Sylvan Music Staff

Albert Markasky

Sylvan Music's humble beginnings started with Al in a small shop in downtown Santa Cruz. Since then, he has built over 20 acoustic guitars and repaired & restored thousands of instruments. Come on in and he'll give you a Buckeye hello.

Mike Sparber

Mike is a lover & admirer of all stringed instruments, especially the old ones.  When he's not busy greasing the wheels of Sylvan, he is usually playing with his daughter or seeing some great music.

David Robin

David Robin got his start in 1960's Chicago rock n' roll scene and has built up an impressive, lengthy musical resume in the years since. After all these years, his love of the guitar is as strong as ever.

Aidan Collins-Smith

Don't adjust your screens, Aidan is left-handed! He plays bass in several local bands including the legendary Coffis Brothers Band.

James Kirkham

James has been learning the art of lutherie for a few years now and his skills get sharper by the day. You might see him out on the disc golf course every morning before he's coated in glue & saw dust.

       Cameron Noren

Cameron is from Sonoma County and can be found dodging sharks in the ocean when he's not shredding guitar licks at home.

Curtis Kemp

Hailing from New York, Curtis ended up in beautiful Santa Cruz via Los Angeles and hasn't looked back since. He likes guitars, guitar-like things, and other things with strings. Say that one ten times fast.

Gerard Egan

Gerard moved to Santa Cruz after graduating from The Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery. He spent over 8 years building guitars at Santa Cruz Guitar Company before finding his new home repairing all things with strings here at the shop. When he's not working at Sylvan you can find him on tour with his wife in their spaghetti western swing band, The Carolyn Sills Combo. (www.carolynsills.com)

Rory Cloud

Rory has been playing music & teaching guitar for many years and currently plays in the Santa Cruz band 'Echoes & Artifacts'

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Kyle Hurlbert

Kyle came to Santa Cruz to escape the rain of Seattle and now studies music and rocks out with his 3-year-old son.