Piano/Voice

Jessica has studied flute and piano privately since she was in middle school. She holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in Flute Performance from Northwestern University and the University of Louisville. She also recently completed her Master of Music Education degree at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. Jessica performs on flute and piccolo with the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra and the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic. Jessica has been teaching piano and flute for the Stafford Music Academy since 2008.

Mary Allen-Lynch has an extensive musical background with over 40 years in music education and music performance. Having taught piano, flute, voice lessons, and Music History for over twenty years at Culver Academies, a college preparatory boarding school in Northern Indiana,  she brings a wealth of teaching and performing experience to her current students at Stafford Music Academy. Her teaching philosophy has always been that of an artist-teacher, as well as being student centered. She believes wholeheartedly in meeting students where they are in terms of individual learning styles and their personal goals for studying music. Mary believes in using a variety of methods, techniques, and technology to help students learn and grow as musicians. She includes elements of music theory as a natural part of the early learning process.

Mary Allen-Lynch holds a Bachelor of General Studies from Indiana University with a focus on Music, Folklore and German. She also holds a Masters in Music and Arts Technology from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. She is a seasoned professional and has played the piano for over 50 years since the age of 6. She studied privately with Purden Lausten and Thomas Lawston in her early years of piano. In addition to piano, Mary Allen-Lynch began studying flute at the age of 10. She continues performing on both flute and piccolo in the Bloomington Community Band and the Bloomington Community Band Flute Choir. She was also very active in teaching, coaching and performing with the Music Theater program at Culver Academies. In 2012 she traveled with and coached a student theater group’s musical production during performances at The Fringe Festival in Edinburgh Scotland. She has accompanied extensively and enjoys working with and supporting soloists.

In addition to teaching at Culver Academies, she has also maintained a private teaching studio working with both children and adults of all ages throughout her professional life. She has worked extensively as a musician within various worship traditions and spaces, playing piano, organ, flute and as a song leader.  Locally, she currently sings in the soprano section of the choir at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Bloomington, as well as accompanying the choir at Beth Shalom on occasion.

Another part of Mary’s musical life is volunteering locally with music and memory sessions, utilizing the power of music within the brain to positively impact the lives of those with dementia and Alzheimer’s, their families, and caregivers. She currently volunteers at Better Day Club and Gentry Park’s memory care residence. Mary Allen-Lynch has traveled and lived abroad for long periods of time, including Malaysia and Japan. She counts her years of living in many diverse cultures as a hugely formative factor in her education. She teaches music so that others may find their voice and enjoy the many benefits that music lessons and education bring to the quality of life.

Cindy has been teaching piano lessons for over thirty years and is an expert in the field of young children’s music programs. She received Kindermusik training under the program’s writer and founder Lorna Heyge. She is also trained and certified in the Yamaha Music Education System. Cindy is the music director at McDoel Baptist Church and sings soprano in the Bloomington Chamber Singers. Cindy has been teaching with Stafford Music Academy since March of 2006.

Soprano, Lillie Judge is a native of Charlotte, North Carolina and holds a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance and Sacred Music from Westminster Choir College and a Master of Music in Voice Performance with a Certificate in Vocology from Indiana University. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Music degree in Voice Performance and Literature at IU under the tutelage of Dr. Brian Gill.

Lillie has over 8 years of teaching experience, including piano and voice lessons, as well as choral direction. Her teaching philosophy centers on the student and achieving their musical aesthetic goals while building sustainable techniques, so music-making can become an enjoyable and empowering experience regardless of age and ability.

Lillie’s most recent performance credits include Rosalinde in the Fall 2024 production of Die Fledermaus with IU Opera, Despina in John Davies’ The Three Little Pigs, Red Song Bird in the premiere of Zach Redler’s The Red Song Bird at the inaugural Children’s Opera Festival in Columbia, SC, and Mrs. Edith Frank in the World Premiere of Anne Frank at IU. During her time at Westminster, Judge sang and toured with Westminster Choir and performed Bach’s B minor Mass under the baton of Yannick Nézet-Séguin with Westminster Symphonic Choir and the Philadelphia Orchestra.

 

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Cynthia is a soprano who recently graduated from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music with a Master of Music in Voice under the tutelage of Professor Tichina Vaughn. Prior to her graduate studies in the States, Cynthia obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Music with a minor in French and German from the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Apart from solo singing, Cynthia is active in choral activities and has been a passionate chorister since she was 6 years old. During her undergraduate and graduate studies, she participated in numerous choral concerts and was often invited as a soloist. Cynthia appeared as the soprano soloist for Mozart’s Requiem with IU University Singers in 2022. She was the soprano soloist for Saint-Saën’s Christmas Oratorio and Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 in Hong Kong. She also appeared in the opera chorus of Bellini’s Norma and was Pamina in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte when she was studying in Hong Kong.

Cynthia is keen in teaching voice, piano, harp and music theory and has 7 years of teaching experience. Her students obtained excellent results in music exams and competitions. Cynthia is interested in learning languages and speaks 7 languages, including Cantonese, English, Mandarin, French, German, Italian and Korean.

Cora Grace Winstead is an active performer with critics describing her performance as “a radiance that makes you catch your breath” (Dallas Morning News). She recently made her international debut as Cherubino in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro with MusicFest Perugia. Cora has performed professionally across the country from New York City to her hometown of Dallas-Fort Worth. Her favorite roles include Girl in Once, and Tzeitel in the ASL premiere of Fiddler on the Roof. Last year in concert, she was the Mezzo-Soprano Soloist in the world premiere of James Stephenson’s Symphony No. 2 “Voices” for Orchestra, and revisited the Alto Soloist in Handel’s Messiah with the Lovers Lane Friends of Music.

Cora has been teaching music since 2016. She takes after her mother, who was an opera singer and voice teacher herself. An avid lifelong learner, Cora incorporates science-based pedagogy and the joy of making music into each of her lessons. One of her philosophies is to teach students life skills through music skills, and she knows no greater pride than witnessing her students grow not only into incredible musicians, but more so into extraordinary world citizens.

Cora holds a Master of Music in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy from Texas State University, and a Bachelor of Music in Music Theatre from Oklahoma City University. She is currently pursuing a Performer Diploma in Voice Performance at Indiana University.

A native of Pensacola, Florida, soprano Laura Looper received her Bachelor’s degree in voice with a minor in Italian at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, and she is currently continuing her studies there as a masters student. Laura has a passion for teaching and taught at Kabarak University, an organization that provides virtual private voice lessons to students in Kenya during her undergraduate years. Laura has performed with the IU Opera Theater in the roles of Adele in Die Fledermaus and Johanna in Sweeney Todd. Additionally, she has sung in the choruses for Highway One USA, Candide, Romeo et Juliette, and most recently, the chorus in the world premiere of Mason Bates’ The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay in collaboration with the Metropolitan Opera. Recently, Laura was a young artist at the Brevard Music Center, where she performed as Tina in Flight and sang in the choruses for La Bohème and The Threepenny Opera. Past roles include Atalanta in Serse with Chicago Summer Opera, Barbarina in Le nozze di Figaro at the Utah Vocal Arts Academy. She has also covered the role of Despina in Così fan tutte at the Tel Aviv Summer Opera. She was the first-place winner in the 2023 Indiana Matinee Musicale Collegiate Competition and a recipient of the 2021 Pock and Blumberg Merit Award from the National Society of Arts and Letters. Aside from singing and teaching, Laura enjoys playing the piano and has a passion for the Italian language.

Malhar is a versatile musician with a B.M. in Voice from Indiana University and four years of teaching experience. With 15 years of training in Hindustani and Carnatic classical music, Malhar specializes in classical voice and piano and is skilled in various string and percussion instruments.

A dedicated member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), Malhar actively advances his knowledge in voice pedagogy and best practices. His professional development has been significantly influenced by renowned mentors including, but certainly not limited to, Dr. John Wilson and Dr. Christopher Albanese

Malhar’s performance experience is extensive and diverse. He has been a soloist in a range of works, including Handel’s Israel in Egypt and Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on Christmas Carols. Additionally, he has performed as both a vocalist and collaborative accompanist at ACDA National, Midwestern and Eastern Conferences.

Known for his patient and adaptive teaching style, Malhar works with students of all ages and skill levels, creating a supportive environment that fosters growth and confidence. His broad musical background and dedication to ongoing learning ensure that his instruction is both innovative and effective. Outside the classroom, Malhar continues to engage in performance and exploration of new musical genres, staying inspired and connected to his craft. His commitment to both his students and his own musical journey makes him a valued mentor and a source of inspiration.

Anoushka Divekar (she/her/hers) is a first-generation American who remembers coming home to hearing her mom singing Hindustani Classical Music, as her dad played Tabla. Her love for music began early and was nurtured well. She started clarinet at the age of 10, after two years of learning violin and piano. While she developed a love for performing and a great fondness for the teachers who had supported her endeavors, she’d tell her mom that her music was “wrong” upon coming home. However, she was so taken by the art form that she began study at the University of Colorado Boulder in Clarinet Performance and Music Education. Throughout her degree, she noticed many inequities in the school system, leading her to question the way she was taught and her cognitive dissonance about her own Indian heritage.

Anoushka also grew to acknowledge the many privileges she held, which allowed her to pursue her passions. Performing many recitals and concerts led her to realize that the works of BIPOC, LGBTQ+ people, and women were consistently left out of the music that she played and the faces she saw in her schools. Throughout her undergraduate, she was part of CU Boulder’s Diverse Musicians’ Alliance, a group that sought to normalize and amplify all voices in the realm of music making. She is a part of the clarinetrepertoire.com team, continuing Dr. Maggie Greenwood’s dissertation of cataloguing a database of clarinet works written by people with a range of gender identities in an effort for them to be played on more clarinet recitals. This led her to creating the Take Two Knees concert and pledging to play works by all kinds of composers on her programs.

Anoushka currently attends Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in pursuit of a Doctor of Music with a Doctoral Minor in Music Education. Anoushka graduated with her Bachelors degree in Music Education and Clarinet Performance in May 2020 from the University of Colorado Boulder. She graduated with her Master’s degree from Texas Tech University in May 2022. Her primary teachers are Professor Gábor Varga, Dr. David Shea, Professor Daniel Silver, and Dr. Christine Bellomy. She has attended Boston University Tanglewood Institute, Eastern Music Festival, and Rocky Ridge Music Festival, and has performed most recently with CU, TTU, and IUs top ensembles. She serves as principal clarinet in the virtual Dad Village Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, she won first prize in the International Clarinet Association’s Clareidoscope Festival Collegiate Category Essay Competition and Performance Competition in April of 2021.

Anoushka looks forward to a future of performing and teaching. Anoushka is a classroom and private teacher and has now become adept at teaching both in person, and online. She is passionate about social justice and restorative justice education and feels compelled to use music as a vehicle to make change.

Nick Gomez is a professional woodwind player from Southern California. He has worked with a variety of artists, such as Cold Duck, Breakestra, and Poncho Sanchez in addition to leading and composing for his own projects and teaching elementary through college music classes. Nick is currently pursuing DM in Jazz Studies at Indiana University.

Stephen is a pianist who was born and raised in Washington State.  He started learning piano when he was five years old. Throughout his musical journey, Stephen joined numerous piano competitions such as the Chopin Festivals and MTNA wherein he garnered multiple top local and state awards.  These awards gave him the opportunity to perform with various orchestras in Washington State.  Stephen obtained a full scholarship at the University of Missouri Kansas City where he earned his Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance and graduated with honors.  He is currently pursuing his Master of Music in Piano Performance degree at the Jacobs School of Music.

Stephen enjoys playing classical music as well as listening to different genres.  He shared his talent by playing for the elderly at retirement homes and nursing homes.  Stephen also sang with and served as an accompanist to various choirs during rehearsals and concert performances.  As a teacher, he is goal-oriented and focuses on students’ needs and getting to know them.   Stephen is classically trained and will guide students on how to work on their music of choice.  Besides music, Stephen enjoys many hobbies such as crabbing, fishing, aquascaping, biking, planting, and spending time with his two dogs.

Korean-American violinist Hayne Kim leads a distinctive musical career as a performer and educator that has brought her around the world. She made her solo Carnegie Hall debut at the age of 16, and has performed as a soloist with the Lansing Symphony Orchestra (Michigan, USA) and Tuscia Operafestival orchestra (Viterbo, Italy). An active chamber musician, Hayne has collaborated with reputed artists, such as Alexander Markov and Clive Greensmith, and performed for diverse occasions ranging from ensemble performances at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center to intimate gatherings at the home of Thailand’s Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.

Taking a special interest in contemporary music, Hayne is the violinist and co-founder of Círculo Trio, an ensemble dedicated to exploring and presenting new and/or underperformed works alongside standard repertoire. Projects that the trio has commissioned include The Triumph of Time, an adaptation of Shakespeare’s play The Winter’s Tale for actor and trio with original music, and a collaboration with Bangkok City Ballet for Thea Musgrave’s theatrical chamber work, Pierrot.

Hayne holds degrees from the Manhattan School of Music and Michigan State University. Her past mentors include Lyman Bodman, Grigory Kalinovsky, and Dmitri Berlinsky. Dedicated to sharing her experiences with up-and-coming generations of musicians, she served as a faculty member of Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music in Bangkok, Thailand from 2017-2022. She is currently pursuing her Doctor of Music degree at Indiana Jacobs School of Music under the guidance of Kyung Sun Lee.

 

Zach Walter is a trumpeter and violinist based in Bloomington, IN. Having started music at a young age, it quickly developed into a deep passion. Following the footsteps of his first trumpet teacher, Zach received his Bachelor of Music from West Chester University of Pennsylvania, where he also specialized in music production. He is currently finishing his Master of Music at Indiana University.

Zach began teaching in 2019 with the philosophy that anyone can learn an instrument. It is never too late, and the love of music should be a universal experience. He has helped students of all ages and skill levels along their musical paths through personalized, student-centered instruction.

While classically-trained, Zach is also immersed in the jazz/commercial realm as a lead trumpet player. He has a diverse performance history spanning a variety of genres and ensembles, including solo work, chamber music, orchestras, wind bands, jazz ensembles, and mariachi bands. His performance has been recognized at the national level, having placed in the quarterfinals of the National Trumpet Competition in 2022 and 2024.

Zach has an extensive background in the marching and pageantry arts communities, having toured nationally for two years with the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps in the Drum Corps International circuit. Previously a brass instructor with the Hawthorne Caballeros Drum and Bugle Corps, he remains active in the community teaching various high school marching bands in Indiana and southeastern Pennsylvania.

Originally from the Hudson Valley in New York State, Sara Callanan lived in the Washington, DC area for many years before moving to Bloomington in 2014. Ms. Callanan attended the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY and the University of Maryland, just outside Washington, DC. From 1982-1984, she was a professional chorister and soloist at the National Shrine in Washington, DC, and has been a soloist at many other prominent DC churches. She regularly performed the national anthem at the Northern Virginia Special Olympics and was a featured soloist with area choirs.

Ms. Callanan maintained a private music studio for many years, teaching both piano and voice. Many of her students have become performers, teachers or composers. Ms. Callanan has been very active in community music theatre as both actress and music director/pianist. In 2001, the ensemble she directed for "Little Shop of Horrors" won a prestigious Cappie Award for Best Orchestra. In 1992 Ms. Callanan founded RAVE (Reston Artists Vocal Ensemble) for which she wrote many a cappella arrangements. Her business "Solos By Sara" provided music for weddings and other events in the Washington, DC area. Ms. Callanan is uniquely qualified to teach voice students interested in classical repertoire, music theatre and jazz. Her piano students may learn jazz techniques as well as classical repertoire.