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Celebrity Spotlight: John Oates

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Music Department

The Music Department at the HCA exists to help people of all ages and all abilities engage in sustainable, life-long music making. Our team of passionate instructors foster excellent technical skills, broad musical knowledge, and strong ability to relate to any music with excitement, curiosity, and emotion.

 

The music program welcomes students of all backgrounds and abilities. We pride ourselves on being an inclusive and supportive community where individuality and life-long friendships thrive.

 

Our Music Program features 6, 8, and 10-week long group music fundamental classes for all ages, a youth orchestra, choirs, and is equipped with 8 private lesson studios.

  • Multiple Dates
    Learn More
    Oct 01, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
    Enter Stage Left Theater, the resident theater company of Hopkinton Center for the Arts, is pleased to announce auditions for an original music revue directed by Mark DiCampo.
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  • Oct 06, 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM
    Called "one of New England's best songwriters" by The Boston Globe, Terry Kitchen creates songs that are portraits of ordinary people and emotions, captured with extraordinary compassion, honesty and humor.
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  • Nov 03, 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM
    Ilana Katz Katz is a Blues and Appalachian fiddler, singer, songwriter, novelist, screenwriter, essayist, watercolor painter, apparel artist, longtime subway busker, and budding children’s book author who strives to bring good mojo wherever she goes.
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  • Nov 26, 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM
    The Heather Pierson Jazz Trio will perform the entirety of the Charlie Brown Christmas album as recorded by the Vince Guaraldi Trio, as well as other Guaraldi compositions. Card to Culture Eligible Event
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WORKSHOPS & EVENTS

CLASSES

Instructors

Monica Anderson–Spencer

Instructor: Voice

Earning Master’s and Bachelor’s Degrees in Music Education, (Vocal Performance & Choral Conducting), from Howard University in Washington, D.C., Monica Anderson Spencer is a private voice teacher. 

 

Monica has worked for decades with high school and college singers and has a great deal of experience with the care and training of developing voices, paying special attention to vocal health in students of all levels and ages 12+.  Learning to sing for performance is a learned skill and those with sufficient motivation and patience will improve their performance considerably.  Monica’s teaching approach is based on a vocal technique pyramid with Posture as the foundation upon which Breathing, Tone Production, Diction and Resonance are built.

 

Her students have consistently earned gold and silver awards in the Massachusetts Instrumental & Choral Conductors Association’s Solo & Small Ensemble festivals, have been selected through audition for the Massachusetts Music Educators Association’s Central District & State Choruses, and has had a student chart at #10 on the Christian Top 20 Download chart.

 

Monica Anderson Spencer is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, the American Choral Directors Association, the National Association for Music Educators, and the Massachusetts Music Educators Association.

Jeremy Bellion

Instructor: Bass, guitar, beginner trumpet, and cello

Jeremy majored in double bass at Keene State College, where he received his Bachelor’s of Music Education, with a specialization in instrumental education.  He is a multifaceted professional, who is flexible, creative, and organized.  For the past twenty years, he has taught middle school and high school band and orchestra in North Carolina; including beginning guitar, intermediate guitar, and guitar ensemble.   As an experienced music educator, he has a highly developed ear and is skilled at providing real-time, kind, and consistent feedback.  

 

In addition to being a music educator, he has 25+ years of performance experience playing professionally with many regional touring bands on bass and guitar.  He just finished up a 12-year tenure as the bass guitarist for a popular party band in Raleigh, NC called

Love Tribe.  Jeremy is excited to begin teaching with Hopkinton Center for the Arts and to bring his passion for music to every student. 

Sharon Broadley-Martin 
(Not taking new students at this time)

Instructor: Guitar, voice, and jazz

Sharon Broadley-Martin, as a private teacher, specializes in teaching proper vocal technique, repertoire development, and performance preparation similar to skills she learned as an undergrad at New England Conservatory. She has years of experience directing and auditioning students, and has prepared many for college and All-State auditions. Sharon is happy to work with students in any idiom, but has a deep knowledge and practical application of Jazz and Swing interpretation, improvisation, and a wealth of material from The Great American Songbook!

Jack Byrne

Instructor: Guitar, ukulele, banjo, bass, and voice

Jack Byrne is a guitarist, singer/songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist based in Boston, MA. Jack holds a Bachelor’s in Music from UMass Amherst, and a Master’s in Voice Performance from Longy School of Music of Bard College. Well-versed in a wide variety of styles such as Folk, Pop, Rock, Metal, Classical, and Jazz, Jack has been performing both solo and with various bands in the Boston area for the last two decades. In September 2020, Jack released his third solo album, “New Beginnings and Resolutions,” featuring fingerstyle folk songs recorded in a cabin in the woods.

Kate Davison

Instructor: Flute

Kate Davison is an active flutist, piccolist and teacher living in Boston. She recently completed a certificate program in piccolo at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music studying with Catherine Payne, piccoloist of the San Francisco Symphony. While in San Francisco, Kate performed with San Francisco Contemporary Music Players, the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra, and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music orchestra. Kate received her master’s degree with academic honors from the New England Conservatory as a student of Renee Krimsier. Notable performances include the world premiere of Symphony No.4 "Chromelodeon" by Aaron Jay Kernis in Boston’s Symphony Hall with the NEC Philharmonia, performances and recordings with the NEC Wind Ensemble, and with outreach-based Eureka Ensemble. Additionally during her time in Boston, Kate worked in administration at the Boston Symphony as well as at the Tanglewood Music Center.

Mark DiCampo

Instructor: Voice, beginner piano, musical theater direction

Mark DiCampo is a private voice teacher, director, and singing actor who has been teaching for the better part of the last two decades. After studying classical voice at New England Conservatory and The Boston Conservatory, he went on to obtain a Master’s degree in Music Theatre Performance (MM) with an Advanced Certificate in Vocal Pedagogy from the Steinhardt School at New York University, where he also taught voice as an adjunct professor. From Art Song to jazz standards to Broadway ballads, his true passion is collecting and curating songs.

 

Mark is the writer, director, and music arranger of several original revues and has been a frequent guest artist of local symphonies and cabaret societies in the greater Boston area. As a private teacher, Mark has worked with all ages, voice types, and musical styles, but he specializes in college audition prep for classical and music theatre majors with students gaining acceptances from The Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Berklee School of Music, NYU Tisch, NYU Steinhardt, Emerson, Longy School of Music, The Hartt School, UNH, and many other programs specializing in music, music theatre, and acting.

Ifeanyi Epum

Instructor: Voice

Ifeanyi Epum is noted for his warm voice, polished musicianship, and versatility. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, he delved into classical music by chance; after he was mandated to join the church choir as part of requirements for confirmation. He regularly attended music workshop and had his first lesson from the church's choirmaster. Owing to his passion for music, he was admitted to Delta state university, Abraka, Nigeria where he obtained a degree in music and was awarded the best undergraduate student in the faculty of arts.

 

As a soloist, he performed with the music society of Nigeria and Laz Ekwueme Chorale, exploring the works of Handel, Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Mendelssohn and works of Nigerian composers like Laz Ekwueme, Ayo Bankole, Sam Ojukwu, S.K Oretimehin. 

 

Ifeanyi has worked with renowned Nigerian composers like Laz Ekwueme, Emaka Nwokedi, Ayo Bankole(jnr) and German cellist and composer Michael Volhardt. He also won the first prize for the Kingsley Inupe Idegun Award for Countertenors. Since moving to the U.S he has worked with conductors and music directors like Ryan Turner, Richard Webster, James Kennerly, Colin Lynch and Andrew Sherenian and recently sang with the Boston Camerata. He has also taken part in masterclasses by Lucas Meachem, Reginald Mobley, Stephen Salters and Pam Dellal.

 

Ifeanyi recently finished his master's degree program in voice and opera at Longy School of Music of Bard College. He sings as a staff singer at Trinity Church, Boston and he was one of the selected mentees for the TENET 2021-2022 mentorship program

Sean McCarty

Instructor: Trombone, tuba, and other low brass

A multi-faceted musician, Sean received his Bachelor of Music in Bass Trombone Performance from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Sean has performed with the New England Philharmonic, Boston Civic Symphony, Mercury, and currently plays with Symphony New Hampshire. Sean specializes in Low Brass instruments but is well verses in pop, funk, jazz, and orchestral music. 

T.J. Mendillo

Instructor: Guitar and piano

A guitarist and musician since the age of ten, T.J. began his studies in traditional music theory and notation on classical guitar, and a few years later was introduced to new guitar styles like hard-rock and heavy-metal through a new instructor. T.J. discovered his calling and passion for rock guitar and continued his studies all the way to his college career at Berklee College of Music. T.J. is also versed in teaching beginner-level students on piano. 

An active performer and music-producer, T.J.’s guitar skills and talent for studio production helped to secure him a spot at Boston’s Berklee College of Music, where he earn a B.M. in Music Production and Engineering as a principal guitarist. Studying under guitar greats such as Bret Wilmott, Freddie Bryant and Shaun Michaud, and renowned MP&E faculty such as Susan Rogers and Prince Charles Alexander, T.J. has had hands-on experience with some of the best guitarists and studio experts in the music industry.

 

As a proud member of the HCA faculty and a passionate music-lover, T.J. encourages students of all ages to explore the music that excites them, whether it be country, pop, or heavy metal; both on their instrument, in the recording studio, or just for their own listening enjoyment.

Bradley Sampson

Instructor: Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute

Bradley Sampson is a performer and educator based in Worcester, Massachusetts. He graduated from Anna Maria College with a Bachelors of Music in Music Education and has studied with Lynn Klock, Jonathan Hulting-Cohen, and Mark Weissman. As a high school educator, Bradley has taught private lessons, marching band, concert band, jazz band, and chorus. As a performer he plays in local ensembles and travels to perform across the state as a pit musician in theatrical productions.

 

Bradley believes in helping students find joy and inspiration through music while developing their instrumental and musical skills.

Robb Millett (Not taking new students at this time)

Instructor: Guitar, Drums, and Mandolin

Robb offers guitar, (acoustic, Electric, slide, etc) Bass Guitar, Drums, and Mandolin lessons. He started his guitar/bass-playing career in 1965 at the age of 10, (5th Grade), and has been performing as a solo artist and in bands in and about the Boston/Metrowest area since 1971. During 1978 through 1982, as a member of the Hot Dates, he wrote and recorded several songs included on the Singles and eponymous vinyl LP “Hot Dates” released in 1981, which went on to receive varied amounts of local airplay on WBCN, WERS, WAAF and several college stations – These days, the album can be found in its entirety on YouTube. In the early 90s, with “The United Snakes”, Robb (as the bassist for that band) wrote and recorded several of the songs released on the CD “Lighten Up! This Ain’t Brain Surgery” to local critical acclaim. Since 1995, Robb has been the front man/protagonist/ringleader of the Spock Goes Mental floating pick-up band. Over the course of his career as a guitarist/bassist/songwriter/musician, Robb has played in many bands of varied genres, including Rock & Roll, Metal, Punk, New Wave, Fusion, Blues, Folk, Jazz and Avant Garde. He is fluent in many styles, from Drop-C Thud to Folk fingerstyle, slap-and-pop bass, and Mandolin improv.

Robb tailors the lessons to the student’s interest and ability, from traditional sight-reading and scales, to improvisation techniques, and even song writing. Students are encouraged to bring in music they like, to work towards as a goal. Overall emphasis is on the enjoyment of making music with the instrument. As Robb likes to say, “Guitar is supposed to be fun.”

Elena Shevelova-Howes

Instructor: Piano

Elena Shevelova-Howes is a piano instructor and accompanist born in Suzdal, Russia. She was educated in the Russian classical tradition. Her piano instruction began at age six and continued through post graduate work. Elena majored in Piano with a minor in Accompaniment at the Music College in Vladimir, Russia. She completed her education with a post graduate degree in Music and Music Education at the Pedagogical University in Vladimir. Before coming to the United States, Elena provided piano instruction and accompaniment for seven years at the Music School in Suzdal, Russia.

 

After emigrating, Elena resumed her teaching career by joining the Royal Academy of Music in Worcester as a piano instructor. After moving from the Worcester area to Holliston, she began to teach piano at the Franklin School of Performing Arts. In 2007, Elena decided to work locally as a piano instructor at the Holliston School for the Performing Arts. In 2013, she transitioned to teaching selected students as a private piano instructor. Elena has also performed as an accompanist at various times in her career. For example, she was a Ballet Accompanist for rehearsals and recitals at Dean College, Franklin, MA. Elena has also been a choir accompanist for secondary school rehearsals and performances and church services in the Holliston area. Elena has supported her students through many performances and events such as masterclasses, competitions, and community and charity recitals. Outside of piano, Elena enjoys singing for the local church and community choirs and is an avid swimmer and biker.

Jodi Stevens

Instructor: Guitar, Ukulele, Piano, Bass, Drums, Clarinet, Saxophone

A sought-after bassist and multi-instrumentalist, Jodi teaches guitar, percussion ukulele, bass guitar, and woodwinds at the HCA. She received her Bachelor of Music with a concentration in Education and Electric Bass performance from Berklee College of Music. Jodi has done everything from performing, instructing private lessons, group lessons, and choir directing for 20+ years. Jodi welcomes students of all ages with a warm, kind approach all while catering to a student's individual learning style.

Emily Vincent

Instructor: Voice

Emily Vincent is a Boston-based soprano, music educator, voice teacher, and arts administrator. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in music as well as community, youth, and education studies from Clark University and a Masters of Music in Music Education from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee College of Music. In her studies, Emily has focused on vocal performance, collaborative learning, community building, choral conducting, and gender affirming voice care in the private voice studio. They are the current Program Director at VOICES Boston, a children’s choir for singers in grades K-8 and a private voice teacher at the Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts Education. Emily is committed to giving students access to inclusive music and theater curriculum, as it is her favorite way to spread joy!

Paige Wynn

Instructor: Violin, viola, beginning and intermediate piano

Paige Wynn is a trans performer and composer from Toronto, Ontario and is now based in Worcester, Massachusetts. She graduated from the University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Music (Composition) studying under teachers including Gary Kulesha and Abigail Richardson. In 2022 she was co-nominated for the Friends of Canadian Music Award with Matthew Fava, the previous head of the CMC. In 2021, she worked as the composer in residence at the Markham People’s Community Church. Her music has been selected for workshops around Toronto, Ontario, including her piece Tell me who I am in July 2020 and her piece Dancing in the Mirror for the CMC’s Activate program in May 2021.

 

In 2015 Paige founded a concert series entitled Pulse Toronto Concerts, aiming to create an open musical environment and encourage socializing through music. She organized two separate concerts, premiered four new Canadian works (including two of her own) and worked with Toronto groups such as The Hogtown Brass, and jazz trio Really Great Songs. Paige has also had many of her works read and recorded by high profile ensembles such as the New Orford Quartet, Canadian Brass, and the Grenadier Quartet.

 

In 2018/19, Paige traveled through Europe as a violinist in The Bytown Double, a duet of violin and piano, participated in several workshops and was commissioned to write a sound installation in Leipzig. Paige wishes to continue to grow as a composer and professional musician, and share her musical expressions of life, gender, and social justice.

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