Music to My Ears: Music Lessons for All Ages

Meet the Teachers

Select a teacher Aja Elaine Daniel Norris Paul Ammerman Kelly Butler Beau D Dan Dewitt Danielle Gilmore Nick Grizzle Lauren Hawkins Sadie Luke Max Maksutovic Marie Millard Barbara Norris John Paul Norris Robert W. Padgett Jenny Parkinson Jeff Prinz Nick Xenelis

 

Aja Elaine — Owner

• Voice, Piano
• Styles: Musical Theater, Pop, Jazz, Opera
• Education: BA - CSUH 2002; Rancho High School 1997
• Musical Accomplishments: Aja played harp in TLC's "A Wedding Story"
• Interesting Fact: Aja was once a "home owner" on HGTV's Landscape Design, even though she doesn't own a house!

 

Daniel Norris — Owner

• Trumpet, Baritone, Didgeridoo
• Styles: Classical, Jazz, Technique
• Education: BA, Cal State East Bay; MM, Peabody Conservatory.
• Musical Accomplishments: Dan is the principal trumpet player for the West Bay Opera, as well as performing with Santa Rosa Symphony, Napa Valley Symphony, Santa Cruz County Symphony and other Local Orchestras.
• Interesting Fact: Dan owns two Cornish Rex cats; their names are Maya and Pandora!

 

Paul Ammerman

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Kelly Butler

• Voice, Beginning Piano
• Styles: Jazz, Opera, Musical Theater, Pop, Blues
• Education: Sonoma State University , Majoring in Music Education, Minoring in Jazz Studies
• Musical Accomplishments: Co-director of Rohnert Park Children's Chorus. Director of Rancho Cotati Musical Theatre Class and Jazz Choir, Various Musicals/Operas including Dido and Aeneus, Madam Butterfly, School House Rock, A Christmas Carol and other SSU productions, and Coordinator of CMEA Festival at SSU.
• Interesting Fact: Kelly is a chameleon; she changes her hair color frequently!

 

Beau D

• Piano
• Styles: Jazz, Composition, Classical
• Education: Sonoma State, Analy High School, Town Hills, and Apple Blossom
• Musical Accomplishments: Beau has degrees jazz theory, composition and arranging.
• Interesting Fact: Beau graduated as Arnold Schwarzenegger at his College graduation!

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Dan Dewitt

• Acoustic & Electric Guitar
• Styles: Classical Rock, Blues, Jazz, Pop
• Education: BA in Music Performance, Sonoma State University
• Musical Accomplishments: Dan has performed with Los Calitas, a group specializing in reviving the music of the California culture, for 2 years.
• Interesting Fact: Dan has been an extra on MTV twice!
  www.myspace.com/dandewitt

 

Danielle Gilmore

 

Nick Grizzle

 

Lauren Harkins

• Piano, Voice
• Education: BA Degree from Sonoma State University
• Musical Accomplishments: Lauren has played piano for 17 years. She often accompanies for vocalists, as well as singing alto herself in chamber choir at Sonoma State. She has performed in over 20 musicals and even composed a one-act musical which was performed at Sonoma State Musical. She's also been a director at Ragamuffin Theater Camp for two years.
• Interesting Fact: Lauren has traveled across the country six times.

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Sadie Luke

• Piano, Voice
• Styles: Classical, Pop, Rock, Jazz, Song Composition
• Education: Associates Degree from Santa Rosa Junior College; currently attaining a Bachelors in Music from Sonoma State University
• Musical Accomplishments:  Sadie has recorded three CDs.  She has performed for many large audiences, such as  being the Star Spangled Banner Soloist for the SRJC graduation.  Sadie has made both local TV and radio appearances, and has been actively involved with many musical organizations such as "Project Applause," "Santa Rosa Concert Association" and "Napa Valley Music Association"
• Interesting Fact: Sadie has made an appearance on "Judge Judy" show
• www.universesadie.com

 

Max Maksutovic

 

Marie Millard

 

Barbara Norris

• Suzuki Piano, Flute
• Education: Barbara studied Suzuki pedagogy with Gwen McKeithen, Michiko Yurko, Merna Thomas, and Elaine Worley.  Barbara has more that twenty six years of experience as a Suzuki Piano and Flute teacher and is a member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas.
• Musical Accomplishments: Applying her early traditional music training with the method of Suzuki, Barbara has enjoyed many wonderful experiences in music education.  "My most rewarding musical accomplishments are  Erin, Daniel, And John Paul!"  Her three grown children were nurtured with the Suzuki method and now all three enjoy satisfying careers as musicians /music educators.
  "Where love is deep, much will be accomplished."-Shin'ichi Suzuki
• Interesting Fact: Barbara lives in Tomales with her husband and two cats, Rocky and Comet.  Once while body-boarding at Dillon beach, Barbara caught a wave and a fish at the same time!

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John Paul Norris

• Electric/Acoustic Bass, Electric Guitar.
• Styles: Punk, Funk, Rock, Jazz
• Education: Tomales High School; Sonoma State
• Musical Accomplishments: John Paul has been gigging professionally since he was 15 years old.

 

Robert W. Padgett

• Violin, Viola, Piano, Harpsichord
• Education: BS Psychology and Phi Beta Kappa Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York
  Completed some undergraduate work at Stanford University in marine biology and ecology at the Hopkin's Marine Station
  Studied harmony counterpoint with composer Richard Wilson
  Studied piano with Blanca Uribe
  Member of the Vassar College Orchestra
  Studied advanced music theory and composition H.S.Diploma Robert Louis Stevenson School, Pebble Beach, California
• Musical Accomplishments: Sectional violinist with the Monterey County Symphony Orchestra
  Sectional violinist with the Monterey Bay Symphony
  Congress of Strings, American Federation of Musicians, Columbia University, New York, New York
  All State Honor Orchestra
  National High School Symphony Orchestra
• Interesting Fact: Performed for Prince Charles and Lady Camilla

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Jenny Parkinson

• Flute
• Styles: Classical
• Education: BA in music education from Sonoma State University.
• Musical Accomplishments: Direct the Old Adobe School District Advanced Wind Ensemble.
• Interesting Fact: Martha Stewart is her personal Hero.

 

Jeff Prinz

• Saxophone, Clarinet
• Styles: Jazz, Classical, Dixie , Pop, Rock n' Roll, R & B, Funk, Swing, Smooth Jazz, Klezmer
• Education: Studied with Daniel Zinn.
• Musical Accomplishments: Over 15 years of professional work in the Bay Area, including performed with the Santa Cruz Symphony.
• Interesting Fact: Performed on two Grammy nominated CDs, Rosemary Clooney's last two albums.

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Nick Xenelis

• Clarinet, Sax, Violin, Cello
• Styles: Classical
• Education: BA from Boston University; Masters
• Musical Accomplishments: Nick Xenelis began his musical studies in Grade 5 in the Lynn, Massachusetts public school system. His father was a classical music enthusiast, and in addition to the distinctive modes and rhythms in the music of his Greek heritage, Nicholas was also exposed at an early age to the intricate harmonies of Beethoven, Mozart, Shostakovich, Rimsky-Korsakoff and Moussorgsky.
  During his high school years, Nicholas participated in all of the All-State and District Honor groups.
  While attending Boston University, Xenelis studied violin, and to this day remains a passionate educator and spokesperson for stringed instrument instruction. He received his Masters Degree from Lowell University in Massachusetts, where he majored in woodwinds and minored in strings.
  Though Xenelis still coaches and assists with various music programs in the county, he is now retired from teaching in the public school system and is devoting more time to performance.
• Interesting Fact: Enjoys travel and photography.

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