JENNINGS MUSIC & EDUCATION CENTER - Key Persons

Anna McCoy began playing the cello at age 11. She began her studies in private lessons and rapidly progressed to the position of principal cellist of the Bakersfield Youth Symphony Orchestra in her junior and senior years of high school. After graduating high school, Anna took private cello lessons at the Colburn Community School of Performing Arts for four years. She has also received 5 years of private music theory lessons at the collegiate level. Experience Anna has been teaching private cello lessons for 7+ years, teaching students ages elementary - adult. Anna has prepared students for orchestra auditions and honor orchestra auditions, orchestra concerts, solo performances, and chamber music performances. Some of Anna's students have placed 1st chair in their orchestras and received superior ratings in festivals. Anna also has experience organizing and hosting student recitals and workshops, teaching students with special needs, coaching youth symphony and honor orchestra sectionals, auditing student instrumentalists, substitute teaching in school music classes, assistant directing music camps, etc. In addition to teaching, Anna has significant performance experience. She was a member of the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra (a professional symphony in California) from 2013-2020. Anna began her tenure there as the youngest member in the orchestra. She has performed with many orchestras including the Antelope Valley Symphony Orchestra, the Shafter Symphony Orchestra, the Kings Symphony Orchestra, the Tehachapi Symphony Orchestra (principal cellist), and the Synergy Chamber Players. Anna was a guest artist at a California State University, Bakersfield faculty recital in 2019. Anna particularly enjoys performing solo recitals for her community. She also enjoys playing educational concerts for elementary school classes. Anna's high school performance achievements include performing as a featured soloist on Kern Valley Public Radio's Young Artist Spotlight, winning the Bakersfield Youth Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition, and winning the Tehachapi Symphony Orchestra's Young Artist Competition. Anna McCoy uses word pictures, object lessons, improvisation, and games to captivate students' interest and help them achieve excellent technique and beautiful, musical expression. She teaches with kindness, patience, and humor while driving students toward high standards of excellence. Anna seeks to equip students with skills to share the beauty of music with their communities.

Dr. Harris received her Bachelor's degree in piano performance in Seoul, Korea and earned a Master's degree in piano pedagogy at the University of Georgia. She graduated from Florida State University with a Doctorate in piano performance in 2007. Dr. Harris has been teaching piano privately over 20 years for all levels. She began her teaching career by assisting her major professor's private high school students, who were preparing for college entrance auditions in Seoul. She also taught college level students for her graduate assistant-ship in applied piano and group piano class at Florida State University. Dr. Harris previously maintained a private class of students at Cavatina Music Studio in Tallahassee, FL. In addition, she worked in the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University as a collaborative pianist. Currently, Dr. Harris teaches music appreciation class at West Georgia Technical College.

Kara McCoy has studied music for 20 years through private lessons. She began with piano at age 6 and then switched her focus to violin in 6th grade. Kara spent six years studying violin technique and pedagogy with Richard Schwabe, longtime chair of the Strings Department for the Colburn Community School of Performing Arts. Kara has also studied private music theory (collegiate level) with Robert Tomkins, a former music theory teaching fellow from the University of North Texas. Kara holds music teacher certifications in the Mark O'Connor Strings Method books 1 and 2, and several Musikgarten certifications, including Music Makers at the Keyboard. Experience Kara is a dedicated musician and music teacher for all ages, babies through adults. She discovered her love of music teaching as a freshman in highschool and has maintained a growing music studio ever since. Her students, of every level, have steadily grown in their musical skill and excelled in their various school and honor orchestras, with several students placing 1st and 2nd chair in their sections. While violin is Kara's primary instrument, she also loves singing, playing piano, and performing on the violin's nearest kin, the viola. As an avid musician Kara plays professionally, as a community volunteer, and just for fun. Growing up in CA, Kara had the privilege of playing with numerous groups. She served as principal second violin for the Tehachapi Symphony for five years and played professionally with five additional symphonies. She has been asked to play professionally for banquets, weddings, fundraisers, birthday parties etc. She was a winner of the Bakersfield Youth Symphony Concerto Competition and the Tehachapi Symphony Young Artists Concerto Competition. She also performed the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto 3rd movement on Valley Public Radio's Young Artists Spotlight radio program.

Job Titles:

• Education

Nina Rangel attended Montclair State University for both undergraduate and graduate school. She has her BA in Music Therapy and Masters in Music Education. She studied under Nan Guptil Crain, Dr. Lars Woodul, and Shiobhan Kolker. During her educational career, she was a member of the Montclair State University Singers, where she was afforded the opportunity to perform at the Sydney Opera House, NJPAC, and several other venues along the East Coast. In addition, she served as secretary for Sigma Alpha Iota, an academic music fraternity, and was the president of the Music Therapy Student Organization. Experience During the day, Nina works as the general music and choral teacher at Cartersville Elementary School. While this is her first year teaching in Georgia, it is her fifth year working as a music educator. She spent the last three years working in Newark Public Schools, and spent one year teaching K-8 music and choir at St. Virgil's School in Morris Plains, NJ. In addition to her experience as a school teacher, Nina served as the Director of Children's and Contemporary Music at St. Virgil Parish from 2014-2020 and has been giving private lessons since July 2014. Nina has worked with students who have won local competitions, toured nationally, and received paid work As a performer, Nina served as the Leader of Song from 2009-2020 at St. Virgil Parish where she led religious services such as weddings and other holy days of obligation. She has performed and subbed in several cover bands and ensembles such as The Nite Owls, James Alfred Band, Not for Nothing, The Strangers, 2AM Breakdown, and Consonance Music. Nina attributes her dynamic and all-inclusive teaching approach to her diverse musical background. Nina has a passion for teaching, sharing, and making music with others. Vocally, she specializes in teaching pop, jazz, rock, broadway, and classical music. Her goal is to develop self-sufficient musicians who understand how to perform, create, and articulate with self-expression, artistry, and confidence. Nina uses technique and literacy as the foundation for her pedagogy, and builds upon this with the student's needs and interests in mind. If opting to take voice and piano or voice and ukulele, Nina will include strategies that optimize using both instruments simultaneously for performance and songwriting.

Wesley began playing trombone at age 11 and has continued to do so for almost 12 years. In July of last year, he graduated Kennesaw State University with a minor in music where he studied with Nathan Zgonc (Acting Principal Trombonist of the Atlanta Symphony) and Brian Hecht (Bass Trombonist and featured soloist at the Atlanta Symphony). Wesley has performed and soloed in elite music ensembles at Kennesaw State University for four years. These ensembles include the Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Brass Choir, Trombone Choir, and Trumpet Ensemble (on Bass Trumpet). He has also performed with the Troopers and Atlanta CV drum and bugle corps for a total of two years, touring the country and competing with other world class organizations. In high school, he participated in district honor band for four years and earned superior ratings in district Solo & Ensemble competitions. Wesley taught as a music and field instructor at the Pope High School Marching Band for three years. At Pope, he worked with students one-on-one, by section, and with the ensemble as a whole. While he was in high school, he taught as a section leader for two years by helping incoming freshmen perform to the expectations of the ensemble.