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Faculty Profiles

Linda Betlejeski – Music Together
Teacher Linda holds a B.S. in Music Education and a M.M. in Music Education Research from Temple University. She has taught in many outstanding music programs in the Delaware Valley such as Temple Music Prep, Abington Friends, Waldron Mercy Academy and Rowan University.

Brian Betz – Guitar
Teacher Brian holds a B.A. and an M.A. in Music Performance from Rowan University. He is an adjunct Professor of guitar at Monmouth University. Brian has performed at the Kennedy Center, Cape May Jazz Festival and the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival. He has also released several solo CDs – “Up and Running” and “Gotham City Swing.”

Elizabeth Cary – Violin
When she’s not trying out a new hummus recipe or searching for the perfect cup of coffee, Teacher Elizabeth is probably playing violin. She began her musical journey at the age of 8, when her aunt pulled an old 1/2 size violin out from under her bed and said, "Here, try this". The new hobby quickly became an obsession, leading her to study a wide range of violin styles, including classical, jazz, celtic, and bluegrass. She has studied violin with Ellen Rathjen, Susan Waterbury, and Linda Case. Teacher Elizabeth holds a Bachelors Degree in Music Performance from Ithaca College, and was a substitute player for several upstate NY orchestras before relocating to Philadelphia. She tours as violinist and backup singer with the legendary classic rock guitarist, Ritchie Blackmore, and his band, Blackmore’s Night. The group performs in castles and concert halls throughout Europe and the US. She also plays electric violin with the Philadelphia-based progressive rock band, Igor’s Egg. While living in upstate NY, she taught lessons from her home studio, and began teaching at Friends Fine and Performing Arts School in 2009. In July 2010, she will complete Suzuki Certification for "Every Child Can" and Suzuki Book 1 at the Ithaca College Suzuki Institute with Carrie Reuning-Hummel.

Lizzie Devereux – Violin & Viola
Teacher Lizzie Devereux received her Master of Music in violin performance and Suzuki pedagogy from East Carolina University in Greenville, NC. At ECU she completed her long-term Suzuki teacher training with Distinguished Professor Joanne Bath and studied violin with Professor Ara Gregorian, violin/violist of the chamber ensemble Concertante. Lizzie holds a Bachelor of Arts in French literature from Columbia University, where she studied violin with Min-Young Kim, of the Daedalus String Quartet. She has wide-ranging performance experience on both the violin and the viola and has had the opportunity to perform in masterclasses for artists such as Lawrence Dutton, Robert McDonald, Maria Lambros, and Ittai Shapira. Teacher Lizzie is also on the faculty at the Settlement Music School in Philadelphia.

Eve Friedman – Flute, Recorder and Piano
Teacher Eve is actively involved in both contemporary and historical performance. In 2006 she became the first person ever awarded the Doctor of Music degree in Baroque Flute from Indiana University’s renowned Early Music Institute. She was invited to perform at 2004 National Flute Association convention in Nashville, where she was a finalist in the Baroque Artist Competition. Recently, Dr. Friedman has performed with Tafelmusik, American Bach Soloist, the Washington Bach Consort, and Tempesta di Mare. Since 2003, she has been invited regularly to perform in Italy with her husband, pianist-composer Roberto Pace, at the festival Incontri di Canna. Each summer they perform and teach at the Summerkeys festival in Maine. Dr. Friedman received her Master of Music degree from Boston University, where she was a student of Doriot Anthony Dwyer, retired principal flutist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. At Ms. Dwyer’s invitation, she spent two summers at the Tanglewood Institute.

Fran Kesselman – Piano, Assistant Director
Teacher Fran has been teaching piano for over 15 years. Her students have participated in the Southwestern Youth Music Festival in Los Angeles, CA, and South Jersey Junior Arts Festival, where they have garnered superior ratings. She developed and organized weekly chamber music concerts for the residents of the Thousand Oaks Health Care Center in California. She received her musical training in California, where she also participated and audited master classes at the California Institute of the Arts and the Colburn School of Performing Arts. She is a member of the National Federation of Music Clubs.

Manami Ochi – Piano
Teacher Manami was the MTNA Steinway Competition winner for the State of NJ, and won Third Prize at the Eastern Region MTNA in the year 2000. Born in Japan, she started studying the piano when she was three years old. She received her baccalaureate degree from Aichi Prefect Ural University. She is earned her masters degree at Rowan University.

Lela Tsinadze – Violin
Teacher Lela is a native of the Republic of Georgia. She started playing violin at the age of 6 and by the age of 9 she was already performing with Tbilisi State Youth Orchestra. While pursuing her Bachelor's degree at the Tbilisi State Conservatory she held a violin position in the E. Mikeladze State Symphony Orchestra. As a symphony member she participated in many concert tours throughout Europe. Ms. Tsinadze came to the US in 1998 and earned two Master's Degrees, one from Louisiana State University in Violin Performance and one from University of Louisiana at Lafayette in Viola Performance. Some of her instructors include A. Megrelidze, Leo Shiukashvili, Tamar Bulia, James Alexander, Kevork Mardirossian, Jacques Israelevitch, Roland Vamos and Matthew Daline.
From 1999 till 2009 Ms. Tsinadze was a member of the Baton Rouge Symphony and Acadiana Symphony Orchestras. During these years she also performed with Rapides Symphony and Mobile Symphony Orchestras. From 1999 till 2005 Ms. Tsinadze was a violin/viola teacher at the Acadiana Conservatory. After graduating from ULL in 2005 she was employed as the Music Instructor and the Orchestra Director at L. J. Alleman Middle School and Arts Academy. Ms. Tsinadze has attended many music festivals both as student and
instructor. Some of these include the 1st International Opera Festival
"Bravo", ASTA/NSOA Conference, Chautauqua Music Festival and Natchez Opera Festival. She has also won several awards which include 2nd Prize in ULL Concerto Competition and 2nd Prize in Georgian National Chamber Music Competition. In 2009 she left her positions to pursue her professional career elsewhere. She is currently freelancing with several Midwest and Tristate Orchestras.

Julie-Ann Whitely Green – Voice & Piano, Director
Teacher Julie-Ann earned a Bachelor of Arts degree as a double major in Vocal Performance and Music Education from Rowan University where she studied with Dr. Eugene Thamon Simpson. She has also earned diplomas from the Mozarteum Academy in Salzburg, Austria. Her vocal talents have attained her numerous honors including Encouragement Grant, Marian Anderson Award, Mozarteum Academy Scholarship, and was a National Winner in the Leontyne Price Vocal Arts Competition. She made her New York solo debut at Carnegie Hall in 1992 and was presented in a solo recital at Weill Hall in 1997. Other major venues include cathedrals in London, Paris, Rome, Vienna, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Madrid, and the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City. Popular music performances have been with Barry Manilow, Michael Crawford and Barbra Streisand. Julie-Ann has sung with the Opera Company of Philadelphia since 2001 and has been featured in their recent productions of “Porgy and Bess” and “Il Trovatore.” In addition to her studio teaching at Friends School she also teaches at Settlement Music School and is the organist and choir director at St. Mark and All Saints Episcopal Church in Galloway, NJ.

Jacob Wiener – Percussion
Teacher Jake holds a Bachelor of Music from Rowan University and a Masters of Music from Eastman School of Music. Since graduation, he has become active as a professional performer with such notedprofessionals as the Denis DiBlasio Jazz Quartet, the New York Metropolitan Opera of Philadelphia, CTO Dance Band Orchestras, Spirit Curises of New York City and the Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra.

Olga Yelkina – Piano & Music Together
Teacher Olga received her musical training and taught in Russia. When she came to the United States she attended Rowan University where she received her BA. Her teaching experience includes the Rowan Campus School of the Arts, the Croft Arts Barn in Cherry Hill and Moorestown Public Schools. She is also currently the Director of Music for the United Methodist Church in Lumberton, New Jersey.

 


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