Instruments
Classical Violin
Bluegrass Violin
Classical Piano
Jazz Piano
Skills & Training
Violin (beginner through advanced)
Piano (beginner through advanced)
Jazz Improvisational Skills
Bluegrass Improvisational Skills
Songwriting and Ear Training
Education
Western Washington University Class of 2029; Marketing and Audio Technology, Music and Society
Bio
Hey there! My name is Anton Butenko and I am a multi-instrumentalist from the Seattle area as well as a college student at Western Washington University pursuing music and business studies further.
As soon as I could talk, I would sing in the car, at home, and wherever else I could. Starting when I was 9 years old, I took inspiration from my brother and joined the orchestra program in my school district. Soon after that, I began clanking around on my keyboard until my parents signed me up for piano lessons.
From elementary school to high school, I was continuing violin lessons and participating in the high school orchestra program where I participated in Solo and Ensemble performances, orchestra festivals, and summer camps working with young orchestra students. When I was 15, I began to play violin and piano in the pit orchestra for high-school productions of Broadway musicals and ended up playing violin for Seussical and keyboard for Rodger and Hammerstein’s Cinderella as well as Mamma Mia!
As a violin performer, I participated in the 2024 National Orchestra Festival in Louisville, KY, High-School competitions in Vancouver, Seattle, Bellingham, Spokane, and Coeur d’Alene, and many street performances in Bothell, Edmonds, Woodinville, and Seattle.
By the time I was in high school, I had friends who inspired me to join the jazz band program at Bothell High School, which immediately sparked my love for jazz, improvisation and songwriting. I briefly took jazz piano lessons with a college student in my area, Johnny Huynh. After he stopped teaching to focus on music, I began taking lessons with Mack Grout at Seattle Jazz Academy, who taught me just about everything I know about jazz theory, songwriting, and improvisational tools. From March of 2023 to September of 2025, I was a student at Seattle Jazz Academy, participating in jam sessions, local performances, and recording sessions.
The Seattle jazz and contemporary scene is incredibly vibrant and thriving, and I participated in many high-school level jam sessions and competitions where I received various soloist awards on piano. But more importantly, I made connections with many young musicians in the Seattle area who inspired me, taught me, and helped direct me in my music journey by giving me a place where I could express my improvisation and arrangements, performing in restaurants and various street events.
After being a student at Seattle Jazz Academy for nearly two years, I was hired as an Operational Assistant, where my responsibilities included managing studio facilities and instruments, facilitating music events, and assisting with studio expansion and improvement projects. This experience, along with interning at the Northshore Summer Music School for two summers, cemented my desire to continue my musical journey beyond just a hobby.
In the last year or so, I have been working to expand my horizons, picking up guitar and practicing vocal performance. I also began to learn various music production software, especially Ableton, where I am now writing pop-style music with influences of r&b, jazz, orchestra, and rock music.
I am so glad that many people have been able to hear the music I’ve created, the stories I tell, and I hope that I am able to help teach, inspire, and make other people’s stories heard!
Influences
Composers + Classical Violinists:
Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Barbara Harbach
Johann Bach
Arturo Márquez
Gustav Holst
Hillary Hahn
Niccolò Paganini
Bluegrass
Alison Krauss
Kenny Baker
Bobby Hicks
Jazz and Pianists:
Kenny Barron
Bill Evans
Junior Mance
Russ Freeman
Oscar Peterson
Chet Baker
Frank Sinatra
Art Tatum
Billy Kyle
