Teacher Bios
Piano Instructors
Lissie Deere
Lissie Deere is a local performing artist and teacher who has been working and residing in the Southern Md area for more than twenty years. She has a BA in the arts and music from the University of Md as well as an education degree. She is well trained in the classical arena but her versatile teaching and playing style can accommodate many individual tastes, jazz, blues, "fake book/chord reading style", improv,composition, theory, the art of "jamming" as well as traditional classical instruction. Lessons are tailored to meet the individual goals and desires of each student. She has experience working with all age groups from 5 to 70.
Piano - Monday - Saturday - $26/half hour
Piano - Monday - Saturday - $26/half hour
Chad Jones
Chad Jones holds a Bachelor of Music degree in classical guitar performance with a minor in piano and Renaissance lute from the conservatory at Shenandoah University. His graduate studies are in ethnomusicology and historical musicology. He has presented academic research for forums at the University of Tennessee as well as the annual meeting of the International Association of the Study of Popular Music (IASPM). From 2004-2008, Chad was a faculty member of Salisbury University’s music department where he taught courses in music theory, ear training/sightsinging, music appreciation, world music, and classical guitar and wrote program notes for the Salisbury Symphony Orchestra. His mandolin playing appears on Diana Wagner’s 2008 release, Tradition Bearer. Chad also plays a number of old time banjo styles, including clawhammer. He is a founding teacher (classical guitar) in St. Mary's County for the Royal Conservatory Music Development Program. He lives in Southern Maryland with his wife, Annaleise, and son, Henry.
Piano/Theory & History - Tues. - Fri. - $25/half hour
Piano/Theory & History - Tues. - Fri. - $25/half hour
Ashley Adams
Ashley is a 2013 graduate of St. Mary's College of Maryland, where she majored in music performance. She also graduated from College of Southern Maryland in 2011 with degrees in Secondary Education, General Studies and Arts & Sciences. Ashley has been playing the saxophone for 20 years. Her other primary instruments include the bassoon, clarinet and piano, but also plays the flute and concert percussion. She maintains a private lesson studio at Allegro Music Service and at her home. Ashley has studied under Don Stapleson, Paul Cohen, Debbie Greitzer, Janice Murphy and Meleah Backhaus-Shrout. She has performed in Italy for the Alba Music Festival and continues to play gigs for local schools, orchestras and churches. Ashley enjoys performing all styles of music, but currently her favorite to play is Chopin on the piano. In the future she wishes to continue teaching privately.
Piano - Mon. - Sat. - $26/half hour
Fridays/Saturday: Mornings/Early Afternoon
Piano - Mon. - Sat. - $26/half hour
Fridays/Saturday: Mornings/Early Afternoon
Guitar Instructors
Chris Makrakis
Christopher Makrakis has been playing guitar for 8 years. He is involved in several local musical groups that write and perform original music. He primarily plays guitar, but has also been known to noodle on synthesizers as well as the banjo. His musical tastes include experimental indie and tunes generally regarded as “strange.” Chris has an interest in music production and audio engineering; he is somewhat of a pedal-head. He teaches with a focus on music theory concepts and application to song writing, as well as improvisational playing. Chris accepts beginning to advanced students.
Guitar/Composition - Fridays - $24/half hour
Guitar/Composition - Fridays - $24/half hour
Chad Jones
Chad Jones holds a Bachelor of Music degree in classical guitar performance with a minor in piano and Renaissance lute from the conservatory at Shenandoah University. His graduate studies are in ethnomusicology and historical musicology. He has presented academic research for forums at the University of Tennessee as well as the annual meeting of the International Association of the Study of Popular Music (IASPM). From 2004-2008, Chad was a faculty member of Salisbury University’s music department where he taught courses in music theory, ear training/sightsinging, music appreciation, world music, and classical guitar and wrote program notes for the Salisbury Symphony Orchestra. His mandolin playing appears on Diana Wagner’s 2008 release, Tradition Bearer. Chad also plays a number of old time banjo styles, including clawhammer. He is a founding teacher (classical guitar) in St. Mary's County for the Royal Conservatory Music Development Program. He lives in Southern Maryland with his wife, Annaleise, and son, Henry.
Guitar/Mandolin/Banjo/Lute/Theory & History - Tues. - Fri. - $25/half hour
Guitar/Mandolin/Banjo/Lute/Theory & History - Tues. - Fri. - $25/half hour
Walter Ivanov
Wally Ivanov has been playing guitar, drums, and bass for over fifteen years and professionally for over eight. He has been a guitar/bass/ukulele/drum-set instructor for over eight years holding a lesson studio at Allegro Music Service and at his home. He has instructed hundreds of students, some of which who now teach and have apprentices of their own. Some of these students have also moved on to start their own musical career in performance. In the future Wally wishes to continue providing lessons and performing locally.
Guitar/Bass/Ukulele - Mon., Tues., & Thurs. - $23/half hour
Guitar/Bass/Ukulele - Mon., Tues., & Thurs. - $23/half hour
Joe Johnston
Born into a musical family in 1970 in Maryland, Joe Johnston started learning the guitar at the age of only 5. Growing up around a tavern his mother managed, he would learn different music styles and techniques from all the musicians that performed there. By the age of fifteen, Joe would know how to run lights and sound, perform with different bands, and play his own music. At the age of twenty, Joe then moved to South Florida where he would form his own band and teach guitar for 10 years. He attended Guitar Institute of Technology in Fort Lauderdale for a year, taking courses in music theory and guitar technique from master guitar players such as Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, and Yngwie J. Malmsteen. Joe has been teaching guitar for over 15 years and still studies music theory to this day.
Guitar - Tues.-Thurs./Sat. - $22.50/half hour
Guitar - Tues.-Thurs./Sat. - $22.50/half hour
Strings Instructors
Vocal Instructors
Woodwind Instructors
Ashley Adams
Ashley is a 2013 graduate of St. Mary's College of Maryland, where she majored in music performance. She also graduated from College of Southern Maryland in 2011 with degrees in Secondary Education, General Studies and Arts & Sciences. Ashley has been playing the saxophone for 20 years. Her other primary instruments include the bassoon, clarinet and piano, but also plays the flute and concert percussion. She maintains a private lesson studio at Allegro Music Service and at her home. Ashley has studied under Don Stapleson, Paul Cohen, Debbie Greitzer, Janice Murphy and Meleah Backhaus-Shrout. She has performed in Italy for the Alba Music Festival and continues to play gigs for local schools, orchestras and churches. Ashley enjoys performing all styles of music, but currently her favorite to play is Chopin on the piano. In the future she wishes to continue teaching privately.
Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute & Bassoon
Mon. - Sat. - $26/half hour
Friday/Saturday: Mornings/Early Afternoon
Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute & Bassoon
Mon. - Sat. - $26/half hour
Friday/Saturday: Mornings/Early Afternoon
Christy Burroughs
Mrs. Burroughs holds a Bachelor of Music Degree, with a concentration in Music Education, from James Madison University. She studied flute under Ms. Carol Kniebusch Noe and Dr. Beth Chandler. Mrs. Burroughs has performed with the JMU Flute Choir at the White House, the National Flute Association Convention in Washington, D.C., and the Birmingham Flute Festival in Birmingham, England. She was also one of the 450 members of the JMU Marching Royal Dukes under the direction of Dr. J. Patrick Rooney and Mr. Brantley T. Douglas. As a member of the Marching Royal Dukes, Mrs. Burroughs performed for the Greek Millennium Celebration in Athens, Greece, the first Inaugural Parade for President George W. Bush, and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Mrs. Burroughs has been teaching wind and string instruments since 2002 and enjoys working with students of all ages.
Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone - Mon. - $26.50/half hour
Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone - Mon. - $26.50/half hour
Brass Instructors
Ross Thompson
Ross Thompson holds a Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of Maryland, College Park, where he studied trumpet in the music professional program. He studied under Chris Gekker and Steve Hendrikson, and received additional training in the James Stamp method of brass playing from Roy Poper and Arto Hoornweg. While at the University of Maryland, Ross was a member of the Symphony Orchestra, the Wind Ensemble, the Wind Orchestra, the Jazz Lab Band, and the Nyumburu Jazz Club. He continues to perform regularly in the area and maintains a private lesson studio.
Brass & Music Theory - Mon. - Wed.
$26/half hour
Brass & Music Theory - Mon. - Wed.
$26/half hour
Percussion Instructors
Allen Stewart
Allen Stewart is a specialist in the music field with over 40 years experience. Allen started studying percussion at the age of nine, his first drumming experience was with the D.C. Youth orchestra as a snare drummer. After six years , he joined and played with many local Drum & Bugle Corps, where he sharpened his rudimental drumming skills. At the age of 16, Allen was the youngest person to be inducted in to the National Association of Rudimental drummers. While attending Bladensburg High School, Allen participated in a snare drum competition where he placed 1st in the state of Maryland, and was rated 6th in the nation. Allen has had many opportunities to share his percussion experience. His teaching experience includes Asst. Band Director at Georgtown High School (Jacksonville, N.C.), Van Ness Elementary School (Washington D.C.) and Washington Saturday College (Washington D.C.). Allen has conducted many percussion seminars here in the U.S and abroad.
Drum-Set; Latin, Marching, Rudimental Percussion - Tues./Thurs. - Sat.
$28/half hour
Drum-Set; Latin, Marching, Rudimental Percussion - Tues./Thurs. - Sat.
$28/half hour
Walter Ivanov
Wally Ivanov has been playing guitar, drums, and bass for over fifteen years and professionally for over eight. He has been a guitar/bass/ukulele/drum-set instructor for over eight years holding a lesson studio at Allegro Music Service and at his home. He has instructed hundreds of students, some of which who now teach and have apprentices of their own. Some of these students have also moved on to start their own musical career in performance. In the future Wally wishes to continue providing lessons and performing locally.
Drum-Set - Mon., Tues., & Thurs. - $26/half hour
Drum-Set - Mon., Tues., & Thurs. - $26/half hour
