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Chris Essig - Guitar (MM) |
 Mr. Essig has been teaching guitar for over nine years and enjoys teaching in the Columbia area. He has an earned a M.M in Music at USC under the instruction of Christopher Berg and a B.A in Guitar Performance from Geneva College. Essig has performed in numerous settings including USC Solo Master's recital, USC Concerto Recital, Columbia Guitar Society, CIU Faculty Recital, St. Martins in the Fields Episcopal Church, and various weddings and events.
Essig is also Worship Director at Columbia Crossroads Northeast church, where he works with various instrumentalists.
Essig specializes in Solo Classical guitar but also teaches from a broad perspective in polular music. Styles include Jazz, Rock, Blues, Bluegrass, and Contemporary Worship styles. His philosophy in teaching the guitar is to help students develop a rich understanding of music, guitar technique, and guitar repertoire so that they can have the tools they need to excel in whatever style they are drawn to.
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Jeff Harris - Guitar (MM) |
Jeff received his Bachelor's degree from Stetson University and holds a Master of Music degree from USC. He has been an active teacher and performer throughout South Carolina for the past several years. Jeff teaches all styles of music on the guitar and is comforable teaching students of any level or age. He periodically offers group classes in guitar and ukulele as well. |
Alan Knight - Guitar (MM) |
 Alan grew up in New Orleans playing many instruments and experimenting with various musical styles. Throughout his studies at the University of New Orleans, he performed extensively as a soloist and in ensembles. Alan's teaching reflects this experience by approaching each student differently. His graduate studies at USC with Christopher Berg have enabled him to teach at the highest level of Classical guitar while his love of more popular styles adds depth and variety to his approach. Classical, Blues and Rock are all a part of his musical spectrum. |
Steve Sloan - Guitar (MM) |
 1st prize-winner in the 2007 James Stroud Classical Guitar Competition and 2nd prize-winner in the 2006 Rosario Guitar Competition, Steve Sloan has been heard in a variety of venues across four states. His first solo recording, “Constellations”, was released in June 2009. Sloan has given performances at Presbyterian College (SC), Nashville Public Library (TN), Oberlin Conservatory (OH), Weaver Academy (NC), and many others. He has performed in master classes for such luminaries as Sharon Isbin, Pepe Romero, and Benjamin Verdery. In addition to his activities as a soloist Sloan has accompanied singers, flutists, violinists, saxophonists, played in guitar duos, and is currently director of the Columbia Guitar Orchestra. Mr. Sloan has five years experience teaching guitar. A Graduate of the University of Akron’s School of Music, Steve also completed his Master's degree at the University of South Carolina
studying with Professor Christopher Berg.
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Robert Neese, Piano, Organ, Theory (MCM) |
 While at USC, Robert studied theory with Dr. Jerry Curry and Dr. Fred Teuber, as well as choral conducting with Dr. Arpad Darazs and organ with John Haney. He received his Master of Church Music degree from New Orleans Theological Seminary with a major in organ performance. The study of music has been a lifelong pursuit for Robert, from early lessons with his mother to his present work as church musician, community choir conductor and teacher. He requires a serious commitment to musical study from his student, balanced with fun and friendship in the lesson. To Robert, the enjoyment of music is a very important facet of music education. |
Sarah Evans - Piano (MM) |
 Sarah holds a bachelor of music degree in piano performance and a master of music degree in piano pedagogy. She is currently pursuing a DMA degree in piano pedagogy from the University of South Carolina and studies piano with Dr. Charles Fugo. In addition to her studies, Sarah serves as president of the MTNA Collegiate Chapter at USC. Some of Sarah’s profession contributions include poster sessions at the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy, various adjudication engagements, and workshops for teachers and students. Recently she won first prize in the Collegiate Writing Contest sponsored by Clavier Companion. Her article “Lowell Lieberman’s Album for the Young: A Fresh Approach to Teaching Literature” appears in the January/February 2009 issue |
Jamie Hawkins - Piano (BA) |
 Jami Hawkins has over 30 years experience as a piano teacher. In the past she has held positions as organist, pianist, and choir director. She served at Ebenezer Lutheran Church as Associate for Communications and Learning Ministries, working with Ebenezer's children's choir and annual Music Camp. Jami brings a love of music and a love of children to her teaching. She holds a BA degree from the University of South Carolina, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude, and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society.
"One of the greatest gifts we can give to our children is a love and appreciation of the arts. I have always been grateful to my own parents for providing me with piano lessons as a child. They gave me a legacy of love for music, which I have passed down to my own children, now teenagers. Teaching piano helps me to bring that love of music to an even wider audience." |
Boyan Lekov - Piano (MM) |
 Boyan Lekov was born in 1976 in Sofia, Bulgaria. After beginning his musical education with random piano teachers, he was accepted to the National School of Music where he continued his studies with several internationally renowned pianists, including Zeny Zaharieva, Marina Kapatzinskaya, and Daria Kalaidjieva. He first came to the United States in the fall of 1998, transferring to the University of South Carolina. Prior to enrolling at USC he attended the University of Sofia after receiving an Artist Diploma in Piano Performance from the National School of Music in Sofia, Bulgaria. Mr. Lekov received his Masters of Music Performance degree in August of 2003, after studying with John K. Adams. While at USC, he received multiple scholarships and awards, including a nomination for the Most Outstanding Student Award for 2000, and several scholarship awards from the Friends of the School of Music Society in Columbia. He was a winner at the 2002 Arthur Fraser Competition sponsored by the South Carolina Symphony League, as well as the winner of the 2001 Concerto-Aria Competition at the University of South Carolina. Boyan Lekov has performed a number of solo and chamber music recitals in Bulgaria and South Carolina, as well as several concerts with the South Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra and the University of South Carolina Symphony Orchestra. His recordings have been broadcast on the Bulgarian National Radio where he also appeared on an exclusive talk show dedicated to the Young Artists of Bulgaria. In 2005, Boyan returned to the musical stage in Bulgaria with a series of solo recitals, and radio appearances, after a ten-year absence. He is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Piano Performance degree at the University of South Carolina, in the class of Scott Price. |
Ryan Smith - Piano (MM) |
Pianist Ryan Smith joined Carolina Music Academy in May 2007. An active teacher, he has been designated a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music by the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA). Mr. Smith has taught privately for nine years in a variety of settings. He has been on the faculty of the Summer Keyboard Institute at Furman University for the past three years, and he has been designated as faculty-in-training at the Piano Wellness Seminar.
Mr. Smith holds music degrees from Furman University and the University of South Carolina. He is completing doctoral studies in piano at the University of South Carolina under internationally acclaimed artist Marina Lomazov. Ryan is also the assistant director to Dr. Lomazov at the Southeastern Piano Festival held each June in Columbia. In addition to his graduate studies, he has studied extensively with Sheila Paige since 2002. He spends part of each summer working at Ms. Paige's Piano Wellness Seminar in Arlington, Texas.
Ryan performs both sacred and classical piano recitals. In 2005, he performed solo works in Carnegie Hall under the auspices of Christian Music Presenters. Last year, Ryan performed at Maryville College in Tennessee, two concerts for the Palmetto Arts Council, and at Furman University's Summer Keyboard Institute. In addition, Ryan had accompanied vocalists in solo, chamber, operatic, and choral settings over the past several years.
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Karen Burton - Violin (BM)
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 Karen has played the violin for 19 years in a variety of settings. Her experience includes orchestras, string quartets and other ensembles, as well as solo performances. Her experience studying Suzuki violin with Johanna Pollock led her to participate in Suzuki teacher training where she completed Book 1. Karen believes listening skills are an important part of learning music and are vital to optimal musical development and a fulfilling musical experience. She has taught a wide range of ages from preschoolers to adults and believes that no one is too old to start learning an instrument.
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Lindsey Brown - Voice (MME) |
 Lindsey Brown has been teaching voice lessons for 4 years. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Music with an emphasis in vocal music education in 2008, and received her Master’s Degree in Music Education with an emphasis in Voice and elementary music education in 2009. She is certified in Orff level I music training, and has 6 years experience studying and practicing Dr. Edwin Gordon’s Music Learning Theory method of music learning. She applies these methods to her teaching of young children in Music Play classes at the University of South Carolina. She also currently serves as a children’s and youth choral director at McGregor Presbyterian Church in Irmo. Lindsey also enjoys performing with various musical theatre groups around Columbia.
Lindsey began her studies in music at Belmont University in Nashville, TN in 2003. At Belmont, she studied vocal performance of both classical and contemporary music under the instruction of Dr. Ted Wylie. After transferring to the University of South Carolina, Lindsey was a member of the Concert Choir, directed by Dr. Larry Wyatt, for 4 years. In addition, she was a member of the University Choir, directed by Dr. Carol Krueger, for 3 years. She was also a member of the Carolina Alive Jazz ensemble for 5 years. During her private voice studies as a student she sang 1st soprano under the instruction of Dr. Tina Stallard for 4 years. In the other various ensembles, however, Lindsey participated in singing 2nd soprano and alto in addition to 1st soprano.
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Luke Witherell - Voice, Violin (Ph.D) |
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Luke Witherell - Voice, Violin (Ph.D) |
 Luke has a broad range of experience in teaching and performing various instruments as well as voice in Canada, Europe and the United States. This experience includes service as conductor of a chamber orchestra, orchestra performer, chamber choir singer, solo performer and choir director. Since coming to South Carolina in 1994, he has conducted church choirs in Orangeburg and Columbia in addition to teaching individual students on piano, woodwinds, guitar, strings, percussion and voice. Luke has been a member of the Columbia Choral Society and has performed with the South Carolina Philharmonic.
With degrees in Music Education and Music Theory, Luke enjoys teaching in a “whole musician” style by including scientific and historical context along with performance technique.
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Carolina Music Academy Office Hours: |
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Monday |
10:00 am - 12:00 pm |
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Tuesday |
10:00 am - 12:00 pm / 2:00pm - 5:00pm |
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Wednesday - Friday |
10:00 am - 12:00 pm |
Other times by appointment |
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