Meet Our Music Faculty
Members of our music faculty have
a passion for teaching and hold advanced degrees in music. With flexible
scheduling and convenient payment plans, private lessons at Chelsea Center
for the Arts are a terrific way to build your music skills.
Contact our faculty members directly for availability and
scheduling ... and then click the "Register" link next to your faculty member. When you click the link to register you will have the option of choosing your session length (30, 45, or 60 minutes). Please be advised that the option for making monthly installments is listed at the end of the checkout process.
Director of Music, Voice
 Lisa Hinz-Johnson
Mezzo-Soprano Lisa Hinz-Johnson is the co-founder of CCA, as well
as its Director of Music. As a private voice instructor, Lisa’s
students are consistently placed in the country’s top music schools,
and her high school students continue to earn highest ratings at voice
competitions and festivals.
Mezzo-Soprano Lisa Hinz-Johnson is the co-founder of Chelsea Center for the Arts, as well as its Director of Music. Together with her husband Steven Hinz, they co-founded CCA in 1994, later receiving a special commendation for excellence in arts education from Governor Jennifer Granholm. As a private voice instructor, Lisa’s students are consistently placed in the country’s top music schools, and her high school students continue to earn highest ratings at voice competitions and festivals. Many of her students go on to great success in opera, music education, musical theatre and Broadway, and theatre. Lisa received her Bachelor of Music Degree in Voice Performance from Viterbo University and her Master of Music Degree in Voice from the University of Michigan. She is a double award winner at the Metropolitan Opera Auditions, and is a 6-time First-Place Winner of the National Association of Teachers of Singing voice competition. Also recipient of the Jessye Norman Award for Voice, Lisa was named Wisconsin Singer of the Year in the NATS Artist Awards competition. She has performed throughout Europe and the United States, and has sung numerous operatic roles including Cherubino, in The Marriage of Figaro, the Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors, and Carmen, under the baton of conductor Hugo Jan Huss. Past teachers, clinicians, and coaches include Lorna Haywood, Daniel Johnson-Wilmot, Frank Guarrera, Beverly Peck Johnson, Ralph Appelman, and Martin Katz. A devoted interpreter of all art songs, she is most passionate about Spanish art songs as well as African American art songs and spirituals. Lisa performed the solo work My People, for acclaimed composer Noel Da Costa, at an African American Composers’ Symposium at Orchestra Hall in Detroit, before the composer’s death in 2002. Lisa served as Professor of Voice at Adrian College for 2 years, and has taught private voice and piano for over 25 years. An accomplished pianist, Lisa also serves as coach and accompanist to all of her voice students and is the assistant director of Chelsea High School’s Company C, as well as its show arranger. Healthy singing habits and techniques, along with varied and vocally appropriate repertoire are the focus in private voice lessons, including classical repertoire, musical theatre repertoire, folk songs, and jazz. She has a passion for teaching students of all levels, from age 10 through adult, and creates a warm, positive environment in which her students can thrive and learn.
Lisa Hinz-Johnson's Fall 2011 Studio Class Schedule (pdf)
Lisa Hinz-Johnson's Winter/Spring 2012 Studio Class Schedule (pdf)
Chelsea Children's Choir
 Sarah Price
“I am rooted in the deep belief that everyone can sing beautifully. My experiences singing with others have shaped my life with beauty and self-expression. I am driven to help students discover their own sense of artistry through their unlimited vocal power in the new Chelsea Children’s Choir.”
Sarah Price recently received her Bachelor’s of Music in Music Education from Michigan State University. Sarah’s musicianship is based in classical and choral technique, but she performs and teaches a wide range of vocal styles. Her most treasured choral experience was performing with the MSU Women’s Chamber Ensemble at the ACDA National Convention in the Spring of 2009. Sarah has sang in various operas, choirs, and musicals throughout most of her life, and she is also an active singer in R&B groups and soulful rock bands. She often writes and records her own original music. Sarah strives to bring a meaningful and eclectic variety of music to her students that will connect and excite every voice.
Sarah also has a studio of beginning voice students in our Youngest Singer offering. With an emphasis on
building musicianship and introducing healthy singing skills, this program is geared to
children ages 5-9. Young singers work one-on-one with the instructor in 15-minute,
mini private lessons and then join together in monthly group singing classes. This is an
ideal first, private voice experience for students not quite old enough for traditional
private voice lessons, and it is a great partner program to the popular Chelsea
Children’s Choir. This is offered on Tuesdays in 2011.
Percussion
 David Bendena
David has been studying and playing drums for 26 years. He has played in Mid-Michigan, Chicago, Kansas City and most recently New Jersey. He loves exploring jazz music, but has also played in various rock bands, stage shows, dance concerts, concert bands and symphonies. David also enjoys fostering needy, orphaned and neglected vintage drums for restoration projects.
As an instructor, David arms his students with a solid technical foundation and thorough understanding of the basic rudiments of drum playing on which the student can build themselves up musically for years to come. Emphasis is placed on reading, writing and understanding rhythms and patterns, and also on the creative application of lesson material in the students own improvised playing.
Advanced students who are studying drum set can have lessons tailored to meet some of their own musical interests, however focus will continue to be placed on technique and overall musicality. Drum set studies also include studies on limb independence, history of the drum set, and explorations of various playing styles including rock, jazz, latin and afro-cuban, etc. so students can be prepared to handle a myriad of musical situations behind the drum kit once they leave the practice room and get on the stage.
Clarinet, Flute, Saxophone
 Ben Jansson
Saxophone/Clarinet/Flute
“Playing saxophone should be fun! I believe that students who enjoy playing saxophone, improve the most. This is the core of my teaching philosophy. I love to encourage enjoyment in music, whether it’s listening or practicing. When students learn that playing the saxophone is fun, and can be easy, they improve quickly. Knowledge of proper technique such as scales, arpeggios, fingering technique, breathing, etudes or jazz improvisation, balanced appropriately with each student’s needs or unique learning objectives is what can lead to successful lessons and greater enjoyment with music!”
Michigan based jazz saxophonist Ben Jansson leads his own quartet regularly at clubs in Detroit and throughout the Midwest and Canada. Regular hometown gigs include Bakers Keyboard Lounge, Cliff Bells in Detroit and Murphy’s Place in Toledo. Ben studied with Detroit’s legendary saxophonist George Benson in Detroit and with saxophonist Pat Labarbera in Toronto before going on to complete his Masters in Music at Michigan State University, studying and playing with Rodney Whitaker, Wess Anderson, Diego Rivera, Rick Roe and Randy Gillespie. Besides leading his own quartet, he plays often in bands led by bassist Paul Keller, pianist Jim Dapogny, drummers Sean Dobbins and Pete Siers and trombonist Vincent Chandler. A Recent gig included playing with Freddy Cole at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, ( Jazz in Lincoln Center, NYC) backing up the legendary singer and pianist. He is also involved with jazz education at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s Civic Youth Program and with Chelsea Center for the Arts.
Guitar, Lap Steel, and Mandolin
 Alex Anest
“I concentrate on teaching the common threads running through
diverse musical styles, and am dedicated to teaching the concept of quality,
so that a student can take what they learn and apply it to any style
of music, sometimes even outside of music.”
Alex Anest is a professional guitarist who has been teaching other people
to play since he was fifteen years old. He holds a degree in Jazz
Studies from Bowling Green State University. Alex excels
at teaching and playing all styles of music, especially American Musical
Genres such as Rock, Blues, Folk, Jazz, and Country.
As a performer, music has taken Alex all over the country and the world,
from touring in Switzerland with Kevin Meisel & The Ragged Glories
in 2004, 2005 and 2008 to playing stateside with his wife Naomi and Gas
For Less. He has also appeared on numerous CDs and a few movie
soundtracks. Alex takes students of all ages and enjoys teaching reading,
theory, and improvisation.
 Peter Bullard
My teaching is guided by each student’s individual interests. My goal is to help them grow to the next level. It’s about discovering the joy of music, having fun and learning all at once.
Pete Bullard has been performing in clubs and festivals throughout Michigan for the past 20 years. Pete leads his own band, and has played guitar in numerous bands, and on many recordings. He has studied Jazz at Washtenaw Community College, and excels at Blues, Swing, Country, and Roots Rock.
Pete has been teaching everything from Blues to Heavy Metal and beyond. Pete has experience teaching ages 8 to 80!
Piano
 Lester Castellana
Parent & Child lessons see Music Classes
“I am happy and qualified to teach all ages and all levels
of piano and musicianship. Though all people are different, I work
carefully with each student to mould a course of study that matches their
needs, interests, age and talents.”
Lester Castellana is a professional instructor of piano with over 20
years of performing, accompanying, and teaching experience. He
has a B.M. in piano performance from the Crane School of Music (NY) and
an M.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Lester
has two further years of performance studies completed at Ithaca College
and is currently a doctoral candidate (at large; ABD) from UNC in musicology. His
instructors include Joseph Licotta (Julliard), Gary Busch (Manhattan
School of Music) and Phiroze Mehta (Royal Schools of Music, London).
As a performer, Lester has appeared in hundreds of recitals as soloist
or with orchestras, chamber groups, instrumentalists and singers. In
addition to private instruction, he has taught keyboard techniques at
Ithaca College, aural skills and music theory at UNC, and a variety of
individual classes in music history, theory, and appreciation. He
offers similar courses at the CCA. In Summer of 2011, Lester added a new program in the way of Parent & Child Music Lessons as a way for both parent and child to experience music in a whole new way!
Lester is an active member of the following professional organizations:
National Music Teachers' Association, Michigan Music Teachers' Association,
Ann Arbor Piano Guild and the American Musicological Society.
Violin, Viola and Bass
 Rebecca Appert Kaltz
Rebecca Appert is known as a dedicated performer and teacher. She
has played with many local orchestras in the area including the Ann Arbor,
Saginaw Bay, Battle Creek, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Adrian, and Southwest
Michigan Symphony Orchestras.
Rebecca has been actively teaching Suzuki and traditional
violin lessons for the past ten years, and received her Bachelors degree
in Violin performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory
of Music. She also completed two years of graduate work with
Piotr Milewski there as well. For her Suzuki pedagogy training,
Rebecca studied with both Pat D’Ercole and Martha Shackford. She recently took Suzuki Book 9 with Linda Fiore in August, 2010.
Rebecca has extensive experience playing for opera
and musical theatre genres, as well as recording studio experience with
various types of music such as rock, jazz, Celtic and folk, in voice
and violin.
Currently she maintains a violin studio at home in Ann Arbor, and most recently joined the faculty of the Ann Arbor Suzuki Institute. Recent projects include starting the Celtic folk band Foxtree, which plays locally. She also recorded jazz and gypsy music in Detroit during this past summer. Visit www.rebeccaappert.com and www.horizonstringsgroup.com for more information about Rebecca.
 Beth Kirton
Violinist Beth Kirton joined the CCA faculty in 2006. She holds
degrees in violin performance from the University of Michigan and Carnegie
Mellon University. Beth is a member of the Michigan Opera Theater
in Detroit, and has performed or been a member of the Sarasota Opera,
Pittsburgh Opera, the Lake George Opera, New World Symphony Orchestra,
Florida West Coast Symphony, the Ann Arbor Symphony and many others. She
also maintains a private studio in Ann Arbor.
 Nathan Peters
“My teaching approach is eclectic including Suzuki
based and more traditional materials and methods.”
Nathan received
a Bachelor's in Violin Performance from U of M in 1992, Master's
in Viola Performance from U of M in 1993, and his MI Teaching Certi-fication
from U of M in 1999.
Nathan attended teaching and conducting workshops at University of
Michigan, University of Iowa, Ohio State University, and Michigan State
University. He holds beginning Suzuki certification from Stevens-Point,
WI and Orff-Schulwerk certification from Madonna University.
Nathan is in his 17th year teaching private violin and viola lessons and
10th year teaching strings in the Chelsea public schools. He
directed a honorary performance of the Chelsea 8th Grade Orchestra at the
Michigan Music Conference in January, 2008, in Grand Rapids, Michigan and
regularly performs with the Chelsea Chamber Players and the North School
Strings. Nathan has also performed with the Michigan Opera Orchestra,
the Toledo Symphony, the Ann Arbor Symphony, the Lansing Symphony, and
the Flint Symphony. His teaching approach is eclectic including Suzuki
based and more traditional materials and methods.
 Susan Schreiber
"Along with sharing my passion for violin and viola performance, I enjoy teaching music appreciation, music theory and fluent music sight-reading. I try to nurture a true love of music in each student along with playing skills."
Susan started violin lessons at the age of 7. She toured Europe at age 16 with the Musical Youth International String Quartet. Susan graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Violin Performance and Music Education having studied with Walter Verdehr and Vladimir Avramov. While pursuing a graduate viola performance degree at Arizona State University, she performed with the Arizona Opera Company as principal violist, the Tucson Symphony, and the Aspen Festival Orchestra where she studied with Rolf Persinger. She held positions as violist in both the Phoenix Symphony and the Grand Rapids Symphony. Susan performed for 6 years with the Goettinger Symphonie Orchester in Goettingen, Germany as principal second violinist, was the violist with the Samuel String Quartet and was principal violist and faculty member of the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria. Susan is principal viola of the Saginaw Bay Symphony, principal 2nd violinist of the Adrian Symphony and also performs regularly with several orchestras in Michigan and Ohio, including the Toledo Symphony, Flint Symphony and the Ann Arbor Symphony. She is a member of the Beaumont String Quartet, the JS Duo and the River Raisin Ragtime Revue. She also does commercial recording work including backup on CD’s, television and radio commercials, is an instructor at the Chelsea Center for the Arts and has a private teaching studio in Ann Arbor.
 Robert Rohwer
Mr. Rohwer has been teaching students of the double bass for over twenty years. He passionately combines his extensive experience as a performer of classical and jazz music's in order to pass along to his students a thorough music education. To this end, Mr. Rohwer has developed an approach to the double bass that encompasses all styles of music, ultimately giving students the tools and insight necessary to perform in many varied musical environments. A firm believer in student/teacher narrative in lesson, Mr. Rohwer challenges his students to "think musically", producing in each student a "musical intellect" from which they can base decisions and ultimately produce artistic excellence.
Robert joined the Bowling Green State University faculty in fall 2007. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College, where his primary teachers included Timothy Pitts and Scott Haigh. He received his master’s degree in bass performance from Rice University under the guidance of Timothy Pitts and Paul Elison. As a Fellow of The Tanglewood Institute of Music, he attended for two consecutive years studying privately and performing in master classes with esteemed bassist Edwin Barker. Past instructors include Ethan Connor, Harold Robinson and Dave Malone. Robert has performed nationally with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Detroit Symphony, Houston Grand Opera, Cleveland Ballet, Cleveland Opera, Ohio Chamber Orchestra, Toledo Symphony and Fort Wayne Philharmonic, and internationally with the Bergen Philharmonic (Norway) and the Windsor Symphony Orchestra, in addition to performances in Japan, Switzerland, the former Soviet Union, Germany, France and Italy. He also toured with the Amabile String Quartet and performed as solo bass in numerous chamber ensembles. Robert is currently a member of the Ann Arbor, Flint and Saginaw symphonies.
 Tara Vesprini
“I am most passionate about early childhood music education and
Music Together classes! I look forward to helping parents learn to create
a rich musical environment at home. In addition to Music Together classes,
I teach new or 1st year string students in private or small group lessons. Students
will explore folk fiddling and other alternative music styles in addition
to a standard Suzuki based curriculum.”
Tara Vesprini holds Bachelors of Music degrees
in Cello Performance and Certification in Primary and Secondary Music
Education from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She is also
trained in Suzuki and Music Together® methods. Tara has 11 years
teaching experience in Michigan and New Jersey.
Voice
Lisa Hinz-Johnson
Director of Music
Clarinet
Ben Jansson
Flute
Ben Jansson
Guitar, Lap Steel
and Mandolin
Alex Anest
Guitar
Peter Bullard
Piano
Lester Castellana
Saxophone
Ben Jansson
Bass
Robert Rohwer
Viola
Susan Schreiber
Violin
Rebecca Appert
Beth Kirton
Nathan Peters
Susan Schreiber
Children's Choir
Sarah Price
Music Together®
Tara Vesprini
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