Our staff have either university music degrees or professional performance experience. Each teacher is carefully chosen and screened for their ability to teach, inspire and connect with children in their love of music. Of course our teachers all have great skill and a deep understanding of music but frankly that’s the easy part.
Each student is totally unique therefore CHMA offers private lessons that allow the teacher to give each 100% of their attention. Teachers are empowered to use their intuition and experience to create a unique learning environment perfectly suited to each child’s interests, temperament and learning style.
With each new student CHMA creates a completely new program of study. Our teachers are extremely flexible and creative in their approach. Regardless of age or experience we design a teaching plan that keeps your child growing, inspired and engaged.
Mickey Leone – Director and Guitar Teacher - CHMA Director Mickey Leone has been working with children and music for over 3 decades. He founded and co- directed Soundstage School of Music for 9 years before moving on to CHMA. A professional musician since the age of 14 when he began playing drums in rock bands. Over the years he has studied guitar, piano, voice and fiddle with various private teachers. His musical influences run from blues to country to jazz standards to southern rock. A native of the area, Mickey first started teaching music privately in the mid 1980’s. In 1995 he founded The Chestnut Hill Guitar School where he taught hundreds of students over the years. In addition, he has been a Montgomery County director of Makin’ Music since 1998. Through this interactive parent-tot program Mickey meets with preschoolers and their caregivers in highly interactive weekly music classes. Mickey also holds a Master’s Degree from Chestnut Hill College in Counseling Psychology with special training in play and music therapy for children. He still operates a small private counseling practice specializing in couples, families and individuals. Mickey Leone personally chooses and supervises all teachers.
Michael Galganski Guitar, Ukulele Composition, Rock School Michael has a B.A. in Composition with Guitar from SUNY Fredonia, M.A. and D.M.A. (A.B.D.) in Composition from CUNY Queens and Temple University. Teaching experience includes RDC Music, Philadelphia University and Camp Saint Vincent. Specializing in Acoustic, Rock and Jazz styles with particular interest in written notation, solo accompaniment and Tonal theory. Michael has been teaching for many years. He tailors his approach to the personal needs and interests of each student. Able to teach folk, jazz. rock and classical guitar styles, Michael is also a great choice for beginners of all ages.
Marie Spidale – Voice, Piano, Musical Theater - Marie is a graduate of Millikin University’s School of Music with a degree in Vocal Performance. While a classically trained singer, she has performed a variety of genres ranging from musical theater, opera, and contemporary styles. Marie has experience in areas of vocal pedagogy (technique) and has a foundation in foreign language diction. This has given her the ability to sing and educate in music of many styles, in multiple languages healthily. Marie’s career in performance has taken her around and out of the country, her most recent venue being the Salzburg Mozart Festival in Austria. She has a passion for performance and has earned several roles in musical theater productions. Some of her favorites include Ariel in the Little Mermaid, Ti Moune in Once on this Island and Gertrude in Seussical. Other recent credits include various roles in operas, theater workshops and touring with the Millikin University choir. Her background has molded her teaching methods, which mixes classical technique with modern and varying repertoire. It is her mission to make singing a fun and fulfilling experience for each of her students
Mark Kuczynski – Drums – Rock School. Mark has been playing drums in rock bands at popular music venues up and down the East Coast the past several years. He grew up nearby in Delaware County being professionally trained in complex rock, jazz and Latin patterns as well as the rudiments of drumming. Mark’s drumming influences are some of the most renowned and skilled drummers in rock and roll history including John Bonham, Neil Peart and Matt Cameron. He has a passion for music education, and applies all his lessons to real world examples from popular music as a means for keeping the lessons fun and educational for his students. Mark is a graduate of Saint Joseph’s University where he also played hockey, and is a fan of all Philadelphia sports teams. He looks forward to meeting anyone with a desire to learn music and encourages everyone to explore their musical interests to the fullest.
Thomas Meany – Flute – Saxaphone, Clarinet – Thomas is a graduate of the University of the Arts and later studied with Harold Bennett in New York City before completing his Masters of Music at Rowan University. He has performed at the Aspen Music Festival, Summer Trio Chamber Music Festival and the Puccini Opera Orchestra in Italy. In addition to performing regularly with guitarist Michael Simmons and the Walnut Street Chamber Trio, Mr. Meany has performed in recital for the Matinee Music Club, the Philadelphia Cultural Council, the Flute Society of Greater Philadelphia, the Department of Recreation and Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour (PennPAT). Recent performances include a joint program of Rowan University Flute Faculty and Alumni at Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall in NYC. He has played flute for the Opera Company of Philadelphia, Orchestra Society, the Haddonfield Symphony, and the Lansdowne Symphony. Tom has been heard on WXPN and WGLS radio stations. He has also been a guest on WRTI’s programming “Creatively Speaking” and “Crossover”.
Mr. Meany is a Certified Suzuki Instructor and has received three consecutive scholarships from the Suzuki Association of the Americas. Tom believes in adapting his teaching style to fit the needs and learning styles of each of his students.
Mike Britt – Guitar- Rock School Michael has 21 years of experience as a guitarist, and over a decade of real-life experience in performance, audio engineering, songwriting, and music production. Over the years he has studied guitar, piano, and drums with various private teachers and played guitar in Washington Township High School jazz band, Rowan University small groups under Dennis DiBlasio. In addition, he has traveled Europe in the American Music Abroad program, and in 2005 earned a diploma in Audio Production and Engineering from The Institute of Audio Research in New York City. His eclectic musical influences range from the various styles of pop to progressive rock to electronica to jazz fusion to Indian ragas to technical metal, with a particular interest in “modal” jazz.
A professional musician since the age of 18, Michael encourages his students to gain a thorough understanding of music theory and he challenges even the most advanced students to explore the endless possibilities of the guitar. Michael is a strong advocate of “life-long learning”. In his spare time, he enjoys studying law, economics, Mandarin Chinese, video editing, urban archeology, and the physics of sound.
Mindy Cutcher – Harp
Mindy has been teaching harp to children and adults for over 20 years. Although she teaches every level, she specializes in beginning students with no prior musical background. Mindy emphasizes the “Salzedo” technique, but makes the lessons fun and easy. You will be able to play a song with the first lesson!
Principal Harpist for the Pennsylvania Ballet, Mindy Cutcher is an in-demand performer and teacher. Symphonic engagements include the Baltimore and Delaware Symphonies, the St. Louis Symphony and Philadelphia’s Chamber Orchestra. Mindy has performed on The Tonight Show and with notable names such as Joshua Bell, Josh Groban and Anne Hathaway. She studied with world-renowned Alice Chalifoux at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music where she received her Bachelor of Music degree in Harp Performance
Lexi Schreiber – Voice, Piano, Musical Theater
Lexi Schreiber is a classically trained singer who applies that technique to performing and teaching pop, rock, jazz, country and musical theater. She is just days away from her BM in Jazz Vocal Performance with a Minor in Musical Theater from University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Lexi is also an actor and dancer with training in ballet, tap and jazz and has done choreography for various High School and Junior High productions. As a performer some of her favorite roles include Scary Spice in The British Invasion, Cathy in The Last Five Years and Lucy Van Pelt in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. She also sang lead in the opera Dido and Aeneas.Her teaching experience includes private voice lessons, music theory, ear-training and Musical Theater. For 3 years Lexi worked with kids ages 2 to 13 at the Jewish Community Center in Houston, Texas where she coached acting, music and songs for original productions.
Lexi’s believes in the importance of encouraging musicianship from a young age. She emphasizes sight singing and ear training and often uses solfeggio technique and hand signs to help singers improve their sound and their control. Lexi has a passion for teaching and works hard to inspire each of her students with confidence and heart.
Henry Tirfe – Saxophone, Clarinet, Piano
Henry specializes in classical, jazz and pop styles on the saxophone and clarinet. He is also an accomplished pianist. He has been a part of The Kimmel Center Youth Jazz Ensemble, Simple Commotion, Rick Kerber Tribute Ensemble plus various Classical Saxophone Quartets. Over the years he has performed at Chris’ Jazz Café, The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, City Hall Philadelphia, Penn’s Landing, Warmdaddy’s Café and the Merriam Theater among many others. He is currently pursuing his degree in performance and music education at the University Of The Arts in Philadelphia. Throughout his musical education Henry has been fortunate to study with a great many musical mentors including Mike Cemporla, Chris Farr and Korey Riker. Henry has taught private students since 2010 and spent two years on the faculty of The Brad Schoener Music Man Camp. Henry encourages music students to start young as he did so they can learn about music as they are learning about life. Henry’s goal as a teacher is to bring out the joy and creativity in each of his students.
Matt Keppler – Upright Bass, Electric Bass, Guitar
Matt took up the guitar at an early age and instantly became hooked on music going on to play and write songs with several different bands. In High School he became enamored with the bass and got serious about Jazz. He entered SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music to pursue an upright bass performance degree. There he did session recordings in many different genres, as well as jazz and musical theater performances. Matt went on to further study at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia where he received a Bachelor’s in Instrumental Performance. He currently performs with various rock, blues, gospel, and folk acts with tours including Memphis, Montreal, and Athens, Greece.
Gabriel Rebolla – Piano, Vocal Performance Coaching
Gabriel Rebolla has a career as a soloist, piano professor and collaborative pianist. He has performed with chamber groups, orchestras, singers and choirs, and as a soloist in many concert halls throughout Brazil, France and the United States. A native of Brazil, Gabriel earned Bachelor’s degrees from the University of Campinas (Piano Performance) and the Pro-Musica Conservatory (Piano and Theory). He has received national and international awards such as the Stegner Scholarship for best pianist at Georgia State University in 2008 and the Pro-Musica Piano Competition and Cadenza Piano Competition in Bauru in 2004, where he also received an award for best interpretation of Brazilian music.
From 2004 to 2008, Gabriel worked for a professional children’s choir in Brazil, which was co-sponsored by the Brazilian government and the Petrobas Oil Company. During his time with the choir, he taught piano, theory and singing to children. This choir recorded CDs and traveled throughout all of Brazil, performing and winning several awards. In the Fall of 2013, Gabriel completed his Opera Coaching Program at Temple University in Philadelphia.
Gabriel has vast experience teaching piano for all ages. In his work with children he often uses stories to create characters and emotions that make it personal and engaging. This develops their music skills and their overall creativity and imagination.
Timothy Hill - Drums, Rock School
Timothy Hill was born in Athens, Greece. His family sang together since before he was born, he took piano and trumpet lessons while in Jr High, and he began playing drums in High School. He has no idea how his parents let him play the drums in their apartment, but he played with various local bands until he moved to Denver, Colorado where he completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music.
He spent a number of years traveling between Greece and the US playing classical, blues, folk, jazz, hard rock, musicals, latin, world, and singer-songwriter music regularly. In addition to playing music, Timothy has been teaching music for over 15 years. He loves learning new instruments and practicing and believes that everybody can and should play music if they want to. He’s taught young children, teenagers, and adults, refugees and recovering substance abusers, individuals and group. By approaching music visually, aurally, kinestheticaly, and orally, as well as by customizing his lessons to each individual’s needs, Timothy tries to impart his love of music to his students, help them succeed through disciplined work, and understand and enjoy music on a deeper level.
John Backetti – Violin, Viola, Cello
John has been teaching the violin for more than 15 years with stints on staff at The Springside School and Dresher School of Music. He earned a B.A. in Music and English, a MA in English, and a Master of Education Degree, all from Arcadia University. John studied under several great violin teachers in his 25 year career including Amedeo Wm. Liva, a Julliard trained violinist. Since 1995, John has performed extensively as a member of The Old York Road Symphony Orchestra and The Chestnut Hill Symphony. Although classically trained, John also enjoys playing and teaching fiddle tunes, Broadway classics, popular music and Standards. He believes that each student is a unique individual and it is his job to help them find and present their unique musical voice.
