MEET YOUR NEW TEACHER
Our teachers here at Martocchio's are the best around. They have been highly educated in the art of music and education and many of them perform professionally as well. It doesn't matter how experienced or how old you are, you'll love your lessons here! From mandolin and ukulele to classical piano, our teachers know how to teach. We offer virtual and in person lessons.
Jim Martocchio: Owner and Wind Teacher
Graduate of Berklee College of Music, state certified in elementary and secondary music education. Teaches jazz at area schools, including Simsbury. Performs professionally with his group of over 50 years, Legacy Jazz (same 4 guys since age 15). The quartet can be heard summertime's at Lost Acres Vineyard, North Granby. Jim's family store has been part of the community since 1993.
Alex G: Piano, String and Vocal Teacher
"Sol Solis Consort"- Music Director. Graduate of Rimsky-Korsakov College of Music of the Leningrad State Conservatory. Julliard Music School, NY. Assistant Conductor, Norwalk Symphony. The Leningrad Children's Choir, Music Director. The Leningrad Chamber Orchestra and Choir, Assistant Conductor (Vladislav Chernushenko, Music Director). 25 years with Martocchio Music.
Learn more at the following website:
https://gurin.musicteachershelper.com/
Available: In person and virtual Saturday
Beth G: Flute and Piano Teacher
Beth was born and raised in Granby, CT. She has played music and taught in the area for most of her life, with a short time living in Florida. Beth is a certified music teacher and a graduate of the University of Connecticut. She taught private music lessons for many years in her home, and ran flute choir programs through the East Granby parks and rec department. Beth also has run sectionals with area band directors, and she is the flute instructor with the Suffield summer band camp. She played locally with the Hartford Flute Ensemble
Available: In person Monday and Friday.
Dakota A: Saxophone and Clarinet Teacher
Dakota Austin, hailing from Burlington, Connecticut is a multi-instrumentalist, producer, composer, and arranger. Through performance and education, he is driven by his music passion to inspire students. He holds a bachelor's degree in Jazz Studies that he received from Western Connecticut State University under the tutelage of Jimmy Greene. In the Summer of 2021 he finished his MM in Jazz Studies at the Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz, part of the Hartt School of Music.
Available: Tuesday and Friday
Damian C: Piano and Percussion Teacher
Graduate of The Hartt School of Music. Jazz studies with Andy Laverne. Professional jazz and Latin musician. Specialist in music production and sound recording. Performs and teaches locally. 22 years at Martocchio Music.
Available: In person and virtual Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
Dylan P: Trumpet, Trombone, French Horn and Piano Teacher
Dylan completed his Master’s degree at the Hartt School of Music, and his undergraduate degree at California State University Long Beach. He has credits toward his doctorate degree in trumpet performance at SUNY Stony Brook, He is recognized on both the East and West Coasts as part of the up-and-coming generation of professional musicians. Dylan has performed with the Hartford Symphony Brass Quintet, the Stony Brook Symphony Orchestra, the Hartt School Orchestra, the Bellflower Symphony, and the Santa Monica Symphony. As an educator, Dylan has spent the last 10 years giving private lessons, teaching high school marching band, and coaching musicians of all ages and experience levels.
Available: In person and virtual Monday and Tuesday,
Elijah A: Guitar and Piano Teacher
Graduate of Central Connecticut State University, Jazz studies major with emphasis on performance and theory. Experience in guitar performance in rock and jazz band settings. Teaches beginning piano and drums along with beginning to advanced acoustic and electric guitar. Strong passion for teaching and learning. Elijah is director and coaches the Martocchio Music Rock and Jazz Ensembles, both adult and student.
Available: In person Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday
Jesey M: Percussion, Drums, Banjo, Mandolin, Guitar, Piano, Harmonica
Graduate of the Hartt School of Music. Studied classical percussion with Benjamin Toth and composition with David MacBride. In 2016 he received the Alexander Lepak award for Excellence in Percussion and in 2017 the Ed Diamante award for Excellence in Composition. He has been teaching at Martocchio Music since 2019 and is passionate about teaching music to students of all ages.
Available: In person and virtual Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
John C: Violin, Viola, Cello, Piano, Recorder Teacher
Assistant Concertmaster of Connecticut Valley Chamber Orchestra, Hartford, CT. Artistic Director of Sol Solis Chamber Consort, Collinsville, CT. Graduate of University of Connecticut. Over 10 years with Martocchio Music.
Available: Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
Jon S: Percussion and Guitar Teacher
Graduate of Berklee College of Music with a degree in Music Business and Performance. Drummer in the band Atlas Gray.
Visit their website at: www.atlasgray.com
Available: Wednesday
Julie A: Trumpet and Piano Teacher
Julie “Jewls” Acosta became a professional trumpetist as a teenager, and she collaborated and performed with greats such as Celia Cruz, Eddie Palmieri, Alejandro Sanz, John Legend, Gilberto Santarosa, La India, and many more. Jewls also co-produced and co-wrote Giovanni Almonte’s Latin-Jazz fusion album, High vs. Low.
In 2017 their album "Mariachi Flor de Toloache" won a Latin GRAMMY. Jewls made her debut as a songwriter and lead vocalist for the song “Toloache” on their latest album ‘Indestructible’. She is now signed to Warner Chappell as a songwriter.
The group has been featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk series with over 2.5 million views,
Available: Wednesday and Thursday
Julie R: Performance and Vocal
Graduate of CCSU with a major in voice and theater. Julie has performed with Connecticut Lyric Opera, Berkshire Opera Festival, Modern Vintage Opera, Madison Lyric Stage, Simsbury Light Opera Company the CT Gilbert and Sullivan Society and much more. She has also studied and performed with New England Opera Intensive program in Boston and at the International Music Festival in Vols am Schlern, Italy. She was a finalist for Opera Connecticut’s American Opera Idol competition. She studies with Joanne Scattergood who is a well know in the Simsbury area. Besides being a teacher and performer, Julie is the President of Modern Vintage Opera. https://julierumbold.com
Available: Monday and Wednesday
Kelly G: Violin, Viola, Cello, Piano Teacher
Kelly Gembara is recognized as an emerging artist among a new generation of classical musicians. She began her musical studies at the age of nine in Columbus, Ohio, where she performed with many orchestras, operas, and chamber musicians. She was a member of a competitve string quartet for two years through the Chamber Music Connection that won several awards in national chamber music competitions. Kelly recieved her Bachelor of Music Degree in violin performance with chamber music emphasis, and a minor in composition from The Hartt School, where she studied with Anton Miller.
Available: Monday and Tuesday
Lee J: Piano Teacher
Twenty-five years teaching experience in area schools. CT certified music educator. Has a passion for teaching students of all ages, young and old alike. Has been with Martocchio's since the beginning!
Available: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
Riley B: Acoustic/Electric Guitar & Bass, and Beginning Piano Teacher
Riley Brutvan is a student at the Hartt School of Music where he studies music production and music composition. He has eleven years of experience playing guitar and fifteen years of experience playing piano. Riley is fluent in most genres of music, having studied classical style and technique on guitar and piano as well as having performed in settings from musical theater to rock shows. He can teach any experience level on guitar as well as beginner level piano.
Available: Tuesday and Thursday
Tori T: Flute, Piccolo and Piano Teacher
Tori Tolan, originally from Central Florida, has been through extensive musical training in the last twenty years. She's a Graduate of Stetson University in Florida with a Bachelor's of Music in Flute Performance. Tori has been teaching for twelve years and has had students accepted into CMEA regional ensembles, the New England Music Festival Association, the Hartt School Ensembles, and the Springfield Youth Orchestra. Tori is well versed in the college audition process as well, and has had students accepted into prestigious Universities such as Ithaca College and Berklee School of Music. Tori is currently a Flutist in the University of Hartford's Capital Winds Ensemble.
Available: Virtual Only Monday and Friday