I grew up in Glenside moved to Pittsburgh for school and came back because I love it here...I've been playing for 17 years and have a smorgasbord of influences from Zepplin to the Beatles to Phish to Radiohead to the dirty projectors to Jay Z to Kurt Rosenwinkel & John Scofield... I have been composing and working with original bands for some 11 years and play regularly in the city and up and down the east coast. I have also been teaching for the past 11 years all over the Philadelphia area. i teach from a method I derived myself from years of learning both in and out of school. I think teaching music is both aural as well as visual and encourage students to listen to music a lot. most of all i feel that music is fun and the students should enjoy learning so i incorporate their favorite artists and favorite songs into our studies. for serious students i love theory and love sharing what I've discovered over the years.

Having graduated from Westminster Choir College, I have learned many techniques for helping students to understand their voices better. I have taken voice lessons myself for the past 8 years, and still do take them. This gives me the opportunity to learn new and different techniques. As every student is different, there are many different techniques that can help the student to find their voice.
One style of teaching that I really feel is important when discussing the voice is the idea of just singing. Often times, as was my experience, when people hear voices they like they will mimic that sound. The problem with that is that the person will start singing with a voice that does not belong to them. That is usually the first goal for a voice teacher to achieve, is to find the students voice again.
After that it is teaching the student technique and helping them through the growing process of their voice. This technique is for the healthiest kind of singing...

Maja Lisa has maintained a private voice studio since 2005. She has also taught at the University of Iowa and Camden Country Community College. She has also taught at Stagecoach school of the Arts, PA Performing Arts, Mainstage Center for the Arts and the Conservatory of Music and Dance. Her students have been cast as leads in musicals, are performers in NYC and have received top awards.

Maja Lisa is an active member of NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing), MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) and on Sony's list of teachers.

Maja Lisa is an active performer and recently played Hansel in Hansel and Gretel in Delaware Valley Opera’s summer festival. Upcoming performances include Meg in Falstaff in the Philadelphia Fringe Festival and Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus with Center Stage Opera. This year she performed Mercedes in Carmen with ConcertOPERA Philadelphia (while also covering Carmen), and the Nursing Sister in Suor Angelica in NYC with Opera...

Dena is a professional vocalist, teacher and music therapist. With more than 30 years experience as a singer in a variety of styles including jazz, opera, musical theatre and classic rock, Dena brings a wealth of performance experience to her teaching. Her more than 15 years as a music therapist brings a flexible, patient, joyful style to her teaching; helping students express themselves through their music and leaving them looking forward to what comes next. Dena has worked with students of all ages and levels of training; she has also developed teaching techniques that have proven effective for students with a variety of disabilities such as Asperger's Syndrome, Down Syndrome and speech delay. Dena will shortly be releasing her first CD of children's songs; energetic and fun original songs that teach and entertain.

Education

Bachelor of Arts in Music, State University of New York at Potsdam

Master of Music Therapy, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA...

I am a graduate of The University of The arts with a BA in music performance. The University of The Arts has allowed me to gain a reputable amount of performance and educational work. In my training at the University was able to concentrate on many styles of performance such as classical technique as well as Broadway and jazz. With that in mind, it is also important to stay current on today’s music as well. Music has allowed me to travel the world with various groups and perform with musicals greats like the Philly Pops, bassist Gerald Veasly and the great Bernard “Pretty “ Purdie.
I have taught voice and piano for high school students entering college for music. My experience in teaching is not only with high school students but spans all ages. After completing college I continued my training with Mrs. Jackie’s Piano Fun Class for ages 4-6. This gave me confidence to complete training for The Music Class and various other infant and toddlers music programs....

As a percussion instructor, it is my duty to inspire students of all ages to learn and grow in what they want to study, to give them the support they need to discover their own learning process. I wish to share my experience and the information I've collected over many, many years of being a drummer and percussionist.

I started learning drums in the late 1960s and played in my local school concert band, orchestra, jazz band
and district band. In my teens and twenties, I played, toured and recorded with such artists as Aimee Mann and some semi-famous 80s punk and garage bands.

Later, I played with some local Philadelphia R&B artists such as Herb Johnson, Ronnie Walker and Bobby Eli from MFSB.

Lately, I have been playing percussion with the Temple University Night Owls Band and the Roxborough Orchestra.

I continue my drum and percussion studies with Sam Ulano in New York City.

Sandra began her training at the Settlement Music School in Philadelphia. She is a two time recipient of the Mario Lanza Award, and holds a B.M. degree in opera from the Philadelphia College of Performing Arts. She studied acting at both the Wilma and Walnut Theaters in Philadelphia. In New York, she studied Shakespeare at the HB Studios, and received on-camera training at the Weisst- Barron Commercial School. Sandra is a member of Actor's Equity.

Sandra was engaged for seven years at Theater des Westens in Berlin, Germany, where she performed extensively in Musicals and Operetta. She also toured throughout Germany with the ensemble "Operetten Express". In the U.S., Sandra has toured nationally with "Man of La Mancha" and "Carousel", and has performed leading roles in many regional theaters. She also performed in the Off-Broadway Musical "Mamaleh". Sandra has performed in over fifty productions of Musicals, Operetta, and Opera. Some of her favorite roles include: Aldonza...

Elizabeth has been praised for her “clear ringing soprano voice”, excellent comic timing, and “warm and enlightening” performances (The News Journal of Wilmington, DE). Elizabeth has been seen on stage with most of the Philadelphia area Gilbert & Sullivan groups, including The Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Chester County, Ardensingers, and Thespis Etc., and performed the roles of Patience (Patience), Yum-Yum (The Mikado), Rose Maybud (Ruddigore), Angelina (Trial by Jury), and Fiammetta (Gondoliers) in 2008 and 2009.

Most recently, Elizabeth performed the leading soprano role in the world premiere of an original opera with Opera Delaware in Wilmington, DE's Fringe Festival. She “tackled the challenging score with gusto, her beautiful soprano and excellent diction winning in even the highest vocal points” (The Community News of Wilmington, DE).

Elizabeth received a B.A. in music from Emory University in Atlanta, GA and graduated with an M.M. in vocal performance on...

Musically and personally, I strongly feel that diversity and openness are key in a person's development: when we move outside of our comfort zone and embrace the unknown, we are better able to grow as musicians (and human beings). As a performer, I feel that performing with musicians of different backgrounds is a constant source of inspiration and engaging music. As an educator, I emphasize the role of music as a form of expression and its parallel to verbal language. As children, we learn words and sentences so that we can accurately and gracefully express ourselves and, in this sense, music is no different. I encourage students to enjoy the music-making process and to view mechanics as a means to an end.

I have been dedicated to the drums since the age of 9 and since then I have been honing and applying those skills to musical groups of all types, from rock and pop to big band to world music to orchestral to small combos and everything in between. In 2007, I embarked on a two...

Andrew is an active musician and professional educator. In 2009, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of Pittsburgh. Since then, Andrew has taught guitar, bass, banjo, mandolin, drum, and rock/pop ensembles in both school and private settings. In addition, he is passionate about writing, playing, and recording original music. He is the primary songwriter, producer, and co-manager of an original band that regularly performs in venues such as World Cafe Live, Grape Room, Trocadero, etc.

Learn to love music from the inside out--by understanding the fundamentals so you can create and recreate music for personal enjoyment and to share with others. It is my privilege to join children, youth and adults in developing your musical talents and gifts. I teach beginner-intermediate piano students. I tailor the focus and styles of music to your needs and preferences, and include training for success. I am life-long musician with a music degree (vocal and keyboards) from Messiah College. I also direct the music and worship ministries for my congregation.

I do have a dog at my home studio. He's friendly,but can be contained in another part of the house if that is helpful to you.

I have over 20 years of performance experience behind the drum kit and almost just as many years showing my students how to achieve success with short and long term goals. I am Berklee College of Music trained and have enjoyed an exciting career involving international touring, a number one song on Billboard Charts, and drumming on songs featured in commercials and TV show soundtracks. My professional background is in rock and blues music, but I am also well versed in country, funk, pop, and jazz and marching band drumming.