Bethany Neese has a Master’s Degree in Music/Vocal Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Upon completion of the Master's Program she moved back to Sonoma County with her husband and soon to be little girl, Ali. She now also has a son Joshua as well. In her last year of graduate school at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music aspiring to be a performer, she was offered a choir “job” that turned out to be a pivotal point in her musical career. She conducted and accompanied three choirs at a reputable arts high school. This high school teaching position made her realize that while she loved to perform, her true calling was to teach. And so, for the past twelve years, she has thrived at being a music educator in Sonoma County. She has taught Vocal Performance at the Santa Rosa Junior College, choir at Ursuline High School and been a vocal coach and performer for Santa Rosa's, 6th Street Playhouse. Her last role was as the character of Grace in the musical, "ANNIE".
To keep abreast with the most updated teaching methods in singing, she joined NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) and has been a pro-active member for 5 years. She also continues to study her own voice with Susan Witt-Butler of SSU. She feels that not only is she able to keep her own voice in vocal shape, but is always learning and moving forward in new views, theories and ideas. She believes the voice is a constantly changing and growing instrument.
In addition to all of the above, she is currently the soloist at Hannah Boys Center in Sonoma which is an accredited high school for impoverished/neglected boys. She guides the boys’ choir at mass each Sunday morning, as well as sings solos and leads the congregation in song. She also performs for special occasions, mostly weddings and funerals. As you might imagine, these commitments have been both rewarding and inspiring!
Tetyana Goodhart - Piano Instructor
Tetyana enjoys teaching piano to children and adults. Russian born and a graduate of the National Music Academy (Ukraine) where she studied advanced piano techniques, music theory, harmony, and world music literature. In addition to performance classes she took the complete course for piano accompanying, chamber ensemble, psychology and methodology. In 1988, Tetyana won 3rd place at the National Piano Competition that was held at the Kiev Conservatory of Music.
Tetyana brings her love of music to each lesson along with a thorough instruction to develop the skills necessary to play the instrument enjoying and discovering the world of the most exquisite and magical piano repertoire.
Lyric Mezzo-Soprano Kristin is an emerging singer from the San Francisco Bay Area. Known for her "wonderfully rich" and "expressive" voice, vibrant stage presence, and nuanced musicality, Ms. Kostielney can be heard as a soloist throughout the Bay Area in operatic, oratorio and concert repertoire. She was recently featured in Peter B. Allen's World Premiere of his composition Two Wings, One Bird and has also been the mezzo soloist in works ranging from Mass in C Major (Beethoven) to Rejoice in the Lamb (Britten) and has performed repertoire from roles including Charlotte (Werther), Dorabella (Cosi Fan Tutte), and Suzuki (Madame Butterfly). Ms. Kostielney has also sung on the stage of the San Francisco Opera as a member of the Opera Chorus. She graduated Cum Laude from Dominican University with a B.A. in Music and teaches voice and violin in her private studio in Northern Sonoma County.
Andrew Emer - Bass Instructor
Andrew moved to New York City from San Fransisco in 1998. While in San Fransisco he worked with Billy Higgins, Buddy Collette, and Bruce Forman along with Steve perkins of janes addiction in a Ska/ Klezmer out-fit. Since moving to New York he as had the pleasure of working and touring with; Lee Konitz, Donald Byrd, Jason Moran, Jeff Ballard,Kenny Wollesen, Peter Apfelbaum, Chris Cheek, George Garzone, Frank Kimbrough, Waddada Leo Smith,Carl Allen, Mike Clark, Arturo O'farell, John Popper (Blues Traveler), Slide Hampton, Donny Mclaslin. In the fall of 2007 Andrew worked with Jack Dejohnette
sideman; Michae Cain to score a play for Labyrinth Theater Company with Co-artistic Directors: John Ortiz and Phillip Seymore Hoffman. The play, "A View From 151st street" premiered at the New York City Public Theater and had a successful 38 show run. Since then he has been touring the states and Europe with various Jazz acts.
Andrew is currently Adjunct Faculty, String Bass & Electric Bass, at Santa Rosa Junior College, Summer faculty at Lake Tahoe Jazz camp for Kids and a Jazz Clinic Visiting Professor National Conservatory of Brussels, Belgium 2009-2010.
Sandy received her Master of Music in NYC. She spent 11
years in NYC as a member of The New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players
as well as many other Equity musical theater productions, including
'Belle' in A CHRISTMAS CAROL with Playwright Preview Productions,
BRIGADOON with Weschester Broadway Theater, 'Maria' in THE SOUND OF
MUSIC, "Lily' in THE SECRET GARDEN, 'Josephine' in HMS PINAFORE,
'Casilda' in THE GONDOLIERS, 'The Begger Woman' in SWEENY TODD, and
approx 25 other shows. She has music directed the children in the
last 7 summer productions with the 6th Street Playhouse in Santa
Rosa. She has a heart for baby and toddlerts, developed her own
baby/toddler program in NYC. She brought it to Sonoma County where she
owned and directed THE MUSIC HATCHERY in Petaluma. She also plays the
flute in many musical theatre and college orchestras under the
conducting of her husband, Richard. Recently you can see the
"Riccardi Duo' on You Tube, as they entertain us with their political
originals. They are most widely known as "THE HOCKEY MAMA FOR
OBAMA". She and Richard are taking their set and are currently
performing around the country.
Harmonica player Catfish Jack (aka Jack Chauvin) grew up in Oakland, California. He was originally inspired by the Chicago blues’ legends Little Walter, James Cotton, Sonny Boy Williamson, and Big Walter Horton and later fell under the trance of country players Sonny Terry, Charlie McCoy, and Mickey Raphael. Catfish Jack has played harmonica with Los Lobos, Charlie Musselwhite, Western Swing Hall of Famer, Tommy Thomsen, Canadian folk favorite, Po' Girl and while living in Austin, Texas he began sitting in with the Grammy nominated, “phenomenal” Ruthie Foster. Catfish has also had the privilege of playing with Zydeco master, Terrance Simien, Johnny Cash’s piano player of twenty years, Earl Poole Ball, Seth Walker, the Mother Truckers, Sara Elizabeth Campbell, and other Austin favorites. In addition to performing, Jack also teaches harmonica and guitar to students of all ages.
Tina Lloyd Meals - Voice Instructor
Tina has been living and working in Sonoma County since 1987, though she hails from the Mid-West. She graduated from Northern Illinois University cum laude with a Bachelor’s degree in voice performance and then continued studies in opera at USC. Tina has performed extensively in the San Francisco Bay area with such groups as the San Francisco Opera Chorus, Pocket Opera, North Bay Lyric Opera, and Sonoma City Opera. Her favorite roles include Pamina in The Magic Flute, Countess in The Marriage of Figaro, Fiordiligi in Cosi Fan Tutte, The Witch in Into the Woods, Sister Robert Anne in Nunsense, and Micaela in Carmen. She has performed and recorded with the Fulton Chorale in performances at Yosemite's Ahwahnee Hotel for the Bracebridge Dinners. She has also worked as pianist and music director for Broadway Bound Kids Children's Musical Theater in many productions including "Annie", "Oliver", "Peter Pan", and "Into the Woods" to name a few. She was the worship director for eight years at Shiloh Covenant Church in Windsor. Tina has recently worked at 6th St Playhouse in Santa Rosa and with The Raven Players in Healdsburg. In Oct. of 2010, she performed the role of Zombina in “Zombies From the Beyond” with Odyssey Theater. Tina has been teaching and coaching voice privately for 18 years, and is excited to have completed her certification as a Speech Level Singing instructor.
