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String Teachers

    Sunday

    Monday

  • Alex
  • Iuliia
  • John

    Tuesday

  • Alex

    Wednesday

  • Alex
  • Iuliia

    Thursday

  • Iuliia

    Friday

  • John

    Saturday

  • Deanne

John Burgermeister

John Burgermeister

John Burgermeister is a Milwaukee native cellist and singer. He has been playing cello since the age of 8. John studied Vocal Performance and Pedagogy at Holy Family College (formerly Silver Lake College) and finished his studies at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, where he received a Bachelor’s of Music degree. Upon graduation, John served as an interim choir director at a local high school.

John teaches cello students at the beginning and intermediate levels ages 8 and up. He tailors each lesson to fit the student’s needs and aspirations, while giving a focus on core learning techniques and goals. He is a caring and passionate person with a drive to help students learn.

Currently he sings with Sacra Nova Chorale, Bach Chamber Chorale, and the St. Sebastian Adult Church Choir. John has performed in productions with The Pabst, UWM Opera Theatre Department (Le Nozze de Figaro and Opera Scenes Workshop), and took part in many musical productions throughout high school. He has performed in a variety of orchestras and is currently a freelance cellist for weddings and funerals.

John enjoys being around his nephews and niece, listening to Simon and Garfunkel, and building legos. He is very eager to help students with achieving their goals!

Minimum Age 8+

Accepting new students!

Iuliia Mykolyk

Iuliia

Born in Ukraine, Iuliia has been playing the violin since the age of six. After graduating from the Lviv National Music Academy where she received her Bachelor and Master degrees in violin performance, Iuliia performed with the Lviv International Symphony Orchestra (INSO-Lviv) for five years. During that time she performed at numerous festivals in Switzerland, France, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Spain, and Poland. In 2013, Iuliia decided to pursue her musical training in the United States. She received an artist diploma in violin performance from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville with Professor Mark Zelmanovich in 2014. In 2015 and 2016 Iuliia performed in master classes with Rachel Barton Pine, Mimi Zweig, and Clara-Jumi Kang at UW-Milwaukee. She also served as the concertmaster of the UW-Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra for three consecutive years. Iuliia holds a master's degree in Chamber Music Performance from UW-Milwaukee, where she studied under Dr. Bernard Zinck. As a teaching assistant, she was teaching violin to undergraduates of the UWM violin studio. As a violin instructor, Iuliia uses different teaching methods and studies such as Suzuki, Franco-Belgium School, Russian School (Yankelevich), and Czech School (Ševčík and Schradieck). Her goal as a music teacher is to share music knowledge with all of her students and their parents. Iuliia’s diverse background as a musician gives an opportunity to students not only to learn about violin performance, but to have a full understanding of music history and violin within its place. Currently Iuliia is working at Wauwatosa School of Music as a violin instructor and at Brass Bell Music Store in the Education Department.

Additional Langauges:

Ukrainian


Minimum Age: 8+

not Accepting new students

Alex Fisher

Alex

Alex Fisher has been a dedicated and passionate violinist and violist for eleven years, and has been teaching private lessons in both instruments for five years. He is currently attending the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee for pre-medicine and psychology with the intention of becoming a psychiatrist, but still maintains a large focus on performing and teaching. In earlier years, he was a member of the local Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra for seven years and performed in the Senior Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra ensembles, through which he toured in Ireland in the summer of 2019. He has also been a part of various string ensembles, such as the Rosewood String Quartet and Dream City Strings, through which he plays at weddings and other events.

Currently, Alex is performing as a part of the Milwaukee Philharmonic and is taking on numerous freelance performing opportunities outside of classes. He has also been credited for performances in pit orchestras for musical productions such as The Music Man, Guys & Dolls, Les Misérables, and Hello, Dolly, both as a violinist and violist. Alex’s teaching experience covers students of all ages, having taught beginning and intermediate skill levels for kids and adults. His teaching disposition emphasizes cultivating passion for music at all skill levels, and he emphasizes the importance of learning the styles and genres that each individual student is interested in, and reducing anxiety when it comes to learning and performing. Furthermore, Alex is experienced in and passionate about teaching students with various special needs. Outside of teaching, he enjoys furthering his studies, playing video games, and other musical pursuits.

Minimum age: 7+, 5+ (with parent)

NOT Accepting new students

Deanne Carloni

Deanne

Deanne Carloni grew up in a very musical family. She began playing the violin in third grade and since then her love of music has never stopped growing. Deanne Carloni graduated from UW-Whitewater with a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education, a General Music Certificate, and a Minor in Spanish. While at UW-Whitewater she was a recipient of the ASTA Student Exemplary Service Award and the Richard Gaarder Award. During her time at UW-Whitewater, Carloni served as the President of the UW-Whitewater Student ASTA Chapter, taught lessons as a part of the after school strings program, and served as String Camp Head Counselor for two summers.

Deanne Carloni currently is a member of the Wisconsin American String Teacher's Association Executive Board, serving as the Membership Coordinator. She is also a member of NAFME and has attended the Wisconsin State Music Association Conference for many years. She has taught summer Orchestra lessons and taught at the Orchestra Jumpstart Camp for young musicians in Mukwonago, she has taught K-8th grade General Music in Milwaukee, and is currently teaching middle and elementary school Orchestra (violin, viola, cello, and bass) in the Oshkosh Area School District. In Oshkosh, she has also taught summer orchestra lessons, and she started the Orchestra Jumpstart Camp for students entering 6th grade.

Deanne Carloni has been very active performing in the community through being a member of the Lake Geneva Symphony Orchestra, Concord Chamber Orchestra, Oshkosh Symphony Orchestra. She has also been a coach for the Oshkosh Youth Symphony Orchestra, and she has played in PIT Orchestras for musicals such as Singin' in the Rain, Beauty and the Beast, Les Miserables, Ragtime, Shrek the Musical, Cinderella, and Into the Woods.

Deanne Carloni is always seeking to learn more and challenge herself to be a better musician and teacher so that she can pass on her knowledge to her students. This is evident through her involvement in the Christian Howes’ Creative Strings Workshop last summer, where she attended a week long camp with an extensive emphasis on improvisation, composition, and learning music by ear in the fiddle, jazz, and rock styles. She is passionate about alternative styles and learning music from around the world. One of her favorite experiences was getting to work with internationally known fiddlers Liz Carroll and Kiana June Weber, as well as taking a composition workshop with Andy Reiner. When she is not teaching, she loves to play traditional Irish fiddle music, read, watch superhero movies, cheer for the Milwaukee Bucks, and she is a competitive ballroom dancer.

Minimum age: 8

not Accepting new students

Piano Teachers

    Sunday

  • Joe

    Monday

  • Connie
  • Kelsey
  • Teresa

    Tuesday

  • Corissa
  • Faith
  • Jesus

    Wednesday

  • Connie
  • Jack
  • Faith

    Thursday

  • Corissa
  • Jack
  • Noah
  • Joe

    Friday

  • Joe
  • Austin
  • Faith

    Saturday

  • Rachel

Audrey Ferrero

Audrey Ferrero

Audrey Ferrero is a passionate, student-centered teacher from Mequon, Wisconsin with thirteen years of formal musical experience in piano and as a mezzo-soprano. Her teaching philosophy is for students to gain personal meaning behind music making while growing in the technicalities of musicianship. Audrey is currently studying a Bachelor of Music, majoring in Choral/General Music Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Audrey is involved in various musical programs such as voice studios, UW-Madison’s Concert Choir, UW Madison Lab Choir, piano studios, UW Summer Music Clinic, musical theater casts, State Honors Treble Choir, acapella, and UW-Madison’s opera, providing the ability to connect and relate to the diverse range of student interests.

Audrey’s first love of music was found on the piano while studying with Trish Zamora for ten years before undergraduate studies. She hopes her students can find pieces that they enjoy playing and find fun to practice as they explore various genres, as she found in her learning experience. She began classical voice training with Michelle Hynson in high school, building the foundation of her repertoire in various languages and genres which furthered her studies in advanced voice under the guidance of Professor Mimmi Fulmer at UW. In addition, Audrey has experience in numerous competitions in her high school career, such as competing at the Wisconsin School Music Association (“WSMA”) Solo and Ensemble Class A division, receiving 1*’s and the highest scores at the State Festival in both Musical Theatre Solo and Classical Solo for two consecutive years, and at the National Federation of Music Clubs (“NFMC”) Piano Festival, receiving Superior Ratings for the piano solo segment for six consecutive competing years.

Audrey hopes her students find fulfillment in their music-making and discover a lifelong passion in their musicianship. She wishes to provide the foundation for musical experience in comprehension of aural and theory skills so that they may have a better understanding of musicality and composer intent through expression. She is excited to be a part of her students’ musical journey, and hopes to see you soon!

Voice: Age 10+ beginner-intermediate
Piano: Age 4+ beginner-intermediate

Accepting new students!

Virtual Lessons Only

Austin Bare

Austin Bare

Austin Bare is a classically trained tenor with a specialization of the Romantic era, especially song cycles by his favorite composer, Franz Schubert. He holds his Bachelor of Arts in Music with a focus on Vocal Performance. Austin has been performing as a soloist in the Milwaukee area since his graduation in 2019 and has been seen in various opera performances to date. His experience singing classical styles has also translated to pre-classical eras, such as the Medieval and Renaissance vocal styles he has the privilege of singing in APERI ANIMAM, a Milwaukee based early music vocal ensemble. Though he has focused on pre-modern styles in his training, Austin is an advanced vocalist in many contemporary styles such as musical theatre, jazz, and pop.

In addition to voice lessons, Austin has been teaching piano and bass lessons for over a year. His teaching style focuses on inclusivity, creativity, and the continued growth of each individual student. Every aspiring musician brings their own unique experiences to each lesson, and from there, Austin seeks to deepen the student’s passion and understanding of their chosen path. For a fresh take on all styles of music, old and new, Austin is ready to help students of all ages take their next step as proud musicians.

Minimum age: 8 (Voice), 5 (piano)

accepting new students!
*LIMITED AVAILABILITY

Connie Gordon

Connie

I am proud to be a 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.

Minimum age: 5

not Accepting new students

Corissa Vought-Carey

Corissa Vought-Carey

Corissa Vought-Carey is a soprano pursuing her masters in vocal performance at UW-Milwaukee. Prior to starting her graduate program in 2022, she directed high school vocal music ensembles and theater in Baldwin, WI. Vought-Carey performs extensively throughout the Midwest in sacred music, musical theater, jazz, and bluegrass. She has studied voice with Dr. Terrence Kelly and Dr. David Hoffman. Vought-Carey currently works as a Graduate Assistant for the UW-M PSOA voice and choral departments where she teaches classical and contemporary voice lessons and works with Alta Voce. Vought-Carey also serves as cantor at the historic Memorial United Methodist Church in Greenfield. Vought-Carey's teaching style is student-centered and strives to create a partnership of learning.

Voice: Age 8+ all skill levels
Piano: Age 7+ beginner to intermediate

Accepting new students!
*LIMITED AVAILABILITY

Faith Charbonneau

Faith Charbonneau

Faith Charbonneau grew up in a family of musicians: her parents being music teachers and her sisters loving to perform. Since she was 5 years old, singing with her family, she knew she wanted to perform and write music that people could perform and enjoy. Faith is currently a Senior at UW-Milwaukee, earning her BFA in Music Composition and Technology.

Faith has been involved with several UWM music ensembles since her Freshman Year, including the Alto Voce Ensemble, the Bella Voce Ensemble, UWM Chorale Chamber Choir, UWM Community Band, and the Steel PANthers. In addition to being proficient in Voice, Faith has been studying Piano for 13 years, and Percussion for 5 years. She has studied Piano with Dr. Margaret Otwell.

Faith hopes to integrate traditional techniques of Piano instruction while also including more popular songs that her students want to play. Faith teaches beginning to advanced students, ages 4 and older. She is thrilled to be teaching Piano, Voice, and Theory.

Minimum age: 4

Accepting new students!
*LIMITED AVAILABILITY

Jack Cavanaugh

Jack Cavanaugh

Jack Cavanaugh is a jazz pianist from the Milwaukee area. He studied classical piano for many years before discovering a love for jazz at Homestead High School in Mequon and has since focused primarily on jazz piano performance and composition.

Studying jazz under the likes of Milwaukee's own Mark Davis, Vanderbilt University's Bruce Dudley, and Grammy-award winning Brian Lynch, Jack has become a true jazz cat!

He is excited to teach piano to beginners who prefer a relaxed and easy-going teaching style, while still emphasizing the essential music theory and foundational basics required to begin one's piano adventure.

In his free time Jack enjoys running, honing his disc golf and ultimate frisbee skills, and playing monopoly with his family.

not Accepting new students

Jesus Hernandez

Jesus Hernandez

Jesus Hernandez gravitated towards performing and music at the early age of 5, and started out singing Latin American popular music, mariachi, and gospel. Currently, he is a senior at UW-Milwaukee pursuing a BFA in Versatile Voice. He actively performs in a variety of genres, such as Musical Theatre, Classical, Pop, Rock, Jazz, and more. This is reflected through Jesus’ background as a performer, which spans across of variety of genres. He has played roles in Musical Theatre productions including, Phantom of the Opera, the Hunchback of Notre Dame, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and Rent. In college, he has been in Opera productions such as Die Fledermaus and Le Nozze di Figaro and is often a featured soloist in UW-Milwaukee's new Popular Music Ensemble. He also has experience gigging in the community and sang in the Chorus for Andrea Bocelli’s Believe Tour at Fiserv Forum. Jesus loves to learn new skills every time he takes on a new project.

As an instructor, Jesus believes that open collaboration and student-focused learning is the best way to approach teaching. He uses a combination of pedagogical teaching and creative problem-solving to lead students towards success. He believes that learning how your instrument works and building your musical toolbox will set any musician up for awesomeness. He also enjoys using his skills as a pianist and ukulele player to write music in his free time

Voice: Age 5+ all skill levels
Piano: Age 5+ beginner-intermediate

Accepting new students!

Joe Nicolay

Joe

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."

accepting new students!
*LIMITED AVAILABILITY

Kelsey Snyder

Kelsey Snyder

Soprano Kelsey Snyder is a Senior Vocal Performance major (BFA) at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee and studies under Dr. Colleen Brooks. She is the recipient of the Anita Hankwitz Kastner scholarship. After finishing her degree, she hopes to be involved singing with local opera companies and running her own voice studio. Most recently, Kelsey has been involved with UWM Opera Theatre, playing Adele in Die Fledermaus (2023). Other UWM Opera Theatre credits include Scenes Program, Impossible Operas (2022), where she sung Morgana’s aria, "Tornami a Vaggegiar," from Alcina, Ensemble and Amy March (cover) in Mark Adamo's Little Women (2022), and Galatea in the 2021 Fall Scenes Program, singing "The Flocks Shall leave the Mountains," from Acis and Galatea.

Voice: Age 10+ all skill levels
Piano: Age 6+ beginner only

Accepting new students!
*Limited Availability

Noah Liermann

Noah Liermann

Noah Liermann is a bass-baritone trained in the classical, operatic, and musical theatre genres. He holds a B.M. in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy from Holy Family College (formerly Silver Lake College) and a M.M. in Vocal Performance from UW-Milwaukee.

Noah teaches voice students ages 10 and up, making sure to provide the necessary tools for a student to thrive in vocal music, including oral and aural skills. In addition to voice, Noah also teaches beginning to intermediate piano ages 5 and up.

Noah has been a part of several ensembles/classes both inside and outside of the Milwaukee area, including the UW-Milwaukee Opera Theatre program, Bach Chamber Choral, Milwaukee Symphony Chorus, and Kids From Wisconsin. Some of his recent roles include UW-Milwaukee Opera Theatre scenes from Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte and Dvořák’s Rusalka; full role performances include Antonio and Bartolo from Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, and Gideon March from Mark Adamo’s Little Women.

Voice: Age 10+ all skill levels
Piano: Age 5+, beginner to intermediate

Accepting new students!

Rachel Stanton

Rachel Stanton

Rachel Stanton is a compassionate teacher who is focused on creating a collaborative and safe atmosphere for students to explore what they love, learn new concepts, and grow their skills. She is currently entering her senior year at UW-Milwaukee perusing her BFA in Versatile Voice performance. She has been singing and performing for 10 years and has picked up piano along the way. Rachel is passionate about performing in multiple genres of music such as pop, jazz, rock, musical theater, classical, and more. She believes that each style of music can learn from one another. At UW-Milwaukee she has been involved in the Popular Music Ensemble, UWM Concert Chorale, and Opera Theater.

Rachel teaches voice students of all skill levels starting at age 5. She also is accepting beginner piano students starting at age 5. She hopes to work with each student individually, creating an environment tailored to their personal experience and learning style. In addition, she strives to help students become a well-rounded musician, this includes learning skills such as aural skills, sight reading, navigating the emotional context of a song, problem solving, and more.

Rachel is enthusiastic about helping others learn and find their passion through music. Her goal is to give students a place where they can express who they are and what they feel through music as well as navigate new challenges in a positive and collaborative environment.

Voice: Age 5+ all skill levels
Piano: Age 5+ beginner

Accepting new students!
*LIMITED AVAILABILITY

Teresa Lee

Teresa Lee

Ms. Teresa teaches classical piano, violin, and recorder, and works with students ages 5 and up. She started playing piano and violin at a very young age and has enjoyed performing music all her life.

Originally from Taiwan, Ms. Teresa moved to Texas to get her Bachelor's degree at The University of North Texas with a focus in piano. Due to her strong classical background, Ms. Teresa emphasizes proper technique and fundamentals with every student, but still likes to keep the lessons informative, entertaining, and engaging for all students.

Not Accepting new students

Electric Bass Teachers

    Sunday

    Monday

  • Medavon
  • Ariel

    Tuesday

  • Christian

    Wednesday

    Thursday

  • Christian

    Friday

    Saturday

Ariel Puig

Ariel Puig

Ariel studied at the Superior Institute of the Arts in Cuba and has over 8 years of personal teaching experience. Music specialties include: Classical, Flamenco, Pop, and Rock. He is currently studying with world renowned guitarist René Izquierdo and has performed at the Grand Theater of Havana and Joyce Theater of New York.

Minimum age: 5

Accepting new students!

Christian Porter

Christian Porter

Christian Porter grew up in a musical family setting and got involved at an early age singing in church. He continued to grow as a vocalist in middle school, high school, and all through his university years at UW-Milwaukee under the direction of Dr. Zachary Durlham. He first picked up the guitar in high school in an effort to learn to accompany himself and while studying at UWM he devoted more and more time to composition, theory, and guitar method, which led him down the path of singing and songwriting.

After completing his generals at UWM, Christian was driven to grow as a musician and sharpen his skills as a guitar player. He then pursued a music performance degree at Milwaukee Area Technical College which he completed in December 2022. While at MATC he studied guitar, performance, composition, and improvisation under the guidance of Steve Peplin and the other esteemed instructors of the MATC music department.

Christian has been singing and playing guitar and bass with several groups in the area, including: P-Freaky and the Misdemeanors (r&b, hip-hop, soul), Strup & Friends (folk, country, rock), and Modern Joey (funk, rock). He also performs his own original compositions solo as Cosmic Love Child, and with his band, Colorblind Chameleon, and is a founding member of up-and-coming Bee Gees tribute band, Night Fever.

Christian is encouraging, engaging, enthusiastic, and excited to share the joy of music with his students by giving them a better understanding of their instrument and music as a whole.

Minimum age: 7 - Guitar, Bass
Minimum age: 11 - Voice

Accepting new students!

Medavon

Medavon

Steven Savarino, aka Medavon, completed an associate degree in occupational music with a major in Guitar at MATC in 1997, where he studied with jazz legend Jack Grassel. Since then, Medavon has taught guitar, electric bass- and even beginner drums- working with hundreds of students in the greater Milwaukee area, and offering instruction in the fundmentals, theory, improvisation, composition, and audio production. Medavon has been performing, recording, and touring in his own band, Lockjaw, since the late 80s and has opened for acts like Marilyn Manson, Mudvayne, Damage Plan, Hell Yeah, KMFDM, Type O Negative, Powerman 5000, and more. In addition to performing and teaching, Medavon has also worked as a stage manager and backline tech at venues like The Rave and The Riverside Theater, managing and promoting shows for Korn, Cage the Elephant, Panic! at the Disco, Anthrax, the Offspring, and more.

Minimum age: 8

accepting new students!

Brass Teachers

    Sunday

    Monday

  • Alec

    Tuesday

  • Alec
  • Kobina

    Wednesday

  • Alec
  • Kobina

    Thursday

  • Alec
  • Kobina

    Friday

    Saturday

  • Eli
  • Jimmy

Jimmy King

Jimmy King

Originally from Whitewater, Wisconsin, Jimmy King discovered his love for the trombone at the age of 10, and by the age of 15, he was playing in big bands and jazz combos. After four years at The University of Wisconsin Whitewater, he dove into the professional music scene, quickly becoming a sought-after trombonist in southeastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois.

Amidst performing with various ensembles like The Joel Baer Big Band, Cream City Brass Band, Generation Z, and The Madison Jazz Orchestra, Jimmy discovered a new passion—teaching, and quickly embraced the challenge of something new. He is excited to continue his musical journey here at Brass Bell Music Store, inspiring the next generation of players.

Today, he stands as a jazz maestro and an inspiring educator, proving that a love for music can transcend traditional paths. Whether captivating audiences with his trombone or molding aspiring musicians, Jimmy continues to compose a unique melody in both the jazz and education spheres.

Minimum Age 8+

Accepting new students!

Alec Burke

Alec Burke

Alec Burke is an active brass teacher, performer, and composer based in the Milwaukee area. He holds a Bachelors in music education from Ball State University and a Masters in trumpet performance and chamber music from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM). While pursuing his Masters, Alec was the recipient of the UWM Trumpet Teaching Assistantship, Graduate Chancellor's Award, the UWM Koeppen-Gerlach Scholarship. Currently, Alec serves as Trumpet and Jazz and Contemporary Music faculty at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music.

A proponent of differentiated and individualized music instruction, Alec's students range from budding musicians to trumpet veterans, ages 7 to 75. He enthusiastically utilizes his professional experiences and progressive brass pedagogy to cater his teaching style to the needs of his students. Several of his adult students have been accepted into collegiate music programs or have performed in semi-professional ensembles, including the Concord Symphony Orchestra and local jazz and rock groups. Many of his younger students have won music scholarships and perform in honors ensembles including UWM's UWAY, MYSO, or the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music's Honors Jazz Ensemble. In 2021 and 2022, each of Alec's students who participated in Solo and Ensemble Contest received a rating of 1 at the District competition, and his high school students that competed in Class A received gold ratings at the State competition.

Passionate about community engagement through performance, Alec has collaborated with organizations including the Milwaukee Art Museum, Museum of Wisconsin Art, and Danceworks MKE. His mixed wind quintet, Black Cat Ensemble, frequently brings interactive educational performances to schools and community centers throughout the Midwest. Prior to moving to Wisconsin, Alec was the Education Coordinator with the Muncie Symphony Orchestra where he brought musical opportunities and educational performances to underserved communities throughout Central Indiana.

Alec is also a strong advocate for supporting living composers and commissioning new music. A few notable collaborations include Austin Melcher (Helix Bells, 2019), Steven Darling (Wasteland, 2020), Dan Langa (Freckled, 2021), and Erika Malpass (to find beauty in surviving our emotions, 2022). He is also an experienced composer and arranger. In 2021, Alec was awarded a scholarship to attend the 2021 Sō Percussion Summer Institute, and in 2023 he was invited to premiere two of his own compositions at Danceworks MKE's Get it Out There Emerging Artists Showcase. Black Cat Ensemble was also invited to collaborate with Danceworks MKE for their 2023 Small but Mighty performance.

As an orchestral musician, he has performed with ensembles including the Wisconsin Philharmonic, Kettle Moraine Symphony, and Concord Symphony Orchestra. An in-demand freelance musician, Alec has performed solo cornet with the Milwaukee Festival Brass, lead trumpet with the Chicago-based Connexion Band, and principal and lead trumpet for Milwaukee-area churches and theaters. In 2017, Alec was the Concerto Soloist for the Music for the Sake of Music Symphony Orchestra in Green Bay, WI.

In his spare time, Alec enjoys gaming, reading, and spending time with his wife Jennifer and their two cats, Gabby and Ariel.

Trumpet: Age 7+
French Horn: Age 10+
Euphonium: Age 10+
Trombone: Age 10+

not Accepting new students

Eli Drews

Eli Drews

Eli Drews grew up immersed in the performing arts of the Milwaukee area, having attended public arts schools and surrounded by a family of actors and singers. He has served as the principal horn of the UW-Milwaukee Community Orchestra, American Legion Band of Milwaukee, of the UW-Milwaukee Symphony Band. He’s also performed with the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra, UW-Milwaukee Wind Ensemble, as well as in pit orchestras for several musicals in the area.

Eli has composed works for ensembles ranging from band and orchestra to chamber groups and solo works, with compositions performed or recorded by Present Music’s Tatine String Quartet, the Cosmo Reed Quintet, and by MYSO’s Chamber Orchestra.

He has studied horn with Richard Tremarello and Gregory Flint and composition with Ron Foster, Dr. Phillip Sink, and Dr. William Heinrichs, and is currently pursuing a B.F.A in Composition and a B.F.A. in Horn Performance at UW-Milwaukee.

Mr. Drews is also a repair technician here at Brass Bell, cleaning and maintaining brass instruments.

Accepting new students!

Kobina Sampson Davis

Kobina

As a performer, Kobina always strives to push limits of eccentricity within tradition, Kobina Sampson-Davis is a vibrant trumpeter in the Los Angeles area. Kobina will earn a master's degree from the USC School of Music this spring, where he studies with LA Philharmonic principal trumpet Thomas Hooten and Grand Teton Festival Orchestra trumpet/former “The President's Own” US Marine Band member Jennifer Marotta. He frequently performs with the USC orchestra and has performed multiple concerts in Walt Disney Concert Hall. Prior to moving to LA, Kobina was a member of the Kettle Moraine Symphony trumpet section for 2 seasons, as well as being an active freelancer. He performed in numerous seasons, productions, or concerts with the Milwaukee Festival Brass, Greenfield Concert Band, UWM Graduate Brass Quintet, West Allis Players Theatre, and the Waukesha Civic Theatre. Kobina performed 2 national tours in the Drum Corps International world champion ensemble The Cadets, as well as the DCI World Class finalist ensemble, Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps. In his 2016 tour with The Cadets, Kobina was a cast member in the Fuse Network Docu-series Clash of the Corps.

Kobina's pedagogical philosophy is to be flexible in his approach to meet the variety of needs students have. His primary aims are for students to become comfortable routinely having diverse practice sessions that address weaknesses, and, to eventually be their own personal diagnostician in their practice sessions. Students will also receive help finding and learning from musical heroes and models. He taught small and large ensembles in the Oak Creek School District for 4 years and has been teaching private lessons for 4 years.

Kobina earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in music performance at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Peck School of the Arts, under the tutelage of Kevin Hartman. He also studied at the Center for Advanced Musical Studies at Chosen Vale during the summers of 2017, 2018, and 2019, with Edward Carroll, Thomas Hooten, Håkan Hardenberger, James Thompson, Clement Saunier, Pacho Flores, and many other prolific musicians.

In his spare time, Kobina enjoys the hobbies of fitness and keeping up with the incoming new wave of electric mobility.

Accepting new students!

Virtual Lessons Only

Guitar Teachers

    Sunday

    Monday

  • Ariel
  • Manuel
  • Medavon

    Tuesday

  • Christian
  • Medavon
  • Ramiro

    Wednesday

  • Isaiah
  • Jack

    Thursday

  • Christian
  • Ramiro

    Friday

  • Manuel
  • Ramiro

    Saturday

  • Ramiro

Ramiro Rubio

Ramiro Rubio

Ramiro started learning guitar at Laredo Community College under the tutelage of Dr. Cain Budds and later under Dr. Matthew Bishop, where he received an Associate’s Degree in performing arts. He then transferred to the University of Texas at Brownsville, where he studied under Dr. Michael Quantz in 2013. Ramiro has concertized with the One O’ Clock Guitar Ensemble in prestigious events and venues including the Schonbrunn Palace, the “Amerikahaus” U.S. Embassy in Vienna, Austria, Worarlberg, Austria, he also performed at the NFA Concert Series in Washington D.C., GFA Concert Series in Oklahoma City, the State Capitol in Austin, Tx., as well as had a special performance alongside the Grammy award winning artists Los Angeles Guitar Quartet. The UTB One O’ Clock Guitar Ensemble and Ramiro were also among those selected to perform in the premier of Dr. Joe Williams’, recordings of an old Alfred Hitchcock movie entitled “The Lodger”. Most recently Ramiro has performed at the Camino Artes Guitar Workshop in Carreon, Spain in 2019. He has performed in many masterclasses with artists such as Jason Vieaux, Rovshan Mamedkuiev, Anton Baranov, Stanley Yates, Rene Izquierdo and Dr. Isaac Bustos among others. Ramiro started working at a pubic high school in Brownsville, Texas and had been teaching for about 2 1/2 years. Ramiro has accepted to pursue his Master’s Degree with Rene Izquierdo at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee.

Minimum age: 7

Accepting new students!

Ariel Puig

Ariel Puig

Ariel studied at the Superior Institute of the Arts in Cuba and has over 8 years of personal teaching experience. Music specialties include: Classical, Flamenco, Pop, and Rock. He is currently studying with world renowned guitarist René Izquierdo and has performed at the Grand Theater of Havana and Joyce Theater of New York.

Minimum age: 5

Accepting new students!

Manuel Rodriguez

Manuel Rodriguez

Manuel has been passionately teaching for more than a decade. He has experience teaching all ages ranging from first graders to retirees, in group or individually. He has taught in Wisconsin for the Latino Arts Strings Program in Milwaukee, and at Maranatha Baptist University in Watertown. For two years he was the director of the guitar program at Eastwood High School in El Paso, Texas, with an average of 130 students. In ensemble work, he has conducted numerous student ensembles at a local level (for an institution) and at a district level (for ensembles composed of students from different institutions). Additionally, he has taught technique workshops, summer intensive courses, held music summer camps, and judged in local competitions. He became a Texas Education Agency (TEA) Certified teacher in 2021 and has a Bachelors of Arts in Music degree from Texas A&M University and a Masters of Music in Guitar Performance degree from The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

All skill levels, minimum age: 8

Accepting new students!

Isaiah Kitts-Lewinski

Isaiah Kitts-Lewinski

Isaiah has studied Jazz guitar with Jay Mollerskov, Peter Billmann, and Ben Dameron, as well as piano, music theory, improvisation, and ensemble playing with Neal Chandek, and he has also taken classical guitar lessons with Simon Farintosh. He is currently working towards completing a Bachelor of Arts in Music at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. Isaiah has played in several small group jazz combos at UWM, the UWM Big Band and Afro Caribbean Big Band, and the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music Latin Jazz Combo. He frequently participates in open jazz jam sessions hosted by the Milwaukee Jazz Institute, the Jazz Estate, and Jazz Unlimited, and enjoys listening to and practicing music every day of the week. Isaiah specializes in improvisational music, especially straight ahead jazz, and also teaches practical music theory as well as learning music by ear. Isaiah is excited to teach and eager to share the knowledge he has been accumulating since he began his musical journey.

Accepting new students!

Medavon

Medavon

Steven Savarino, aka Medavon, completed an associate degree in occupational music with a major in Guitar at MATC in 1997, where he studied with jazz legend Jack Grassel. Since then, Medavon has taught guitar, electric bass- and even beginner drums- working with hundreds of students in the greater Milwaukee area, and offering instruction in the fundmentals, theory, improvisation, composition, and audio production. Medavon has been performing, recording, and touring in his own band, Lockjaw, since the late 80s and has opened for acts like Marilyn Manson, Mudvayne, Damage Plan, Hell Yeah, KMFDM, Type O Negative, Powerman 5000, and more. In addition to performing and teaching, Medavon has also worked as a stage manager and backline tech at venues like The Rave and The Riverside Theater, managing and promoting shows for Korn, Cage the Elephant, Panic! at the Disco, Anthrax, the Offspring, and more.

Minimum age: 8

accepting new students!

Jack Tell

Jack

Jack is a multi instrumentalist and graduate of the UWM finger-style guitar program. Over the years Jack has played in numerous local bands of various genres including Rock, Bluegrass and Folk music. The variety of instruments in Jack's skill set include Acoustic and Electric Guitar, Banjo, Mandolin, Ukulele, Electric Bass guitar and various hand drums. He has a passion for teaching and a desire to share his musical abilities within the community.

Minimum age: 8

accepting new students!

Christian Porter

Christian Porter

Christian Porter grew up in a musical family setting and got involved at an early age singing in church. He continued to grow as a vocalist in middle school, high school, and all through his university years at UW-Milwaukee under the direction of Dr. Zachary Durlham. He first picked up the guitar in high school in an effort to learn to accompany himself and while studying at UWM he devoted more and more time to composition, theory, and guitar method, which led him down the path of singing and songwriting.

After completing his generals at UWM, Christian was driven to grow as a musician and sharpen his skills as a guitar player. He then pursued a music performance degree at Milwaukee Area Technical College which he completed in December 2022. While at MATC he studied guitar, performance, composition, and improvisation under the guidance of Steve Peplin and the other esteemed instructors of the MATC music department.

Christian has been singing and playing guitar and bass with several groups in the area, including: P-Freaky and the Misdemeanors (r&b, hip-hop, soul), Strup & Friends (folk, country, rock), and Modern Joey (funk, rock). He also performs his own original compositions solo as Cosmic Love Child, and with his band, Colorblind Chameleon, and is a founding member of up-and-coming Bee Gees tribute band, Night Fever.

Christian is encouraging, engaging, enthusiastic, and excited to share the joy of music with his students by giving them a better understanding of their instrument and music as a whole.

Minimum age: 7 - Guitar, Bass
Minimum age: 11 - Voice

Accepting new students!

Drum Teachers

  • Sunday

  • Dan
  • Monday

  • Tim
  • Tuesday

  • Dan
  • Wednesday

  • Nicholas
  • Thursday

  • Dan
  • Jeff
  • Friday

  • Saturday

Jeff Schneider

Jeff Schneider

Jeff Schneider is a professional drummer with over 30 years of teaching experience. He has performed with The Milwaukee Catholic Symphony, Menomonee Falls Symphony, and West Allis Suburban Concert Band, and previously toured the country with instrumental surf rock band The Revomatics, as well as punk rock band Ablo Diablos.

Jeff has studied with Bob Koska, Don Terkel, and Myron Strong, and possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of Rock, Jazz and Classical music. He provides a fun teaching atmosphere incorporating playing, listening and reading.

Minimum Age 8+

Accepting new students!

Nicholas Stainbrook

Nicholas Stainbrook

Nicholas Stainbrook is a Wisconsin-based percussionist, educator, and marimba soloist who recently completed a masters in marimba performance at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee.

As a freelance percussionist he played with Concord Chamber Orchestra, the Milwaukee Children's Choir, and the Racine Choral Arts Society, and was the principal percussionist and a featured xylophone soloist with the Racine Concert Band.

Nick has a wide-ranging skill set informed by the many teachers he has studied with. His first lessons were with the jazz drummer Mark Pulice, and during his time at UW-Parkside, he studied percussion with Professor Dave Bayles and music education with Professor Laura Rexroth. After completing his undergrad, Nick attended seminars at Northwestern, and marimba symposiums in New Jersey.

Nick has taught with the Kenosha Conservatory of Music working with students from kindergarten through high school on drum set and percussion, and was also a regular substitute teacher at the Wauwatosa School of Music.

As a marimbist, Nick was a student of Nancy Zeltsman at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. He has an ever expanding repertoire list and a few of his own adaptations for marimba. These adaptations include Chopin's “Nocturne in F Minor,” Brahm's “Hungarian Dance No. 5,” and Mendelssohn's “Hebrides Overture.”

Minimum age: 10

Accepting new students!

Dan Broderick

Dan

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.

Minimum age: 6 with parent

Accepting new students!

Tim Dries

Tim

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 with the Cardinal Stritch Community Orchestra. Tim enjoys playing drums with Big Style Brass Band, a group which specializes in iconic New Orleans music. Aside from teaching at Brass Bell, Tim is also the Band Director at Dominican High School in Whitefish Bay.

Minimum age: 8

not Accepting new students

Music Theory & Composition Teachers

    Sunday

    Monday

  • Alec
  • Faith

    Tuesday

  • Alec

    Wednesday

  • Alec
  • Faith

    Thursday

  • Alec

    Friday

  • Faith

    Saturday

  • Eli

Eli Drews

Eli Drews

Eli Drews grew up immersed in the performing arts of the Milwaukee area, having attended public arts schools and surrounded by a family of actors and singers. He has served as the principal horn of the UW-Milwaukee Community Orchestra, American Legion Band of Milwaukee, of the UW-Milwaukee Symphony Band. He’s also performed with the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra, UW-Milwaukee Wind Ensemble, as well as in pit orchestras for several musicals in the area.

Eli has composed works for ensembles ranging from band and orchestra to chamber groups and solo works, with compositions performed or recorded by Present Music’s Tatine String Quartet, the Cosmo Reed Quintet, and by MYSO’s Chamber Orchestra.

He has studied horn with Richard Tremarello and Gregory Flint and composition with Ron Foster, Dr. Phillip Sink, and Dr. William Heinrichs, and is currently pursuing a B.F.A in Composition and a B.F.A. in Horn Performance at UW-Milwaukee.

Mr. Drews is also a repair technician here at Brass Bell, cleaning and maintaining brass instruments.

Accepting new students!

Alec Burke

Alec Burke

Alec Burke is an active brass teacher, performer, and composer based in the Milwaukee area. He holds a Bachelors in music education from Ball State University and a Masters in trumpet performance and chamber music from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM). While pursuing his Masters, Alec was the recipient of the UWM Trumpet Teaching Assistantship, Graduate Chancellor's Award, the UWM Koeppen-Gerlach Scholarship. Currently, Alec serves as Trumpet and Jazz and Contemporary Music faculty at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music.

A proponent of differentiated and individualized music instruction, Alec's students range from budding musicians to trumpet veterans, ages 7 to 75. He enthusiastically utilizes his professional experiences and progressive brass pedagogy to cater his teaching style to the needs of his students. Several of his adult students have been accepted into collegiate music programs or have performed in semi-professional ensembles, including the Concord Symphony Orchestra and local jazz and rock groups. Many of his younger students have won music scholarships and perform in honors ensembles including UWM's UWAY, MYSO, or the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music's Honors Jazz Ensemble. In 2021 and 2022, each of Alec's students who participated in Solo and Ensemble Contest received a rating of 1 at the District competition, and his high school students that competed in Class A received gold ratings at the State competition.

Passionate about community engagement through performance, Alec has collaborated with organizations including the Milwaukee Art Museum, Museum of Wisconsin Art, and Danceworks MKE. His mixed wind quintet, Black Cat Ensemble, frequently brings interactive educational performances to schools and community centers throughout the Midwest. Prior to moving to Wisconsin, Alec was the Education Coordinator with the Muncie Symphony Orchestra where he brought musical opportunities and educational performances to underserved communities throughout Central Indiana.

Alec is also a strong advocate for supporting living composers and commissioning new music. A few notable collaborations include Austin Melcher (Helix Bells, 2019), Steven Darling (Wasteland, 2020), Dan Langa (Freckled, 2021), and Erika Malpass (to find beauty in surviving our emotions, 2022). He is also an experienced composer and arranger. In 2021, Alec was awarded a scholarship to attend the 2021 Sō Percussion Summer Institute, and in 2023 he was invited to premiere two of his own compositions at Danceworks MKE's Get it Out There Emerging Artists Showcase. Black Cat Ensemble was also invited to collaborate with Danceworks MKE for their 2023 Small but Mighty performance.

As an orchestral musician, he has performed with ensembles including the Wisconsin Philharmonic, Kettle Moraine Symphony, and Concord Symphony Orchestra. An in-demand freelance musician, Alec has performed solo cornet with the Milwaukee Festival Brass, lead trumpet with the Chicago-based Connexion Band, and principal and lead trumpet for Milwaukee-area churches and theaters. In 2017, Alec was the Concerto Soloist for the Music for the Sake of Music Symphony Orchestra in Green Bay, WI.

In his spare time, Alec enjoys gaming, reading, and spending time with his wife Jennifer and their two cats, Gabby and Ariel.

Trumpet: Age 7+
French Horn: Age 10+
Euphonium: Age 10+
Trombone: Age 10+

not Accepting new students

Faith Charbonneau

Faith Charbonneau

Faith Charbonneau grew up in a family of musicians: her parents being music teachers and her sisters loving to perform. Since she was 5 years old, singing with her family, she knew she wanted to perform and write music that people could perform and enjoy. Faith is currently a Senior at UW-Milwaukee, earning her BFA in Music Composition and Technology.

Faith has been involved with several UWM music ensembles since her Freshman Year, including the Alto Voce Ensemble, the Bella Voce Ensemble, UWM Chorale Chamber Choir, UWM Community Band, and the Steel PANthers. In addition to being proficient in Voice, Faith has been studying Piano for 13 years, and Percussion for 5 years. She has studied Piano with Dr. Margaret Otwell.

Faith hopes to integrate traditional techniques of Piano instruction while also including more popular songs that her students want to play. Faith teaches beginning to advanced students, ages 4 and older. She is thrilled to be teaching Piano, Voice, and Theory.

Minimum age: 4

Accepting new students!
*LIMITED AVAILABILITY

Ukulele & Folk Teachers

    Sunday

    Monday

  • Ariel

    Tuesday

  • Ramiro

    Wednesday

  • Jack

    Thursday

  • Ramiro

    Friday

  • Ramiro

    Saturday

  • Ramiro

Jack Tell

Jack

Jack is a multi instrumentalist and graduate of the UWM finger-style guitar program. Over the years Jack has played in numerous local bands of various genres including Rock, Bluegrass and Folk music. The variety of instruments in Jack's skill set include Acoustic and Electric Guitar, Banjo, Mandolin, Ukulele, Electric Bass guitar and various hand drums. He has a passion for teaching and a desire to share his musical abilities within the community.

Minimum age: 8

accepting new students!

Ramiro Rubio

Ramiro Rubio

Ramiro started learning guitar at Laredo Community College under the tutelage of Dr. Cain Budds and later under Dr. Matthew Bishop, where he received an Associate’s Degree in performing arts. He then transferred to the University of Texas at Brownsville, where he studied under Dr. Michael Quantz in 2013. Ramiro has concertized with the One O’ Clock Guitar Ensemble in prestigious events and venues including the Schonbrunn Palace, the “Amerikahaus” U.S. Embassy in Vienna, Austria, Worarlberg, Austria, he also performed at the NFA Concert Series in Washington D.C., GFA Concert Series in Oklahoma City, the State Capitol in Austin, Tx., as well as had a special performance alongside the Grammy award winning artists Los Angeles Guitar Quartet. The UTB One O’ Clock Guitar Ensemble and Ramiro were also among those selected to perform in the premier of Dr. Joe Williams’, recordings of an old Alfred Hitchcock movie entitled “The Lodger”. Most recently Ramiro has performed at the Camino Artes Guitar Workshop in Carreon, Spain in 2019. He has performed in many masterclasses with artists such as Jason Vieaux, Rovshan Mamedkuiev, Anton Baranov, Stanley Yates, Rene Izquierdo and Dr. Isaac Bustos among others. Ramiro started working at a pubic high school in Brownsville, Texas and had been teaching for about 2 1/2 years. Ramiro has accepted to pursue his Master’s Degree with Rene Izquierdo at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee.

Minimum age: 7

Accepting new students!

Ariel Puig

Ariel Puig

Ariel studied at the Superior Institute of the Arts in Cuba and has over 8 years of personal teaching experience. Music specialties include: Classical, Flamenco, Pop, and Rock. He is currently studying with world renowned guitarist René Izquierdo and has performed at the Grand Theater of Havana and Joyce Theater of New York.

Minimum age: 5

Accepting new students!

Voice Teachers

    Sunday

    Monday

  • Faith
  • Kelsey

    Tuesday

  • Christian
  • Corissa
  • Faith
  • Noah
  • Jesus

    Wednesday

  • Faith

    Thursday

  • Audrey
  • Christian
  • Corissa
  • Noah

    Friday

  • Austin
  • Faith

    Saturday

  • Rachel

Jesus Hernandez

Jesus Hernandez

Jesus Hernandez gravitated towards performing and music at the early age of 5, and started out singing Latin American popular music, mariachi, and gospel. Currently, he is a senior at UW-Milwaukee pursuing a BFA in Versatile Voice. He actively performs in a variety of genres, such as Musical Theatre, Classical, Pop, Rock, Jazz, and more. This is reflected through Jesus’ background as a performer, which spans across of variety of genres. He has played roles in Musical Theatre productions including, Phantom of the Opera, the Hunchback of Notre Dame, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and Rent. In college, he has been in Opera productions such as Die Fledermaus and Le Nozze di Figaro and is often a featured soloist in UW-Milwaukee's new Popular Music Ensemble. He also has experience gigging in the community and sang in the Chorus for Andrea Bocelli’s Believe Tour at Fiserv Forum. Jesus loves to learn new skills every time he takes on a new project.

As an instructor, Jesus believes that open collaboration and student-focused learning is the best way to approach teaching. He uses a combination of pedagogical teaching and creative problem-solving to lead students towards success. He believes that learning how your instrument works and building your musical toolbox will set any musician up for awesomeness. He also enjoys using his skills as a pianist and ukulele player to write music in his free time

Voice: Age 5+ all skill levels
Piano: Age 5+ beginner-intermediate

Accepting new students!

Rachel Stanton

Rachel Stanton

Rachel Stanton is a compassionate teacher who is focused on creating a collaborative and safe atmosphere for students to explore what they love, learn new concepts, and grow their skills. She is currently entering her senior year at UW-Milwaukee perusing her BFA in Versatile Voice performance. She has been singing and performing for 10 years and has picked up piano along the way. Rachel is passionate about performing in multiple genres of music such as pop, jazz, rock, musical theater, classical, and more. She believes that each style of music can learn from one another. At UW-Milwaukee she has been involved in the Popular Music Ensemble, UWM Concert Chorale, and Opera Theater.

Rachel teaches voice students of all skill levels starting at age 5. She also is accepting beginner piano students starting at age 5. She hopes to work with each student individually, creating an environment tailored to their personal experience and learning style. In addition, she strives to help students become a well-rounded musician, this includes learning skills such as aural skills, sight reading, navigating the emotional context of a song, problem solving, and more.

Rachel is enthusiastic about helping others learn and find their passion through music. Her goal is to give students a place where they can express who they are and what they feel through music as well as navigate new challenges in a positive and collaborative environment.

Voice: Age 5+ all skill levels
Piano: Age 5+ beginner

Accepting new students!
*LIMITED AVAILABILITY

Kelsey Snyder

Kelsey Snyder

Soprano Kelsey Snyder is a Senior Vocal Performance major (BFA) at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee and studies under Dr. Colleen Brooks. She is the recipient of the Anita Hankwitz Kastner scholarship. After finishing her degree, she hopes to be involved singing with local opera companies and running her own voice studio. Most recently, Kelsey has been involved with UWM Opera Theatre, playing Adele in Die Fledermaus (2023). Other UWM Opera Theatre credits include Scenes Program, Impossible Operas (2022), where she sung Morgana’s aria, "Tornami a Vaggegiar," from Alcina, Ensemble and Amy March (cover) in Mark Adamo's Little Women (2022), and Galatea in the 2021 Fall Scenes Program, singing "The Flocks Shall leave the Mountains," from Acis and Galatea.

Voice: Age 10+ all skill levels
Piano: Age 6+ beginner only

Accepting new students!
*Limited Availability

Austin Bare

Austin Bare

Austin Bare is a classically trained tenor with a specialization of the Romantic era, especially song cycles by his favorite composer, Franz Schubert. He holds his Bachelor of Arts in Music with a focus on Vocal Performance. Austin has been performing as a soloist in the Milwaukee area since his graduation in 2019 and has been seen in various opera performances to date. His experience singing classical styles has also translated to pre-classical eras, such as the Medieval and Renaissance vocal styles he has the privilege of singing in APERI ANIMAM, a Milwaukee based early music vocal ensemble. Though he has focused on pre-modern styles in his training, Austin is an advanced vocalist in many contemporary styles such as musical theatre, jazz, and pop.

In addition to voice lessons, Austin has been teaching piano and bass lessons for over a year. His teaching style focuses on inclusivity, creativity, and the continued growth of each individual student. Every aspiring musician brings their own unique experiences to each lesson, and from there, Austin seeks to deepen the student’s passion and understanding of their chosen path. For a fresh take on all styles of music, old and new, Austin is ready to help students of all ages take their next step as proud musicians.

Minimum age: 8 (Voice), 5 (piano)

accepting new students!
*LIMITED AVAILABILITY

Corissa Vought-Carey

Corissa Vought-Carey

Corissa Vought-Carey is a soprano pursuing her masters in vocal performance at UW-Milwaukee. Prior to starting her graduate program in 2022, she directed high school vocal music ensembles and theater in Baldwin, WI. Vought-Carey performs extensively throughout the Midwest in sacred music, musical theater, jazz, and bluegrass. She has studied voice with Dr. Terrence Kelly and Dr. David Hoffman. Vought-Carey currently works as a Graduate Assistant for the UW-M PSOA voice and choral departments where she teaches classical and contemporary voice lessons and works with Alta Voce. Vought-Carey also serves as cantor at the historic Memorial United Methodist Church in Greenfield. Vought-Carey's teaching style is student-centered and strives to create a partnership of learning.

Voice: Age 8+ all skill levels
Piano: Age 7+ beginner to intermediate

Accepting new students!
*LIMITED AVAILABILITY

Faith Charbonneau

Faith Charbonneau

Faith Charbonneau grew up in a family of musicians: her parents being music teachers and her sisters loving to perform. Since she was 5 years old, singing with her family, she knew she wanted to perform and write music that people could perform and enjoy. Faith is currently a Senior at UW-Milwaukee, earning her BFA in Music Composition and Technology.

Faith has been involved with several UWM music ensembles since her Freshman Year, including the Alto Voce Ensemble, the Bella Voce Ensemble, UWM Chorale Chamber Choir, UWM Community Band, and the Steel PANthers. In addition to being proficient in Voice, Faith has been studying Piano for 13 years, and Percussion for 5 years. She has studied Piano with Dr. Margaret Otwell.

Faith hopes to integrate traditional techniques of Piano instruction while also including more popular songs that her students want to play. Faith teaches beginning to advanced students, ages 4 and older. She is thrilled to be teaching Piano, Voice, and Theory.

Minimum age: 4

Accepting new students!
*LIMITED AVAILABILITY

Noah Liermann

Noah Liermann

Noah Liermann is a bass-baritone trained in the classical, operatic, and musical theatre genres. He holds a B.M. in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy from Holy Family College (formerly Silver Lake College) and a M.M. in Vocal Performance from UW-Milwaukee.

Noah teaches voice students ages 10 and up, making sure to provide the necessary tools for a student to thrive in vocal music, including oral and aural skills. In addition to voice, Noah also teaches beginning to intermediate piano ages 5 and up.

Noah has been a part of several ensembles/classes both inside and outside of the Milwaukee area, including the UW-Milwaukee Opera Theatre program, Bach Chamber Choral, Milwaukee Symphony Chorus, and Kids From Wisconsin. Some of his recent roles include UW-Milwaukee Opera Theatre scenes from Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte and Dvořák’s Rusalka; full role performances include Antonio and Bartolo from Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, and Gideon March from Mark Adamo’s Little Women.

Voice: Age 10+ all skill levels
Piano: Age 5+, beginner to intermediate

Accepting new students!

Audrey Ferrero

Audrey Ferrero

Audrey Ferrero is a passionate, student-centered teacher from Mequon, Wisconsin with thirteen years of formal musical experience in piano and as a mezzo-soprano. Her teaching philosophy is for students to gain personal meaning behind music making while growing in the technicalities of musicianship. Audrey is currently studying a Bachelor of Music, majoring in Choral/General Music Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Audrey is involved in various musical programs such as voice studios, UW-Madison’s Concert Choir, UW Madison Lab Choir, piano studios, UW Summer Music Clinic, musical theater casts, State Honors Treble Choir, acapella, and UW-Madison’s opera, providing the ability to connect and relate to the diverse range of student interests.

Audrey’s first love of music was found on the piano while studying with Trish Zamora for ten years before undergraduate studies. She hopes her students can find pieces that they enjoy playing and find fun to practice as they explore various genres, as she found in her learning experience. She began classical voice training with Michelle Hynson in high school, building the foundation of her repertoire in various languages and genres which furthered her studies in advanced voice under the guidance of Professor Mimmi Fulmer at UW. In addition, Audrey has experience in numerous competitions in her high school career, such as competing at the Wisconsin School Music Association (“WSMA”) Solo and Ensemble Class A division, receiving 1*’s and the highest scores at the State Festival in both Musical Theatre Solo and Classical Solo for two consecutive years, and at the National Federation of Music Clubs (“NFMC”) Piano Festival, receiving Superior Ratings for the piano solo segment for six consecutive competing years.

Audrey hopes her students find fulfillment in their music-making and discover a lifelong passion in their musicianship. She wishes to provide the foundation for musical experience in comprehension of aural and theory skills so that they may have a better understanding of musicality and composer intent through expression. She is excited to be a part of her students’ musical journey, and hopes to see you soon!

Voice: Age 10+ beginner-intermediate
Piano: Age 4+ beginner-intermediate

Accepting new students!

Virtual Lessons Only

Christian Porter

Christian Porter

Christian Porter grew up in a musical family setting and got involved at an early age singing in church. He continued to grow as a vocalist in middle school, high school, and all through his university years at UW-Milwaukee under the direction of Dr. Zachary Durlham. He first picked up the guitar in high school in an effort to learn to accompany himself and while studying at UWM he devoted more and more time to composition, theory, and guitar method, which led him down the path of singing and songwriting.

After completing his generals at UWM, Christian was driven to grow as a musician and sharpen his skills as a guitar player. He then pursued a music performance degree at Milwaukee Area Technical College which he completed in December 2022. While at MATC he studied guitar, performance, composition, and improvisation under the guidance of Steve Peplin and the other esteemed instructors of the MATC music department.

Christian has been singing and playing guitar and bass with several groups in the area, including: P-Freaky and the Misdemeanors (r&b, hip-hop, soul), Strup & Friends (folk, country, rock), and Modern Joey (funk, rock). He also performs his own original compositions solo as Cosmic Love Child, and with his band, Colorblind Chameleon, and is a founding member of up-and-coming Bee Gees tribute band, Night Fever.

Christian is encouraging, engaging, enthusiastic, and excited to share the joy of music with his students by giving them a better understanding of their instrument and music as a whole.

Minimum age: 7 - Guitar, Bass
Minimum age: 11 - Voice

Accepting new students!

Woodwind Teachers

    Sunday

  • Julia

    Monday

  • Teresa

    Tuesday

  • Casimir
  • Jennifer

    Wednesday

  • Jennifer

    Thursday

    Friday

    Saturday

  • Casimir
  • Julia

Casimir Riley

Casimir Riley

Casimir Riley is an active performer and teacher in the Milwaukee and surrounding areas. While specializing in saxophone, he has experience in a wide range of musical instruments such as clarinet, flute, piano, and more. He has received multiple scholarships in both classical and jazz categories while in high school, including the Civic Music Jazz award, as well as the Jazz Unlimited Best Reed Player award two years in a row. Casimir currently performs with many groups around Milwaukee including fusion/funk group Cosmic Endeavors, funk band Soul Speed, and New Orleans R&B/ 50s swing band The Hungry Williams. He has also played with notable musicians such as Adam Neely, Darius Rucker, and Dan Nimmer. His experience has cultivated an informative and inspired outlook on music which he brings to the classroom, and to his own performances.

Saxophone: Age 7+ all skill levels
Flute: Age 7+ beginner-intermediate
Clarinet: Age 7+ beginner-intermediate

Accepting new students!

Julia Lewandowski

Julia Lewandowski

Originally from the South Side of Milwaukee, Julia Lewandowski attended Greendale Schools where she was heavily involved in jazz ensemble, pit orchestra, marching band, and choir. After high school, she went on tour with the Kids from Wisconsin, played in pit orchestras for the Menominee Falls Patio Players, Waukesha Civic Theater, Lakeside Players of Kenosha, Madison College, she joined her current rock/blues group Wonderful Bluffer, and participated in various ensembles during her time at UW-Milwaukee. Earning a degree in Journalism, Advertising, and Media Studies with a minor in Music, Julia has worked for non-profit arts organizations such as The American Theatre Guild in Kansas City, Skylight Music Theatre, the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, and the Chicago Cultural Alliance in marketing and development for the last five years. As a saxophone player, she has taken lessons with Curt Hanrahan, Aaron Gardner, and Dr. Nicki Roman.

Julia is currently enrolled at UW-Parkside to complete a post-baccalaureate program in Performance and Jazz Studies where she will be studying with trumpeter Russ Johnson and saxophonist Jon Irabagon. For more information, please visit julialewmusic.com.

Accepting new students!

Jennifer Burke

Jennifer Burke

Jennifer Burke is a collaborative flutist and educator based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Described as a “breakout flutist” by Danceworks Inc., Jennifer has a passion for sharing musical experiences within local communities in solo and chamber settings. Recent projects include performing at the Sō Percussion Summer Institute and facilitating MOVE MKE, a cross-curricular fundraiser recital featuring flute and dance.

Jennifer has a great passion for community involvement, having previously taught bucket drumming, storybook performance presentations, and non-traditional composition classes through after-school programs such as Girls Inc. in Indianapolis, Boys and Girls Clubs, and the Muncie Symphony Orchestra in Muncie, Indiana.

Along with being a solo artist and teacher, Jennifer performs with the Black Cat Ensemble, and Microcosm Ensemble with co-artist and spouse Alec Burke. In addition to Brass Bell Music Store, Jennifer is an avid teacher in the Milwaukee area at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music and Brookfield Academy. Jennifer is a member of the Chicago Flute Club, President of the Flute Player's Guild at UW-Milwaukee, and is certified in Every Child Can through the Suzuki Association. Jennifer received a B.S. in Music Education from Ball State University in 2017, and a double M.M. Degree in Flute Performance and Chamber Performance at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Minimum age: 5

Accepting new students!

Teresa Lee

Teresa Lee

Ms. Teresa teaches classical piano, violin, and recorder, and works with students ages 5 and up. She started playing piano and violin at a very young age and has enjoyed performing music all her life.

Originally from Taiwan, Ms. Teresa moved to Texas to get her Bachelor's degree at The University of North Texas with a focus in piano. Due to her strong classical background, Ms. Teresa emphasizes proper technique and fundamentals with every student, but still likes to keep the lessons informative, entertaining, and engaging for all students.

Not Accepting new students

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