Our Staff

Susan is a renowned soprano with more than three decades of teaching and performing experience. Susan has a Master’s in Voice and Opera from Northwestern University, and a double Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance and Theatre from Northwestern College. Susan’s career includes opera and oratorio. She has performed nationally, including on stage at The […]

Brian Pavlak teaches voice. He has extensive experience teaching and performing across various vocal genres, including musical theater, jazz, and classical music. Brian holds a Bachelor of Music Education, specializing in vocal and orchestral education, from VanderCook College of Music. Over the years, Brian has contributed to several school choir programs in the Chicagoland area, […]

Brian Goodman teaches piano, guitar, ukulele and electric bass. He is a professional pianist with over a decade of experience teaching and performing. Brian has a Bachelor of Music Education degree from VanderCook College of Music where he studied piano with Dr. I-Hsuan Tsai, percussion with Kevin Lepper and Bret Kuhn, and jazz studies with […]

Music Director of the Chicago Philharmonia Orchestra since 1985, Farobag Homi C. has also served as the Artistic Director of the University of Chicago’s Performing Artists Series from 1990 through 2002 and principal conductor of its resident professional ensembles, the Mostly Mozart Chamber Players and the Camerata Virtuosi. He is also a skilled interpreter of […]

Brenda Kenyon teaches piano. Brenda is a retired music teacher with 30 plus years of experience teaching music to children of all ages. Brenda has a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Pennsylvania at Mansfield and a Master of Music Education from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. In addition to teaching piano […]

Janet Kuester teaches violin, viola and piano. She founded The Music Connection in 2004. Janet has more than four decades of experience teaching and performing. She received her music degree from DePaul University and is a certified Suzuki Piano and Violin Teacher. Janet has performed with numerous orchestras including the Illinois Philharmonic. She is a […]

Matthew Kijowski teaches piano. He has years of teaching, performing and directing experience. Matthew began playing classical music at the age of six. He has a Bachelor of Music in Worship from North Park University where he received awards for both chamber music and solo classical piano. Matthew writes music, arranges music, directs worship teams […]

Mirela Luarasi teaches piano. She is a professional pianist with over two decades of experience teaching and performing. Mirela has a graduate degree in Piano Performance from the Academy of Fine Arts in Tirana, Albania. Mirela performed as Concertmaster in classes of flute, violin, cello, and vocal performance. She has participated in International and National […]

Matt Piet teaches piano. He is a professional pianist and vocalist with over a decade of experience teaching, composing, directing and performing. Matt studied Jazz at Berklee College of Music in Boston. He is an active participant in Chicago’s vibrant jazz and improvised music scene. Matt has recorded extensively and has been awarded “four stars” […]