Meet The Teachers & Staff
-Studio Owner, Retired Piano & Voice Instructor-
Julie Chambers, Capital University graduate, studio owner, and teacher has been teaching since 2008. She has her state teachers license, Bachelor’s and Master’s in music education, Kodaly certification, Music Pedagogy diploma, and has begun her Estill Voice Training. She has experience teaching public school music, preschool general music, choir, piano, and voice lessons. She currently performs regularly at Grove City United Methodist Church as organist, accompanist, and vocalist.
Amy Jackson is a music teacher in the Columbus area, teaching voice, piano, and ukulele lessons in Bexley and Pickerington. Amy is a graduate of Capital University, where she earned her Bachelors in Music Education. She currently teaches K-6 general music and choir in Springfield, OH. Throughout her career, she has studied many genres of music and can teach contemporary music, classical, opera, and musical theatre. Amy is passionate about helping others find their voice and fervently believes that everyone can sing. Throughout instruction, students of all ability levels engage in vocalises, multiple genres of music, and singing games that will challenge students while meeting them where they’re at. Outside of the music studio, Amy is a Disney fanatic and loves going to baseball games. Contact us now to get scheduled for piano, ukulele, or voice lessons with Amy!
–Strings Instructor-
–Guitar, Ukulele, Bass Guitar Instructor-
–Trumpet, French Horn, Flute, & Piano Instructor-
Claire Dollison is a musician who is primarily known as a trumpet artist who is currently attending Capital University as a music education major. Claire has been involved with music, playing trumpet, and many other instruments including piano, flute, and French horn, since 2008. She has accomplished many things throughout her career. She has been invited to play in many honor bands much like the Ohio State University Honor Band, Wright State University Tri-State Honor Band, and the Ohio University Honor Band Festival. Claire has done numerous amounts of performances as well through ensembles and solo playing with things like recitals and OMEA contest, receiving superior ratings on class A solos. Claire has also booked multiple gigs ranging from things like pit orchestras for musicals, churches, etc. Throughout Claire’s career, she has won many awards in school ranging from Most Outstanding Brass Player, Most Improved, and also school scholarships on behalf of her playing. Check out our Get Started page now to get scheduled for lessons with Claire.
–Piano Instructor-
Ejiela has been teaching piano lessons since 2013 to students of varying ages in the Columbus area. Her primary area is classical piano, but she has had experience with other genres and encourages her students to explore other genres as well. She graduated from Capital University in 2015 with a degree in Piano Performance. Her performance experience includes masterclasses with Dr. Nelita True and Gale Berenson as well as solo playing, accompanying, ensemble playing, and competitions in the Indianapolis and Columbus areas. Contact us now to get scheduled for piano lessons with Ejiela!
-Musical Theater & Acting Audition Instructor-
Giselle is an actress, singer, director, choreographer, and theater educator. Her acting credits include national tours, children’s theater, original off-Broadway runs and premieres, and regional theater. Giselle has served as a director and choreographer for numerous productions featuring kids, teens and adults at many different schools and community centers in New York City, New Jersey and Ohio. Giselle is fiercely passionate about arts education and brings her positivity, playful energy and vast imagination to everyone she works with. Giselle received her musical theater training from The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York. She holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from The New School and an M.S.ED degree in Educational Theatre from The City College of New York and is certified to teach Drama/Theater to Pre K-12 in New York and Ohio. When she is not in a classroom or a theater, you can find her staying busy exploring the great outdoors, reading, working out, singing, drinking fancy coffee, trying a new hobby, and dancing with her two young daughters.
Giselle is currently directing at CATCO, and running theater programs at Chambers Music Studio, the Columbus JCC and Columbus Jewish Day School (CJDS).
–Piano, Voice, & Ukulele Instructor-
Stephen has many passions through education with a solid basis in early music education. Graduating from Capital University with a bachelors in music education, his passion for teaching music grew on a more individualized level. Stephen has been teaching privately since graduating. He teaches voice, drums, piano, and ukulele. Balancing his other passion with early childhood education, Stephen is currently an early preschool teacher at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Columbus right here in Bexley. He finds there are many similarities with ECE and music education that make for a wonderful partnership. Stephen is an active church musician singing in various church choirs throughout the Columbus area. Check out Stephen’s recent blog articles on vocal health, practice tips, and singing styles or contact us now to get scheduled for piano, ukulele, drum or voice lessons with Stephen!
–Piano, Voice, & Jazz Voice Instructor-
Anne Todt has taught piano and voice for over twenty years at Capital University’s College-Preparatory and Adult Education Departments. She enjoys teaching classical, musical theatre, and jazz voice. She has sung professionally in Cantari Singers, Lancaster Chorale and Columbus Bach Ensemble. The Columbus Chamber Singers, which Anne directs has performed in Austria and Italy. She holds a Bachelor of Music Education Degree from the Ohio State University (voice emphasis) and a Master of Music Degree from the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music.
Besides music, Anne enjoys swimming, riding her bike, reading and movies. Check out our Get Started page now to get scheduled for lessons with Anne.
Julian Dittmer is a 2020 graduate of Capital University with a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Studies. As an up-and-coming pianist/keyboardist in the Columbus music scene, Julian has amassed significant professional experience, performing over 500 gigs since 2014 in a wide variety of styles—jazz, pop/rock, funk, soul, salsa, and gospel. He has been teaching private piano lessons since 2017, and tutored Jazz Theory and Jazz Arranging while at Capital University. Julian is passionate about music, and loves to share his musical knowledge with others. To him, there is nothing more satisfying than expressing himself creatively through the piano. By equipping his students with the proper music theory knowledge, ear training, and practice techniques, Julian seeks to enable his students to express themselves creatively as well. When not on stage, performing, or in the studio, teaching, you can often find him out on the disc golf course, or cheering on his favorite Ohio sports teams. Check out our Get Started page now to get scheduled for composition, jazz piano, or beginning piano lessons with Julian.
–Percussion, Guitar & Piano Instructor-
Jim Lindroth is a percussionist living in Columbus, Ohio and has been teaching in various capacities since 2014. Jim has a Bachelors degree in percussion performance from the University of South Carolina and Masters degrees in performance and ethnomusicology from Ohio State University. Along with his extensive background in classical percussion, Jim is an avid fan and performer of various folk music styles, having studied West African drumming, Zimbabwean mbira, Irish bodhrán, Irish guitar, Scandinavian guitar, and North and South American folk percussion. Jim takes a holistic approach to music education, hoping to encourage lifelong musicians through social engagement and creative music-making. When not getting excited about music, Jim can be found drinking coffee, carving wood, or petting his cats.
–Trombone, Euphonium, & Baritone Horn Instructor-
Kaitlin Reed, from Worthington, Ohio, is a music education student at Capital University, studying trombone under Dr. Tony Weikel and Dr. Tom Zugger. She enjoys playing band, orchestral, and jazz repertoire. Since 2018, Kaitlin has been the low brass instructor for the Capital Cadet Band. Currently, she serves as the president for Capital University’s Ohio Collegiate Music Education Association chapter. She is the manager for the Bandfestival and the Columbus Youth Symphonic Band. Prior to attending Capital, she spent three years playing trombone in the Columbus Symphony Youth Orchestra under the direction of Peter Stafford Wilson and concluded her three years with the orchestra by performing at Carnegie Hall in the summer of 2018. Kaitlin has a passion for helping students learn to express themselves through music and would love to work with you!
Kevin Hagans began his violin studies at the age of nine and studied violin at Capital University. He embarked on his violin teaching career in 2016 and in 2018 he earned his Suzuki Unit 1 Teaching Certification from The Suzuki Association of the Americas. The Suzuki Method is a popular and successful method of teaching which incorporates ear training and natural learning styles based on the way children learn their native language. While Suzuki is an excellent teaching style, Kevin recognizes what teaching styles work for each individual student and tailors the lessons appropriately. Kevin enjoys working with both beginner and intermediate violinists, beginner cellists, and beginner ukulele students looking to grow their understanding of music and the instrument. In addition to classical studies, he also teaches improv, bluegrass, rock, jazz & music theory.
Kevin believes that music is supposed to be fun, and he emphasizes this attitude into his teaching style with both children and adults. In addition to teaching, Kevin is an active performer and improviser across Columbus.
Maria, from Granville, Ohio graduated from Capital University in May 2020 with degrees in Piano Pedagogy and Performance. She has also been studying cello since she was 10 years old. As a student, she earned several music scholarships, including the Presser Award. Maria started playing piano in 2006 through the Denison University Suzuki Program. She has been teaching, using the Suzuki Philosophy since 2016; and began taking Suzuki Teacher Training in 2018. She is currently a member of the Suzuki Association and the Music Teachers’ National Association. Learn more about Suzuki lessons from her blog or contact us now to get scheduled for piano or cello lessons with Maria!
Nick Riley is a freelance music educator, composer/arranger, ensemble administrator, adjudicator, performer, and clinician. Nick has over 20 years of experience as a percussionist.
At Chambers Music Studio, Nick instructs all ability levels in percussion as well as beginning piano, clarinet, and saxophone students.
Nick is currently pursuing his Master of Arts degree in Music Education at The Ohio State University where he is a Graduate Teaching Associate for the School of Music. Prior to pursuing his graduate studies full time, Nick was the Director of Bands at Liberty Center Local Schools in northwest Ohio from 2012 to 2021. While at “LC,” Nick doubled the size of the band program and his marching, concert, and chamber ensembles were noted for their performance excellence. Nick received his Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Capital University in 2011. Some of Nick’s notable former teachers include: James Swearingen, Bob Breithaupt, Dr. Barry E. Kopetz, Dr. Dina Lentsner, Tony Zilincik, Nate Anders, Eric Paton, Wayne Markworth, Andrew Markworth, Tim Fairbanks, Ross Williams, and Allen Justus.
During the winter months, Nick is extremely involved in the indoor percussion activity as an ensemble administrator, composer/arranger, and consultant for groups nationwide. Nick is the Co-Founder of ConneXus, a Percussion Independent World (PIW) percussion ensemble from Delaware, Ohio where he currently serves as President of the ConneXus Performing Arts Association, Inc., Ensemble Director, Program Coordinator, Development Coordinator, and Front Ensemble Instructor. ConneXus is a 4-time WGI World Championships Finalist and a 4-time WGI Regional Champion.
Nick is an accomplished and sought-after composer/arranger for the marching arts, with an international clientele of some of the best marching bands, drum corps, indoor percussion ensembles, and winter winds groups in the world. As an adjudicator, Nick has judged marching arts competitions in seven states since 2012 and has served as a championships-level adjudicator since 2017.
Nick’s former staff assignments reflect a diverse background in the pageantry arts. He has served as Assistant Visual Supervisor for Legends Drum & Bugle Corps, Percussion Consultant for The Ohio State University Marching Band, Front Ensemble Instructor for Pioneer Drum & Bugle Corps, and Visual Instructor for the Colts Drum & Bugle Corps. Nick is currently the Percussion Composer/Arranger for the Gran Banda Drum & Bugle Corps of Medellin, Colombia, South America, where he has served on both the percussion and visual staffs since 2014. The “GB” was the 2014 DCI SoundSport Champion, runner up in 2017, and the first ensemble from South America to perform in DCI events.
Nick is a member of the OMEA, NAfME, CSJA, PAS, and ASCAP and holds endorsements from Vic Firth, Inc. and Black Swamp Percussion. He currently resides in Columbus, Ohio.
Kevin is a well-versed multi-instrumentalist and vocalist. He has performed all of his life, and his experience ranges from rock bands to orchestras, jazz combos to musical theater, and even as a stage and screen actor. He has been featured on public and national television and toured nationally. He holds performance degrees in classical trumpet and voice, and currently serves in the 249th Army Band where he plays bass, guitar, trumpet, and sings for various ensembles. As a teacher, he has taught private lessons for over 15 years. He comes from a family of artists and educators, and has a passion for teaching anyone who wants to learn. At Chambers, he’ll be offering guitar, voice, electric and upright bass, trumpet, beginner piano, ukulele and banjo. His students will not only learn their chosen instrument, but also the fundamentals of theory, developing their ear, performance concepts, and specific things the student wants to learn. He strongly believes in an individualized approach to education, and will meet every student where they are at and work to teach them in the way that they learn best.
Shiloh has been in love with music since her first violin lesson at age 8. She is a graduate of Mount Vernon Nazarene University, where she double-majored in music education and violin performance. She is certified to teach K-12 music in the state of Ohio and was an elementary music educator before coming to Chambers. Shiloh is passionate about many different genres of music, and has performed as a violinist in everything from orchestras to worship teams to folk bands. She is also an accomplished fiddler and has won multiple awards in Ohio fiddle competitions. Shiloh’s goal is for every student to feel confident in their own unique musicianship. She is an energetic, caring teacher who lets each student’s interests and goals guide their instruction. In addition to music, Shiloh loves baking, crafting, and exploring new places with her husband Zach and golden retriever Zeus.
–Brass, Woodwind, & Piano, Instructor-
Aidan Cunningham is a trumpet player and educator currently studying with Dr. Lance Witty. He is pursuing his degree in instrumental music education at Capital University and has a wide variety of teaching and playing experiences. At the studio, he teaches brass, beginner woodwind, and beginner piano lessons. Aidan has worked with several local middle and high schools. He is also involved in Capital’s Winds and Percussion Camp and Cadet Band. In addition to this, he has previously interned with the Jazz Arts Group where he assisted with their summer camp series. He has a passion for both classical and jazz styles, and has performed with Capital’s Symphonic Winds, Orchestra, and Big Band, as well as with a number of small chamber ensembles and combos. Aidan’s goal as an educator is to meet his students where they are and provide them with the resources and encouragement they need to achieve their musical goals.
–Voice, Clarinet, French Horn, Ukulele, Composition, Guitar, Piano, Percussion Instructor-
Matthew Burns is a student of Music Education at The Ohio State University. In his 12 years of music experience, he has played in ensembles ranging from The Ohio State Men’s Glee Club to the Lancaster Percussion Ensemble, as well as toured multiple states in an indie-soul band.
Having played a little bit of everything at some point, he focuses on mechanical instrumental basics and a strong grasp of musical theory to connect with beginner and intermediate instrumentalists as well as all singers. He aims to demystify the art of music and find a way for everyone to connect with it at a deeper level.
He enjoys spending time relaxing with his dog and parents on his free weekends.
Sarah Ministeri is a graduate of Capital University with a Bachelor’s in Flute Performance. At Capital, she played flute and piccolo in the Conservatory’s premier wind ensemble, the Symphonic Winds, the Capital-Bexley Orchestra, and the pit orchestra for A Little Night Music and Kiss Me, Kate. Sarah is a multi-instrumentalist who played oboe in the university Wind Symphony, Orchestra, and several woodwind quintets. She has extensive chamber music experience, having performed in the Brillante Flute Quintet, Flute Choir, and Clarinet Choir. As a student, she received the Outstanding Flutist Award and the Conrad Award, and she was inducted into the American musical honors Society of Pi Kappa Lambda. She has played flute and piano at several churches in Columbus and northeast Ohio. In addition to her various instruments, she also studied composition and music theory at Capital. Her teachers include Lisa Jelle (flute), Lisa Nahm (flute), Melissa Stevens (oboe), Dina Lentsner (composition), and Tony Zilincik (composition).
–Piano & Voice Instructor-
–Piano & Voice Instructor-
Alyse Hancock-Phillips, has been singing for her whole life, is a 2023 graduatie from Capital University as a double majoring in Vocal Music Education and Vocal Performance. She has performed with the Capital University Chapel Choir, Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus, Blossom Festival Chorus, and several musicals. She has a compassionate and gregarious personality that allows her to help students express themselves through the music they are performing.
Carolyn Cline is a pianist, violinist, performer and educator from Columbus, Ohio. Carolyn began her practice and performances at a young age, graduated from Capital University, and started teaching in 2007. She has performed and recorded with various professionals in the greater Columbus area, as well as also internationally in New Zealand and Japan. She is an avid supporter of the Columbus music scene, and enjoys writing her own music in her spare time.
While Carolyn’s strongest genre is classical, she encourages her students to develop their own desires and help develop them in whichever direction they prefer. Carolyn is a strong believer in a supportive musical learning environment. She teaches calm, encouraging lessons where the student can enjoy and explore the instrument while not feeling overwhelmed or too pressured. She wishes for her students to love their instrument and education, understanding all that it can offer.
Patrick is a Columbus Ohio native, with over 15 years of experience in gigging, writing, playing, and enjoying music of all styles. Currently, he is studying at Capital University in pursuit of a degree in Jazz Studies/Guitar Performance, which he will finish April of 2023. He has studied with musicians such as Stan Smith, Tom Davis, and Michael Cox. He enjoys playing all styles of music, but has most experience in Jazz, Funk, Rock, and Metal.
He started playing guitar at the age of 7, in 2008. His early inspirations to play guitar was his family’s influence of music on him. His earliest memory that inspired him to play was hearing Metallica’s “Ride the Lightning”.
Some of his biggest musical inspirations include Frank Zappa, Yes, King Crimson, Steve Hillage, Pat Metheny, Jim Hall, Wes Montgomery, Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, A.C Jobim, among many others.
Patrick has a lot of experience playing with others, and values musical connections to others in his life. Patrick has performed in a variety of ensembles including Big Bands, Jazz Combos, Rock bands, and his own bands, such as Caterpillar Protolith and Crabswithoutlegs.
Patrick has won many awards for his performances and compositions, including the Mark Flugge Jazz Award, Nicholas Perinni Scholarship, and the River Richards Memorial Scholarship.
