Biographies
Joe Ambrosino
Pan JR
Joe Ambrosino graduated from the University of Delaware in 1988 with a BMAS Choral/General. In his second year with the CMS, Mr. Ambrosino has taught General Music at John R. Downes Elementary School here in Newark for the past 18 years. He is also active in the community as a choir director, cantor, and featured soloist. Joe is a member of Delaware Steel and recently had the pleasure of joining the group on its tour of Israel.
Jennifer Barbarita
Suzuki Piano
Jennifer Barbarita is obtaining her Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of Delaware. She was a part of the Undergraduate Research Program at the University of Delaware focusing on the funk music of jazz pianist, Herbie Hancock. Jennifer has performed with the University of Delaware jazz ensembles, the Binghamton Opera Company, the Summer Savoyards, and the Cross Key Jazz Ensemble. She has experience in accompanying vocalists and instrumentalists. Jennifer is currently studying the Taubman Technique with Bob Durso and has received training in the Suzuki Approach.
Gerald Brunner
Suzuki Guitar
Gerry Brunner received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Delaware in 1969 and his master's degree from Indiana University, Bloomington in 1971. While still in school, he taught guitar at Wilmington Piano, and performed professionally in clubs and churches. In Indiana he was a staff guitarist and singer, performing popular and jazz music on the stage of the local Imperial Inn. Since 1999, Gerry has been a private guitar instructor on the faculty of the Delaware Music School, Middletown Music-Wilmington, and UD's Community Music School. He also created and conducted: "Five Decades of Popular Music" and "Broadway" sing-along courses for UD; a "Build a Song" after-school music enrichment course; and a summer "Overview of Guitar" Workshop. After private study with UD's Christiaan Taggart in the late 90s, Gerry completed: three one-week workshops in jazz and classical guitar at the National Guitar Workshop; studies at the World Guitar Congress; Suzuki guitar initial instructor certification training under Andrea Cannon; and levels 2 through 4 Suzuki instructor certification under William Kossler and MaryLou Roberts. Gerry continues to play classical, popular, and church music solo and in small groups. He performs for private parties, weddings, receptions, and clubs.
Suzanne Burton
Music for Babies and Toddlers
Dr. Suzanne Burton, Associate Professor of Music Education and Coordinator of Music Education at the University of Delaware, specializes in music teacher preparation in authentic contexts, general music, and early childhood music. She teaches graduate level courses and supervises theses and projects. Her research interests are in the realms of school-university partnerships and emergent music literacy. An active clinician, Dr. Burton conducts seminars on sequential and developmental music teaching, music literacy, musical creativity, curriculum, and assessment. Dr. Burton is the Editor of the Early Childhood Music and Movement Association Perspectives Publication and is on the editorial board of Visions of Research in Music Education. She is the Education Commission Chair for the Gordon Institute for Music Learning. Her work is widely published and can be found in Arts Education Policy Review, ECMMA Perspectives, Early Childhood Connections, Journal of Music Teacher Education, Music Educators Journal, and in the book, Applications of Music Learning Theory. She holds degrees from Spring Arbor University and Michigan State University.
Rebekka Cleland
Music for Babies and Toddlers, Music for Young Minds, and Music Moves
Rebekka Cleland is a second year Master's student and Teaching Assistant at the University of Delaware under the supervision of Dr. Suzanne Burton and Mrs. Tamara Smith. Her Master's concentration is in early childhood music. Rebekka attained a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education and a Bachelor's Degree in Piano Performance from Columbia College, South Carolina. Rebekka is certified to teach early childhood music and has been an active classroom teacher and recently a private piano instructor in the Community Music School for one year. In addition, Rebekka supervises undergraduate CMS teachers and assistants and coordinates early childhood music activities within the CMS.
Lisa Diver
Little Music Makers
Lisa Anne Diver is a Junior Music Education Major concentrating in voice at the University of Delaware. She began her musical journey as a young child enrolled in the Children’s Chorus of Maryland (CCM) and Children Around the World, a sign-language group which sang and signed for the hearing impaired. As a member of these musical ensembles she has had the opportunity to sing at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Walt Disney World, the Olympics, the White House, Carnegie Hall, and throughout Europe. Lisa is a member of Alpha Lambda Delta, Delaware’s High Academic Honor Society and enjoys traveling, reading, and playing the piano. Lisa has received her Early Childhood Music Level 1 Certification from the Gordon Institute of Music Learning. Lisa looks forward to her third year working with children and their families in the CMS program where she is excited to expose children to the joys of music at a young age!
Adrienne D. Harding
Flute Choir
Adrienne D. Harding has completed her Master of Music degree from the University of Delaware, under a Presidential Fellowship and has studied with members of the Delaware Symphony Orchestra including Kimberly Reighley, Carol Brown Beste, and Eileen Grycky. Ms. Harding is an award-winning flutist and was selected to perform as principal flutist of the 2001 National Festival Orchestra under legendary Maestro Lukas Foss, in Carnegie Hall in January 2001. During the summer of 2001, she participated in a weeklong master class given by the renowned composer/flutist, Robert Dick in New Hampshire. She is a professional faculty member at the University of Delaware Community Music School, where she has served as a flute instructor for private lessons, the Middle School Band and Wind Ensemble Camps, and the Flute Ensemble, since 1997.
Angela Gan
Music for Toddlers
Angela Gan is Junior at the University of Delaware, majoring in Music Education-General/Choral with a concentration in voice. In addition to singing, she has also enjoyed playing the piano for ten years, and the violin for seven years. She enjoys teaching and working with young children of all ages. Angela has received level 1 certification in early childhood music and has served as an assistant, and more recently as a teacher in the Community Music School, for three years.
Jessica Hoffman
Suzuki Violin
Jessica Hoffman completed her B.M. in violin performance at the Cleveland Institute of Music and Case Western Reserve University and her M.M in performance at Esther Boyer College of Music at Temple University. She was a member for four years in the Haddonfield Symphony and freelances in the Philadelphia area. Miss Hoffman has taught violin in the Temple Prepratory program, Settlement Music School of Philadelphia, Cheltanham Music of Philadelphia, and Moorestown School of Music. Her chamber music experience consists of having worked as and intern at CREDO Summer Chamber Music and faculty for Opus 1, as well as serving on the faculty at Crescendo's summer chamber music program. She is Suzuki registered and has trained under Linda Fiore at the Hartt Suzuki Institute (2006), The Greater Washington Suzuki String Institute (2007) with Edmund Sprunger, and The Pittsburgh Music Academy (2007) with Michelle George.
Kristen LaPorte
Music for Young Minds
Kristen LaPorte is a Junior at the University of Delaware majoring in Music Education with a voice concentration and minoring in Disability Studies. She has been influenced by music since the age of 2-when her parents enrolled her in early childhood music classes. Kristen has had experience working with young children at Newark United Methodist Church and young children at her church's Vacation Bible School music program in addition to various other camps. Kristen has been assisting and more recently teaching early childhood music classes in the Community Music School for a year and a half. She is interested in teaching early childhood music and young children when she graduates.
Tom Palmer
Small Jazz Ensemble
Tom Palmer graduated from the University of Delaware in 1981 with a B.M.E. in percussion. Tom teaches in the University of Delaware's Jazz Minor Program as director of Jazz Ensemble I and II and drumset instructor. He also teaches drumset and piano for the Community Music School and maintains a private teaching studio. He is a member of the UD Faculty Jazz Ensemble. Mr. Palmer stays busy performing with various groups including small combos, big bands, theater and symphony orchestras, as well as the popular dance band, "Lavender." Mr. Palmer has performed with many jazz artists including saxophonist, Ernie Watts; trombonist, Robin Eubanks; guitarist, Herb Ellis and local pianist and composer, Don Glanden. He has appeared in various jazz festivals including Wilmington's Jazz in the Village, The Clifford Brown Jazz Festival and The Rehoboth Jazz Festival. He has also performed on many occasions with the Baltimore Symphony. Mr. Palmer's recording credits include The Baltimore Symphony, Royal Palm Steel Band, Paul Scherer, Don Glanden's CD featuring Ernie Watts, and most recently, Ellen Lebowitz's CD, "Invitation to Yesterdays."
Laura Scalzo
String Chamber Ensemble
Laura Scalzo has been studying violin for eighteen years. In 2007 she graduated Cum Laude from Temple University with a Bachelor of Music degree. This fall she will continue her studies at the University of Delaware pursuing a Masters degree. There, Ms. Scalzo performs as the first violinist in the Graduate Quartet and is the Concertmaster of the University Symphony. Her principal teachers include Xiang Gao, William dePasquale and Ellen dePasquale. In addition to her academic studies, Ms. Scalzo frequently attends summer festivals including the Kent/Blossom Summer Music Festival, the Aspen Music Festival , the National Symphony Summer Music Institute at the Kennedy Center, and the Summer School of the Arts at Saratoga. This past summer she attended the Tanglewood festival as a 2008 violin fellow where she played under the baton of James Levine, Stefan Asbury, Oliver Knussen and Bernard Haitnik. She has been privileged to work with well known artists including the Emerson String Quartet, the Juilliard String Quartet, David Kim, Cho-Liang Lin, William Preucil and Steven Rose.
Ashley Snyder
Music Moves
Ashley is a music education major in her junior year at the University of Delaware. Her primary instrument is piano, and she has a minor in applied voice. She worked for one semester as an assistant music teacher at Newark Day Nursery School. She also co-taught the Music Moves for Piano class through the Community Music School for a semester. Ashley has been teaching private piano lessons through the Community Music School since her freshman year.
Anne Sullivan
Harp Ensemble
Anne's virtuosity was recognized by the age of twelve when she appeared twice with the Philadelphia Orchestra. She received her Bachelors of Music degree from the renowned Curtis Institute of Music, and while a student there won the Hobin Harp Competition. Currently, Anne is listed in "Who's Who of Rising Young Americans" and "2000 Notable American Women."
Linda Wardell
Children's Choir
Linda Wardell is a graduate of West Chester University and the University of Delaware and holds B.S. and M.M. degrees in music education with a Master Certificate in Orff Schulwerk. Linda is a music specialist in the Pennsville School District in Pennsville, New Jersey where she teaches 1st through 5th general music, and has taught 5th grade and 7th and 8th grade choral ensembles. In 2001 she was awarded Teacher of the Year within the district. Linda has served as cooperating teacher for Rowan University, University of Delaware and West Chester University. In 2002, Linda joined the Kennett Symphony Children's Chorus as Associate Conductor, and presently enjoys directing the "Joyful Noise Singers" children's choir that she founded in 1989 at Limestone Presbyterian Church in Wilmington. During the summer she directs the University of Delaware Community Music School Children's Choral Camp.