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ABOUT OUR TEACHERS
We have the finest staff of teachers, combining both educational and professional experience. Our knowledgable and experienced teachers have come from The Hartt School of Music, Yale School of Music, Western Ct, Southern Ct, and Quinnipiac Universities. Most of our teachers are presently preforming in the regional music scene. We teach all levels of learning abilities from the gifted to the challenged, and all in between. We teach all ages, from the preschooler to the senior citizen! They work closely with each individual student, at the student's pace, to provide quality instruction. Come join in!
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Polina received her Bachelor of Music degree from Wesleyan University in 2006. She did graduate work at the University of Hartford, Hartt School of Music where she received a Master of Music History with Performance Practice Emphasis degree in 2010. Currently she is enrolled at Central Connecticut State University where she is pursuing music teacher certification. Polina has extensive teaching experience. Having taken a piano pedagogy class at the Neighborhood Music School, she has been giving piano lessons since 2007. She has also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Hartford where she taught “Introduction to Music” to undergraduates for several semesters. |
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Ken has been on the music scene since the mid 70's leading the very popular bands "Made in the Shade", "Full House", and "Elm City Blues Project". As a member of the DW Armstrong Rent Party, Ken arranged and played on both CD's showing his versatitly on both guitar and harp. In early 2001, they were chosen as CT's best blues band and traveled to Memphis for the National competition. He has hosted both the Foundry Blues Jam in the 80's and up until 2009 the Sunday Night Blues at Cafe 9. Ken is an accomplished musician and arranger, and has also played drums and saxophone professionally.
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Emily Chao, originally from Edison, NJ, made her solo debut at age 12, performing Bach's Double Concerto with the Union Symphony Orchestra in Union, NJ. A year later, she returned for another performance with the USO of the Kabalevsky Violin Concerto. Emily currently holds Bachelors and Masters degrees from New England Conservatory, where she served as a graduate student teaching assistant for her teacher James Buswell. She expects to receive her DMA from Boston University in 2012, where she also served as teaching assistant for her teacher Lynn Chang. As first violinist of the Iris Quartet, Emily has given recitals at various venues in Boston, Atlanta, and Park City, UT. The quartet was invited in 2011 to the Emerging Quartets and Composers Program in Deer Valley, UT, where Emily coached chamber music at the nearby Lyceum Music Festival for high school students. Emily has been giving private lessons since 2006, teaching students of all ages and levels. |
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Nick attended Western Connecticut State University in 1999 where he majored in jazz performance (drum set) under the tutelage of Jeff Siegel. Nick has performed with all types of projects from The Big Crazy Energy Band (big band jazz/fusion), Vurse1 (hip-hop), Feel Theory (rock/jam band. Currently he performs regularly with Closed Till Dark (r&b/neo-soul/pop), recording sessions with Michael Chenkus (pop/rock/country), community theatre groups and numerous free-lance jazz gigs. In addition to all of this, Nick also spends a lot of time working on his compositions which also cover the same broad range of styles. D'Errico looks forward to his future in music and to all of the obstacles and knowledge he has yet to come across. He is currently a member of the Vic Firth Educational Team (PDT) (www.vicfirth.com) and is available for clinics and master classes throughout the state. |
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Jennifer teaches voice, woodwinds, brass, strings and piano. She graduated with honors from Western Connecticut State University with a bachelor's degree in Music Education. Jennifer performs throughout the region with the Connecticut Choral Society and various orchestras and symphonic bands. She is a member of the Connecticut Music Educators Association and in her spare time is completing her Master's degree. |
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Kathleen was born into a musical family and as a result became involved in music at a young age. During her high school years she had been involved in many ensembles including principal flutist of Wallkill Senior High School's Wind Ensemble, Chamber Winds, All-County, and Area All-State. She began free-lance teaching during the age of 2005. In 2007 she attended the College of Saint Rose in Albany, NY for Music Education. During that time, Kathleen was fortunate to perform with a very wide variety of ensembles. She also participated in Master Classes with very accomplished performers including Linda Chesis of Manhattan School of Music, Elizabeth Rowe of the Boston Symphony, Jeffrey Khaner of the Philadelphia Symphony, and Michael Parloff of the Metropolitan Opera. Kathleen received her Bachelor's of Science in Music Education from The College of Saint Rose in Albany, NY in May of 2011. As an instructor, Kathleen finds her strongest focus to be on inspiring her students. She enjoys creating the desire to learn and helping her students along the path of musical success, no matter what their goal. |
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Eric Spoldi currently resides in his hometown, West Haven, CT, where he recently spent a year teaching Elementary Band in the West Haven Public Schools. Eric studied double bass under Dave Ruffles and received a BS in Music Education from Western Connecticut State University in 2009. Eric is an experienced performer in both the clasical and jazz idioms, having spent time in a multitude of performance ensembles. In addition to his experience with different performance styles, Eric also teaches a variety of musical instruments, including strings, brass, woodwinds, and piano. Eric is a member of the Randy Kemp Trio and also gigs professionally with pit orchestras. Eric's calm and patient manner of teaching allows him to work at a pace appropriate for each individual student. Eric has been with Family Music Center since June of 2009. |
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Kristin O’Connor teaches percussion and beginning piano. She has studied percussion with Ben Toth, Director of Percussion at the Hartt School, Josh Ryan at Baldwin-Wallace College Music Conservatory, where she also studied piano as a secondary instrument, and is currently a Music Education student at Western Connecticut State University where she studies with David Smith and Pat Smith, both members of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra. Kristin was a percussion teacher in the New Horizons Band in Berea, Ohio and in nearby marching bands in Connecticut, and also tutors ear training and music theory at WCSU. Kristin has performed in collegiate level ensembles in timpani and percussion, bassoon, recorder, and voice. Her other experience with instruments includes playing the carillon at St. James’s Church and the Canterbury School, and playing and arranging music for hand bells. Overall, Kristin is passionate about helping students to achieve a well-rounded, enriching music education. |
