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Our Teachers
- Voice, Piano, Keyboard, Kindermusik®. Member of Music Teachers National Association, MSBA & Mid Atlantic Music Teachers Guild Board Member.
Izabela Adams was born and raised in Poland. Her music education began
when she was 7 years old, when she attended her first year of elementary
musical school. That was the beginning of what became years of study in
piano and music theory. In musical high school Izabela took four years
of classical voice training (her major) as she pursued her musical education
and career.
Earning the title, "Musician-Vocalist", she began her professional
experience. First stop was teaching general music in a Polish public school.
Izabela also conducted large vocal-dance groups, ages five to sixteen years
old, which were nationally recognized in Poland. She also managed to conduct
a children's choir, keyboard classes, and private piano & voice lessons.
Her band experience took her to other countries where she played
original music, as well as, cover tunes! In the States she increased her
musical education and began teaching private: piano, classical voice and
theory classes. Today she is the proud owner and operator of Adams Music
Conservatory LLC and making her dreams come true!
- Drums, Rock School.
Member of Mid Atlantic Music Teachers Guild.
Tom has been playing drums and singing for over 25 years in a variety of
different bands: Rock, Standards, Original Rock & Progressive, Light Jazz,
Blues, Elvis, Rockabilly, and virtually every Pop Music style from the last
fifty years.
With over ten years experience as an instructor, Tom teaches everything from
CPR to Drumming for Health, including an entire curriculum for Therapeutic
Massage. "I have a passionate and motivating approach to teaching which I can
tune to accommodate any style of learner." My role in the Conservatory is to
show students the fun they can have playing their instruments as a group.
Any musician can find a level of playing which will suit their style. I
teach musicians to find their comfort zone and then challenge them to improve
in a rewarding environment that prepares them for stage performance. From
there the desire to excel becomes natural. This is where the students really
learn to play!
- Electric Bass Guitar
Member of Mid Atlantic Music Teachers Guild.
Donald Stevens started playing bass in bands at the age of 13. Since then he has played on several gospel recordings with The Edwin Hawkins Tri State Mass Choir, Teddy
Johnson, Gabriel Hardeman Delegation, Randall Cunningham and C.A.U.S.E., and recently Michelle Bonilla.
He also played bass on "Who Is Jill Scott". That's him groovin' the bass line on" Long Walk" and "Show Me". He also played bass on "Fanatic" from Vivian Green's "Love
Story" CD. He got to play and sing on Miles Jaye's CD "Odyssey".
Donald is a founding member and bassist for Philly and Jersey's own jazz quintet "D-For". In 1995 this group of seasoned musicians got together to jam and toss
around some musical ideas. Within a few months they realized that they had come upon something special and began to develop a sound that was uniquely their own. As individuals, the members of D-FOR have played or recorded with a veritable who's who of the music industry. This list of artists includes Gerald Veasley, Jill Scott, Floetry, The Roots, Yolanda Adams, BeBe Winans, Mary J. Blige, Kirk Franklin, The Winans, Vivian Green, Hezehiah Walker, Michael Brecker, Pieces of a Dream, Randy Brecker, The Gabriel Hardeman Delegation, Miles Jaye and a host of others.
Check D-FOR out today at: www.dformusic.com
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- Guitar, Banjo, Mandolin
Member of Mid Atlantic Music Teachers Guild.
James Schneider began studying guitar with private teachers in 1962. Later he studied guitar, theory, harmony, arranging and composition with Albert Maene, a 25-year student and associate of Dennis Sandole, the well-known jazz theorist and teacher. In the 1980's James studied advanced guitar techniques with Joseph Sgro, a prominent Philadelphia guitar virtuoso.
James began his teaching career in 1969. He taught for a number of music schools and stores in the Philadelphia and New Jersey areas.
His contribution to guitar literature was "An Introduction to the Quartertone Guitar" which he wrote in 1978. The book was reviewed in guitar periodicals in the U.S., Canada, France and Japan.
James has played in many jazz and pop bands over the years. Since the early 90's he has restricted himself almost exclusively to solo performance of classical and jazz guitar. In recent years he has performed at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Philadelphia, The Mansion in Voorhees, the Medford Lakes Country Club and the Medford Village Country Club.
Currently, James teaches at several music schools including Bucks and Burlington County Colleges where he is an adjunct faculty member teaching classical and jazz guitar courses.
You can also see James performing weekly at the Green Apple Bistro in Moorestown, N.J.
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- Trumpet, Brass and Woodwind Ensemble
Member of Mid Atlantic Music Teachers Guild.
Christopher Michael Stevens, is a native of Camden, New Jersey. He is the younger of two sons born into a family of well-known musicians and singers.
At the age of eight years old, Chris started out playing the trumpet with a passion. His playing makes you laugh, cry, scream and holler!
Chris attended the Berklee College Of Music in Boston, MA and has studied with great trumpeters such as Tiger Okoshi, Lin Biviano and Darren Barrett. However, when he plays, he has a sound of his own and a command of the atmosphere that can’t be learned in a classroom.
Chris arranges horns for various Christian artists and groups. He has become a renowned trumpeter, horn arranger, and songwriter. Chris has also traveled extensively throughout the United States and abroad as the horn section leader for the world-renowned artist, Tye Tribbett.
In addition to playing for Tye Tribbett, Chris has recorded and shared the stage with great artist such as: Kim Burrell, Mary Mary, Byron Cage, Joy Enriguez, Micah Stampley, John P. Kee, Judith Christie McAllister, Jonathan DuBose, Jr., CeCe Winans, Hillsong, Kirk Whalum, Israel & New Breed, Rodney Jerkins, The Crabb Family, Mo’ Horns, J Moss, Toby Mac, Steven Curtis Chapman, Kirk Franklin, and Fred Hammond.
Chris Stevens has also played at prestigious events and venues such as: The Stellar Awards, Mega Fest, the 2007 Super Bowl Gospel Celebration, Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden, and the Grand Ole Opry just to name a few. Television appearances include BET and TBN.
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- Guitar
Member of Mid Atlantic Music Teachers Guild.
Vincent Federici is a 26 year old guitarist from South Philadelphia with a BA from the jazz program at the University of the Arts. Self taught until college, he has been fortunate enough to be taught by jazz masters Michael Kennedy, Michael Quaile, and Monette Sudler on guitar and general music theory by Tony Miceli, Jim Paxon, Jeff Kern, Ron Kerber, and Norman David. Vince also had master lessons with Philly greats Pat Martino and Jimmy Bruno.
While in school he participated in master classes with jazz legends Jimmy Cobb, Joe Lovano, George Garzone, McCoy Tyner, and Airto Moriera.
Vince is a highly active performer in the Philadelphia area and plays in groups including folk, rock, soul, jazz, cabaret, and bossa nova; to which he has given extensive personal study. He also has volumes of knowledge on American Rock and Roll with emphasis on The Beatles and Led Zeppelin.
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- Saxophone, Trumpet, Piano
Member of Mid Atlantic Music Teachers Guild.
While growing up, this Philly native would most likely be found in one of two places; skateboarding at Philadelphia's renowned Love Park by day, or sitting in at Ortliebs' Jazz Haus by night. Maxfield Gast brings a sweet sound and warm tone to the soprano and alto saxophone. He grew up studying jazz and classical music at Philadelphia's own Settlement Music School and continued his education post high school at Temple University where he received a BA of music in Jazz Performance.
Along with the saxophone, Maxfield has a distinct voice on the EWI (electronic wind instrument) and performs regularly in NY with Wu Li, an extremely unique, horn-driven, funk rock band out of Brooklyn. Gast has performed in a wide variety of venues and festivals across the country including New York's Carnegie Hall and Jazz at Lincoln Center; Philadelphia's Academy of Music; SXSW Festival in Austin, TX; Ottawa Bluesfest in Ontario; Creative Arts Center in New Orleans; and Milwaukee's Summerfest.
Maxfield has performed with ensembles including Mike Boone's Bass Direct; Edgar Bateman's Truth; Soul Deep: An Anthology of Black Music featuring Adriane Lenox, Ryan Shaw and Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens; and has toured with several acts including an American Music Award winning band, the Bomb Squad.
Maxfield continues to compose and record his own music and performs regularly in New York and Philadelphia.
Visit Maxfield at: www.maxfieldgast.com
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- Violin, Viola, Cello
Erin Freund began playing the violin at the age of 10 through the Toms River Regional Schools. She was a member of the South Jersey Regional Orchestra as well as the New Jersey All-State Orchestra. Erin continued her musical studies at Shenandoah Conservatory, where she earned a Bachelor of Music Education (summa cum laude) and a Master of Music Education. Additionally, she holds a Violin Performance Certificate, which was earned by presenting two solo recitals. Her graduate studies included research pertaining to the use of arco and pizzicato in beginning string methods.
Erin has taught private violin, viola, and cello lessons to students of all levels since she was in high school and is currently in her third year of teaching public school orchestra.
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