Our Music Instructors

  • CELLO

    Dr. Tom Silliman

    Dr. Tom Silliman has been an orchestra director and string teacher with the Brevard County School District for thirty years and is currently the orchestra director at Southwest Middle School in Palm Bay. He is the assistant principal cellist of the Brevard Symphony and previously served as the artistic director/concert orchestra conductor of the Brevard Symphony Youth Orchestra. He frequently performs with many other organizations in the Central Florida area and performs with his wife Becky in the Highwire flute and cello duo. Prior to moving to Brevard County, he served as professor of string education at Southern Utah University for three years. Dr. Silliman has a Bachelor of Music degree in cello performance from James Madison University and a Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in cello performance from Arizona State University. Dr. Silliman is an active member of the Worship Orchestra at First Baptist Melbourne.

  • Guitar

    Kim Jacobs

    Kim knows what it feels like to have a passion to play the guitar and to work hard to accomplish it. It is her desire to help others accomplish their goals and avoid bad habits and pitfalls along the way. She is personally attracted to all forms of guitar styles from rock to the simple beauty of acoustic finger-style guitar. But mostly, Kim loves to raise her instrument up in praise of God and offer back what He has so graciously given to her. She is an active member of the Praise Band at Grace Life Church in Rockledge as lead guitar.


    Her formal training allowed her two years to study classical guitar, music theory and musicianship from Ohlone College and the Mission San Jose School of Guitar in California.As a teacher, Kim is especially interested in developing a strong foundation from the beginning by teaching good technique, note reading and theory. Her professional experience includes playing for weddings and special family events, being a rhythm & lead guitar player in bands, leading worship services in local churches and teaching guitar to children and adults.

  • Piano

    Le Ann Hasker

    Le Ann S. Hasker is the wife of our Academy Director, Pastor David A. Hasker. She holds a Bachelor’s in Music Education and the Master of Education in Educational Administration from Liberty University where she is currently pursuing the Doctor of Music Education. Mrs. Hasker has taught elementary music professionally in both Christian and Public schools in four states. She holds Orff Level III Certification and is currently the elementary music specialist at Viera Elementary School. She has taught piano privately for over 25 years and is the co-director of the Brevard Youth Chorus. She enjoys serving with her husband at First Baptist Melbourne where she sings in the Worship Choir and is the Children’s Choir Coordinator.

  • PIano

    Sara Rhodes

    Sara Rhodes has been playing the piano since the age of five. Having a natural ear for music, she quickly became proficient, even as a young child. Being the daughter of an Air Force Major, she moved often and was constantly awarded new opportunities to serve in every church music ministry. At the age of thirteen, she began formal training under a local teacher, Leigh Julian. During this time, Sara began to teach and share the gift of music with peers and young students alike. When she moved away to attend college in Jacksonville, Florida, she continued her musical education, both in voice and piano. Sara graduated with a Bachelor's degree, majoring in Secondary Education and Music. Today, she and her children attend First Baptist Melbourne where she works on staff as Worship Ministry Assistant, Gateway Administrator, as well as staying actively involved in the music ministry. Sara has taught private piano for over 25 years.

  • Piano

    Lisa Wilt

    Lisa J. Wilt has been a private piano teacher for all ages for over 20 years. Since 2007, she has specialized in preschool piano which has inspired her to become the author of Piano Pals Program, a book designed for young musicians. In addition to piano, her background includes teaching elementary music for 21 years in Texas and Florida public and private schools. Also, she has taught preschool for 5 years in several local Christian schools. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education, with minors in organ and music theory from The University of Texas at Austin. She earned a Master of Music degree with an emphasis in Kodaly Pedagogy, solfege, and folk song analysis from Sam Houston State University in Texas. She is also certified in Orff Levels I-III from Jacksonville University and the First Steps in Music course. Lisa has a passion for teaching piano and loves to make learning meaningful through games, manipulatives, improvisation, and familiar pieces. Lisa is an active member of Coastline Community Church.

  • PIano / Flute

    Linda Hill

    Linda Hill received a Bachelor of Science in Music Performance from Radford University and a Master of Music Education from Florida State University. She taught beginning band for over 1 year and has taught private music lessons for 30 years. She has participated in the Space Coast Flute Choir, toured as a flutist with the Celebrant Singers, arranged Christian songs and performed for various churches under her Sounds of the Master’s Flute ministry. She has been active in the music ministries of each church she has attended. Currently, at First Baptist Melbourne, she enjoys playing the flute in the Worship Orchestra.

  • Violin

    Jenna Cobb

    Jenna Cobb has been teaching violin privately for over 20 years. As a student, she was concert-mistress of the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra in Atlanta, and became assistant concert-mistress of the Atlanta Chamber Orchestra serving for three years before relocating to Melbourne. Jenna is most passionate about playing sacred music in the church. She has involved herself in church orchestras and soloing since the age of 13. She is currently an active member of the Worship Orchestra at First Baptist Melbourne. Excellence and wholeheartedness in worship is one of her primary goals for her students.

  • Violin / Fiddle / Piano

    Sarah Dowell

    Sarah graduated with a B.M. in violin performance from Grand Valley State University, studying classical music under Dr. Gregory Maytan and Megan Crawford as well as jazz with Michael Drost. Prior to that she received training under Carla Trynchuk, graduate of the Juilliard School of Music. In 2015, Sarah placed first in GVSU's Concerto Competition, soloing the first movement of Jean Sibelius' Concerto in D minor. In 2016 and 2018, she premiered several new works composed for the GVSU New Music Ensemble National Parks Tours. Sarah served in the Battle Creek Symphony and Holland Symphony Orchestra. She currently shares music in a Christian duo called Living By The Stream. Sarah has taught students at her home studio and at various academies. She knows how important it is to inspire and capture the interest of students. Thus, she incorporates classical, improvisation, fiddle, jazz, and other genres of interest to the aspiring student. Sarah attends First Baptist Melbourne and participates in the Worship Orchestra when her schedule allows.

  • Bassoon

    Lynnda Floyd

    Lynnda Floyd graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education, studying bassoon under John Hunt and Jeff Keesecker. Lynnda went on to teach in the Brevard Public School system for 9 years as the assistant band director and orchestra director for Southwest Middle School, then moved to Bayside High School when the school opened as the Chorus Director, Orchestra Director, and AP Music Theory instructor. While teaching, she began serving as the Worship Associate at First Baptist Melbourne, primarily working with the worship choir and orchestra. Lynnda returned to the classroom as a student, and earned her Master of Arts in Worship Ministries degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 2018. Lynnda has continued to serve as the Worship Associate at First Baptist Melbourne for over 20 years, where she is currently the orchestra director. She has also been teaching bassoon lessons at Gateway Academy since 2018, and recently became a bassoon consultant for Brevard Public Schools, working with bassoon students from various middle and high school band programs throughout the county.

  • Guitar / Bass Guitar

    Elijah "Eli" Coe

    Elijah "Eli" Coe has been playing guitar and bass guitar for over 10 years. He is a pastor’s kid and has been leading worship with voice and guitar in various churches. Eli graduated in 2022 with a degree in Music and Worship Leadership with a guitar primary from Charleston Southern University. There he studied guitar under Dr. Brett Floyd. He has played in guitar ensembles and studied many styles and genres of music such as classical, jazz, hymns, and modern worship music. He is currently serving as Associate Worship Minister at First Baptist Melbourne. He is passionate about music and using his God-given gifts to serve Jesus Christ and the people around him. 

  • Voice / Guitar

    Nick Yarborough

    Nick Yarborough has been playing acoustic guitar and coaching singers, performers, actors, and musicians since 2001. His students are frequently awarded leading roles in school musicals and community theater productions, participate in high school apprentice programs at local and regional companies and are chosen to sing with city, county, district, regional and state honor choirs. They have often been recognized with awards at auditions sponsored by the National Association of Teachers of Singing. As an alumni from the University of Mobile in Mobile, Alabama, Nick performed his entire collegiate tenure in the university’s elite ensemble, Voices of Mobile. He achieved a Bachelor degree in Church Music with a concentration in Voice.


    Nick is passionate about helping guitarists, vocalists, and performers experience freedom, power and confidence in their abilities. Whether working with complete beginners or seasoned musicians/vocalists, his practical, hands-on approach to coaching has helped thousands of students see dramatic results!


    After years of extensive travel—worship leading, performing on some of the world’s biggest stages, working with world-renowned vocal coaches, and assisting in mentorship programs, Nick continues to avidly coach many others in vocal, acoustic guitar, and stage performance. Nick attends First Baptist Melbourne and is currently serving as the church's Tech Director.