Our Staff

Grace Bestul

Grace Bestul

Piano

Grace has been playing the piano for ten years. She has also been learning to play the organ for four years. Grace enjoys sharing her knowledge of music with her students and

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Kelvin Lu

Kelvin Lu

Piano

Kelvin has been playing the piano since age 6 and took private lessons throughout that time until starting college. In that span of 12 years, Kelvin played a great variety of pieces

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Victoria Vo

Victoria Vo

Piano

Victoria started taking private piano lessons at age 5 and developed a repertoire of pieces by Debussy, Chopin, Clementi, and a variety of popular culture songs. Victoria has played as an accompanist

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Diane Handler

Diane Handler

Voice

Diane studied voice for twenty (20) years, starting with Therese Longergan, then continuing with Emily McKnight at Milikin University, Phyllis Curtin at Boston University, and Lucille Halfvarson and Neva Baily at Chicago’s

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Melody Walker

Melody Walker

Violin

Melody has been playing violin for 19 years. She began playing in private lessons and continued taking lessons throughout high school while also playing in the school orchestra. After high school, Melody

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Benjamin Gilbert

Benjamin Gilbert

Cello

Ben started playing the cello when he was 10 years old and has continuously taken lessons for the last year and a half. Ben can be seen playing with the Elgin Youth

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Diego Gomez

Diego Gomez

Guitar, Violin & Viola

Diego is currently a junior at Elgin High School and is able to teach violin, viola, and guitar! Diego’s main instrument is the viola, but he also practices and learns both voice

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Leyla Rusan

Leyla Rusan

Guitar & Clarinet

Leyla started her musical journey by playing flute and clarinet for ten years. She received a guitar as a present from her parents and started learning on her own! Leyla started taking

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David Perez-Delgado

David Perez-Delgado

Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute

David is a graduate of Eastern Illinois University’s music program and a current graduate student at Northern Illinois University for jazz performance. Throughout the years, David has performed throughout the Chicagoland area

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Paolo Reyes

Paolo Reyes

Cello

Paolo started playing the cello in the 4th grade and has been playing for the past 8 years. Paolo attends South Elgin High School and has developed his playing in various chamber

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Daniel Vo

Daniel Vo

Violin

Daniel is a student at South Elgin High School and has a passion for teaching violin! He has been playing the violin for five years and has participated in numerous musical festivals

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Krystina Belcina

Krystina Belcina

Piano & Violin

Krystina has played both the piano and violin for more than 6 years. She has learned so much about expressing her creativity and love for music within her instruments and looks forward

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Vito Bellino

Vito Bellino

Guitar

Vito graduated with a degree in classical guitar performance from UIC in 2022, but takes a profession in both electric and classical guitar! Vito has opened for many national acts, some of

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Matthew Carter

Matthew Carter

Percussion

Matt has been playing percussion for more than 15 years, has been teaching for the past five, and is currently the Director of Percussion at Marengo Community High School. Matt holds an

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Kathleen Sullivan

Kathleen Sullivan

Voice

Leena has done doctoral work at the University of Michigan in voice performance and received her Bachelor of Music degree in voice performance from the Boston Conservatory. She has taught on voice

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Cyndi Crognale

Cyndi Crognale

Piano

Piano has been a passion of mine since I was a little girl. I began taking lessons when I was 5 years old, and my lessons were truly a highlight in my

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Kathy Diem

Kathy Diem

Piano

Kathy has been playing piano for over 40 years and teaching for over 20. She is very active in her church choir and orchestra as an organist accompanist.

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Aaron Marsala

Aaron Marsala

Piano (Beginning & Intermediate), Drums & Percussion

Aaron is a multi-faceted percussionist as well as pianist. His study of music has taken him down many paths. Aaron obtained his Music Education and Music Performance degrees at the University of

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Zak Reiter

Zak Reiter

Piano (Beginning & Intermediate), Voice, Guitar & Bass

Zak has played the guitar for over 9 years and classical guitar technique for over 5 and has been teaching for over 5 years. Zak has a degree from Judson University where

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Skylar Scarim

Skylar Scarim

Piano (Beginning)

Skylar attends South Elgin High School. She has been playing piano for over 7 years and has been taking private professional lessons during this time. As a result of her private lesson

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Emanuel Perez

Emanuel Perez

Piano (Beginning)

Emanuel attends South Elgin High School where he is active in the music program – he is the lead pianist in the Jazz Band. Emanuel has been playing piano for over 12

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Brent Jordan

Brent Jordan

Drums & Percussion

Brent holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance (Cum Laude) from Northwestern University. He also earned a Masters of Music Performance from the University of Illinois – where he is currently working

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Dana Bellew

Dana Bellew

Violin & Viola (Virtual Only)

Dana studied music education at Illinois State University and received her BA in Performing Arts Management from Columbia College in Chicago. In addition, she received her BM in Music Education in 2013

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Joanna Nerius

Joanna Nerius

Beginning Violin & Viola (Online Only)

Violinist and music educator, Joanna is dedicated to helping students develop and refine their music. She graduated from Northern Illinois University with a bachelor’s degree in violin performance. Joanna has been teaching

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Naomi Johnson

Naomi Johnson

Violin & Viola (Beginning)

Naomi has recently joined MECA as a beginning violin teacher. She attends a local High School and has been involved in music for years. Naomi took and continues to take violin lessons

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Kerena Fox

Kerena Fox

Cello

Kerena Moeller is currently third chair with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra, and section cellist with the Rockford Symphony and Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra. Kerena joined the faculty of the Music Academy in Rockford

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Claire Paolone

Claire Paolone

Violin & Viola

Claire recently received her master’s degree at DePaul University in Viola Performance. She was involved in DePaul’s Concerto Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra, and 20+esemble. She received her Bachelors in Viola Performance from Northern

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Samantha Paige

Samantha Paige

Guitar & Bass (Beginning-Intermediate)

Samantha is a graduate of St. Charles East where she participated in the music department’s programs and has been teaching at MECA for over a year. She was enrolled in AP Music

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Bobby Reck

Bobby Reck

Guitar & Bass, Ukulele

Bobby has played guitar for over 11 years and has taught over 5 years. In addition to playing the guitar, he loves to play soccer, video games, spend time on the computer

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Terin King

Terin King

Guitar & Ukulele

Terin picked up the guitar in 2010 and has been playing (lessons at MECA) and refining her skills ever since and is bringing her skill-set to MECA as a beginning guitar teacher.

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Brett King

Brett King

Beginning Guitar & Bass (Online Only)

Brent is a 2019 graduate of St. Charles North high school and currently attends the University of Iowa. He picked up a guitar in 2010 and has been practicing (lessons at MECA)

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Anya (Anna) Gavin

Anya (Anna) Gavin

Brass, Trumpet, Trombone, French Horn & Baritone

Anya is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s degrees in Performance, Music Education, and Finance at Northern Illinois University. She studies trumpet with Dr. Mark Ponzo and supplements her academic work with conducting lessons

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