Instrument Lessons during COVID

---

Emma began playing the flute at the age of 5 when her mother enrolled her in a group flute class at the local community center. Over the past nearly 20 years of flute playing, she has had the opportunity to perform around the country and around the world in Australia, Germany, the Czech Republic, DR Congo, and the Philippines. 

In addition to performing in orchestras and other chamber ensembles, Emma enjoys helping students discover their own love of music. She believes music adds happiness and beauty to life.

Emma is a recent graduate of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, where she earned a Bachelor of Music in Flute Performance. Her love of music has led her to continue her studies as a graduate student of Dr. Tadeu Coelho at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

Coming soon!

Anthony Lacivita is a freelance trumpet player and current Graduate student at UNC School of the Arts, studying under the direction of Dave Dash, former member of the Presidents Own Marine Corps Band. Anthony received a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts degree from Gardner Webb University under the direction of the world famous orchestral trumpet player, Tim Hudson, and received annual masterclasses from the former principal trumpet of the Boston Symphony, Charles Schlueter. In addition to working on a Master’s Degree in trumpet performance, he is also teaching privately at Separk Music, performing as a local musician in the triad area at various churches, retirement homes, and special events, and preparing for professional orchestral and military band auditions. 

Devin recently graduated from St.Olaf College where he studied Instrumental Music Education, this fall he’ll start his Masters in Trombone performance at UNCSA studying with John Ilika. Devin has performed around the country with the St. Olaf Band, as well as playing in multiple collegiate orchestras and Jazz ensembles. Apart from playing, Devin has taught in music classrooms from elementary through the collegiate level and found that no matter what where students are in their musical journey there is always more to learn. In Devin’s opinion the trombone is the greatest instrument, ever, and will work with each student to help them progress in technique and ability no matter the level while striving to keep music fun and exciting, as it should be.

Austin Martin is a Winston-Salem based classical and contemporary percussionist. Austin began studying percussion at the age of 11, and it’s been his driving force ever since. Only a year after learning his way around the basic three areas of study; timpani, snare drum, and mallet percussion, Austin was able to place in various local and out of state competitions. By the age of 14, he had already performed in every major state of the East Coast, from cities like Miami FL, all the way too Rochester, NY. After turning 16 he was accepted into the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where he began studying with John R. Beck- a world renowned classical percussionist. After going through his high school arts conservatory training, he graduated the program in 2017 with a focus in Classical Percussion Performance. This same year he was accepted into Berklee School of Music, where artists like John Mayor, Charlie Puth, Quincy Jones, and Steve Vai earned their performance degrees. After a short period of deliberation he decided to stay at UNCSA, and is now in his sixth year of training at the conservatory, graduating in 2021 with a Bachelor's Degree in Classical Percussion Performance. His other areas of work are in artistic fabrication, visual art, and sculpture.

Blake Kitayama is a member of the de Sterke Quartet as part of the Chrysalis Chamber Music Institute. As an orchestral musician he has recorded for Navano Records and played in the Jackson Symphony and Huntsville Symphony. He first began teaching as an undergrad, working with young chamber groups, and recently participated in Suzuki training.

Blake earned a Bachelor of Music from Vanderbilt University under the instruction of Felix Wang and is currently pursuing his Master of Music degree at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts with Brooks Whitehouse.  

Beatrice Serban, age 24, was born in Lawrenceville, Georgia. She began her music studies at age three, starting with violin and switching to piano at age eight. She was accepted into the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in 8th grade, finishing her high school education there. She recently graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance from Washington Adventist University. Beatrice is an active chamber musician, and has been part of the Winston-Salem Youth Symphony and the New England Youth Ensemble, where she has performed on both the harpsichord and piano. She attended Port City Music Festival in 2018, Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival in 2012 and 2017, and Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival in 2013. She has also participated in master classes for pianists such as Ann Schein, Rebecca Penneys, Anne Epperson, Antonio Pompa-Baldi, Dmitri Shteinberg, Eric Larsen, Allison Gagnon, Awadagin Pratt, and Richard Goode, and in 2018, she won second place in the E R Davis Piano Competition. Her past teachers have included Lorena Niacsu, Dr. Young Im Lee, Clifton Matthews, Irena Orlov, Dr. Artur Aksenov, Dr. Mark DiPinto, and Dr. Dmitri Shteinberg.