Cedar Falls > Meet Our Team

Meet the West Music Cedar Falls Team!

Keith Sieren – Store Manager

Keith has been with West Music since 2016.  Before then, he grew up in Keota, IA.  He attended Iowa State University and majored in Instrumental Music Education.  Upon graduation, he taught at MFL MarMac CSD 7-12 band for three years.  He then taught 5-8 grade band at Monticello CSD.  In his free time, Keith likes to play with his bulldog, Gus, who happens to be the world’s cutest dog.

Jeff Taylor, Educational Consultant

Jeffrey Taylor is the West Music Educational Representative for the Waterloo/Cedar Falls area and surrounding communities in northeast Iowa, having now serviced the area for twenty-three years. Jeff earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Iowa. His most memorable experience while at Iowa was traveling with the Hawkeye Marching Band to the 1986 Rose Bowl and marching in the Tournament of Roses Parade. Go Hawks!

Jeff taught 5-12 instrumental music for nine years before joining the West Music team. Not wanting to give up his desire to provide children the opportunity to participate in music, he was fortunate to find a path to West Music. Truly, his favorite aspect of his job is witnessing the excitement of young students as they choose their first instrument. During the summer months, he plays in the trombone section of the Cedar Falls Municipal Band. Jeff has also performed in a couple shows at the Waterloo Community Playhouse and hopes to do some more theater work in the future.

He also enjoys traveling, polishing his car, and hanging with his Miniature Pinscher named Maxwell. Jeff is also an avid fan of the 80’s television show “Dallas” and would challenge anyone to beat his trivia knowledge about it.

Chris Hadley – Educational Sales Representative

Chris is from the Waterloo area and went to Don Bosco High School. He received a B.A. degree, Applied Music, in saxophone and piano at Wartburg College (‘05) and then went to U.N.I. where he received his Music Education license, his student teaching experience was in Decorah with Jim and Liz Fritz in 2006. Chris was a 5th-12th grade band and instrumental music director (as well as a Speech and drama coach) for 11 years, teaching at Central Elkader, Maquoketa Valley, and, most recently, St. Mary’s International School in Tokyo, Japan. He moved to Decorah last year and is the Educational Music Representative at West Music. He also directs the Nordic Dancer Orchestra, is the accompanist for the Luren Singers, and also for various studio seminars, lessons, and juries at Luther College. He only gets yelled at by a few people when he wears Wartburg orange in town. Aside from music, Chris holds a Private Pilot License and has been a certified E.M.T. He loves boating, playing bar trivia with friends, and traveling… hoping to hit his 30th country!

Christine Anderson – Band and Orchestra Sales Associate and Educational Sales Representative

Christine Anderson is a Band and Orchestra Sales Associate and Educational Sales Representative for West Music Cedar Falls. A trumpet player formerly from Waverly, she attended Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, with a major in Music Education. Christine has been with West Music since 2009. An active musician in the Cedar Valley, she participates in Bel Canto Cedar Valley, the Greater Waverly Municipal Band, and is very involved in her church’s music ministry. Christine also enjoys spending time outdoors, doing arts and crafts activities, and supporting local theater.

John Waltz – Piano Sales Consultant

With a fitting last name, John Waltz remembers taking piano lessons at an early age. Then came the French horn and guitar. Enjoying playing, singing, and studying music through school and college, he took a combo position at West Music in Cedar Falls, where he has been the last 20 years. Coming around full circle, he was asked to help with the piano department. He has toured the Steinway factory and has received many hours of training from both Steinway and Yamaha. John is passionate about music and believes it raises the quality of life, no matter what your age might be.

Miranda Honzel – Band Repair Technician

Originally from Rockford, IL, Miranda graduated with a certificate in Band Instrumental Repair from Minnesota State College Southeast in Red Wing, MN.  Additionally, she has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Luther College. For over two years, Miranda worked with Zeswitz Music in Pennsylvania as a general repair technician. In December of 2019, she joined the West Music repair team.  Miranda’s primary instrument is the bassoon, but she has an excellent working knowledge of all brass and woodwinds instruments.  In addition to music, her hobbies include roller skating, crocheting, and hiking.

Zoe Preuss – Repair Technician

Zoe graduated from Minnesota State College Southeast (Red Wing) in 2018 with her Diploma in Band Instrument Repair. She has been a repair technician at West Music at the Decorah location since May of 2018. She grew up in Brookfield, Wisconsin, and was enrolled in band from elementary school through all of high school where she played flute and piccolo. Zoe is currently on the advisory committee for Minnesota State College Southeast’s band instrument repair program and is often volunteering at the college. In her free time, Zoe likes to paint, get together with friends and family, or stay at home and be bullied by her cat.

Sheila Hackman – Store Administrative Support

Sheila Hackman is the administrative assistant for Jeff Taylor (road sales) and the band repair shop. Sheila is also here to take care of inventory, and all shipping and receiving needs. Sheila has been with West Music in Cedar Falls for 18 years. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and visiting Yellowstone park and The Great Smokey Mountains.

Jacob McCready – Combo Sales Associate

Jacob oversees the guitar, bass, and drum department at West Music Cedar Falls.

After taking piano lessons with his aunt and playing clarinet in middle school he was able to obtain an Epiphone guitar (from West Music) and it launched him unto his musical career. He started playing in bands in High School and graduated from McNally-Smith College of Music with a degree in audio engineering.

Besides playing music, in his free time, Jacob enjoys hanging out with family and friends.