Our Faculty

Claire Bauer

Piano, Voice, Theory, Composition, Ear Training

Claire is a classically trained pianist, vocalist, and composer, and an alumna of Encore Music Academy. Claire received her Bachelor of Science in Music Technology from Northeastern University. Her music industry experience includes piano and voice pedagogy, performance in multiple genres, audio recording and engineering, and electronic and acoustic music composition. She has won multiple awards with The Royal Conservatory of Music, including a National Gold Medal in vocal performance, and has performed at venues such as Carnegie Hall and Symphony Hall. 

She brings this experience to private and group lessons in piano, voice, and music theory, where she works with students to develop aural skills, strength in sight reading, and emotional expression. Claire is passionate about providing accessible music education to students with varying support needs including those with disabilities and neurodivergence. She believes in the power of music as an interactive art form and collaborative process where musicians of all levels can learn more about themselves and the world they live in.

Claire holds certification in Piano Pedagogy from the Royal Conservatory of Music.

EMILY BILODEAU

Clarinet, Flute, and Oboe

Emily is a classically trained flautist, holding bachelor’s degrees in Flute Performance and Music Education from Ithaca College and a Master of Music Education from Kent State University.  She has 15 years of teaching experience in California and Massachusetts, working with students from preschool to adulthood.  Mrs. Bilodeau is a music teacher with the Randolph Public Schools, where she teaches instrumental and vocal music.  As an educator, Emily’s focus is on aiding students to become critical listeners so that they can engage with their own musicianship, and encouraging students to dive deeply into their own areas of musical passion.   Mrs. Bilodeau also works as a freelance musician and sings with an area women’s choir.  Her performance credits focus on pit gigs in musicals and include Carnegie Hall, Providence Performing Arts Center, and the State Theater.  Emily also plays the fife and spent 23 years as a Revolutionary War reenactor, playing venues such as the U.S.S. Constitution, the Old North Bridge, Fort Ticonderoga, the Deep River Muster, and Colonial Williamsburg.

Tom Carlisle

Guitar

Tom has been playing guitar for 15 years and teaching for seven. While at Boston College he studied under composers including Thomas Oboe Lee and Ralf Gawlick. His studies focused on Classical music as well as Popular and World styles. Tom has played with various local bands and currently plays the Turkish Oud in Boston College’s Middle Eastern Ensemble.

Dr. Mirela Chisbora, PhD.

Piano

Mirela Chisbora graduated from Stony Brook University with a doctoral degree in music and piano performance. She also holds a Masters of Music degree in piano performance from New England Conservatory, and a Bachelors of Music degree in piano performance from Gheorghe Dima Academy of Music in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. While growing up in Romania, she won prizes at national competitions and gave several solo performances with well-known orchestras in the country.

She has been a faculty member of the Cape Symphony since 2003. Mirela has held teaching positions at Riverhead Community School for Music and the Arts in New York, and Concord Community Music School in New Hampshire. She taught individual piano lessons to undergraduate students as part of a teaching assistantship during her doctoral studies. Mirela’s enduring teaching career is anchored in the pedagogy classes she pursued during graduate school, as well as in her desire to encourage other music lovers’ journeys to self-expression and discovery. She is excited to be part of Encore Music Academy and Recording Studios’ team of teaching artists dedicated to bringing high standards of music education to aspiring musicians of all ages and ability levels.

Mirela believes in music’s transformative power in our lives, its capacity to instill joy, build character, and foster creativity in all people. She helps her students reach their individual goal and musical potential through close collaboration and partnership. Mirela guides the music learner to actively listen, understand and read music notation, build musicianship skills, memorize and practice effectively. The aspiring musician is led step by step to discover the expressive character in each musical piece, and encouraged to share the joy of music-making with others through sensitive, meaningful performances. 

Monica Cilley

Trumpet, French Horn, Tuba, Euphonium

Monica is a multi-instrumentalist with a bachelor’s degree in Music with an outside field of Education from Ithaca College. With an instrumental focus on Horn in F, they performed in ensembles including the Ithaca College Wind Symphony, Concert Band, Brass Choir, and Horn Choir. Additional performance endeavors include the Ithaca College Jazz Repertory Ensemble, Jazz Lab Band, and Jazz Vocal Repertory Ensemble. Through performing in these ensembles, Monica became known as a feature jazz vocalist and strong Trumpet and Saxophone player.

Their experience at Ithaca College furthermore allowed for experience in instructing private lessons for students at the Elizabeth Ann Clune Montessori School of Ithaca, at which they taught trumpet, flute, and percussion.

Since graduating in December of 2023, Monica has made efforts to continue performing and expanding both their repertoire and stylistic experiences. In October of 2024, they performed on Alto Saxophone in the Rockin’ for a Reason concert to raise money for pediatric cancer research and they plan to be involved with future benefit programs as well.

Monica has a passion for making music accessible to those with physical disabilities and neurodivergence. They hope to someday pursue further education in a related program.

Liudmila Geyer

Piano

Liudmila Geyer’s musical education started at the age of 6 and she obtained a Bachelor of Arts from Ryazan Music College in Russia. She studied piano under Marina Pobedinskaya, whose teacher was the famous pianist Heinrich Neuhaus as well as one of the founders of Moscow Central Music School for Specially Gifted Children.

Mila earned her Master’s Degree from Saratov State Conservatoire where she studied musicology, composition, harmony, history, counterpoint, and music theory. She taught in Russia for more than twenty years as a full-time piano instructor, covering music theory and music history. Since 2008, Liudmila has taught in the United States. As a private instructor for classical piano, she puts an emphasis on music fundamentals including rhythm, ear-training, sight-reading and technique. She continues to offer her skills as an accompanist for the Hopkinton Congregation Church, Medway Community Church, and Needham Public Schools. Mila has also been recognized by Steinway as the 2020 AND 2024 “Top Music Teacher” in the United States.

Joyce Harrington

Saxophone, Flute, and Clarinet

Joyce has a BA in Saxophone Performance and Studio Teaching from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Music from New England Conservatory in Music Education/Supervision.  She has studied saxophone with Dr. Donald Panhorst, Mr. David Sublette, and Mr. Kenneth Radnofsky. Joyce has guided one of her students to a State Certificate of Excellence from The Royal Conservatory of Music. An active musician in the Rhode Island and South Shore Massachusetts areas, Ms. Harrington has been a saxophonist with the American Band of Providence for 35 years and bari saxophonist with the Arthur Medeiros Swing Band for 16 years. Ms. Harrington performs as a freelance musician and as a reed player for many theatrical productions in the area, is alto saxophonist with RISQ, the Rhode Island Saxophone Quartet and teaches saxophone at UMass Dartmouth.

Ms. Harrington has been Band Director and Director of Music in her 35 years of teaching music in the Abington Public Schools. She is also conductor and music director of the Abington Community Band and is currently Band Director at Trinity Catholic Academy in Brockton.

Tom Karol

Guitar, Ukulele, and Mandolin

Tom began playing the guitar at the age of 12 and started performing professionally at the age of 16. After earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Middlebury College, he studied arranging and composition at Berklee College of Music. He then pursued his guitar studies privately with the late jazz guitar great, Attila Zoller. Tom plays and teaches both acoustic and electric guitar and is well versed in most genres of American popular music. He performs in a variety of contexts – jazz, pop, soul, rock, reggae, folk, blues, country, and in support of singer-songwriters and solo vocalists. He has worked in recording studios as both a performer and a producer, and he has extensive experience as a private instructor – two of his former students now perform professionally themselves. Tom is thrilled to be at Encore Music Academy doing what he loves most – making and teaching music.

Don Krishnaswami

Violin and Viola

Praised by the Boston Globe as “noteworthy among the solo voices”, and as giving his instrument “a soulful workout”, violist and violinist, Don Krishnaswami, is active in the Boston area as a performing musician and teacher. He has collaborated in chamber music with current and former members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He is a founding member of the LiveARTS String Quartet. As an orchestral player, Mr. Krishnaswami has performed with orchestras from Boston to New York City to Philadelphia, including the Boston Pops, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Lyric Opera Orchestra, Boston Ballet Orchestra, Boston Modern Orchestra Project, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, and the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. He has toured domestically from coast to coast with the Boston Pops, including appearances at major music festivals such as Tanglewood, Ravinia, Wolf Trap, and Interlochen. Internationally, Mr. Krishnaswami’s career has taken him to Japan, China, Hong Kong, Canada, Iceland, Ireland, and Brazil. He has performed as back-up musician with such jazz and pop giants as Mel Torme, Cleo Lane, Natalie Cole, Sarah Brightman, The Moody Blues, Aerosmith, Yes, Barry Manilow, Joni Mitchell, The Irish Tenors, Donny Osmond, Smokey Robinson, Linda Ronstadt, K.D. Lang, Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull), Peter Cetera (Chicago), Anne Murray, Diana Krall, Earth Wind and Fire, and Sarah McLachlan.

Mr. Krishnaswami has served on the viola faculty at Williams College at the invitation of BSO cellist Ronald Feldman. He is currently a Visiting Associate Professor at Bridgewater State University. Mr. Krishnaswami holds a Master of Music degree in viola and a Bachelor of Music degree in composition from The Juilliard School. He has studied with a remarkable array of renowned teachers, including Lillian Fuchs, William Lincer, Samuel Rhodes, and Christine Dethier in viola and violin; Roger Sessions and Leon Kirchner in composition; and Joel Krosnick, Robert Mann, and Samuel Sanders in chamber music. He plays a modern Italian viola made in Naples in 1916 by Armando Altavilla. http://www.classicaloccasions.com/donkrishnaswami/

Mia Randall Krishnaswami

Voice

Mia Randall (Krishnaswami) is a versatile lyric soprano known for her captivating stage presence and ability to touch hearts. Highlights among her opera appearances include the Foreign Princess in Rusalka with The Czech Opera Project in New York City, in which she covered the role of Rusalka; Vanessa in scenes from Samuel Barber’s Vanessa at the David Friend Hall in Boston; Lake George Opera Company in Seymour Barab’s A Game of Chance in the role of the Second Knitter. Mia has a broad range of credits, including the Broadway National Tour of Fiddler On The Roof with Theodore Bikel (Tzeitel understudy), and Off-Broadway in Fiorello (Marie) and The Rose Tattoo (Flora). Among her many regional credits are Oliver at the Chiswick Park Theater in Sudbury, MA (Nancy), Camelot with Noel Harrison at the North Shore Music Theater in Beverly, MA (Nimue/Guinevere understudy), and Is There Life After High School with Desi Arnaz, Jr. and Sharon Lawrence at the Burt Reynolds Theater in Jupiter, FL. She currently holds the post of Soloist at First Church of Christ, Scientist, Needham, and is a Guest Soloist for The First Church of Christ, Scientist in Boston. Ms. Randall holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, and has received additional training with many renowned pedagogues, including voice teachers, Sari Gruber, mezzo-soprano Sondra Kelly, coaches Arlene Shrut from the Juilliard School, Michelle Alexander with Boston Lyric Opera, and Roger Malouf with the Metropolitan Opera.

Fun Fact! Mia had the pleasure of being a fellow student in an acting class with tap legend and film actor Gregory Hines. Gregory helped her secure her first apartment in New York City by co-signing her lease, while he was rehearsing the hit Broadway show “Jelly’s Last Jam.”  He picked her up in his limo on the way to the realtor’s office.

Valerie Lapinid

Oboe, Bassoon, Clarinet, Saxophone, and Flute

Val holds a BM with a concentration of oboe performance from Valparaiso University and is finishing her BA in Psychology. She has studied oboe with Mr. Frank Kocman, Mr. Larry Allen, Mrs. Hollis Ulaky, and Ms. Amanda Hardy. Mrs. Lapinid has performed with the Lake Norman Orchestra, the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, Valparaiso University, Winthrop University, Charlotte Concert Band, her own woodwind quintet, Eloquint Winds, and in musicals and churches throughout the United States since 1999. Teaching woodwinds for over 25 years throughout Indiana, Illinois, North Carolina, and Massachusetts, she has had the joy of successfully guiding many students from their first year on woodwinds to seeing them graduate and move onto college. Many of her students earn firsts in solo and district competitions, perform in musicals, solo performances with their bands, and go on to continue music into their college careers. Val teaches the basics of breathing, form, and embouchure paired with an emphasis on music theory, scales, and classical preparation, so that each student will get a solid background in learning and loving to play woodwinds. Mrs. Lapinid specializes in double reeds, reed making, and teaching neuro-diverse students. She has taught students who have autism, ADHD, anxiety, and mood disorders. Her plan to further her psychology career and become a licensed mental health counselor will further promote teaching those with a neuro-diverse background.

Scott Nicholas

Adjunct Faculty – Piano, Voice

Pianist Scott Nicholas has appeared in Europe, Latin America and throughout the United States in solo and chamber performances.  He has been heard on WBUR and WGBH Boston and has performed with the Borromeo String Quartet and the New England Chamber Ensemble.  Scott has been the rehearsal and performance pianist for the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, the Boston Pops, Minnesota Opera, the Boston Lyric Opera, Chorus Pro Musica, the Boston Secession, Concord Women’s Chorus,  EC Schirmer’s Philovox Ensemble, and the Three Irish Tenors.  Having received his BA in Music Education from the College of New Jersey and a MM in Accompanying/ Coaching from the New England Conservatory, Scott is currently on the faculty of Emerson College and Senior Lecturer at Suffolk University where he teaches piano and coaches opera and music theatre.

www.scottnicholaspianist.com/

Dominic Salzillo

Guitar (Acoustic and Electric)

John Salzillo

Trumpet and Flugelhorn

John studied with Gene Crisafulli (RI Philharmonic) at SMU Dartmouth, and Joe Giorgianni (Blood Sweat and Tears, Buddy Rich, Liza Minnelli).  He has played with the UC Irvine Jazz and Concert Bands, and was a regular in Tony Giorgianni’s Jazz Odyssey and The Loew’s Big Band, performing with Lew Soloff (Blood, Sweat, and Tears), Gerry Niewood (Chuck Mangione Quintet), and Hal Linden of Barney Miller fame.  John currently is a member of The Groove Doctors, a 7-piece funk band that performs regularly in the Boston area.

Paul D. Sarni

Drums and Percussion

Paul D. Sarni is a distinguished Yamaha Drum Artist known for his dynamic performances and versatility across multiple musical genres. With a career spanning decades, Paul has played alongside some of the most iconic names in the music industry, including Gospel icon Andraé Crouch, Stevie Wonder, Wayne Newton, Lee Greenwood, Jimmy Haslip, Tony Orlando, Andy Williams, Frank Gambale, Alex Al, Tommy Walker, Vince Falcone, Wayne Lindsey,  Tim Carmon, Johnny Mathis, and many more. His extensive experience as a drummer and percussionist has made him a sought-after collaborator in both live performances and studio recordings.

Paul’s educational background is rooted in an impressive lineage of mentors. He has studied under legendary musicians such as Anthony Sarni, Gary Chaffee, Alan Dawson, Peter Erskine, John Patitucci, Joe Porcaro, Ed Shaunessy, Alex Acuña, and Walter Tokarczyk, among others. This diverse and comprehensive training has equipped him with a unique skill set, enabling him to master a wide range of techniques that have set him apart in the industry.

In addition to his performance career, Paul is a dedicated educator, having conducted master classes in improvisation with a focus on ‘The Art of the Duo.’ His teaching approach is highly regarded for its emphasis on creativity and collaboration, inspiring the next generation of musicians.

Paul endorses Yamaha Drums, Remo Percussion, Zildjian Cymbals, and Vic Firth Sticks, aligning himself with some of the most respected brands in the drumming world. Whether in Boston, Los Angeles, or on tour, Paul’s passion for music and commitment to excellence continue to leave a lasting impact on audiences and fellow musicians alike.

Carl Scheinman

Clarinet, and Saxophone

Carl, who has guided a two students to Regional Gold Medals from The Royal Conservatory of Music, is a musician and instructor with more than 30 years of experience. He received a Master’s degree in music education and performance from the State University of New York. Prior to that, he earned a Bachelor of Music Education from Ithaca College, and performed in the Ithaca College concert band under the direction of Walter Beeler on bass clarinet and clarinet. He also performed as 2nd bassoon in Ithaca College’s Orchestra. Carl also played clarinet and bass clarinet in the West Point Concert Band directed by Colonel William Schempf.

After graduation, Carl began his career as a high school band director at Ward Melville High School in New York and also took on the roles of Music Theory Instructor and Marching Band Director. Carl participated in many of Suffolk County’s performing ensembles, and was the Pit Band Director for the Suffolk County Players. Carl became the Fine Arts Director and Conductor of the Concert Band and Jazz Ensemble at Port Jefferson, while completing additional coursework in performance, which led to a plus 45 Master’s degree from SUNY Stonybrook, NY. Carl then became the Fine Arts Director for the Franklin School System in Massachusetts, followed by his position as Assistant Principal in Canaan, CT while conducting the high school band, stage band, and pit band for musical productions.

Carl chose to follow music 100 percent of his time and followed this path to accept the position as a Fine Arts Director for the Walpole School System. He received a state grant to fund musical productions there. Carl performs as a clarinet soloist and as part of a trio at the First Unitarian Universalist Church in Franklin.

Steven Sergi

Violin/Viola

Violist, Steven Sergi, began his musical journey at eight years old in Franklin, Massachusetts. Under the tutelage of Don Krishnaswami, Steven served as principal violist for the Boston Youth Symphony Repertory Orchestra, the Metrowest Youth Symphony Orchestra, and the Franklin Repertory Orchestra.

Steven continued his studies at the Boston Conservatory studying with Rictor Noren. During his time in Boston, he performed frequently as an orchestral musician. Steven was a finalist for the New York String Orchestra Seminar and participated in orchestral festivals such as Round Top Festival Institute and the National Orchestral Institute. As a chamber musician, Steven has performed in numerous chamber ensembles and has collaborated in chamber music performances with such musicians as former concertmaster of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Joseph Silverstein, and Rictor Noren among others. Steven has also received chamber music coachings from members of the Muir and Lydian String Quartets and has participated in the Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival and the chamber music series, Music from Salem in Salem, New York. In 2014, Steven received his Master of Music Degree in Viola Performance at the Boston University College of Fine Arts, studying with Karen Ritscher. As a freelance musician in the New England area, he performs regularly with the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra, and Atlantic Symphony.

As a passionate teacher, Steven is a strong advocate of natural and artistic playing, supported by good physical posture and technique. Steven is on faculty at the Rhode Island Philharmonic Music School in East Providence.

Dr. Jon Ustin, PhD

Drums and Percussion, Bass Guitar, and Composition,

New Jersey-born percussionist and composer, Jonathan Ustin, who has guided a student to a National Gold Medal of Excellence for the Royal Conservatory of Music, discovered a passion for music at the age of 19, beginning with his study of the bass guitar, and including a brief stint with the double bass as well.  What began as an interest in percussion for the purpose of broadening his musical awareness, led him to the realization that he was, in fact, more so a percussionist at heart than a bassist (although the bass remains near and dear to him).  He has studied and is comfortable teaching drumset, hand drums, mallet instruments, electric bass, keyboard, and jazz theory, harmony and improvisation.

Jon’s training and study includes three years with Turkish master percussionist Atilla Engin, two years studying percussion and dance accompaniment with Tigger Benford, a Bachelors degree in Jazz Studies from Westfield State University, a Masters in Studio Music and Jazz from the University of Tennessee (where he studied with former Art Blakey sideman Donald Brown, and Chuck Mangione bassist Rusty Holloway), and a Doctor of Musical arts in Jazz Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, under the mentorship of Chicago-based master drummer Dana Hall.  He and his wife returned home to Massachusetts with their two young daughters in June of 2014 after nearly ten years away from the Northeast, and are quite happy to be home.

Dr. Matthew Visconti, PhD.

Trombone, Tuba, and Euphonium

Matthew received his Doctorate from the University of Memphis, his Master’s degree from Boston University and his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Hartford all in Applied Performance and Pedagogy.

He is an active freelance musician in the greater Boston area and has had the privilege to perform in venues such as Boston’s Symphony Hall and Jordan Hall, Worcester’s Mechanics Hall and New York’s Carnegie Hall, as well as venues in Spain and Portugal including a performance in the prestigious Granada Festival in Spain. Matthew has been asked to perform with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, the Memphis Jazz Orchestra, the Louisville Orchestra, the Kentucky Opera Orchestra, the Louisville Ballet Orchestra and the Jackson Symphony Orchestra in Mississippi and in Tennessee. He has also been selected as a participant for the Cleveland Trombone Seminar, the Pokorny Seminar, and the Rafael Mendez Brass Institute. He has also given numerous master classes at many high schools, churches, colleges, and instrumental workshops.

His history of teachers include Gabriel Langfur, Bass Trombonist of the of the Vermont Symphony and Rhode Island Philharmonic, Don Lucas, an internationally renown trombone soloist, Toby Oft, Principal Trombonist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Ron Borror, retired trombonist of the New York City Ballet Orchestra, and Dr. John Mueller of the University of Memphis. Dr. Visconti has received additional instruction from, and performed in various master classes with trombonists of various orchestras including the Detroit Symphony, the Boston Symphony, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the St. Louis Symphony, the Croatian National Opera Orchestra, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, New York City Ballet and the New York Philharmonic, the Dallas Symphony, the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra and from various musical institutions across the country.

Dr. Visconti is currently the Director of Instrumental Music at Lexington Christian Academy and the Instructor of Trombone at Atlantic Union College’s Thayer Performing Arts Center. He has previously served as a faculty member at the University of Memphis, Jackson State University, Dyersburg State Community College and Mid South Community College where he taught Applied Trombone, Music Theory, Music History, Music Appreciation, Marching Band, Chamber Music and Orchestral Techniques. Dr. Visconti also writes reviews for the International Trombone Journal.

Lia Zhu

Flute, Clarinet, and Saxophone

Lia Zhu is a professional flutist with 19 years of playing experience and 6 years of teaching. She holds both a Bachelor’s and Master degree in Flute Performance from East China Normal University, and a Master’s degree in Music Education from the Longy School of Music of Bard College. Lia has studied flute with renowned flutists Sooyun Kim, Allison Parramore, and Zhinuo Tang.

As an educator, she has successfully guided students through ABRSM and RCM exams, and also teaches beginner piano. Lia excels at tailoring her instruction to the individual needs of each student, helping them overcome various performance challenges. Her teaching approach focuses on developing technical proficiency, nurturing musical expression, and fostering a lifelong love for music.