Aaron Powell has a Masters of Music Performance from the University of Missouri-Kansas city (2003) where he studied with Douglas Niedt. Aaron is also an alumni of Simpson College (1999), graduating with a Bachelor of Music Education. He has been an instructor of guitar at Simpson since the fall of 2003, and joined the faculty at Drake University as a Teaching Artist in the fall of 2008.

Mr. Powell has performed as a guitarist with the Des Moines Metro Opera, Des Moines Playhouse and Des Moines Symphony. Aaron performs regularly as a recitalist in various fine arts series and forums. Mr. Powell has appeared as a performer in the master classes of notable guitarist such as the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, Sergio and Odair Assad, Antigoni Goni and Christopher Parkening.