Music Instructors

Brass | Piano | Strings | Voice | Woodwinds | Percussion

Mr. Dominic Bruno, Trumpet

Dominic Bruno received his Bachelor of Music Education Magna Cum Laude from Georgia State University. While at GSU, Dominic performed in many ensembles including the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, the Wind Orchestra, the Jazz Band, the University Symphony Orchestra and multiple brass chamber ensembles. He was a recipient of the 2007 Theodore Presser Scholarship as well as a four-year recipient of the University Scholar award.

Prior to accepting his current position as Operations Coordinator of the Bailey Performance Center at Kennesaw State University, Dominic served as the first band director at Howard High School in Macon, Georgia. In the three years under his direction, the band program at Howard High School grew from its original membership of 15 students in one concert band to over 70 students participating in two concert bands, a competitive marching band, a jazz band, a basketball pep band, and multiple honor bands and festivals. In addition to teaching, Dominic has also previously worked for the Atlanta Thrashers Community Hockey Development Team as a youth hockey coach as well as for his home parish of Mary Our Queen Catholic Church as a youth music minister. Excited to be back in their hometown, Dominic and his wife Jacqueline happily live in Metro Atlanta.

Mr. Adam Frey, Euphonium/Trombone/Tuba
Adam Frey has quickly established himself as one of the top brass soloists in the world by bringing his sharp intellect, mature musicianship, and charismatic stage presence to audiences all over the world. A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Adam began his musical studies at the University of Georgia in 1993 under Dr. David Randolph and earned a Bachelor of Music magna cum laude with High Honors in euphonium and tuba performance. Adam later completed a Master of Music with Distinction and a Professional Performance Diploma with Distinction from the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England in 1999.

Adam's students have earned high chair placements in District Honor Bands, All-State Band, UGA January Festival Honor Bands, and have received scholarships and fellowships to numerous universities and colleges across the United States and the United Kingdom. His students range from beginning low brass to university music majors to Masters of Music degree candidates to adult amateur players.

Traveling extensively as a soloist in the past few years, with concert appearances in Europe, America, and Austral-Asia, Adam's performances are varied and diverse, appearing with orchestras, wind bands, brass bands, and as a solo recitalist. Some orchestral ensembles have included the Boston Pops, Atlanta, Greensboro, Cheju (South Korea), and Vaasa (Finland) Symphony Orchestras. Brass band concerts have mainly been concentrated in Europe, performing with groups such as the National Youth

Brass Band of Switzerland and Soli Brass (Holland). Wind band solo appearances have included the Guardians Band (Finland), Bavarian State Police Band (Germany), the Hong Kong Young Musicians Wind Orchestra (China), and numerous American community and university ensembles. He also appears at concert series and music festivals regularly, including the Brevard Music Center, the Macau (China) Wind Festival, and the Cheju (South Korea) Summer Band Festival to name a few.

His first solo recording, entitled Listen to THIS!!, received worldwide acclaim for both its numerous world premieres and impressive performances. In May 2003, Adam released a second solo recording entitled Collected Dreams - a wonderful collection of traditional Scottish, Irish, and classical melodies that combines the lush sound of the euphonium with dreamy synthesizer accompaniments in a new age vein.

His websites, www.euphonium.com and www.adamfrey.net, contain information on the euphonium, sound files from live concerts, future performance schedules, photos from his world travels, and a list of his recordings and publications for purchase.

Mr. Nate Groves, French Horn
Nate Groves holds a bachelor's degree in music education from the University of Georgia, where he studied horn with Dr. Jean Martin-Williams and Richard Deane. He served as principal horn in the University of Georgia Wind Symphony for two years, as well as serving in the Redcoat Band and the UGA Horn Choir.

Nate was a member of the Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps (2007-2009), in which the hornline was awarded the Jim Ott trophy for brass performance in 2009. He recently worked on the brass staff with the world championship drum corps The Phantom Regiment (Rockford, Ill.). In addition to drum corps, he has worked with multiple marching bands in the Athens and Atlanta areas in both ensemble music and visual marching technique. His previous students have been members of the U.S. Army All American Marching Band, Georgia All-State Band, and multiple world class drum corps in the Southeast and Midwest. Nate Groves is currently the Assistant Band Director at Duluth High School in Duluth, Georgia. Professional affiliations include MENC (Music Educators National Conference), GMEA (Georgia Music Educators Association), and NBA (National Band Association).

Mr. Doug Maloney, Trumpet
Doug Maloney received his Bachelor of Music Education Magna Cum Laude from the University of Georgia in 2006. While at UGA, Mr. Maloney was a trumpet performer with the Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, and numerous chamber brass ensembles. He was also a member of the Redcoat Marching Band, serving as both the Trumpet Section Leader and Band Captain.

Mr. Maloney was a member of the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps in 2006. A trumpet student of Mr. Bill Siegfried and Professor W. Fred Mills, Mr. Maloney has instructed trumpet and brass clinics for the University of Georgia Summer Music Camps and numerous high schools and middle schools throughout Georgia. He received the Phi Beta Mu Outstanding Instrumental Music Education Award in 2005 and the GMEA Collegiate Music Education Scholarship in 2006. Professional affiliations include the National Band Association, GMEA, MENC, Pi Kappa Lambda, International Trumpet Guild, and the Cobb Wind Symphony.

Mr. Maloney has been the Assistant Director of Bands at Norcross High School since 2008. His duties include directing and assisting with three concert ensembles, the Blue Devil Marching Band, Basketball Band, and the Jazz Band. Mr. Maloney is the coordinator of the NHS Brass Chamber Music program, focusing on full ensemble and quintet repertoire. He also currently holds a position as the Wind and Percussion Specialist for the Gwinnett County Youth Symphony.

Ms. Yelena Ayzenberg
Yelena Ayzenberg graduated from Rimsky-Korsakova College of Music, Mogilev, Belarus and received the Diploma o Nepolnom Visshem Obrazovanii. She also received a Specialist Diploma in Culture and Education from Kult-Prosvet College of Music, Mogilev, Belarus. Ms. Ayzenberg has over 20 years of teaching and performance experience.

Ms. Kari Buis
Kari Buis has been teaching private piano lessons (ages 5 - 75) for 10 years in the Atlanta area. She currently teaches at Dunwoody School for the Arts and maintains a home studio. She has taught private piano at the School of Music at Greater Atlanta Christian School and also performs for weddings, funerals, and social events. Other experience includes a position as pianist / accompanist for an Atlanta area church from 1997-2005. She also plays the saxophone and accordion. Ms. Buis holds a Master's Degree in Counseling from the University of Southern California. Currently, she resides in the Peachtree Corners area with her three children, and loves reading, hiking, concerts, and music of all kinds!

Ms. Alicia Ward
Our Director of Worship and Arts, Alicia Ward, has served as a church musician for over 35 years, previously serving churches in Louisiana, Alabama, Washington, New York, and North Carolina. Since moving to Atlanta in 1995, Alicia has served as a staff singer at St. Matthew's Lutheran, Haygood United Methodist, and Covenant Presbyterian, and served as full-time Director of Music at Norcross Presbyterian from 1999 to 2004 prior to coming to Johns Creek Presbyterian. She resides in the Peachtree Corners area and is the mother of four children. Professional memberships include Presbyterian Association of Musicians, American Guild of English Handbell Ringers, YouthCUE, American Choral Directors Association, and Choristers Guild.

Dr. Wooyoung Ellie Choi
Ellie Choi received her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance with a minor in Organ Performance from the Hugh Hodgson School of Music at the University of Georgia, where she also received her Bachelor of Music degree in Composition and completed her Master of Music in Piano Performance.
Ellie has been teaching piano, serving as an accompanist, and playing the organ for college events at Agnes Scott since 2002. Dr. Choi is the accompanist for the Choral Guild of Atlanta, and she has given recitals both as a soloist and a collaborative artist.

Ms. Courtney King, Violin/Viola
Courtney King has played the violin for 15 years, first beginning her studies at seven years of age. Now in her fifth year of teaching violin lessons, Courtney is proud to offer lessons in her native classical training and also enjoys teaching such genres as jazz violin and fiddling. Courtney has participated in numerous honorary and semi-professional orchestras and selective music programs, including Governor's Honors Program with a major in music, the Georgia Philharmonic, Cobb County Honors Orchestra, Georgia All-State Orchestra, and Georgia State University Honors Orchestra. She received her B. A. in Music with a focus in violin performance from Emory University in 2010. She studies with Oliver Steiner, a former 20-year faculty member of the Eastman School of Music, and Lisa Yancich, a member of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. She teaches full time and is preparing for graduate school auditions.

Mr. Skip Runté, Guitar
Skip Runté has been described as an artist as well as consummate professional guitarist. His performances have included concert, night club, television, and recording studio work - all styles - as a soloist or backup artist, from duet to big band. He has performed and toured throughout the U.S. and internationally. While noted for his beautiful solo interpretations, Skip's jazz quartet performances have included the Atlanta Jazz Festival. He also leads his group RENDEZ-VOUS, specializing in musical entertainment for corporate and private events. Skip holds a B.S. Ed. Degree. He enjoys teaching and sharing his passion for music and the guitar. An experienced teacher as well as performer, Skip has taught both privately and in the public school system. In the Atlanta area, he has taught accredited staff development courses to Fulton County music teachers, and he has also taught guitar programs offered through recreation centers, home school organizations, and charter schools. He has presented clinics and workshops on a variety of topics designed for every level of study from beginner to the advanced jazz student. With Skip's varied background and teaching experience, he is proficient in teaching a variety of styles, including folk, country, rock, blues, jazz, and big band to any age level.

Ms. Bowen Newman
Bowen Newman, a North Carolina native, recently moved to the Atlanta area from Florida.  She has a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Appalachian State University, a Master of Music in Opera Performance from East Carolina University and a NC Teaching Certificate in K-12 Music from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte.  Bowen has toured with the Hickory Choral Society and sung with the Charlotte Opera Company.  After teaching elementary music for ten years in the Charlotte/Mecklenburg and Cabarrus County school systems, she was a music teacher at various schools in the district including Chantilly Visual and Performing Arts magnet School.  Bowen and her family moved to Daytona Beach Florida.  While in Daytona, Bowen worked as the Children's Music and Worship Coordinator at Port Orange Presbyterian Church in Port Orange, FL.  She directed the Sonshine Singers and Ringers and was worship coordinator for all children and preschool worship events as well as VBS coordinator.  Bowen has been teaching private voice on and off since 1993.

Ms. Judith Gilbert, Flute
Judith recently returned to the Atlanta area after completing her graduate studies in flute performance at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. She has performed with the Georgia Symphony Orchestra, the Bloomington Camerata Orchestra, and various other theater and chamber ensembles. As a graduate assistant during her master's degree, she directed the Western Carolina University Flute Ensemble. She spent the 2007-2008 school year in England as one of only five international students selected for Trevor Wye's unique flute studio. Her teachers have included Kate Lukas, Eldred Spell, Trevor Wye, Angela Jones-Reus, Christina Smith, and Jeanne Carere.

Mr. Jason Ogg, Saxophone
Jason Ogg is currently pursuing the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Saxophone Performance at the University of Georgia. He holds degrees in Saxophone Performance from the University of Wyoming (B.M. 2005) and the University of Georgia (M.M. 2007). He performed in both solo and chamber settings at the NASA Region I (2005) and Region VI (2007) conferences, as well as the 2008 NASA Biennial conference. He was selected as First-Alternate at the 2005 MTNA Northwest regional competition, as well as Georgia state MTNA competitions in 2006 and 2007. Versed in both classical and jazz styles, he has performed in master classes for Wynton Marsalis, Stefon Harris, Eugene Rousseau, and Claude Delangle. His primary teachers include Scott Turpen and Kenneth Fischer.

Ms. Robin Schaps, Oboe
Robin Schaps is currently a band director for Creekland Middle School in Lawrenceville, and an active oboe teacher to middle and high school students in the Gwinnett and Forsyth areas. She is a recent graduate of the University of Georgia, where she played in the UGA Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, and the Redcoat Marching Band, and studied oboe with Dr. Dwight Manning. Robin is also a graduate of Norcross High School and has been involved in the community's musical enrichment for many years.

Mr. Roland Ventura, Clarinet
Roland Ventura is currently the Director of Bands at Pinckneyville Middle School in Norcross, Georgia. He holds two degrees in Music Education from Troy University in Troy, Alabama. He is also a graduate of the Armed Forces School of Music in Norfolk, Virginia. He has studied clarinet with Mr. Ray Smith of Troy University, Maestro Albert Asercion of the Tidewater Winds, and Master Chief Musician Norman Schnobrick, United States Navy. Mr. Ventura is an active clinician and woodwind consultant for groups throughout Georgia, Alabama, Virginia, and Nevada.

Mr. Eric Brown, Percussion
Eric Brown is a freelance educator and performer in the north Georgia area. At a young age, Eric was involved in many performing opportunities including the 2000 Super Bowl halftime show and performances in New York's own Carnegie Hall. In addition to performing in the United States, Mr. Brown has performed in Italy and China. Eric is a graduate of the University of Georgia, where he received his undergraduate degree in percussion performance. After his graduation from UGA, Eric attended the University of Missouri-Columbia, where he completed his Master of Music in Percussion Performance. Eric has been a marching member of The Colts Drum and Bugle Corps, Pariah Indoor, Odyssey Percussion Theater, and the University of Georgia Redcoat Drumline. Eric's teaching experience includes Odyssey Percussion Theater, Gateway Indoor, and The Colts Drum and Bugle Corps, as well as several high schools and colleges in Georgia and Missouri. Currently, Mr. Brown is the Percussion Director at Flowery Branch High School in Flowery Branch, Georgia. He also serves as the Adjunct Professor of Percussion at Young Harris College in Young Harris, Georgia, in addition to teaching various other high school and college percussion programs in north Georgia.