Meet Our Teachers

Bachelor of Arts Jose White Conservatory, Camaguey, Cuba; Classical Performance, Ensemble conductor and Music hand-copying. Post-Graduate University of Arts, Havana, Cuba; Classical Guitar Performance Scholarship recipient Berklee College of Music; Performance Methodology and pedagogy of musical instruments, proficiency on Guitar, Piano, Voice and Bass. Performs regularly with the Boston area group Clave & Blues.

Jaime Chan has been a professional drummer/percussionist, educator, multi-instrumentalist, and composer in the New England area for over 25 years. He has a B.A. from the Berklee College of Music where he studied drums, percussion, composition and arranging. Prior, Jaime attended Rhode Island College where he studied classical/orchestral percussion. Jaime’s professional playing experiences include performances all over the Northeast as well as tours in Germany and France. His musical focus on diversity has led to performances and recordings in a wide variety of music ranging between all the styles of American popular, street, and folk to classical/symphonic to world music. In 2004, Jaime co-founded the Boston-based R&B/funk band Kong who he continues to perform with today.

Hailed by the New York Music Daily as a “carefree” and “soulful” player, Kevin A. Virgilio is a Boston-based trombonist and educator who’s performances run the gamut of contemporary and classical styles. An active freelance musician, Mr. Virgilio recently appeared with the Rhode Island Philharmonic, the New York Festival Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Concert Chorale, the Bergen Symphony Orchestra, and the Westchester Oratorio Society. He has also made appearances in the orchestras for many notable musical theater productions, including West-Side Story, In the Heights, and The Music Man. He is a Teaching Artist with the Handel and Haydn Society in Boston. He is soon expecting to receive his Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Boston University’s College of Fine Arts, where he is a student of Toby Oft.

Lee Altsher-Wood has been a musician for the majority of their life, starting with the piano at age 5, then saxophone at age 9. They have gone on to graduate Magna Cum Laude from SUNY Purchase College with a degree in Jazz Studies/Saxophone Performance. Lee primarily studied baritone saxophone performance, as well as flute, clarinet, composition and arranging. During their time at school, Lee has performed at various venues in New York City such as the Blue Note, Birdland, and Dizzy's Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center. Lee is also an experienced studio musician recording woodwinds. Lee is passionate about passing on what they have learned to the next generation of musicians. Lee provides a low-stress environment while teaching while still staying on task and making sure students are learning all that they need to flourish.

Liam has been playing guitar for over a decade. In 2018, he graduated Magna Cum Laude from the Berklee College of Music with a degree in Guitar Performance. Liam has been a part of the Boston music scene for many years playing weddings, recording and performing with dozens of artists, most notably Tipling Rock. He was a member of Avante-Garde Jazz quintet, Law Years: a group that performs the eclectic and innovative music of fellow Berklee College of Music graduate Nathaniel Pierce. Liam currently performs with Tipling Rock and Vibrant Entertainment Wedding Band. He has recorded with Lo-Fi hip-hop artist altitude., as well as Red Mill, Claire Bryant, and many others. Liam has also done session work for the Berklee College of Music Film Scoring department.

Pianist Maryann Han started playing piano at the age of 5. She made her first public solo performance in the third grade, and has since won competitions for solo and chamber performances. She has attended the International Keyboard Institute and Festival in NYC, where she had access to internationally renowned pianists and pedagogues. Maryann graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music with a BM in piano performance under the guidance of Victor Rosenbaum. An active accompanist and chamber musician, she holds a deep passion for playing with other musicians and spreading the joy of music to all ages. She continues to explore her artistry with renowned pianist Mana Tokuno.

Originally from Miami Florida, Matt Silverstein has been performing music for over 25 years. Since graduating from Berklee College of Music in 2012 he has contributed to countless projects as both a guitarist and a producer/engineer. Matt teaches guitar to students of all ages and skill levels and always makes sure to consider each student's unique learning style, strengths, and interests while developing lesson plans. His teaching philosophy is that students should leave each session with a sense of accomplishment.

Menea Kefalov is a singer/songwriter from St. Louis, Missouri, and an experienced voice, piano, guitar, cello, and ukulele teacher of all ages. Currently, Menea is a Professional Music major at Berklee College of Music. Growing up, she was trained classically in piano for 12 years and cello for 5, all while participating in the St. Louis Children’s Choir twice weekly. During this time, Menea also taught herself guitar and started studying vocal jazz under the direction of Jan Shapiro, who taught her proper vocal technique as well as the importance of versatility. As a teacher, Menea strives to create an environment where students can freely express themselves, while guiding them towards mastery of their instrument through creative technical exercises meant to educate and entertain students.

Prior to moving to MA, Rebecca J. Gruenfeld ran her own private piano and voice teaching business in NY for 20 years, working with students of all ages and levels, including those with disabilities. In her early childhood years, she realized that she was able to play any song by ear. With a Masters degree and license in Education, (M.A.T), Rebecca has studied diligently in piano and voice, as well as being a talented composer and lyricist. In addition to her many years of teaching experience, Rebecca has also directed several middle school and high school choirs and choruses, led her high school band, performed in her college professional acapella group, and auditioned for American Idol and shows alike. Rebecca is passionate about her work with students, and she often encourages her students to reach for the stars.

Masters of Music, Longy School of Music at Bard College. Sachiko Murata is an Oboe educator, composer, soloist, chamber, orchestral performer, and currently Principal Oboist with The Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra in Massachusetts. Sachiko has performed around the world and won first prize at the Ralph Gomberg Oboe Merit Award. As a composer, her most recent work Kyo-Sen, was highly acclaimed at the 12th Annual Ikeda Forum for Intercultural Dialogue at the Ikeda Center of Cambridge, Massachusetts. Ms. Murata comes from a musical family, and her father was a former principal oboist of the Sapporo Symphony Orchestra.

Déu Almeida began learning the piano at four years old; By the age of five, she was proficient in music notation. Born & raised in MA, Déu graduated from Berklee College of Music with a Bachelor of Music in Songwriting after only two years at the institution. From there, her education expanded to a minor in Music Technology, Master of Business Administration in Music Business, and she is also an alumna of the Berklee City Music Program & Boston Arts Academy. In her earlier years, Déu studied private violin instruction at the Community Music Center of Boston under the tutelage of violinist and conductor Michael Korn. Since then, she has performed over 300 shows to date. Some of her performance highlights include Symphony Hall (with the Boston Pops), Super Bowl Live (with Kelechi), NAACP Gala, and more!