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Bass Teachers
Sunday
- Gary
- Paul
Monday
- Gary
- Paul
Tuesday
Wednesday
- Paul
Thursday
Friday
- Chris
- Paul
Saturday
Paul Terrien
Paul has been Brass Bell's own master guitarist and bassist since 1998. He has a BFA in Classical Guitar Performance from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He has been imparting his musical know-how since 1992 at Brass Bell, the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, Milwaukee Public Schools, Family Music, and has recorded and performed both nationally and internationally. He has toured extensively throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. Paul tears up the stage with his respective bands, Beatallica, Then Lizzy, MJØD, The Crusties, and the Underwood Baptist Praise Band covering the diverse genres of metal, rock, punk and worship. He previously performed in bands of many more styles including pop, disco, blues, oldies, renaissance, Celtic, and solo classical guitar. He describes his teaching style as 'strict-ish,' but tailors his planned course to include each student's interests.
Gary Williams
Gary is a freelance guitarist and music instructor in the Milwaukee area. He studied at the David Hochstein Memorial Music School in Rochester, NY, and was a Jazz Performance major in the Bachelor of Music program at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music in the 1970s. He has been an instructor in the Music Occupations program at Milwaukee Area Technical College since 1988 and maintains a private music studio as well. Gary has also worked for Hal Leonard Publishing Company. Gary's thousands of musical performances include combo and big band jazz, Broadway touring productions, and 20th century classical and pops concerts with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. He has been featured with artists that include Lukas Foss, Doc Severinsen, Joel Grey, Theodore Bikel, Alan Thicke, Sally Struthers, Mickey Rooney, Lainie Kazan, Engelbert Humperdinck and Al Martino, among others. He is also featured on the album “Let Me Be Frank” which includes his composition “Kiara’s Song” and is available online.
Christopher Carloni
Christopher Carloni was a Civic Music Private Lesson Scholarship winner in 2008 and currently studies string bass with John Babbitt. He was a member of the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra (MYSO) for four years. Christopher held the MSO Philharmonia Orchestra Bass Section leader position, and was principal bass player of the MYSO Senior Symphony since 2012. In January 2012 Christopher was the runner up in the Philharmonia concerto competition.
A five year member of the state honors orchestra program, Christopher was selected to be the bass section leader in both 2012 and 2014. In spring of 2014 Christopher was recognized by the National Federation of Music Clubs as the third place finisher for the Mary Alice Cox award which is open to both cello and bass players. Christopher was a 2014 Civic Music Association High School Showcase Finalist and Young Artist Scholarship Winner. Christopher attends the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee majoring in Double Bass Performance.
Brass Teachers
- Eric
Sunday
- Dale
Monday
- Kyle
- Eric
Tuesday
- Eric
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
- Joshua
Saturday
Dale Elenich
Dale started teaching trumpet in the summer of 2002. He also coaches on the cornet, flugelhorn and the piccolo trumpet. Classical, jazz, and Latin are his game in the classroom, however when playing out, salsa, polka, and Broadway come into play. Dale is a professional performer who teaches not just music, but performance attitude and maturity.
Kyle Samuelson
Kyle Samuelson is one of the most in-demand freelance performers in the area and has over 20 years of teaching experience. Performing on trombone, euphonium, tuba and trumpet - everything from classical to jazz to Latin, Kyle is an exceptionally diverse musician. Regularly performing with all the orchestras in Southeastern Wisconsin as well as with the Milwaukee Symphony, Kyle is also a regular member of several bands that range from big band to R&B to Salsa. Kyle has performed with national and international acts alike as well as Broadway touring companies. All of this real-world experience has given Kyle a great foundation from which he builds his teaching style upon. He loves passing on his experiences and knowledge to the next generation of musicians.
Eric Sperry
Freelance trumpeter Eric Sperry has been a part of the Milwaukee music scene for over 10 years. A versatile sideman, soloist, and leader, Eric has been fortunate to perform with Chris Vadala, Manny Manuel, D’CalleSon, Clave Y Afinque, Uncle Larry, Orquesta Unidos En Cristo, Voz De Mi Tierra, Torn Soul, Concord Chamber Orchestra, Sheboygan Symphony Orchestra, Off The Wall Theatre, Waukesha Choral Union, Milwaukee Choristers, Lakeside Brass Quintet, Blessed Savior Parish, and many others. Eric is currently performing with Groove Therapy, Kelli and the Soul Mates, Orquesta Veneno, and North Point Brass.
Eric is also a sought-after music educator in the greater Milwaukee area. Currently, he teaches at Lakeland College (Applied Brass instructor and Jazz Ensemble director) and maintains a successful private studio, where he caters to all ages, abilities, and learning styles. Many of his private students have been selected to the UWAY and MYSO programs, received superior ratings at WSMA Solo/Ensemble, and pursued college music degrees.
Eric holds performance degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (MM) and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (BM). Eric’s primary teachers include Kevin Hartman and Darryl White, with additional influences from Wayne Bergeron, Bob Syverson, Lew Cole, and Norman Sodomka. To learn more about Eric, please visit his website: www.ericsperry.com.
Joshua Sevigny
Joshua Sevigny is a Milwaukee based freelance performer and music educator. He received his Bachelor of Music degree in Music Performance from the Crane School of Music in Potsdam, NY, and is a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. Joshua is an active performer, working regularly with four local orchestras, Milwaukee Festival Brass, and three brass quintets, in addition to solo engagements. Joshua is excited to aid his students in their personal musical growth and looks forward to fostering a life long love of performing music.
Guitar Teachers
- Larry
Sunday
- Andrew
- Gary
- Larry
- Lena
- Paul
Monday
- Gary
- Josh
- Larry
- Paul
Tuesday
- John
- Josh
- Larry
Wednesday
- Andrew
- John
- Lena
- Paul
Thursday
- Michael
Friday
- Andrew
- Lena
Saturday
Josh Backes
Joshua Backes has recently received his masters in Composition and Technology from UW Milwaukee where he also earned his B.F.A. He has played guitar and other instruments in a wide variety of music in bands for over 20 years and has focused mainly on producing original music and performing live. Currently he is in two "hip" bands called Grasping at Straws and New Boyz Club and writes music for string quartet, choir, chamber orchestra and other ensembles.
Joshua believes in teaching and practicing the fundamentals of music as a basis for being creative and inventing one's own songs or pieces of music. For beginning students of fretted instruments, basic knowledge of common music vocabulary and at least the rudiments of music notation and theory will lead to better understanding and more efficient and effective collaboration with others. Joshua stresses that music should be fun and likes to teach using as much music that the student truly enjoys as possible. This helps ensure that practicing and absorbing musical concepts will actually take place.
Andrew Black
Andrew began his teaching career at Brass Bell in 1999. He has a BA in Music from UW-Milwaukee. He can teach a wide variety of genres including classical, pop, rock, blues, jazz, improvisation and accompaniment. He will teach students to play by ear, but only after the student has some knowledge of chord structure and progressions. He is patient and adapts his approach to meet each student's needs. Andrew has a goal-oriented teaching style by holding student recitals and helping his students enter music competitions and festivals, such as the National Federation of Music Club. He also stays active in professional music organizations such as MAPTA and MTNA. Oh yes, and Andrew rides a motorcycle to lessons.
John Hill
John Hill, AGSM, MM, is an enthusiastic guitar teacher with many years of experience teaching all ages and levels of students, from young children to adults, beginning through advanced. He offers guitar instruction in classical, fingerstyle, pick, folk and pop guitar. John began playing guitar at the age of 9, and went on to study classical, jazz, and pop guitar for many years with Roy Plumb, a gifted guitarist, teacher, and arranger in the Madison area. He received his undergraduate music degree in Classical Guitar from the Guildhall School of Music, London, England, where he studied with Hector Quine. Following his undergraduate work, he taught guitar at Ripon College, Ripon, WI. John went on to earn his Masters Degree in Classical Guitar at Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY, where he studied with Edward Flower, and where he received a scholarship for classical guitar. In addition to his career as a guitar soloist and teacher, John has also performed music for two guitars, three guitars, guitar and flute, guitar and choir, guitar and voice, guitar and organ, and chamber orchestra and guitar. He has also appeared on public television and radio, including WHA-TV in Wisconsin, and WSKG-TV in New York. His guitar arrangements and published music books for Hal Leonard Publishing include Masterpieces For Guitar, Hymns For Guitar, Italian Songs For Classical Guitar, The Beatles For Classical Guitar, Christmas Songs For Guitar, and Disney Songs For Classical Guitar. John is on the music faculty at Concordia University, Mequon, WI.
Michael Mckinnon
Michael is a student at UW-Milwaukee pursuing a Bachelor in Fine Arts of Performance in Finger-Style Guitar. He has been performing since fifth grade and has played the guitar for nine years. He looks forward to working with those who are interested in pursuing excellence in music and can't wait to spread the knowledge of such a fine instrument.
Larry Pumpian
Larry has more than 20 years of experience teaching and playing guitar. Larry has his dream job working at Brass Bell and teaching his passion for guitar to his students. Whether it's learning about different styles of music or the various ways to play the guitar, Larry wants his students to be well-rounded musicians who will want to play for a lifetime. When teaching students how to practice, Larry incorporates computer learning programs that can accelerate and enhance the process of playing the guitar. Larry has performed in many types of bands since the 1960s, including years of road, studio and club work. His approach to teaching is to find what style of music the student can be passionate about and build from there.
Paul Terrien
Paul has been Brass Bell's own master guitarist and bassist since 1998. He has a BFA in Classical Guitar Performance from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He has been imparting his musical know-how since 1992 at Brass Bell, the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, Milwaukee Public Schools, Family Music, and has recorded and performed both nationally and internationally. He has toured extensively throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. Paul tears up the stage with his respective bands, Beatallica, Then Lizzy, MJØD, The Crusties, and the Underwood Baptist Praise Band covering the diverse genres of metal, rock, punk and worship. He previously performed in bands of many more styles including pop, disco, blues, oldies, renaissance, Celtic, and solo classical guitar. He describes his teaching style as 'strict-ish,' but tailors his planned course to include each student's interests.
Lena Vinz
Lena is a guitar instructor here at BB, hailing all the way from Ukraine. She's been a teacher since 1990, instructing students on classical, electric, and bass. She teaches a wide variety of styles, including classical and fingerstyle. Lena holds a Master's degree in Secondary Education with a Teaching Major in Music. For more information about Lena, please check out her website.
Gary Williams
Gary is a freelance guitarist and music instructor in the Milwaukee area. He studied at the David Hochstein Memorial Music School in Rochester, NY, and was a Jazz Performance major in the Bachelor of Music program at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music in the 1970s. He has been an instructor in the Music Occupations program at Milwaukee Area Technical College since 1988 and maintains a private music studio as well. Gary has also worked for Hal Leonard Publishing Company. Gary's thousands of musical performances include combo and big band jazz, Broadway touring productions, and 20th century classical and pops concerts with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. He has been featured with artists that include Lukas Foss, Doc Severinsen, Joel Grey, Theodore Bikel, Alan Thicke, Sally Struthers, Mickey Rooney, Lainie Kazan, Engelbert Humperdinck and Al Martino, among others. He is also featured on the album “Let Me Be Frank” which includes his composition “Kiara’s Song” and is available online.
Drum Teachers
- Dan
Sunday
- Tim
- Gabe
- Matt
Monday
- Dan
- Paul
Tuesday
- Paul
Wednesday
- Dan
- Gabe
- Matt
- Will
Thursday
- Paul
Friday
- Matt
Saturday
Dan Broderick
Dan holds a BS from UW-Milwaukee and has 15 years of full-time teaching experience. He teaches 30+ students each year, totaling over 20,000 lessons since 1996. Dan instructs students on drum set, snare drum, parade drums and mallets. He teaches students as young as age 5 or 6 with a parent present, otherwise ages 7 and up. He describes himself as being a relaxed teacher who emphasizes reading to develop skills in listening, coordination and performance. In addition to teaching, Dan has more than 32 years of playing experience, including performances, tours and recordings.
Tim Dries
Tim Dries is available for private percussion lessons at Brass Bell. He graduated from Northern Michigan University in 2009 with a Bachelor’s degree in music education. Tim has performed with groups including Marquette Symphony Orchestra in Marquette, Michigan, as well as The Knightwind Ensemble in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Tim enjoys playing drums with The Lakeshore Four, a Milwaukee based jazz ensemble. Aside from teaching at Brass Bell, Tim is also the Band Director at Dominican High School in Whitefish Bay.
Gabe Hammer
Gabe graduated from Columbia College in Chicago in 2007, with a Bachelor's Degree in Jazz Studies and Percussion Performance. He has been teaching privately since 2005 and has been with Brass Bell since 2010. He teaches beginning through advanced drums to students ages 6 and up, as well as beginning through intermediate piano to students ages 5 and up. Gabe is fun, laid-back, patient and tailors lessons to students' interests.
Matt Liban
Matt is our resident jokester and quite a popular drum instructor who describes the instrument he teaches as "tub thumping," but we know better! He has been teaching for 12 plus years, and is best known locally for the bands 5 Card Studs and Chief. This self-proclaimed "wise, witty and handsome" fellow encourages pupils to study "all the live-long day," and was strongly influenced to rock out by Gene Simmons of Kiss.
Paul Westfahl
Paul Westfahl is an active performer and educator in Southeast Wisconsin. He earned his BA in Music from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside in 2012 with an emphasis in Percussion Performance, Composition and Jazz Studies. Paul has been seen performing with the MIlwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the Racine Symphony Orchestra, the Concord Chamber Orchestra, Swing Nouveau, The Eastside Jazz Orchestra, The Little Lake Stompers and Swing Chevron.
As an educator, Paul holds a position on the percussion faculty at Cardinal Stritch University, privately at Brass Bell Music Store and as a clinician for area schools. In addition to working with students and maintaining a busy freelance performing schedule, Westfahl leads and composes for several of his own projects and is also involved as a sideman and co-conspirator/performer/composer with many ‘new music’ ensembles and collectives in the Milwaukee area such as the SeedSounds series and the DIY Chamber Orchestra and UnrehearsedMKE. Since 2014, Paul has dedicated himself to studying tabla along with South Indian rhythm and is a disciple of Pandit Hindole Majumdar.
"I take special care and time to find the 'spark' in each of my students. Yes, on the surface I'm teaching them to play the drums but above all I want them to learn the tools to make MUSIC in whatever way comes naturally to THEM. To achieve anything and progress as a musician, it absolutely can not be treated as a 'once-a-week-for-a-half-hour' endeavor. Commitment to a DAILY dose of applied practice-time with the instrument is required and expected for anyone taking lessons. I'm really a laid back guy I swear! However, when it comes to music, I treat with upmost seriousness."
- Paul
Will Rose
Will Rose is a Milwaukee-born musician, percussionist, songwriter, educator, and producer of electronic and experimental music. He works as a Musician Accompanist at the University of Milwaukee Wisconsin Dance Department, and as a percussion instructor. His love for drumming started at a young age, and he’s been playing and performing since. He attended Shorewood High School and went on to graduate from UW-Madison in 2013. While there, he worked as an Accompanist and Sound Technician. Apart from his work at the Dance Department, he is an active freelance Milwaukee musician, with roles in numerous notable local outfits such as New Boyz Club, Airo Kwil, and more. His styles include Indie and Alternative Rock, Hip Hop, R&B, Latin, Jazz, and African-Carribean, amongst others. He works with all age groups and levels of experience.
Piano Teachers
- Joe
- Julia
- Maria
- Zosia
Sunday
- Alicia
- Andrew
- Ben
- Michel
Monday
- Ben
- Jessica
- Joanna
- Renato
- Zosia
Tuesday
- Connie
- Joanna
- Joe
- Maria
- Renato
Wednesday
- Andrew
- Connie
- Jessica
- Zosia
Thursday
- Jessica
- Joe
- Katherine
Friday
- Andrew
- Joe
- Katherine
- Maria
- Jessica
Saturday
Andrew Black
Andrew began his teaching career at Brass Bell in 1999. He has a BA in Music from UW-Milwaukee. He can teach a wide variety of genres including classical, pop, rock, blues, jazz, improvisation and accompaniment. He will teach students to play by ear, but only after the student has some knowledge of chord structure and progressions. He is patient and adapts his approach to meet each student's needs. Andrew has a goal-oriented teaching style by holding student recitals and helping his students enter music competitions and festivals, such as the National Federation of Music Club. He also stays active in professional music organizations such as MAPTA and MTNA. Oh yes, and Andrew rides a motorcycle to lessons.
Jessica Baker
Jessica has been teaching piano lessons for 18 years after receiving an associates degree in music, emphasis on piano performance. While teaching she was a member of both the Fond du Lac Teachers Association and the Moraine Area Private Music Teachers Organization where her students consistently received the highest ratings in judged events. Jessica teaches students of all ages and levels of playing ability. She helps her students reach their own goals whether they are interested in learning classical or modern styles of music, or learning improvisation and beginning composition. She teaches strong fundamentals such as sight-reading, ear-training, and efficient practicing methods so that her students become independent learners.
In her free time she has performed as keyboardist and vocalist in local rock bands, sang in choirs, and performed in community musical theater.
She teaches her students to play with artistry and beauty. She enjoys connecting with her students personally and instilling in them a passion for the creativity and beauty in music.
Zosia Holden
A recent graduate of UW-Milwaukee with a BA in Music History, Zosia Holden teaches from a very diverse musical knowledge base. She has 15 years of classical piano training, and has been accompanying for musical events, competitions and juried performances for the last few years. She has also had 7 years of vocal training; she was an apprentice with the HHW Vocal Arts Ensemble in Chicago, won the CSO Vocal Arts Competition in 2011, was active in many musicals in college, and performed L'Enfant et les Sortileges in conjunction with the MSO. She has been a paid singer at St. Boniface Episcopal Church since 2014. However, she also specializes in non-classical genres; she is an accomplished blues/jazz pianist and vocalist, and has been an active local performer since 2011, first as a solo act, then with the band Four Things and a Lizard, and most recently with her new band, The Lady-Lords. She has been a private teacher since 2012; along with classical voice and piano, she teaches in the rock, blues, jazz, musical theatre, country and folk genres. She also teaches songwriting and improvisation, depending on the interests of each individual student.
Julia Ionina
Julia received her Bachelor of Music and Teacher of Music in Music Education from Russian A.I. Herzen State Pedagogical University in St. Petersburg, Russia. She then received her Master of Music and Artist Diploma in Piano Performance from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. She has been with Brass Bell since 2010 but has been teaching privately since 1993. Julia teaches beginning through advanced levels to students age 4 and older. She considers herself easygoing and is flexible when students want to pursue specific interests.
Ben Kalb
Ben Kalb is a cellist, composer, teacher, and multi-instrumentalist originally from New York. After completing his Master's degree in cello at SUNY Purchase in 2005, Ben performed and collaborated with many singer-songwriters including Duncan Sheik, Regina Spektor, and Ingrid Michaelson, and was a band member in two Broadway rock musicals (Spring Awakening and Next To Normal). He has been teaching music for over 10 years to students of all ages and skill levels. He is excited to be teaching both piano and cello.
Joe Nicolay
Joe is our fun, serious, positive piano tutor here at Brass Bell. He has been showing off his teaching talents for twenty-some years. Such bands as the Beatles and Miles Davis rock Joe's world: he loves music! He also has a pet dog, a long coat Akita, by the moniker of "Kijo Kuma," which translates to "Lady Dear."
Alicia Rhyner
Alicia Rhyner has studied piano since she was seven years old. When she began taking lessons with Rose Collier in high school, Alicia decided she would pursue music in college. She received her degree in music performance at Ripon College and has taught piano professionally since 2011. Alicia believes in well-rounded piano instruction and emphasizes performance as well as composition, theory, ear training, and improvisation, individualizing lessons according to the student’s interests, age, and abilities. Her ultimate goal is to inspire her students to discover true bliss in the love of music and the joy of self-expression. She has extensive experience collaborating with classical artists as well as musical theater programs and music camps, including summer music camp at Interlochen Center for the Arts. In addition to teaching, she performs organ music and directs a local church choir. Her interests outside of music include organic farming, yoga, and cooking.
Katherine Schierenbeck
Kathy teaches beginning through advanced piano to students age 5 and up. Inquire in store for more info on Katherine S.
Maria Schlei
Maria earned a piano performance degree with full scholarship from the Escuela de Música Manuel A. Lopez in Venezuela, and her Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Music degrees from UWM under the guidance of Prof. Judit Jaimes. She debuted as a soloist with the Municipal Symphony Orchestra at age 11, performed with multiple symphony orchestras, and toured around Venezuela. She won first prize in the Harriet Serr Competition (1994), the Moisés Moleiro Venezuelan National Competition (1996) and McDowell Club of Milwaukee (2005). In 1997, the President of Venezuela awarded her the Medal of the Third Grade Order Jose Felix Rivas Prize - the highest honor given to young Venezuelan artists. Currently she is a faculty member at both the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music and UWM. Her students have earned high honors in music competitions, and she has been selected as a judge in a variety of events. Her teaching expertise includes multiple levels of instruction and more than 10 years of experience.
Michel Shestak
Michel Shestak received her bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance from Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin where she studied with Dr. Timothy Schorr. She completed her master’s degree in Collaborative Piano-Vocal at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Her teachers included Jeffry Peterson, Katja Phillabaum, Elena Abend, and Judit Jaimes. She is active as an accompanist in the greater Milwaukee area and current organ scholar at the Cathedral Church of All Saints.
Renato Umali
Renato studied classical music at Northwestern University, graduating in 1993. He continues to perform as a wedding pianist and as a keyboardist in pop and rock groups. His teaching style is quite traditional: there is an emphasis on rhythm and note-reading. Older and adult students are introduced to chord formation and harmony. Renato holds two piano recitals a year and encourages his students to participate in the Wisconsin Federation of Music Spring Music Festival. He also teaches at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he is a faculty member in the Film Department.
Joanna Rogowski
Joanna teaches beginning through advanced piano to students 5 and up. Lessons focus on practice habits, technique, and of course, musicality. While method book work is important, Joanna believes that the integration of outside repertoire is vital in the musical growth of a student. There will be a recital once a year in which the students are strongly encouraged to participate. Currently, Joanna is working towards her BFA in Piano Performance at UWM under Profesor Elena Abend. Past training includes three years at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music under María Schlei. Recently, she has taught, accompanied, and performed as a soloist and chamber group member. Though her experience is largely in the classical genre, she does have limited experience in gospel and jazz. Piano has been the one of the most wonderful parts of her life and she is excited to pass this on to her students.
Connie Gordon
I am proud to be a new member of the Brass Bell team. I have been teaching classroom music and private piano for over 20 years. I currently am teaching middle school music with Milwaukee Public Schools.
My greatest inspiration have been the teachers I have had throughout my life. They have shaped the way I understand and appreciate all types of music. I hope to be an inspiration to my students, and instill in them a love for music.
I enjoy working with all of my students, and I learn so much from them every time we work together. I love teaching piano, and cannot imagine a day without playing. When I am not teaching, I enjoy watching movies with my family, trying out new recipes, and reading.
String Teachers
Sunday
- Ben
- Dana
- Jason
- Julie
Monday
- Ben
- Bruni
- Rachel
- Julie
Tuesday
- Laura
- Rachel
- Travis
Wednesday
- Sacia
- Julie
Thursday
Friday
- Bruni
- Chris
- Julie
Saturday
Jason Busniewski
Jason is a highly experienced Irish fiddler and classical violist and violinist. He has performed in Wisconsin, California, Oklahoma, Michigan, and abroad in Cairo, Ismailia, and Beni Suef, Egypt. A graduate student in ethnomusicology (specializing in Irish and Indian musics), Jason has earned a BMA in Viola from the University of Oklahoma and an MA from the University of California at Santa Barbara, where he is currently currently a PhD candidate. He has experience in a wide variety of teaching situations, from private and group lessons to large college lecture courses. In addition to being trained in Western classical music, Jason has experienced music and teaching styles from around the world, including Indian classical and folk traditions, Irish traditional music, Polish folk music, Arab classical and popular musics, West African drumming, and Javanese gamelan, from which he brings ideas and techniques to each student's lessons
Rachel CW Hecker
Born in Chicago, Rachel CW Hecker began Suzuki violin lessons at age 4 with Rebecca McFaul. At the age of 11 she moved with her family to Indiana, and continued studies at the Western Springs School of Talent Education with Edward Krietman and Thomas Wermuth. While at W.S.S.T.E., Rachel was involved in the violin groups Allegro! and the Chicago Consort, touring in Minnesota, Indiana, England and France. In order to travel the three hours to her violin lessons at W.S.S.T.E., Rachel was homeschooled until she was 16, when she entered public school in rural Indiana and began studies with Andrew Smith at Valparaiso University.
As a child, each summer Rachel attended the American Suzuki Institute held in Steven’s Point, Wisconsin. While there, she worked with Timothy Durbin, Betsy Stuen-Walker, Mark Bjork, and Sarah Smith, just to name a few. Rachel also attended the Stamford International Music Festival in Stamford, England, Masterworks Festival in Winona Lake, IN, Credo Chamber Music Camp in Oberlin, OH, and ARIA International Music Festival in Muncie, IN. She was also very active in the Northwest Indiana Symphony Youth Orchestra from 2002-2006, holding the concertmaster position from 2005-2006.
Miss Rachel received a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from Utah State University in 2006, studying with Rebecca McFaul and the Fry Street Quartet. Rachel completed her Master of Music degree in Violin Performance and Pedagogy in 2012 from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and worked as a graduate teaching assistant and student to Oswald Lehnert and Margaret Soper Gutierrez, and was also a student to Charles Wetherbee. She has completed Suzuki training with Judy Weigert Bossuat in ECC and Book 1, and Books 2 and 3 with Mr. William Starr.
Rachel’s teaching philosophy is that musical lessons teach dedication, persistence, and determination, while learning a skill that can bring joy to oneself and others. Rachel is constantly teaching her students to look for the most efficient and effective ways to practice, and to have fun in the process! Rachel has been teaching both privately and in schools since 2007.
When not teaching, Rachel enjoys being outdoors, traveling, drinking lots of tea, reading, and learning how to homestead.
Christopher Carloni
Christopher Carloni was a Civic Music Private Lesson Scholarship winner in 2008 and currently studies string bass with John Babbitt. He was a member of the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra (MYSO) for four years. Christopher held the MSO Philharmonia Orchestra Bass Section leader position, and was principal bass player of the MYSO Senior Symphony since 2012. In January 2012 Christopher was the runner up in the Philharmonia concerto competition.
A five year member of the state honors orchestra program, Christopher was selected to be the bass section leader in both 2012 and 2014. In spring of 2014 Christopher was recognized by the National Federation of Music Clubs as the third place finisher for the Mary Alice Cox award which is open to both cello and bass players. Christopher was a 2014 Civic Music Association High School Showcase Finalist and Young Artist Scholarship Winner. Christopher attends the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee majoring in Double Bass Performance.
Sacia Jerome
Sacia Jerome started playing cello at the age of 11. She received her Bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. She then went on to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to receive a Master's degree in Cello Performance along with a Chamber Music Certificate.
Sacia’s cello teachers include Tracy Silverman, Paul Kosower and Dr. Stefan Kartman. Sacia currently plays cello in the Festival City, Sheboygan, Oshkosh and Wisconsin Philharmonic Orchestras.
Ben Kalb
Ben Kalb is a cellist, composer, teacher, and multi-instrumentalist originally from New York. After completing his Master's degree in cello at SUNY Purchase in 2005, Ben performed and collaborated with many singer-songwriters including Duncan Sheik, Regina Spektor, and Ingrid Michaelson, and was a band member in two Broadway rock musicals (Spring Awakening and Next To Normal). He has been teaching music for over 10 years to students of all ages and skill levels. He is excited to be teaching both piano and cello.
Travis Leanna
Travis began his studies in music at the age of 10 when the elementary school music teacher introduced students to various stringed instruments. What began as summer violin lessons turned into a lifelong dedication to music. Between 1991 and 1997, Travis attended several summer music festivals including the seven-week Meadowmount School of Music in New York. In high school, Travis attended weekly classes and lessons with the String Academy of Wisconsin and was a member of the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra.
In 2000, he was admitted to the University of Illinois on a music scholarship, and pursued a degree in music. During his undergraduate schooling, Travis studied with many world class musicians and pedagogues, and had the opportunity to attend summer music courses in Poland, Germany, Romania, and Italy. In 2004, Travis received his Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from the University of Illinois. From 2006 to 2009, he attended UW-Milwaukee, where he received Master’s degrees in String Pedagogy and Violin Performance. During his time at UWM, he again had the opportunity to study extensively in Italy where he received lessons and performed with the orchestra of the Tuscia Opera Festival.
Travis has had the opportunity to perform for and study with members of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Pacifica Quartet, and soloists Joshua Bell and Rachel Barton-Pine. Currently, Travis maintains a private studio and occasionally performs with the Wisconsin Philharmonic Orchestra.
Laura Thompson
Laura Thompson (violin & viola) received her Master of Music degree from the Royal College of Music in London, UK, studying under Dutch violinist Berent Korfker in 2012. She is a passionate chamber musician and interpreter of new music. While in London, she premiered works by composers including Charlie Sdraulig and Louis d'Heudieres, and performed with the London-based ExplorEnsemble.
Laura was also heavily involved in outreach and education in London, working on RCM Sparks projects including Turtle Song- a project to help adults with dementia create a song cycle, the Kensington and Chelsea FIFTHS Programme, through which she taught weekly general music classes in a London primary school, and a music composition project for high school students. She wrote her Master's thesis on the connections between Bela Bartok's field research on folk music of Romania and Hungary and his original compositions for the violin. She also holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Northwestern University's Bienen School of Music, where she was a student of Gerardo Ribeiro.
During her time at Northwestern, Laura was an associate member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, and taught violin at the Chicago YOURS Project. She has studied and performed at summer festivals including the International Arbeitswoche in Goslar, Germany, the Masterclasses at Palazzo Ricci in Montepulciano, Italy, the Institute and Festival for Contemporary Performance at Mannes (NYC), Aurora Chamber Music Festival (Sweden), Orford Arts Centre (Quebec, Canada), Toronto Summer Music, the International Baroque Institute at Longy (Boston), Boston University Tanglewood Institute, Meadowmount School of Music, the Castleman Quartet Program, and Musicorda Chamber Music Festival. A musical omnivore, Laura is also active as an Irish fiddler, and qualified for the All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil in 2011. She graduated with honors from the Interlochen Arts Academy and is a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she was a student of Jeanyi Kim.
Julie Roubik
Julie Bamberger Roubik holds a BM summa cum laude, from the University of Minnesota and a MM from the Hartt School of Music, both in viola performance and Suzuki pedagogy. Viola teachers include Roland Vamos, Korey Konkol, Victoria Chiang, and Lawrence Dutton of the Emerson String Quartet. A member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas, she has studied Suzuki pedagogy, in violin and viola, with Teri and David Einfeldt, Nancy Lokken, Mark Bjork, Carrie Reuning, Susan Kempter, Betsy Stuen-Walker and Dr. Julia Hardie. She is currently pursuing her Dalcroze Certification with Dr. Jeremy Dittus at the Dalcroze School of the Rockies. Ms. Bamberger Roubik is a member of the Racine, Kenosha and Festival City Symphonies, and actively freelances in the Milwaukee area. In addition, Ms. Bamberger has had the honor to perform with recording artists such as Brad Little, Lorna Luft, Rita Coolidge, Keiko Matsui and Philip Dizack. Ms. Bamberger Roubik was a two-time recipient of the American Suzuki Institute Teacher Training Scholarship, for which she had the privilege continuing her studies with Dr. Hardie. Additionally, Ms. Bamberger Roubik is a regular blogger for Violinist.com and has contributed articles to The Strad magazine and the SAA journal as well. Ms. Bamberger Roubik has also appeared on the TV show “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman” and was a runner-up on NPR’s quiz show “Ask Me Another.”
Bruni Koeller
Bruni teaches beginning through advanced violin and viola to students age 5 and up.
Dana DeBofsky
Dana is from Highland Park, Illinois and began playing the violin at age 4 and the viola at age 17. She has a Bachelors of Music in Viola Performance and a Bachelors of Arts in English from Lawrence University and is currently a Masters of String Pedagogy student at UW-Milwaukee. She has attended such festivals as Interlochen, College Light Opera Company and Aspen Music Festival, and is currently a violist with the Sheboygan Symphony Orchestra.
Ukulele & Folk Teachers
Sunday
- Ben
Monday
- Ben
- Josh
Tuesday
- Josh
Wednesday
- Christine
Thursday
- Michael
Friday
Saturday
Josh Backes
Joshua Backes has recently received his masters in Composition and Technology from UW Milwaukee where he also earned his B.F.A. He has played guitar and other instruments in a wide variety of music in bands for over 20 years and has focused mainly on producing original music and performing live. Currently he is in two "hip" bands called Grasping at Straws and New Boyz Club and writes music for string quartet, choir, chamber orchestra and other ensembles.
Joshua believes in teaching and practicing the fundamentals of music as a basis for being creative and inventing one's own songs or pieces of music. For beginning students of fretted instruments, basic knowledge of common music vocabulary and at least the rudiments of music notation and theory will lead to better understanding and more efficient and effective collaboration with others. Joshua stresses that music should be fun and likes to teach using as much music that the student truly enjoys as possible. This helps ensure that practicing and absorbing musical concepts will actually take place.
Christine Georgenson
Christine is a lifelong musician studying piano, theory, harmony and counterpoint with international composer Graham Lynch in England in her earlier years.
Nowadays she is enamored with the Ukulele and has studied with Canadian virtuoso and educator James Hill and received Ukulele Teacher Certification from his initiative in Vancouver. Christine also has a BA in Education from Lakeland College, Milwaukee and has volunteered as a docent at the Milwaukee Art Museum.
"If I couldn't play music I would have to paint," she says and believes music and art are two sides of the same coin.
Ben Kalb
Ben Kalb is a cellist, composer, teacher, and multi-instrumentalist originally from New York. After completing his Master's degree in cello at SUNY Purchase in 2005, Ben performed and collaborated with many singer-songwriters including Duncan Sheik, Regina Spektor, and Ingrid Michaelson, and was a band member in two Broadway rock musicals (Spring Awakening and Next To Normal). He has been teaching music for over 10 years to students of all ages and skill levels. He is excited to be teaching both piano and cello.
Michael Mckinnon
Michael is a student at UW-Milwaukee pursuing a Bachelor in Fine Arts of Performance in Finger-Style Guitar. He has been performing since fifth grade and has played the guitar for nine years. He looks forward to working with those who are interested in pursuing excellence in music and can't wait to spread the knowledge of such a fine instrument.
Voice Teachers
- Indalecio
- Zosia
Sunday
Monday
- Zosia
Tuesday
Wednesday
- Indalecio
- Zosia
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Indalecio Valentin
Back in 2010, when I first started my undergrad as a Music Education student, I founded a girls choir at St. Patrick's Parish on the South Side of Milwaukee as a resume builder. I directed that choir until this past November and still give some of the girls private lessons. I've taught voice and theatre at Notre Dame Middle School and La Causa Charter School and have participated in shows at Community Theatre Works at Divine Savior Holy Angels. The method behind my technique focuses on body-mapping and vocal pedagogy while exploring all the natural colors our voices are capable of all while keeping in mind that our entire body is our instrument. I am very cross trained as a singer and enjoy the versatility in my knowledge and my own technique and I would love to share that. I look forward to hearing from you!
Zosia Holden
A recent graduate of UW-Milwaukee with a BA in Music History, Zosia Holden teaches from a very diverse musical knowledge base. She has 15 years of classical piano training, and has been accompanying for musical events, competitions and juried performances for the last few years. She has also had 7 years of vocal training; she was an apprentice with the HHW Vocal Arts Ensemble in Chicago, won the CSO Vocal Arts Competition in 2011, was active in many musicals in college, and performed L'Enfant et les Sortileges in conjunction with the MSO. She has been a paid singer at St. Boniface Episcopal Church since 2014. However, she also specializes in non-classical genres; she is an accomplished blues/jazz pianist and vocalist, and has been an active local performer since 2011, first as a solo act, then with the band Four Things and a Lizard, and most recently with her new band, The Lady-Lords. She has been a private teacher since 2012; along with classical voice and piano, she teaches in the rock, blues, jazz, musical theatre, country and folk genres. She also teaches songwriting and improvisation, depending on the interests of each individual student.
Woodwind Teachers
- Jon
- Lauren
Sunday
- Tomás
- Lauren
Monday
- Mike
- Lauren
Tuesday
- Mike
- Lauren
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Tomas Goldsmith
Multi-instrumentalist Tomás Goldsmith is the real deal. Although his main instrument is tenor saxophone, he has years of experience performing on clarinet and is also adept at playing the flute. He has put his skills to use as a leader, soloist, and sideman while performing with artists and groups such as Curt Hanrahan, Perspective Heights, Arturo O’Farrill, Jon Faddis, David Bixler, the UW-Milwaukee Symphony Band and Jazz Ensemble, various UW-Milwaukee jazz combos, and for several musical theater productions.
As a private lesson instructor, Tomás cares deeply about sharing the joy of music with his students. Therefore, his lesson style balances what the student is interested in with striving for great technique and fundamentals, a beautiful sound, and always taking a musical approach to practicing and playing. Tomás’ experience in a wide variety of fields, such as classical solo, chamber music, wind ensemble, jazz, latin, funk, rock, musical theater, and theory and composition, means he can teach any style while emphasizing a well-rounded approach, offering complete musicianship.
Tomás Goldsmith holds a degree in Multiple Woodwinds Performance (BFA) and a degree in Jazz Studies with a focus on Tenor Saxophone Performance (BFA), both from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee.
Jon Lovas
Jon earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Multiple Woodwind Performance and Music Education from UW-Milwaukee in May 2011. He is certified in Wisconsin to teach Instrumental and General Music. Jon has a great deal of teaching experience in private and school settings, and has been with Brass Bell since September 2011. He teaches beginning through advanced saxophone, clarinet and flute to students age 9 and older. He believes strongly in musical literacy and listening skills, and develops different teaching plans to accommodate students' specific needs. He describes himself as patient, knowledgeable and enthusiastic.
Mike Miller
Mike fell in love with the tenor sax in middle school and has been playing it ever since. He toured the northeast with the 19th Army Band, with such luminaries as Grover Washington, Jr. and Billy Cobham. Around that time he studied in NYC with jazz great Joe Henderson. Mike considers it great good fortune to have worked with such legendary local groups as Junior and The Classics, The Esquires, and Vic Pitts and The Cheaters. From there, Mike went on the road with many groups, including Jackie Wilson. While performing with Motown recording artist Chuck Jackson, he played shows with Gladys Knight, David Ruffin and Dianna Ross and The Supremes. Mike's travels have taken him to Germany, Paris, India, Miami Beach, and Myrtle Beach, where he met and became friends with soon-to-be-stellar bass player Steve Bailey. Along the way he added flute, clarinet and all the other saxophones to the list of his instruments for performing and teaching. At North Texas State University he studied with James Ogilvie and Denis Diamond. Besides currently playing with the super talented people in The Mike Miller Group, he teaches privately at Brass Bell Music (since 1994) and in the Milwaukee Public Schools as a traveling music teacher, and co-conducted two Milwaukee Biennial Music Festivals.
Lauren Sperry
Lauren Sperry is a freelance woodwind specialist in the Milwaukee area. She earned a Bachelor of Music in Multiple Woodwind Performance (2006) from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Her degree focused on professional performance of saxophone, flute, clarinet and piano. After completion of her degree, Lauren expanded her expertise with extensive oboe study.
Lauren began performing in Milwaukee with her self titled jazz trio. She then branched off into many other styles with multiple groups and musicians including: Violent Femmes, Booze Brothers Show Band & Revue, The Four Aces, Cold Sweat and the Brew City Horns, The All Star SuperBand, Side Car Steph and the 7-10 Split, Vinnie Falcon, Ron DeVillers Bands, Jeannie Holiday, The Bill Sargent Band and many others. Lauren has also had the opportunity the perform with many theatre companies including the Solstice Theatre Company, A Mile in My Shoes Productions, Bradford Theatre, Carte Blanch Studios, Shorewood Players, Hartford Players, University of Wisconsin-Washington County and UWM’s Opera Orchestra. Currently, Lauren is performing with WAMI award-winning Swing Nouveau, Unidos en Cristo, Kelli and the Soul Mates and Groove Therapy.
Currently, Lauren is Adjunct Faculty at Concordia University, where she teaches applied saxophone lessons. She teaches private lessons at a variety of locations in Milwaukee’s North Shore area: Brass Bell Music Store, Homestead High School and her home studio. Lauren also teaches saxophone ensemble classes at the Milwaukee Jewish Day School.