Music Instructors' Bios

Michaela Borth (Suzuki violin) received her Bachelor of Music from The University of Kansas City and her Master of Music from SUNY Purchase. She is a certified instructor through The Suzuki Association of the Americas. She has performed at numerous music festivals both domestically and abroad. Michaela holds several years of teaching experience in both New York and Connecticut.

Anita Brown (piano/songwriting) received a BM from University of New Hampshire and an MAT from CUNY Lehman College. She is an award winning composer and educator having done numerous clinics and performances at all levels. After an eight-year fellowship with BMI Jazz Composers’ Workshop, she independently produced and released her debut CD, “Anita Brown Jazz Orchestra: 27 East.” Anita is a veteran teaching in K-12 music and has authored curricula on a number of musical topics. She holds adjunct posts in jazz composition at Sarah Lawrence College and NJ City College.

John Bruschini (guitar, jazz piano) attended SUNY Old Westbury, NY and the Conservatory de Belles Arts in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. John is known for his versatility having performed in many of NYC’s venues. His long tenure with Cecil Taylor has contributed to his wide appeal and where he was featured in jazz festivals in Austria and Germany. Other credits include performances through the New York Council for the Arts Foundation and the Katonah Museum of Art.

Jessa Callen (piano, voice, and harp) received her Bachelor of Music from SUNY Purchase. She has studied with numerous renowned harpists among them Elizabeth Huntley, professor at Skidmore College and Mario Falcao at SUNY Fredonia. In addition to her teaching, Jessa is an active performer throughout New York State.

Elizabeth Callen (piano, voice) received her Bachelor of Music from SUNY Purchase. She has taught in the Westchester County area for several years in addition to having worked as a production coordinator with The Webby Awards in NYC. She, along with her sister are members of “The Callen Sisters” band.

Kristen Davanzo (piano, piano pals, voice) holds a Masters degree in Music Education from Manhattanville College and has worked as a private vocal and piano instructor for the past several years. In addition Kristen has been teaching general music in the Port Chester School District for grades K-7. She has also taught music in The Rye Arts Center’s Head start program. Kristen enjoys watching the musical progress of her students and is very excited to once again be a part of The Rye Arts Center staff.

David Dunn (recorder, clarinet, flute, and saxophone) received his MM from Rutgers University and his BM from The Hart School of Music. He joins our faculty with many years of experience having taught at The Fieldston School, Sylvan Academy of Music, Church Street School and the Rutgers Community Music Program. His performance credits include solo clarinetist with the Manhattan Chamber Orchestra, The New Jersey Pops, Society for Chromatic Art and New Vienna Chamber Ensemble. He is also a member and founder of the Artemis Chamber Ensemble.

Evelyn Farny (cello, theory) received her BM from the Cleveland Institute of Music and his currently completing her MM at SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music, where she has also served as a teaching assistant. She bring several years teaching experience in the Ohio, MA and Westchester County Area.

Gerry Fitzgerald (drums) has been teaching in Westchester for 15 years and performing the New York Area for 30 years. In that time, he has played with Joey Calderazzo, Michael Brecker, Bill Crow, Sir Roland Hanna, John Abercrombie, Jimmy Hall, Joe Beck and Carmine Leggio. He is presently appearing with Michelle LeBlanc and Doug Proper in Westchester and Putnam Counties. Gerry can also be heard on several CD’s by various recording artists.

Jim Fryer (trombone, baritone) is a versatile and experienced musician, both as a teacher and performer. His expertise on low brass extends to all age groups and encompasses all fields of music. He has served on the faculty of Wesleyan University and Hartford Conservatory in addition to being on the faculty for numerous years at Neighborhood Music School in New Haven, CT.

Anne Bach Fumasoli (flute, piano, Piano Pals) is Music School and Public Outreach Director at The Rye Arts Center and also teaches flute and piano. She received her B.S. summa cum laude in Music Education from the University of Bridgeport. She has taught in the Stamford and Darien public schools, the Greenwich Academy, the School of the Holy Child and in various community based programs. Her performance credits include work with The Connecticut Grand Opera, Connecticut Public Television, Silvermine Art Guild and The Whitney Museum. Anne continues to perform throughout the tri-state area as a soloist, chamber musician and clinician. She is an active member of the New York State School Music Association and is a certified woodwind adjudicator for NYSSMA evaluation festivals.

Steven Gates (trumpet) received his musical training at the Eastman School of Music where he studied with Richard Jones and Abe Lilard. Steven also brings numerous years of experience the music business having worked for BMG and Columbia Artists Management Inc.

Daniele Hager (piano, voice) received her Bachelor of Music from SUNY Purchase and her Master of Music from Florida State University. She brings several years of private teaching to The RAC having worked with students of all ages in Florida and The NY Metro Area. She is a classically trained soprano with experience in musical theatre. Her performance credits include roles in such works as “Orfeo ed Euridice”, “The Mikado, “Hansel and Gretel”, “Don Giovanni”, “Pippin”, and “Guys and Dolls”. These roles have been in the US, Mexico and Italy.

Peter Hand (guitar) is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music. He is a composer and arranger and performs with his jazz trio, quartet and ten-piece band in New York and New England. He has performed with and/or written music for George Coleman, Lee Konitz, Carmen Lundy, the BMI New York Jazz Orchestra and the Aspen Music Festival. He is also a faculty member at the Mount Kisco School of Music and has over several years teaching experience in New York City and Westchester. He is the co-founder of the Westchester Jazz Orchestra.

Paul Maddison (rock workshops) Guitarist, singer and songwriter Paul Maddison has a fervent love of all forms of music. As a solo artist with his funk-rock band, The Thang, and countless other projects (The Jimmies, The Greg Mayo Band, The Element, The Adam Currie Band, Abby Payne), he has performed all over the NY Metro area. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music from SUNY Purchase and lives in Astoria, Queens where he writes, records and makes the “magic” happen.

Jacob Pleakis (piano, voice) is a Brooklyn-based pianist and composer. He holds a BM in Jazz Studies from SUNY Purchase and an MM in Composition from NYU. In addition to scoring numerous shorts and student films, Jacob has also worked as a conductor, arranger and music editor. He was commissioned by the Southern Tier Symphony to write the opening piece for the orchestra’s 6th season. Jacob teaches in the Westchester County Area and can be heard in several groups throughout the New York Metro Area.

Phil Rowan (early childhood music, guitar, electric bass and double bass) attended the Conservatory of Music at SUNY Purchase and brings several years of both orchestral and classroom experience to The RAC. His performance credits include work with The New York Repertory Orchestra, Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra and the Greenwich Village Orchestra. Phil is also a certified instructor in the “Music Together” early childhood education program.

J.P. Schlegelmich (piano, composition) received his BM in Jazz Studies from SUNY Purchase and woks as a free-lance pianist and composer in the Greater New-York Area. He has been teaching privately in The Westchester County Area for the past several years in addition to teaching in several outreach programs. These programs include Orphanage Outreach in the Dominican Republic, New York Cares in the Bronx and the Northern Westchester Center for the Arts Outreach Program.

Michael Strange (rock workshops) With over twenty-five years in the music scene as a guitar and composer, Michael has toured with renowned artists such as Phoebe Snow and Pat Benatar as well as with Bette Midler’s “Hartlettes” and Grammy-award winner Jimmy Webb. He has many commercial credits in his name for clients and agencies including SONY ATV, Coca-Cola and Johnson and Johnson. He most recently wrote for HBO’s Emmy-award winning “Sex and the City” and CBS’s “NFL Today”. Michael studied privately for several years at New York University with Alan Hanlon.

Leah Tymochko (piano) is a graduate of Rovno Musical College in the Ukraine. She brings several years experience teaching privately in the Ukraine, New Hampshire and Westchester County. Lija has worked in the New Hampshire schools and has served as a church accompanist in New York City.

Vera Tymochko (piano) is a graduate of Manhattan School of Music and has studied privately with Dr. Arkady Aronov and Sergey Osokin. She has been a private piano instructor for several years in both the New York and New Hampshire Areas. Vera’s performance credits include solo recitals, chamber music and choir accompanying in Riga, Latvia, New Hampshire and New York. She made her Kennedy Center Debut under the baton of Leonard Slatkin in 2005.

Eve Weiss (Suzuki guitar, early childhood music) is a cum laude graduate of CUNY with graduate studies at L'Accademia di Studi L'Ottocento in Italy. She has performed throughout America and Europe and was the first American woman to win the Toscanini Chamber Competition in Italy, a prestigious international guitar award.