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Private Instruction Faculty
Listed by Instrument
 

Cello

Christopher White
  M.M. in Performance, Ithaca College. A classical and jazz cellist, Chris has released two solo CDs and has played on recordings by other artists. He is a member of the Binghamton Symphony and the director of the international New Directions Cello Association and Festival, now in its 12th year.

Clarinet

Lenora Brown Schneller
  B.A. Sarah Lawrence College. M.M. and Artists Diploma, Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. Active performer of solo, chamber, and orchestral music, playing with the Louisville Opera, Starling Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Chamber Players, and Cornell Contemporary Chamber Players. Recent benefit recital in Amman, Jordan. Founding member of local new music group, Tabula Rasa.

Electric Bass

Nick Bullock
  see listing under Guitar
Sean Kobuk Kennedy
  see listing under Guitar

Fiddle

Joseph Prusch
  see listing under Violin

Flute

Lisa Craig Fenwick
  Holds a degree in music performance in flute from Boston University's School for the Arts. She has worked as an adjuct professor of music at SUNY Cortland and has performed flute with many local groups including the Elmira Symphony. Lisa has maintained a private flute studio for over 25 years and has taught Kindermusik and run Kindermusik of Ithaca for the past 10 years. Lisa also plays both celtic and pedal harp and performs with the harp ensemble, Harps on the Susquehanna in the Binghamton area as well a harp circle in Syracuse area. Lisa is also currently a student in the national MHTP (Music, Healing and Transitioni Program)where she is learning how to play music to help ease those in pain.

Guitar

Nick Bullock
  B. M. in Jazz Studies, Ithaca College. Plays professionally, locally and regionally. Principal teachers include Steve Brown, Bob Sneider (Eastman School of Music) and John Stowell. Five years teaching experience.
Sean Kobuk Kennedy
  B.A. in Music, Hampshire College, Amherst MA. 20 years performing experience in Boston, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and Seattle, playing rock, folk, reggae, blues and country. Original CD to be released in fall, 2004. Five years teaching experience.
Jan Nigro
  Majored in music at Hunter College, NYC. Over 25 years guitar teaching experience in folk, blues and pop styles. Songwriter for and co-founder of VITAMIN L, a nationally acclaimed local young people's chorus. He has also written songs for Disney and National Geographic. In addition, he is the founder of and musical director for Mostly Motown and currently a composer in residence for Hangar Theater's Project 4.

Percussion

Caryn Christianson - Percussion & Marimba
  B.A. Music Education, Syracuse University. Active local performer. Over ten years teaching experience in classical, rock and jazz.
Steve Reichlin - Drums & Percussion
  B.M. in Jazz Studies, Ithaca College. Teaches all styles of drum-set and percussion. Recorded and performed in various groups including: The Louisiana Philharmonic, George Porter, and Chubby Carrier. Studied with John Vidacovich, Gordon Stout, Steve Houghton, and attended The Henry Mancini Institute. Has been teaching since 1996.
Michael Wellen - Drums & Percussion
  Studied percussion at the University of Buffalo and performed with the university's Percussion Ensemble under the direction of Jan Williams. Founding member of the infamous Zobo Funn Band. More than 30 years professional performing experience playing Jazz, Rock, Latin and other styles. Owned and operated Hillcrest Productions, a small recording studio. Has taught at CSMA for over 20 years.

Piano

Orn Banternghansa
  Received a Bachelor's degree with a double major in Piano Performance and Composition from the University of Miami. As a recipient of a Collaborative Piano Graduate Award, she earned a Masters Degree in Piano Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Music Arts degree, studying with Professor Rebecca Penneys. She has been the recipient of many awards including second prize at the Bradshaw Buono International Piano Competition, second prize at the Centre for the Arts at Mizner Park's Scholarship Competition in Boca Raton, Florida, and winner at the Salzburg College's summer program piano competition in Austria.
Amy Opperman Cash
  B.A. Piano, Ithaca College. Attended High School of Music and Art, NYC. Studied with Kendall Taylor in London, England. Over twenty years teaching experience.
Lori Marion
  B.S. in Piano Performance, Magna Cum Laude, Roberts Wesleyan College, Rochester, NY. Over 5 years private and group piano teaching experience.
Christopher Morgan Loy
  D.M.A. in Music Composition, Cornell University. M.M. in Music Composition, Cleveland Institute of Music; B.M. in Piano Performance, Wayne State University. Active and extensive performer; solo recital, chamber, composer/pianist series. 20 years teaching experience.
Molly MacMillan
  Molly MacMillan is a well known musician living in Ithaca, NY. She has been a featured pianist at the Sacramento Jubilee Traditional Jazz festival, performing there also with the Lowdown Alligator Jass Band, as well as other jazz festivals including Ottawa, Montreal, Buffalo and the Thousand Islands, and Corning's Crystal City jazz festival. Ms. MacMillan plays a beautiful piano, both with her tasteful "comping" and her very melodic solos. She is also a vocalist of uncanny agility with a light, mellow sound. Molly has been involved in workshops with Marion McPartland and Dr. Billy Taylor. She has traveled and recorded with such diverse groups as The Hot Foot Club (swing band), the Molly MacMillan Trio, and cabaret acts with Margaret Wakely, and with Richard Driscoll. She has recorded CD's with various artists including the Trio and the HotFoot Club, and is the producer of several CD's by the children's artist Mrs. McPuppet.
Karen Melamed Smith
  B.M., Piano Performance, University of Southern California. M.A. Liberal Studies, concentration in Philosophy and the Arts, New School for Social Research. Provisional certification in elementary education, SUNY Cortland. Over 20 years teaching experience including piano, music and movement, and various music theory and appreciation courses.
Jonathan Petronzio
  B.A., Music Education, Ithaca College. Is trained in both classical and jazz piano and currently specializes in jazz, rock, blues and ragtime styles. Active performer, currently accompanying and directing the local multicultural choir, VOICES, as well as touring nationwide with his band. Over five years prior teaching experience.
Dave Streater
  B.M. in Piano Performance, Cleveland Institute of Music. M.M. in composition, SUNY, Binghamton. Graduate work in mathematics. Active local jazz and classical performer and composer.

Recorder

Jennifer Lawrence Birnbaum
  B.A. in Music Education, concentration in voice, Ithaca College. M.A. in Ethnomusicology and Music Education, Teachers College, Columbia University. Tenured music teacher and choral director, Little Red School House and Elisabeth Irwin H.S., New York, NY.

Saxophone

Joseph Ford
  B.A. in Music Education, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA. Current graduate studies, Ithaca College. Experienced performer in jazz, rock and classical styles. Over 7 years varied teaching experience.

Trombone


Violin & Viola

Augusto Diemecke - Violin
  Student of Fredel Lack and graduate of University of Houston School of Music and Ithaca Suzuki Institute. M.M. in Violin Performance. Has performed with the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra and Lake Charles Symphony Orchestra. Active performer: solo, orchestra, chamber music; co-founder of Finger Lakes Strings. Over 15 years teaching experience.
William Hurley - Violin
  M.A. in Violin Performance, Ithaca College. B.A. in Violin Performance, University of South Carolina. Member of Augusta Symphony, Mercersburg Area Orchestra, Cumberland Valley Chamber Players and other ensembles. Over 6 years prior teaching experience.
Joseph Prusch - Violin / Viola / Fiddle
  Fifth-year at Ithaca College, majoring in Viola Performance and Education. Experienced performer in Rock, Folk, Traditional, Historical and Classical music. Former Baroque violist with Les Petits Violons du Cornell. Currently plays with the Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes, the Cornell University Middle Eastern Ensemble, the Blue Sky Mission Club, the Urban Horse Thieves, and the 77th NY Regimental Balladeers. Seven years teaching experience.

Voice

Doreen Kelly Alsen
  M.M. in vocal performance, Ithaca College. 20 years teaching experience. Taught Musical Theater at the University of Trier in Germany.
Thom Baker
Active soloist in Ithaca, New York City and nationwide. Long affiliations with several professional ensembles, including Musica Sacra, Voices of Ascension, AmorArtis and the Grammy-nominated a capella ensemble, Pomerium. Seven years prior teaching experience. Also teaches in Cornell's Vocal Coaching Program. Available for parties.
Sharon Costianes
  B.M. in Music, Vocal Performance emphasis combined with sociology. Currently pursuing teacher and practitioner certification in the Feldenkrais Method. Current member of the Cayuga Vocal Ensemble. Four years prior teaching experience of both individuals and groups.
Elisa Sciscioli
  B.M., Vocal Performance and Music Education, Ithaca College. Former member of IC's College Choir, Women's Chorale and Vocal Jazz ensembles. Performances with the Ithaca Opera Company, Syracuse Opera Company and Syracuse Symphony Orchestra. Prior pre-K, elementary and high school teaching experience. Currently singing with local classic R&B band, The Destination.