I was accepted to the Special Music School in Tashkent, USSR at the age of 7.   I went to school for 7 years and  studied Piano (major instruments), Music history, Theory, and Voice.  

I graduated in 1986 from the State Musical College in Tashkent, USSR as piano teacher and concertmaster with Bachelors Degree.   I began working as piano teacher and concertmaster in a special Music school for children.   

I also hold a Master of Art Degree in Music Education from The State Pedagogical Institute, music department of Tashkent.   I have been teaching piano for more than 15 years. 

B.A. Performing Arts - Southern Illinois University
Masters and PhD from The Vienna Academy - Vienna, Austria
Arts management studies - Switzerland, Italy
Yamaha International Corp. Special Training - Japan

Dr. Valerie has over 40 years of worldwide musical teaching experience   with piano, chorus, solo singing, and as a conductor.  She represented Yamaha International Corporation as an Artist Teacher.  Directed and developed all phases of the educational curriculum for extraordinarily gifted students in the United States.  Responsible for preparation of students’ own compositions and traditional performances nationally and internationally on public television and radio, at the White House, with the UN, and as they also appeared abroad in solo recitals and in concerts with symphony orchestras, with various media, and in professional recordings.

In the years 1975-1979  Dr. Valerie represented USA as a Cultural Diplomat and Artist Teacher for the Partners of the Americas and the U.S. Department of State, South America & the Middle East.  She inaugurated a "Guild for the Arts," the first of its kind to create dialogue between two previously warring factions polarized for decades. Performed frequently and spoke regularly with international press and media. Developed and implemented several new concert venues for performing artists and presenters from Western and Eastern cultures, generously funded and supported by the Iranian UN Ambassador and OPEC founder, Dr. Fuad Rouhani.  Performers and music-lovers from Europe, the US,  the Middle East  and Asia were flown in for performances and concerts throughout the region.

Alex Mauldin began piano study at the age of 4, attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusettes, with a focus in Music Synthesis and Film Scoring.

Teaching piano privately since 1989, other musical pursuits have included playing in a band for ten years, scoring theatre productions and performing solo piano concerts.

Alex currently studies the piano with Anita Bultmann-Tritt in Charlotte, concentrating on the Classical and Romantic literature, Alex has 2 recordings of Christmas music and a recording of a live performance in 2007 available on iTunes.   Original theatrical scores include, "Metamorphoses", "The Kentucky Cycle", "The Lion in Winter" and "Romeo and Juliet". Alex resides in Davidson, NC

Jordan Kvanvig is from Raleigh, North Carolina, and has studied piano from the age of nine. Jordan's first piano teacher can trace his line of instruction back to Beethoven, and Jordan strives to continue that tradition of excellence through his own playing and his students' playing. He believes that learning to play the piano is not so much about talent, but about learning and applying effective and efficient practice strategies.

He graduated from Davidson College in 2007, and studied piano intensely with Cynthia Lawing while attending Davidson. He was the winner of the annual Harper Music Scholarship Competition for three years during his college career. After spending a short time in Raleigh teaching piano lessons and working in the financial services industry, Jordan has returned to the Charlotte area to pursue studying and teaching piano full-time. Currently, he is seeking his second degree at UNC Charlotte in piano performance.

Michelle Sailer began her music career at the age of four when she began Suzuki violin lessons. She also spent a brief time taking lessons on the harp, but, inspired by her Czech grandfather’s piano playing, discovered her own love for piano at the age of 9. Michelle was homeschooled from elementary school through high school, which provided her an excellent opportunity to pursue her passion for piano.  She also studied university in Prague – Czech Republic.

Michelle began giving private piano lessons in high school. She received a scholarship for the Music Department at UNC Charlotte for college. While at UNCC, Michelle studied with Dr. Dylan Savage, served on the student advisory committee, played piano in the jazz and wind ensembles, and also sang in the University Chorale. She will graduate from UNCC in December 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts in Music.

Music has always been a big part Emily’s life.  She started piano lessons at the age of 6, and continued as a student of Hedvika Miller’s for 7 years.  At 13, Emily decided to combine her interest in singing country/pop music with her love of playing piano and began writing music and performing at local coffee shops and at charity and school events.  

Emily sang in her chorus in middle school, played accompaniment at competition and was selected to participate in the All State Chorus. She is currently a member of the Youth Praise Band at Huntersville Presbyterian Church, where she also fills in occasionally as pianist.  This past summer, she won the talent competition at the Miss Teen of North Carolina pageant in Greensboro, where she placed 2nd runner up overall. 

Emily is an honor student at Hopewell High School, where she is active in many clubs and honor societies.  She also enjoys her volunteer work tutoring elementary age children through the Amigos organization. 

Doctor of Musical Arts in Viola Performance, University of Michigan

Master of Music, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Forty years experience with teaching music and string instruments in elementary schools, high schools and colleges including Davidson College 1999-2000.

“Many young students would like to learn the techniques of playing the violin, viola, or cello because the sound produced is lovely, brilliant and exciting. I enjoy working with those students who, through determined practice and dedication, are able to learn what music is and how it works. Such knowledge brings to the student great joy and musical understand which lasts a life-time.”

A finalist and semi-finalist in several international guitar competitions, most notably the 2002 Music Teachers National Association Solo Competition and the 1994 National Solo Competition of the American String Teachers Association in Cincinnati, Ohio, David Solis Olson is considered to be among the finest classical guitarists of his generation. Mr. Olson has appeared as solo and chamber recitalist in concerts and festivals throughout the United States and in Canada, France and Germany. He has performed at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City and in Eastman Theater in Rochester, New York.

Mr. Olson began guitar study at age 12 and has been the recipient of numerous scholarships and accolades. These include: the Performer’s Certificate and the George Eastman Merit Scholarship from the Eastman School of Music; and the John G. Welch Scholarship for demonstration of “unusual talent and self-discipline” and the Chancellor’s Award of Excellence from the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem.

Mr. Olson has performed in masterclasses for such classical guitar luminaries as Roland Dyens, Angel Romero, Manuel Barrueco and David Russell and his primary teachers include Nicholas Goluses, Ricardo Cobo and James Ryan.
As an advocate for innovative and diverse solo and ensemble programming for the classical guitar, Mr. Olson’s recitals feature repertoire ranging in style and character from Bach lute works to Argentinean tangos. Past recitals have included Lou Harrison’s “Serenade” for guitar and percussion and Mr. Olson’s own transcriptions of Chick Corea’s “Children’s Songs” for solo piano. Mr. Olson has opened for rock guitarist Steve Vai.

In March of 2008, Mr. Olson was awarded the degree Doctor of Musical Arts in Guitar Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music where he held a graduate fellowship. Mr. Olson currently resides in the Charlotte, North Carolina area.

Charlotte native Lynn Bowes recently completed her Doctor of Musical Arts with an emphasis in Flute Performance and Pedagogy at The University of Iowa under the study of Gro Sandvik and Tamara Thweatt.  While attending The University of Iowa, she was a Graduate Assistant for the University’s Arts Share Outreach Program where she organized and coordinated musical events to the community and Iowa schools.

A versatile musician, Dr. Bowes has established herself as a successful performer and teacher.  While winning several competitions and accepting performance invitations, Dr. Bowes has performed across the United States in NC, IL, IA, MO, and NM.  Dr. Bowes has been principal flute for Iowa’s Center for New Music, The University of Iowa Symphony Band, the Coastal Carolina Orchestra (NC), and both The University of Iowa Symphony and Graduate Chamber Orchestras.  She will be performing at this year’s National Flute Association Convention as a member of the High Winds Flute Orchestra in Kansas City.

Dr. Bowes served on the music faculty at Culver-Stockton College in Canton, MO during the 2005-07 school years.  She has also served as a masterclass clinician for Johnston County Flutes (NC), City High School (IA), Dunlap High School (IL), White Oak High School (NC), and Central Cabarrus High School (NC). 

Receiving degrees from Illinois State University (MM) and Western Carolina University (BSed), Dr. Bowes has studied with Betty Bang-Mather, Eldred Spell, Kimberly McCoul Risinger, and Irene Maddox.  She has enjoyed additional study with Claudia Anderson, Stephen Preston, and Clare Southworth, and has performed in masterclasses with William Bennett, Trevor Wye, Göran Marcusson, Jimmy Walker, Tadeo Coelho, Eugenia Zuckerman, and ensemble with Clifford Benson.

Dr. Bowes performs on a Nagahara 10k gold Full Concert flute.

My heart is to invest in the life of the student while we learn. I want to listen to the student’s desires, encourage them in their strong areas and help them gain the confidence it takes to work through their weaknesses. All musicians must have someone believe in them. I want my students to know that I do believe in them. 

I was born and raised in the beautiful, historic city of Charleston, SC. I began vocal training at a very early age with my mom who like her mother and grandmother, majored in voice and piano at Winthrop University. I started singing in choir from the time I could talk. I began taking piano lessons at the age of 8 until I picked up a guitar and started writing music of my own.

Surrounded by phenomenal musicianship in the city of Charleston, it wasn’t long before I was picked up by a management team who began negotiating record deals with Warner Bros. and Universal for my music. We also began negotiating with the touring management and legal representation of John Mayer. These teams had taken a large interest in my voice and writing style.

For three years I toured and played with musicians like Copeland, Butch Walker, Mae, 7 mary 3, Shinedown, Howie Day, Jump Little Children, Evoka, and The Films, playing shows in open air stadium, small underground clubs and even events like the July 4^th celebration at Walt Disney World in Orlando.

I was learning every day what it meant to be a performer in the popular world. I continued my vocal training with Jan Smith of Atlanta (vocal coach of Usher, India Arie, Rob Thomas and more) and recorded in Tree Sound Studios A room where The Strokes, Elton John, and Outkast have recorded their multi-platinum projects as well.

Three years ago, I moved to Charlotte to be the Music Director of a local church.  I am currently writing, recording, performing, and teaching music professionally.

I have been singing professionally for 20 years and teaching 10. I studied voice at Ohio University, University of Akron, and the Cleveland Institute of Music as well as taking private instruction over the last 20 years.

My style of teaching involves a great deal of communication with the students and parents--find out what they are passionate about, style-wise, and go for it!

I have sung lead in a variety of bands over the years and I am currently the lead singer for The Band of Gold, a popular area Beach and Oldies band. I am also an alumna of Carolina Voices, former the Charlotte Choral Society, which brings the Singing Christmas Tree to life every holiday season.

I believe a strong foundation in theory and technique is paramount to being an excellent  musician. I believe learning music vertically as well as horizontally makes for a more complete musician. Understanding the harmony associated with the melody opens one up to endless possibilities. I believe training the ears to listen and hear the changes harmonically as well as melodically is more critical than reading. At some point you have stop reading and start listening in order to really hear what you are playing.

I have been teaching piano, guitar, and beginning saxaphone for 24 years and have numerous references from satisfied students and parents.

John was born 1969, in Akron, Ohio. He began his studies in Applied Voice and Music Theatre at Florida State University under the influence of Eric Dillner and John Degan. In 1998 he moved to Columbus, Ohio where, under the instruction of John Funk Lancaster, he studied Classical Piano, 18th Century Counterpoint, and Piano Pedagogy. From there,  he moved to Charlotte, NC to complete his studies in Music Theory and 20th Century Composition with an emphasis on "Serial" and "12 Tone" Music.

To this day, John continues to study composition under the influence of Craig Bove, and has a deep regard for "new music." Some of his compositions have been performed in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Charlotte, NC, and Raleigh, NC.
John currently resides in Charlotte, and is working on a string quartet, a 5 voice choral, some solo piano works, and is in the 4th and 5th movements of a symphony for 3 pianos.

Recent Works:

"5 Character Pieces" -solo piano
"11 Moderate Studies" -solo piano
"Static" -solo piano
"Yellowing I, II, and III" - improvisations
"Etheric Velocity" -3 flutes and piano for solo piano