Lessons at their BEST

meet our instructors....

Violin, Viola & Cello
- Myra Drean

Myra Drean is a current member of the Warren Symphony, the Pontiac / Oakland Symphony, the Plymouth Symphony, the Canton Orchestra, the Livonia Symphony and is concertmaster of the Lake St. Clair Symphony.  Educated at Interlochen Arts Academy, she received a full music scholarship to the University of Michigan and later also studied at Wayne State University.

Myra Drean spent summers playing the Lake George Opera Festival in upstate New York and also attended summer sessions at the world renown Meadowmount string school also in upstate New York. She is insightful and teaches "the individual", structuring her style toward each student as to their need.

Guitar & Bass Guitar
- Bill Makela

Hello. My name is Bill Makela. I have been teaching students to play the guitar for over 7 years.  In addition to teaching, I write and perform my own music, and I specialize in playing and teaching many genres of music including rock, pop, country, blues, jazz and classical. I can also teach bass guitar and violin.

Styles and techniques: Finger-picking and strumming for folk, classical, bluegrass, and jazz.  Lead guitar for blues, rock, jazz and country.  Slide guitar for bluegrass, country, blues, and rock.  I also teach songwriting techniques for most styles and can help with writing intros, chord progressions, leads as well as helping students learn some of their favorite band or artist’s music. Education: Musician’s Institute, Hollywood California

Piano
- Eric Dombrowski

Eric Dombrowski, a native of Cooperstown, NY, received his Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music (University of Rochester), studying primary organ with David Higgs and organ improvisation and harpsichord with William Porter.  He earned his Masters of Music at the Jacobs School of Music (Indiana University), studying organ with Dr. Larry Smith.

He as won numerous prizes including first prize in the 2004 Wells Competition for Young Organists in Lubbock, TX, second prize in the 2005 American Guild of Organists Region II competition and second prize in the 2001 Louise de Feo Parillo piano competition, hosted by the Schenectady Symphony Orchestra.  In 2004, he participated in the International School of Young Organists at Oundle in the United Kingdom, studying with David Sanger, Hans-Ola Ericsson, and Thomas Trotter.  He has given numerous concerts throughout the US, Canada, and the UK including venues such as Guilford and Chester Cathedrals (UK); Slee Hall, SUNY Buffalo;  St. James Cathedral, Toronto; and St. Philips Cathedral, Atlanta, GA.  Mr. Dombrowski currently serves as Associate Organist at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Detroit.

Drums
- Roland Colonna

Greetings, my name is Roland Colonna.  I have playing drums since the age of 12, learning all styles from rock, jazz, funk, hip-hop, country, and metal.

Currently performing with the Detroit Pistons Drumline, I have a very strong rudimental percussion backround.  I have performed national solos at PASIC (Percussive Arts Society International Convention) in 2001, 2002, and 2003.  I also received first place at the MCGC 2004 State Tenor Competition. 

With a degree in Music and Audio Production, I am forced to learn the ins and outs of all styles and this is what I can pass on to you.

Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Oboe, Piano & Voice
- Michael Rosen

Michael graduated from Michigan State University earning his teaching certificate and a degree in music education in May of 2007.  Michael specializes in performing and teaching Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Oboe, Voice and Piano.  Michael has performed in Grand Lake Colorado with the Rocky Mountain Repertory Theater, in New York City at John Jay College, and at various venues in Michigan.  Michael did his student teaching in band at St. Johns middle school where he did everything from private lessons to teaching classes of fifty or more students.  Michael studied with Richard Sherman and Andre Pidkivka during his studies at MSU.  Currently Michael conducts, composes for and performs with the Shaarey Zedek youth ensemble in addition to teaching privately.

Quotes:

Sarah, a flute player and member of the youth ensemble says, “Michael is such an awesome teacher and musician.  I always look forward to Sunday youth band because I know that I’ll have fun learning and playing music with him.”

Kara says, “I learn so much from him just by listening to him play.  I didn’t know what a Saxophone was really supposed to sound like until I heard him play it."

Josh says, “Mr. Rosen is a great teacher and has been a big inspiration to me.  Having him as a teacher has made me want to become a band director when I grow up.”

Drums, Congas, Bongos & Harmonica
- Nicholas Joseph

Nicholas Joseph graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Ethnomusicology. Focusing on the impact West African drum traditions had on the music’s and cultures of the Caribbean basin and in turn how this music and playing has spread, greatly influencing contemporary American music.

He has been playing percussion professionally for the last six years and has performed across the country as well as internationally. He has been instructing students for the last five years in both Michigan and Chicago.

Instruments of Instruction
Drum Kit & Harmonica, USA            Congas & Bongos, Cuba
Timbales, Puerto Rico                     Tabla, India
Djembe, West Africa                        Cajon & Pandiero, Brazil

Upright & Electric Bass
- Tony Suhy

Tony Suhy has over 30 years of successful experience as an Acoustic and Electric bassist performing with various artists which includes more than 3 years of touring to regional, national or international destinations.

Recording credits include album or CD releases for both local and national artists as well as a variety of commercial media soundtracks. Tony is currently performing as an Upright or Electric Bassist and occasional Vocalist with Detroit area musical groups which include; The Lynn LaPlante Septet (Latin jazz), King Sweat (R&B / variety), King Suite Trio (jazz), Josh White Jr. (folk), Charlie Latimer Trio (folk),

The Tim Hewitt Group (variety), and local churches. Whether a new student is interested in “getting started” or “switching over instruments”, Tony offers private Bass Instruction with an emphasis on establishing good technique to help guide through the various levels of Upright or Electric Bass performance.

Guitar
- Andrew Schwartzenberger

Hi, my name is Andrew Schwartzenberger. I have been playing guitar for over 10 years now, and have spent more than seven of those years playing in bands, and performing all over the metro Detroit area.

Over the years I've learned many styles, which include progressive rock, rock, metal, "tech" metal, blues, alternative, and some jazz.  I love sharing all of the knowledge I have learned and continue to learn. Playing with many different musicians over the years have expanded my horizons and continue to push me to be the best musician I can be. I plan on furthering my studies at Wayne State University this coming winter.

Piano
- Richard Cromwell

Richard Cromwell has studied the piano for 27 years, beginning his formal study at the age of 5.  He grew up playing classical and soon after graduating from high school started to gravitate towards the idioms of jazz and improvisation.  He has studied jazz theory, composition and performance at the Recording Institute of Detroit and Wayne State University as well as privately with many of Detroit’s top professional pianists.  Currently, Richard performs around the Detroit-area with his jazz trio accompanying various singers and instrumental soloists.  In 2007 Richard performed in New York City at the prestigious “Fazioli Piano Salon”, and in 2006 he played a series of concerts throughout the Kansai region of Japan performing solo jazz piano and accompanying an Okinawan folk singer. For the past decade Richard has worked exclusively in the piano industry starting as an award winning consultant for Michigan’s exclusive dealer for the Steinway & Sons piano, to the present, where in addition to performing, teaching and recording he works as a concert level piano technician and rebuilder that has tuned and prepped pianos for many international platinum recording artists and hundreds of private clients.

Richard considers it critical to take an individualistic approach to teaching his piano students. Regardless of the student’s level of experience, or if it is in classical, jazz, or popular music, he helps them to build a foundation of solid keyboard technique and knowledge of music theory, and guides them to not only learn to enjoy expressing themselves at the piano but to foster a broad sense of musicianship.

Bass, Baroque Lute, & Bassoon
- Phelan Young

I began playing clarinet at the standard age in public school and switched to bassoon as soon as possible.  Simultaneously, I began receiving lessons in Baroque Lute from my father.  My bass playing career began in my high school jazz band, and I soon found myself in every performing group that I could manage, which helped me to incorporate many styles into my playing.

I have performed with orchestras, wind symphonies, jazz combos, and technical progressive metal groups. My focuses are on a good basic technique for both upright (german bow) and electric, as well as advanced techniques such as double tap, three-finger method, and sweeps.  I also concentrate on theory and reading through all registres from four to seven strings, fretted or fretless.  I am also a classically trained bassoonist, and can teach repertoire, reed-making, and help students deal with the many issues of intonation and tone production associated with the instrument.  I teach out of George Vance's Progressive Repertoire for the Double-Bass, Julius Weissenborn's Method for Bassoon, and Ed Friedland's electric bass method books through Hal Leonard, as well as my own method.





 

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