PAKACHOAG - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
Alice is an active member of several ensembles and has performed Orchestral works at Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Symphony Space and Chang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall in Taipei, Taiwan. In 2008, Ms. Hsieh was invited to perform for the Consulate General of France in New York City.
Job Titles:
- Suzuki Program Coordinator
- Suzuki Specialist
Amy Matherly has been teaching students to play the violin since 1982. She began her career as a violin teacher in the public schools on Long Island. Since moving to Massachusetts in 1988, she has been a member of the faculty at the Performing Arts School of Worcester, the Hartt School of Music, and the Bancroft School. She joined the Pakachoag faculty in 2010.
Amy is a Suzuki Specialist and has taken all possible training offered by the Suzuki Association of the Americas. She is a registered SAA Teacher Trainer, one of approximately 200 professionals having achieved this status in North and South America and has been awarded an SAA Certificate of Achievement.
Her work at Pakachoag includes coordinating the Suzuki program, directing the Pakachoag Fiddle Band, offering Suzuki Teacher Training and teaching private and Suzuki group lessons.
In addition to teaching, Amy develops curricula for different areas of violin instruction and offers them through CAM Publications, a business founded with her husband Christopher in 1998. CAM Publications supports teachers, parents and students by providing teaching materials, accessories, and group class ideas.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
Christon Carney is quickly coming into his own as an emerging artist in the world of opera; also traditional concert work. He has received numerous grants and scholarships, and won competitions, including the Orpheus Vocal Competition, Altech Vocal Competition, and Harlem Opera Theater Competition.
In 2018, Christon debuted with the Nashville Opera as Giuseppe (La Traviata) and has played the role of Guard (Die Zauberflöte) with the New England Conservatory Opera program. Christon has performed with the Nashville Symphony, Nashville Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Rhode Island Civic Orchestra and Chorale, and premiered several independent operas and orchestral works in principal roles across the country.
Christon holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Lipscomb University, and completed New England Conservatory's masters program in Vocal Performance, with emphasis on Vocal Pedagogy. During his training, Christon was honored to participate in masterclasses led by Lawrence Brownlee, Ben Heppner and other esteemed guests.
Job Titles:
- Director of Music at First Congregational Church of Shrewsbury
Curtis Smith began playing the piano at the age of seven. For the past 14 years he has taught students how to enjoy making music at the piano. He received his piano pedagogy training at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida and the Pädagogische Hochschule in Freiburg, Germany. Curtis received his Master of Music in piano performance from West Chester University of Pennsylvania.
Curtis joined the Pakachoag faculty originally in 2008, serving until 2013 at which time he relocated out of area. He returns to Central Mass. and Pakachoag as of 2018.
Curtis currently serves as Director of Music at First Congregational Church of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts and is a certified teacher of the Alexander Technique.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Debby Sedgwick is an active musician, studying piano, and playing collaboratively with other musicians. For the last 32 years, she has been teaching elementary school (mostly second and fifth grade). She retired from full-time teaching in 2011 with an eye to devoting more time to music.
Teaching piano, which she has always done after school, has been one of the most rewarding activities of her life. Debby began studying piano and violin at a young age. While majoring in mathematics at Purdue, she played in the local Symphony and University orchestras, as well as in smaller ensembles. After receiving her M.S. in math at M.I.T., she resumed her piano study, first at the North Shore Community College and then at Clark University. She has been studying piano with Cathy Fuller since 1990, and has given several solo recitals in recent years.
Debby still teaches laboratory science to elementary age children in the Worcester Public Schools on a part-time basis. She lives in Worcester with her husband, Paul. Debby teaches in both Auburn and W. Boylston.
French Horn teacher Deborah Cole is an experienced musician and educator having recently retired from the Burncoat High School Music Magnet program where she conducted the orchestra, band and Jazz Ensemble. At Burncoat, Deb also taught Music Theory, Musicianship classes and Music History. Since retiring, Ms. Cole continues to teach French horn and coaches the Brass Ensemble at Burncoat.
is an experienced musician and educator having recently retired from the Burncoat High School Music Magnet program where she conducted the orchestra, band and Jazz Ensemble. At Burncoat, Deb also taught Music Theory, Musicianship classes and Music History. Since retiring, Ms. Cole continues to teach French horn and coaches the Brass Ensemble at Burncoat.
Currently, Deborah also coaches the brass students of the Worcester Youth Orchestra and the Worcester Youth Philharmonic working with their Brass sections on various orchestral repertoire.
Ms. Cole's teaching experience has included kindergarten through the undergraduate level, mostly at the high school level. She has been involved in Music Curriculum writing for the Worcester Public Schools as well as at the state level.
Deborah's education includes a Masters Degree in Music Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music and a Bachelors Degree from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell.
She is presently a performing member of Worcester Winds.
Dr. Luis Torres holds degrees in Music, Musicology, Educational Sciences and a diploma in Orchestral Conducting. As a child, Luis studied music at the Jose Maria Rodriguez Conservatory in Cuenca, Ecuador studying both violin and piano. At age fifteen, he presented his first musical composition.
Mr. Torres continued on in music as a student at the University of Azuay, Cunca, Ecuador where he completed a B.A. in Music, with violin as his primary instrument, and a Masters in Musicology. His doctoral degree is in Education also completed in Ecuador. He has pursued additional studies in conducting at Bard College Conservatory and NEC, and participated in master classes at the Moscow Conservatory. He holds a Diploma in Orchestral Conducting completed under Spanish conductor Francisco Navarro Lara in partnership with the ABRSM (Associated Boards of the Royal Schools of Music) based in the UK.
Luis has taught violin for over 12 years with the Shrewsbury Public Schools. He is a former violin, viola and piano teacher at Atlantic Union College. He performs regularly with the New England Symphony Orchestra (formerly Thayer Symphony) since the year 2000.
In 1997, Dr. Torres wrote the score for the Ecuadorian film "El Exodus of Yangana" which received recognition for its musical film score at Cuba's Latin Film Festival.
From 1991 to 1994, Dr. Torres served as Musical Director for the Ibero-American Song Festival; and from 1998 to 2000, Dr. Torres was invited by the Embassy of Ecuador to participate in an annual celebration of Ecuadorian culture and music at the Kennedy Center.
Dr. Torres has served as conductor and guest conductor for a wide range of orchestras from Washington, DC to Ecuador to Moscow, as well as locally for colleges, including UMass Amherst, and at the middle and high school level.
Many of his compositions have earned national awards and have been performed in Washington DC, Philadelphia, Cuba, El Salvador, Honduras, Paraguay, Uruguay, Lithuania, Egypt, Turkey and Ecuador. His compositions and arrangements are featured on more than 20 compact disc recordings.
At Pakachoag, Dr. Torres teaches violin, viola and piano. Beginning school-aged students and adults are welcome. For more information about Dr. Torres' teaching schedule and availability, please complete and submit this inquiry form.
Maxim Korn received his Bachelor, Master and Doctoral Degrees of Music from the Glinka State Conservatory in Novosibirsk, Russia. He completed additional studies at the Tchaikovsky State Conservatory in Moscow specializing in chamber and string quartet music. Maxim remains connected with the School following his retirement in September 2010 as our programmer and faciliator of the annual faculty recital, usually held in January or February each year, and occasional other special faculty performances,
Maxim began his distinguished teaching career in 1965 in Novosibirsk where he was a Professor of Music in the Glinka State Conservatory and Novosibirsk Music College. For 25 years he served as first violinist in the Glinka State Conservatory String Quartet.
In 1990, Dr. Korn immigrated to Israel where he continued teaching and performing as a soloist, member of chamber ensembles, symphony and chamber orchestras. In 1999, he moved to the US and continued his performing and teaching career. Dr. Korn has served in the past as Assistant Concertmaster with the Bridgeport Symphony Orchestra and has been a member of numerous orchestras throughout New England including Thayer Symphony, Nashua Symphony, New Bedford Symphony, Waterbury Symphony and others. His extensive performing experience includes tours in Russia, the countries of the former Soviet Union, Eastern and Western Europe, Israel.
In the US. Dr. Korn has also taught at the Community Music School of Springfield and Indian Hill Arts. He later devoted his time to Pakachoag Music School. Maxim presented a number of solo recitals during his tenure with Pakachoag and initiated the Unison of Violins - a collection of 8 to 16 Pakachoag violinists - playing beautiful arrangements of classical pieces for community concerts.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
Janeen Baker holds a B.S. in Music Education from Northern State University in South Dakota and an M.M. in Church Music from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. Janeen taught Junior High School music for four years in her early career. Thereafter, she has taught piano and served as Director of Music at various churches. She is a member of the American Guild of Organists (AGO) and serves as a Member at Large for this organization. Currently, Janeen serves as a substitute organist for a variety of Worcester area churches.
From 1997 to 1999, Janeen took a leave-of-absence to serve alongside her husband with the US Peace Corps in Southern Africa. Upon returning to Pakachoag Music School in 1999, she took on the additional responsibility of Pakachoag Music School' School Accompanist for student Performance Classes and Student Recitals. Janeen is a member of the Pakachoag Chamber Players performing with colleagues at area nursing homes and at private functions. In the February of 2014, Janeen was acknowledged for 25 years of teaching at Pakachoag.
Job Titles:
- Director of Upper School Instrumental Music at Worcester Academy
Jared Field is a composer, conductor, music educator and clarinetist. His works have been read and performed by Choral Chameleon, the International Contemporary Ensemble, the New York Virtuoso Singers, and by students and campers across the country. In addition to his classical works, Jared has written the music for two musicals, Rachel and La Maupin, as well as music for plays and dance pieces.
Jared received his BA in Music Composition from Brandeis University, where he earned Highest Honors and graduated Summa Cum Laude. He received his MA in Music and Music Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Composition teachers include David Rakowski, Melinda Wagner, Marty Boykan, Richard Pearson Thomas, and Vince Peterson.
Jared is currently the Director of Upper School Instrumental Music at Worcester Academy, where he is a proud recipient of the O'Connell Award for excellence in teaching. He is also the Music Director of the Hanover Theatre and Conservatory's Pre-Teen Musical Theater Intensive.
Julie Holston holds a B.A. degree from Anna Maria College and an M.A. from Clark University. She completed an intensive early childhood music teacher training workshop with Music Together of New Jersey during the summer of 1997. Julie is a member of the Early Childhood Music and Movement Association and has attended a number of their professional development conferences. Julie is also a former member of the Master Singers of Worcester.
Pakachoag honored Julie in 2022 at the 40th Anniversary Gala in recognition of 25 Years of Service. The music box presented plays: "I'd like to teach the world to sing…".
"Julie is the best. My children love her and my daughter talks about her quite often outside of class. We live in Millbury and travel to Sterling because of her." Erin, MT Parent; Sterling Satellite Class; Spring 2014
Job Titles:
- President of the Board of Directors
Lea Lucía Lipner (née Mordoh), was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and began studying the piano when she was six years old. From the age of 8 she studied under Julius Grünstein, a German pianist who was a member of the Düsseldorf School of Elly Ney and Ignaz Friedman. Mrs. Lipner's studies with Maestro Grünstein continued until 1956. At that time she was pursuing a career in mathematics at the University of Buenos Aires. After graduating in 1965 with a Doctorate in the Foundations of Mathematics, she taught at the University for several years.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Marilyn Butler has been teaching violin for many years. She trained as a Suzuki teacher in the 1970's with Yuko Honda while working on her music education degree at the University of Memphis. Her teaching style is eclectic and draws from many influences, but Suzuki methodology is a dominant element in her teaching. She holds Master's degrees from the University of Georgia and University of Michigan. Her teaching experience includes public school teaching, and private lesson teaching at the former Performing Arts School of Worcester, the Joy of Music Program, and eighteen years as the Director of Strings at Bancroft School where her duties covered a wide range of music classes. She conducted orchestras and chamber groups, taught violin lessons, hand drumming, and handbells.
Past performing experience included section violist in the Memphis Symphony, Knoxville Symphony, and the Worcester Orchestra. She currently specializes in traditional Swedish folk fiddle music and the Norwegian Hardanger fiddle. She has taken numerous trips to Sweden to study with traditional fiddlers there. She is the music director for Nordic Fiddles and Feet in Ogontz, NH and regularly performs at the New England Folk Festival and area dance events. She and Amy Matherly enjoy playing together and continue to develop their repertoire of music from various traditions as a duo.
Job Titles:
- Early Childhood Teacher & Curriculum Specialist
first became affiliated with Pakachoag Music School in 1983 as a voice teacher. In 1984, Mary Anne took over the early childhood music classes and continued teaching early childhood music through 2007. Mary Anne holds a B.A. in Music Therapy from Emmanuel College and completed additional coursework (toward meeting teacher certification requirements) at Anna Maria College. She holds an M.Ed. from Lesley University in Creative Arts and Learning. Mary Anne continues to teach music in the Spencer Public Schools (kindergarten) and elementary music and chorus at the Memorial School in E. Brookfield.
It was under Mary Anne's guidance, that Pakachoag signed on to offer Music Together as our chosen early childhood curriculum.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Myoung Han is an accomplished pop, gospel, and jazz vocalist. Myoung teaches all styles including country, musical theater, classical, folk, opera, pop, R&B, blues, gospel, jazz, and soul.
Ms. Han holds a Masters Degree from the Longy school of Music of Bard College in Cambridge where she was a scholarship recipient. She also holds a Professional Music Diploma from Berklee College of Music, also as a scholarship recipient. She has taught voice and piano for many years, including here in the Worcester and Central Mass. area.
Prior to immigrating to the United States, Ms. Han received her Bachelor of Arts from Kyung Hee University where she also studied music therapy at Sookmyung Women's Graduate School in Seoul, South Korea. Ms. Han has taught at Seoul Institute of the Arts, Soongsil , Baekseok and Jungboo University and at Kimcheon Art High School as a voice and ensemble instructor. Myoung also has many years of experience managing her own studio and operating a school for piano studies.
In addition to her teaching experience, Ms. Han is a professional singer/songwriter of pop & gospel music. She has released three professional recordings (Jazz, Pop, and Gospel). She regularly sings in church settings, and has been heard via public broadcasts in South Korea, including performances with the Seoul Pops Orchestra.
Ms. Han participated and performed in the International Music Phonograph Exhibition, Hong Kong (supervised by France & Hong Kong), titled MIDEM 97, where she represented South Korea.
Here in the US, Ms. Han has performed in Pickman Hall at the Longy School of Music of Bard College in Cambridge, MA, at the Berklee Performance Center, and at the Boston Harvard Club. Ms. Han has also sung in countless churches throughout the United States with her husband who is an accomplished gospel musician (organist, pianist, composer & arranger) and professor at Berklee College of Music in Boston.
Myoung's focus as a teacher is to assist students in becoming the true musician within themself - one who can give emotion, joy, and even heal others, through singing. Myoung seeks to find songs and music that reflect the true view of value and reflection about life itself, all of which is based on a larger understanding of " what is singing?" "what is music?"
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Member of All Saints Church
- Music
Sarah received her Bachelor and Masters of Music Education from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music where she studied piano and voice. She has taught in public elementary schools, a private residential school for special needs children and spent many years as a traveling music teacher for private preschool programs in Westboro. Until recently, Sarah was the music teacher at Shrewsbury Montessori School, where she taught general music classes to children from ages 3 - 8, music theory classes to grades K - 3, Recorder, Ukulele, Drama and Chorus. She also directed the annual school musical for children in grades 4 -6. Currently, Sarah is the music teacher at Silver Spruce Montessori School in Grafton where she teaches preschool and Kindergarten music classes.
Scott Daugherty is a passionate performing musician and educator. He has played on Broadway and with the Albany Symphony Orchestra. In 2008, Scott was awarded the honor of the James E. Hughes, Sr. Memorial Award for Performance from Mannes College of Music.
Scott has performed several engagements at Carnegie Hall and Avery Fisher Hall in New York City and has performed in Symphony Hall in Boston. He has focused on classical music in recent years, though he grew up primarily playing jazz and keeps it an active part of his playing. Scott is also an audio engineer and records often in New York City and Boston.
Scott is currently a Doctor of Musical Arts candidate at Stony Brook University, studying with American Brass Quintet Member Kevin Cobb.
Scott's former teachers include Mr. Vincent Penzarella of the New York Philharmonic and Mr. Eric Berlin of the Boston Philharmonic and Albany Symphony. He has also studied with Thomas Smith of the New York Philharmonic and Raymond Riccomini of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. Scott joined Pakachoag in September, 2013
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Member of the National Association of Singing Teachers
Silvia Irving was born in Überlingen, Germany where she grew up participating in the cathedral's rich musical tradition, singing as both a choir member and soloist. Silvia's interest in teaching led her to the Pedagogical College in Lorrach, where she majored in music and German, and appeared as soloist in numerous concert and oratorio performances. The clarity of her voice and her fine musicianship led to performances of contemporary music, making several premiers, as well as early music.
After receiving her diploma in Lorrach, Mrs. Irving moved across the Rhine to Basel, Switzerland, where she earned a Masters Degree in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. As a student of the conservatory, she appeared in numerous concert venues throughout Switzerland, Germany and France, working under the Direction of Thomas Binkley, Rene Jacobs, and as member of the Camerata Musicale Basiliensis.
In Massachusetts Mrs. Irving performed with the Boston Handel and Haydn Society from 1990 until recently. She has served as soloist with James David Christie's Ensemble Abendmusik; with the Schola Cantorum of the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester; with the Boston Camerata; and with the Bach Society of Worcester. Mrs. Irving has also appeared with the Boston Baroque and at the Boston Early Music Festival. Mrs. Irving taughts voice at Anna Maria College in Paxton for over 20 years.
Silvia is an active member of the National Association of Singing Teachers (NATS), also teaches musical theater, and has served as an adjudicator for the Junior and Senior Central District Auditions for many years. Silvia was recognized for 25 years of service to Pakachoag as a faculty member in 2012.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Susan Page Howland began playing the harp at the age of nine. As a young harpist, Susan was selected to perform at the New York World's Fair, Singer Bowl in 1965. In 1966, Susan won the American Harp Society National Solo Competition, Intermediate Division held in Los Angeles CA. Also that year she was a winner of the Irish Feish Competition, which resulted in an invitation to play in the Irish Feish Winner's Recital at Carnegie Recital Hall in New York City.
Susan is a 1975 graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music. Susan studied Harp with Marion Bannerman, Marcel Grandjany, Mildred Dilling and Louise Pappoutsakis, former harpist with the Boston Symphony.
After graduating from NEC, Susan entered nursing school becoming an RN in 1981 and a Certified (Lamaze) Childbirth Educator in 1986. Since 1990 she has been involved in liturgical music as a choir member and guest harpist. In 2010 she became a Certified Music Practitioner through the Music for Healing and Transition Program and plays music for the ill and dying.
Susan is also the parent of a former Pakachoag Music School student.
Susan primarily teaches and recommends (for younger, beginner students) lever harp which is suitable for beginner folk and classical repertoire. For students with an interest in pedal harp, please call for more information.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
Job Titles:
- Social Worker
- Sitar Teacher
Sitar teacher Usha Verma, M.A., LSW, graduated with distinction from Punjab University in Chandigarh, India with a Masters of Liberal Arts specializing in Music. She was a Music Professor for 6 years at Arya College in Ludhiana, India where she taught practicum and theory in instrumental music. Her students performed at various cultural programs, competitions, and music festivals.
Ms Verma is also a licensed social worker who has worked several years serving elders in the local community and assisting adults with special needs. She has been an active member of the India Society of Worcester where she has served as the Chairperson for the Crisis Center for more than 10 years.
The West Boylston satellite location is centrally located, at the corner of Rts. 12 and 140; in close proximity of Rt. 190; and just 12 minutes from Shrewsbury Center.
Job Titles:
- Member of Worcester Chamber Music Society
- Pipe Organ
William is an excellent teacher! He knows his craft inside and out and is readily adapts his teaching to the students needs. I would highly recommend him to any organ student!
William Ness is the former Minister of Music & Arts at First Baptist Church, an American Baptist Church, of Worcester, Massachusetts where he conducted two singing choirs and two bell choirs. He has two degrees from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and has done further study at the University of Iowa. His organ teachers have been Jennie Satre, Robert Speed, Robert Clark, Robert Glasgow, and Delbert Disselhorst. While at the University of Michigan he won the Graduate Concerto Competition in 1971. Mr. Ness taught at Andrews University from 1979 to 1982 as a sabbatical replacement for C. Warren Becker. Following that position he and his wife were Co-Directors of Music at First Presbyterian Church, Ottumwa, Iowa where they chaired the National Undergraduate Organ Competition.
William is a performing member of Worcester Chamber Music Society and Synergy, a harp, flute, organ trio. He has taught privately for many years, and joined Pakachoag Music School in 2008.