Piano: Bev Bigam is the founder of Music Maker Workshops. Music Maker's began in 1995 as a small mobile teaching facility that taught music workshops. Soon she found herself working in Ahwatukee with a small staff of teachers. After great demand she decided to open her own studio. Now she is proud to have a place where over 22 teachers can provide lessons.
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Kindermusik & Piano: Kim Steedman is our certified Kindermusik Instructor. She teaches Village & Our Time classes for babies & toddlers. Kim, the mother of three young children is proud that Kindermusik welcomes the youngest of children to develop innate musical abilities. She also provides further musical instruction with the Music for Little Mozart piano program.
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Piano: Shelley has her Bachelor of Education from the University of Alberta. She has been developing and implementing group piano lessons, camps & workshops for young children for the past 7 years. She specializes in our Music for Little Mozart piano program. She believes that all children learn differently. Therefore her lessons include visual, audio and kinesthetic activities. Also Shelley has developed her own successful method to help teach the youngest of students to read music using animal associations, color coding and phonetics. Shelley is a high-energy teacher who always looks forward to seeing her students each week!
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Piano: Julie Min has a Bachelor's degree in Piano Performance from Cal Poly-Slo College. She specializes in teaching piano, theory, symphonic band & ear training. Julie provides a very successful seasonal program, 'Piano Boot Camp'. Plus she is establishing and organizing our new Master's Music Program. With all of her talent Julie also comes to each lesson with a warm and caring personality. She makes great effort to provide appropriate goals for each of her students. It has been great to have Julie as a full-time teacher with Music Maker Workshops.
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Flute: Sherry Finzer is a member of the National Flute Association. In addition to teaching, Sherry is willing to also provide workshops and masterclasses for flutists in the area. She recently moved to Ahwatukee from Rochester, NY in 2005. There Sherry played principal flute in the Brockport Symphony, Greece Symphony and in many community orchestras. She competed and won first place in the Rochester Flute Association in both 2002 and 2004.
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Violin & Piano: Brian Hoblit teaches violin and piano lessons to all age groups. A Music Education student at Arizona State University, Brian has been playing both violin and piano for over 10 years. An enthusiastic teacher! He teaches primarily Classical music, yet still incorporates theory, ear-training, and pop music into his lessons.
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Guitar: Garth Bostic is an experienced guitar player with a creative approach. A member of the Band, Sky Harbor (a pop/punk band) he's toured the country playing at all types of venues and has had the experience recording original music in studios. Garth's music has received excellent reviews for the quality of the lyrical content, where it was stated that his band was "high and above all others in their genre". Garth enjoys teaching Rock, Blues, Songwriting and Improvisation.
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Piano/ Composition: Annie (Moscow) Gold trained as a child to be a concert pianist with David Sokoloff and Marian Zarzecna of the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia. She majored in piano performance at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. After college, Annie moved to Los Angeles with her husband where they became a successful songwriting team, writing for film, television and other recording artists, including Sarah Vaughn, Sister Sledge and Mickey Mouse. Annie Gold is a performer and composer on the Roster of the Arizona Commission on the Arts. As a piano teacher, she works with students of all levels and is especially proud of some of her early students who have gone on to become professional musicians. Her specialty is working with advanced students, as well as “cross-over students”; non-reading musicians who want to learn to read, and classically-trained musicians who want to learn to improvise. To order her music: www.anniemoscow.com To contact Annie Directly regarding Lessons: Annie Moscow <11blocks@melonball.com>
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Piano, Cello, & Voice: Susanne teaches group, semi-private and private lessons for both beginning and intermediate piano, cello & voice. She teaches from a variety of curriculums. She has been working with children & teens for many years and enjoys creating a positive atmosphere for young musicians. Susanne has a large student base at Music Maker Workshops and is extremely well-liked and admired for teaching ability. In addition, Susanne is available as an accompanist for private functions.
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Strings, Piano and Guitar: Lysa Cohen has over 20 years experience in violin and has studied under some of the leading violinists in the Southwest. She has developed several performing arts programs and is currently the Director of String Orchestra and Guitar at a local private school. In addition to the violin, Lysa also teaches viola, cello, piano and guitar to all age groups in private, semi-private or group instruction.
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Guitar, Bass, Drums, & Compostion: LT Smith graduated from Chicago State University with a B.A. degree (majoring in Music Composition). He served in both the US Air Force and the US Navy. During his military service LT was a professional performing guitarist. He attended the Navy School of Music as a college graduate and subsequently became an instrumental music teacher. Recently LT retired from the local school district as a music teacher. We are proud to have such an amazing teacher here at Music Maker Workshops. LT teaches groups, semi-privates & private acoustic, electric & Bass guitar for all ages and ability levels. Also, he composes music of various genres. e.g. www.ltsmusic.net.
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Voice & Piano: Adriane Gheen has her Minor in Music from Herberger School of Music. She studied voice under Anne Kopta for Opera Performance. Adriane was a former member of the Phoenix Symphony Choir. Also she has been a member of a Performance Choir, Show Choir, Jazz/Madrigral choir, Arizona Regional Choir & even the Arizona All-State Choir. In addition to voice, Adriane also teaches piano. Previously, she successfully taught for an after-school keyboard program which included traveling to different schools. Now, she's thrilled to be teaching both voice and piano from a lesson studio for students of All Ages!
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Guitar & Bass: Mike Westphal has been playing the guitar for the last 20 years. Mike attended the Guitar Institute of Technology in Hollywood California. The combination of education and countless hours of studio and on-stage experience makes Mike an amazing resource here at Music Makers. Mike's favorite music is heavy rock and metal but of course he also enjoys teaching most all syles of music. HIs lessons are kept fun and informative, all the while always keeping the goals of his students in mind. When not teaching, Mike can most often be found riding his Harley, playing with his two young children and of course PRACTICING!!!
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Violin, Viola, Composer & Conductor: Harry Fisher, a native of western Pennsylvania, did his undergraduate work at Gettysburg College and received his Master of Music degree from Temple University in Philadelphia in 1970. His teaching career has spanned 37 years in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and, most recently, Arizona. He has taught instrumental and vocal music on all levels, specializing in the string instruments and orchestra. Several of Mr. Fisher’s compositions and arrangements for school orchestra have been published; his arrangement of "The Entrance of the Queen of Sheba" by Handel was included in the 2001 book ‘Teaching Music Through Performance in Orchestra’ a guide to the core literature for student orchestras. Throughout his career as a musician and teacher, Mr. Fisher composed and arranged music for various vocal and instrumental groups; his works have been performed all over the country.
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Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet, & Piano: Eric Rasmussen recently relocated to the Phoenix area, the California native spent the last ten years playing and teaching in New York City. While in New York, Eric performed with some of the biggest names in the jazz community. Eric completed his Masters of Music degree in Jazz Performance at the New England Conservatory in Boston where he studied with Jerry Bergonzi, George Garzone, Danilo Perez and Paul Bley. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Jazz Performance from California Institute of the Arts in Los Angeles, where he studied with Charlie Haden and Roscoe Mitchell. Eric leads the groups Guaranteed Swahili and the Eric Rasmussen Tristano Band both of which tour the US regularly. He records for Steeplechase and Fresh Sound Records with his own groups and has recorded with Paul Bley, Danilo Perez, Billy Hart, Christoph Schweizer and the Jazz Composers Alliance Saxophone Quartet. Eric performs in Europe regularly and has played at some of the most prestigious venues in the Country including Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. Recent performances in the Phoenix area include Jazz in the Hills Concert Series and an appearance with the Phoenix Symphony.
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Guitar, Bass, Songwriting, & Percussion: Kim Steele has extensive studio, performing, & writing experience. She graduated from Grand Canyon University with a Degree in Classical Guitar Performance. Also, she has a B.A. degree in commercial music/communications with an emphasis on studio guitar (covering the aspects of studio musicianship and performance). Kim enjoys playing all types of music: alternative, metal, acoustic duos, modern country and all types of pop songs. Kim has traveled and performed in her own band and recently has just returned from Chicago and Nashville. Kim teaches private lessons here at the studio in addition to the group lessons called, 'Kid's Rock', 'Debutante Girls Guitar', 'Drums & Percussion for Kid's', and the summer 'School of Rock' Camp. |
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Voice, Piano, Guitar & Kindermusik: Lyn M Curry graduated from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa in May of 2006 with a degree in music education. Originally from rural central Illinois, she dreamed of teaching "out west" after college. She took a position as choir director and guitar instructor at Cibola High School in Yuma, Arizona. In the school year 2008-2009 she will attend Arizona State University to serve as a graduate assistant for the choral department and pursue her master's degree in music education with an emphasis in choral conducting. In addition to bettering her vocal and piano skills, Lyn likes to laugh, read, cook, travel, play softball & volleyball and generally enjoy life. She is genuinely looking forward to continuing to share her gift and love of music with young people.
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| Piano: Amira Jalaghi teaches piano lessons to children & teens of all ability levels. She has been playing piano for over ten years. Amira primarily plays classical music however enjoys branching off and playing Jazz, Blues, Pop, and modern styles of music. She spent her high school years at Desert Vista high school and was heavily involved in the music program, participating in Jazz/Madrigal choir, A cappella choir, Arizona Regional Choir, and various musicals. She previously worked within the Kyrene school district. Now, in addition to working at Music Maker's Amira is currently attending Arizona State University as a Nursing Major. She is an enthusiastic teacher and a wonderful addition to the music maker staff. |
Piano and Violin: Alisa Sherbow is originally from Stavropol, Russia. She has lived in Arizona for more than half of her life. She has played and studied piano for over seven years, and violin for five. She is an accomplished musician. Her confidence and talent is to be admired. Alisa teaches small group, semi-private and private lessons for all ability levels and ages. She also teaches at our piano workshops and camps. Alisa has the ability to motivate her students and her enthusiasm is contagious. She loves working at Music Maker's and finds it a honor to have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of her students.
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