RCMS Faculty
Ceresa Lyon, Violin, Viola
Deborah M Brown, Voice received a Bachelor of Science degree in Music/Vocal performance with a strong emphasis in vocal pedagogy from Roberts Wesleyan College. She has studied in Italy and had the opportunity to work with Maesta Enza Ferrari, Maria Callas’ voice teacher, and Judith Coen. Deborah has had varying roles in operas, with one being the role of Countess Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro. She has also been in several shows at Hochstein Music School.She also won the Concerto Aria Competition here at Roberts. This is Deborah’s sixth year of teaching for the Roberts Wesleyan College Community Music School.
Kathryn Ciaccia, Pace Piano, has an Associate's Degree from MCC and is certified to teach Kinderkeyboard and Level I. This is her 10th year teaching these two levels. She is employed at northeastern seminary from Sept to June. She resides in Churchville with her husband and two children.
Jane Hamway, Violin is a K-2 general music teacher in the Canandaigua City School District. She received her Bachelor's degree in Music Performance from the University of Newcastle, Australia in 2006 and a Graduate Diploma in Music Education from the University of New England, Australia in 2007. Jane has studied violin and viola under Deborah Lander, Elizabeth Holowell, Margaret Moore and Sue Dowdell. She is an active member of Rochester Rhapsody Women's Barbershop Chorus, the Penfield Symphony and Roberts Wesleyan College Community Orchestra.
Sean Jefferson, Drumset, Concert Percussion, recently received is masters degree from Roberts Wesleyan College. Sean has had many great teachers including John W. McNeill (Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra), Ben Parris (Maskaraid Productions, LLC & NEMeSIS Records), Dave Mancini (Maynard Ferguson, Chuck Mangione, Rosemary Clooney), Dr. Eric Schmitz (SUNY Oswego, Russell Scarbrough Big Band), & Mike Melito (Chris Potter, James Moody, Chuck Mangione). He has freelanced throughout New York State and Germany for the past seven years. During that time he has had the privilege to perform with such notable artists as Dr. Lonnie Smith, Jeff Tyzik, Paradigm Shift, Alvin Parris III, Gray Mayfield, Terrance Bruce, and Bill Tiberio, and shared the stage with great names like Regina Carter, Jeff Golub, and Charlie Hunter. Currently Sean is performing exclusively with two groups, The Jazz Mad Lab & Paradigm Shift. In addition to an extensive performance career, Sean has taught drumset and percussion privately in Rochester, NY for the past 6 years and is the owner of Mad Lab Productions which coordinates all business The Jazz Mad Lab and Sean's free-lance work.
Christopher Jones, Voice (Collegiate faculty on the revised 30 week calendar) Mr. Jones’ educational background includes a Bachelor of Science degree, Music Education, from Roberts Wesleyan and a Master of Music degree, Vocal Performance, from the Eastman School of Music. Mr. Jones has taught voice at the Hochstein Music School for 16 years and has directed Hochstein’s Summer Musical Theater program for 13 years. At Roberts he currently teaches Voice lessons, Intro. To Music, Basic Conducting, and Field Exp., and has previously taught Vocal Lit. and Musical Stage Performance.
Rachel Joy, Flute, received her Honors Bachelor of Music Education from Roberts Wesleyan College and recently completed her Masters Degree in Music Education at the University of Buffalo where she studied with Barry Crawford. She taught music in Vermont for two years before returning to work in the Rochester area. This will be her third year teaching for the Community Music School.
Kevin Karnisky, Theory has a Master of Arts Education from Eastman School of Music and a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Pottsdam. He has been a teacher of instrumental music to students in grades 7-12 for the past 12 years and AP Music Theory teacher for the past 9 years at McQuaid Jesuit High School. He has extensive theater background that includes experience in acting, lighting design and construction, music direction, and sound design.
Elizabeth Macklen, Piano, received her B.S. in Music Education from Roberts Wesleyan College in 2008. Her major instrument being piano and minoring in organ and flute. Throughout her college career she served as an avid accompanist for numerous recitals and concerts, solo performances and for the RWC Chorale. Currently Elizabeth serves as the Cooridinator of Contempory Music at Faith Lutheran Church i Penfield and serves as adn accompanist for schools in and around the city including Rush-Henrietta, Northstar Christian Academy and Hochestein School of Music.
Adrienne Meyer, Pace Piano and Flute
Marylynn Miller, Piano, earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in piano from Scripps College and Master of Arts degree in piano from the Claremont Graduate School. She has additional study at the Akademie of Musik in Vienna, Austria. She has been adjunct instructor of piano at Roberts since 1990 and on the faculty of the Eastman Community Music School since 1988. She is a member of the Rochester Piano Teachers' Guild and Morning Musicale of Rochester where she has participated as accompanist and chamber music performer.
Janice Nagle, Pace Piano, holds a Bachelor of Music (Music Education, Piano) from Houghton College and a Master of Arts (Arts and Humanities, Piano Pedagogy) from the Teachers College at Columbia University. She teaches Functional Piano Classes, Piano Pedagogy, Music Theory and piano for Roberts Wesleyan College. She founded the Pace Piano Program of the Community Music and has been training students and student teachers through that for many years.
Maurice Overholt is the Interim Music Director at Lakeshore Community Church in Greece, NY. From June of 2001 to December 2009, Maurice was the Director of Worship Ministries at Browncroft Communty Church in Penfield, NY. Maurice holdsa Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from Eastman School of Music and a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from the University of Florida, where he also earned a Performer's Certificate in piano. While at the University of Florida he also studies poetry and music composition, the latter culminating in a concerto for piano and wind ensemble entitled Toccata. Presently Maurice writes and arranges musical works ranging from classical settings for solo instuments and large ensembles, to pop and rock songs for church worship and non-religious setting. He is also writing a poen cycle based on recent personal life experiences.
Timothy J. Shannon, Guitar, currently studies with Nicholas Goluses, as he pursues his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Performance and Literature at the Eastman School of Music. He recently completed his Masters in Music Performance from the State University of New York at Buffalo where he studied with Joanne Castellani of the Castellani/Andriaccio Duo. He received his Bachelor of Professional Studies in Guitar Performance from SUNY Empire State College, where he integrated coursework from Nazareth College in Rochester and The Eastman School of Music. He teaches at Roberts Wesleyan College and Hochstein Music School, and has given private lessons since 1980. Timothy Shannon regularly performs both solo and chamber music.
Charles Smith, Brass is currently the vocal music director at McQuaid Jesuit High School. He received his Bachelor's Degree in Music Education and Bass Trombone Performance in 2003 from Roberts Wesleyan College. He is the orchester director for the Neighborhood Acting Company and has been a member of the Honeye Falls Community Band since 1994, playing trombone, euphonium and percussion sections. He also serves as the groups substitute director. This fall, with the HFCCB, he will conduct Bizet's Carmen Fantaisie for Flute and Band with his wife Beth, as the soloist. Mr. Smith is currently working on his Masters Degree in Music Education at Roberts Wesleyan College. He sings in the Robert Shewan Chorale and for six years played trombone and tuba in U. S. Army Reserve Band. He studied trombone with David Richey and euphonium with Mark Borden and voice with Christopher Jones, Dr. Robert Shewan and Judith Coen. He also maintains a private studio from home. Outside of music, Mr. Smith enjoys wood working, pen turning and home renovations.
Alden Snell, Horn and Piano is a PhD student in the Music Education department at the Eastman School of Music. Prior to his full time study at Eastman, Mr. Snell taught instrumental music at all levels in the Kendall, NY and Hilton, NY Central School Distrists. He earned his Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from Roberts Wesleyan College, with concentrations in horn and piano and earned his Master's Degree in Music Education from the Eastman School of Music. In addition to his work in music education, Mr. Snell is the organist and choir director at the Brockport First Baptist Church.
Michael VanAllen, Jazz earned his Bachelor's Degree in music at Binghamton University in 1996 studying under Jazz director Al Hamme and his Master's in Jazz Performance at New York University in1999. His principal teacher at NYU was Grammy winning arranger and composer Jim McNeely, pianist for the world renowned Village Vanguard Orchestra. Mike has worked with other Jazz greats such as pianists Mike Holober, Don Friedman, Ted Rosenthal, Michael Weiss and Pete Malinverni, bassists Ron McClure and Mike Richmond and saxophonists Ralph LaLamma and Jon Gunther. After grad school, Mike spent a year honing his piano skills while performing on a cruise ship for Celebrity Cruises. Currently Mike performs frequently around the Rochester area playing both piano and/or bass with such groups as the Rodger Eckers quartet, the Brad Batz group, Fishbone Soup and a jazz fusion project. Mike is a Jazz instructor at Roberts Wesleyan College.
Student Teachers
Kylie Checksfield, Guitar is a student guitar instructor at Roberts Community Music School and is currently working towards her Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education. She has been playing guitar for five years and this is her third year teaching at RCMS. She has studied with Chris Woodard, Townsend Plant, Jim Piorkowski and Tim Shannon. Kylie has participated in the Fredonia Guitar Ensemble, Roberts Wesleyan Guitar Ensemble, Roberts Weselyan College Communty Orchestra, Women's Choir, and Tafelmusik master class. She has completed coursework in Guitar Pedagogy, Fretboard Harmony, and String Pedagogy. Kylie wil be student teaching in the fall and graduating in December.
Sylvia Thayer, Violin, Viola is a student violin and viola teacher for RCMS and is currently working on her Bachelor's degree in Music Education. She started studying violin 10 years ago and viola 8 years ago. She has studied with Gerri Fogg, Monica VanderBaan and Marc Anderson. Sylvia has participated in several Roberts String Ensembles and the Roberts Wesleyan College Community Orchestra. Sylvia starts her student teaching this fall and will graduate in May 2011.
