
Monica Kiss
(Voice & Piano)
Monica Kiss is a classically trained musician with a Bachelors Degree in Music Education from Texas State University. She has studied and performed music for over 30 years. Her performance resume includes organizations such as Opera Memphis and Memphis Vocal Arts Ensemble. Professional affiliations include Texas Music Educators Association and the National Association of Teachers of Singing. She teaches voice and beginning to intermediate level piano. Her teaching style is relaxed in nature and she has a passion for teaching children. She believes learning should be fun and enjoyable and that students should be free to learn at their own pace. Her instruction is student centered and tailored to each student’s individual learning level and capabilities. Her greatest joy is fostering her students growth and achievement through sharing her knowledge and love of music.
Book a trial lesson with Monica by emailing musicschool@firstprotestant.com
Lance Russell
(Voice, Piano, Guitar, Ukulele & Saxophone)
Dr. Lance Russell (Teaching Artist, Voice, Composition, Beginning Piano) is a Professor of Music and vocal coach in the New Braunfels area. He holds a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in Vocal Performance from the University of South Florida, and a Ph. D in Music Theory with a related field in Vocal Pedagogy (teaching) from the University of North Texas. Lance taught ear-training and music theory courses at UNT from 2013-2016, and music history and appreciation courses from 2019-2025 at Dallas College. He also started his own music studio in 2019 for private lessons in voice, piano, and saxophone for students of all ages and skill levels, and self-published a book called How to Read Music: Fundamentals of Musical Notation, geared toward older students. Whether you are working preparing for your next (or first) audition or a music-lover looking to try a new hobby, Lance offers personalized attention to every student, at every level.
Book a trial lesson with Lance by emailing musicschool@firstprotestant.com
Kristi Grider
(Early Childhood Music Classes)
Kristi Grider loves all things music! She has been teaching piano, voice, guitar, and ukulele lessons since 2003. She graduated from Baylor University with her degree in Vocal Performance, and then went on to receive her certification in music education from LeTourneau University in Austin. She taught elementary music in Austin, before moving to Nashville with her musician husband. There, she specialized in early childhood music education. After moving to New Braunfels in 2014, Kristi wrote and developed an early childhood music curriculum, and began teaching music and movement classes. She then taught in NBISD (Lone Star ECC and Lamar Elementary), before opening her own music studio.
Kristi writes and performs her own music all over Texas (and beyond:), and loves to sing with her singer/songwriter husband, Josh Grider. They have been married for 18 years, and have 2 sons; Josh (14) and Evan (9).
For more information about registering with Kristi for Early Childhood Music Classes, contact us at:
Natalie Spotts
(Early Childhood Music Classes)
Natalie Spotts has been teaching and making music in some capacity for most of her life. She studied Child Development and Music Education at Washington State University, and after marrying her husband, received her degree in Elementary Education from McKendree University in Lebanon, IL. She went on to receive her Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instructional Design from Western Governor’s University.
As a military spouse, she has had the blessing of working with students in Illinois, Hawaii, Washington, North Carolina, Italy, and Texas. She has two teenage sons, whom she has been homeschooling for most of their education. This has provided opportunities for her to work with students in homeschool co-ops, children’s churches, musical theater productions, and tutoring. Her favorite season of homeschooling was the preschool years, when she taught just about everything by putting the lessons to music. She also spent two years teaching at Chloe Clark Elementary School in Washington State.
Natalie’s husband, Zach, and her two sons, Sam and Brady, also love to make music. In their spare time, they love to sing hymns together in four-part harmony.
For more information about registering with Natalie for Early Childhood Music Classes, contact us at:
What Our Students Say
Both of our kids began taking piano lessons this past fall through the First Protestant Music School. Both were basically beginners and, over the course of the year, in addition to gaining piano and music skills, they truly enjoyed their lessons and now have fun playing piano in their free time. It has been a great experience!
- Erin Good
We’ve been taking lessons at First Protestant Music School for the past two years and have had a wonderful experience. Both of my daughters have made great progress in their musical skills and confidence. They genuinely enjoy their lessons and their teacher. We especially appreciated being able to try a few different instructors to find the best fit for each child’s personality and learning style.
The school is very organized, easy to work with, and communicates well. They send lesson reminders and make it simple to reschedule or cancel lessons when needed, which has been incredibly helpful for our busy family schedule.
The school overall has a welcoming family friendly vibe. The reception area is comfortable, and it has been such a blessing that my toddlers are welcome to play in the nursery while their sisters are in lessons. That extra level of care and flexibility has made attending lessons so much easier for our family. We’ve been very happy with our experience and highly recommend First Protestant Music School to other families.
- Samantha Fritz
“We have had such a wonderful experience with First Protestant Music School. My daughter takes piano lessons with Lance, and he has been patient, encouraging, and great with kids. Everyone we’ve interacted with has been so kind and welcoming, which creates such a positive environment for learning. It’s been a great fit for our family, and we highly recommend it to anyone looking for quality music instruction in a supportive atmosphere.”
- Holly Smethurst