Teacher Profiles
Our staff strives, through our individual lessons, ensembles, and classroom instruction, to provide our students with a holistic approach to music. We believe that, in order to make great music, students must not only master the technical aspects of their instrument, but also learn to listen and interpret. We encourage students to play together, and listen to one another as they shape their sound as a group. We help students to understand the historical and cultural backdrop that influenced the genre of music in which they are interested. Finally, we help them master the technical aspects of their instrument, and gain an understanding of music theory, critical listening, musicianship and notation. Alyssa Almeida (Music Therapy, Cello, Piano)
Alyssa is a cellist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, & producer based in Philadelphia, PA. She began playing classical cello at the age of ten and soon branched off to teach herself guitar, bass guitar, mandolin, and piano. She went on to earn her Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy with a Jazz Cello concentration at Temple University, and now works as a Board-Certified Music Therapist, private teacher, and freelance musician. Alyssa is passionate about pushing the boundaries of cello, making improvisation more accessible, mindfulness, and encouraging her students’ unique creativity. They currently play electric cello with Philly-based Math Rock Band, Rally Point, and have dozens of recording credits as a session musician ranging from folk to electronic music. Alyssa’s pronouns are she/they. Anthony (Tony) D'Addono (Classical, Jazz and Rock Guitar, Bass, Sax)
Tony has been performing professionally for 50 years. He is an outstanding classical and jazz guitarist, and can certainly rock out if the need arises :-) He has been a member of the Vincent James Band for the past 25 years. His studies include the Granoff School of Music where he studied with Bill Viola and Peter Segal from the Philadelphia Classical Guitar Society. He's taken master classes with Christopher Parkening, Oscar Ghiglia and John Duarte (all students of Segovia). Tony has had his classical arrangements of Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcraker" and Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" published by Hal Leonard. D'Addono, and listen to him perform, visit his website at http://www.tonydaddono.com/
Barbara Rutz (Piano)
Barbara began her musical studies at the age of 7, studying piano. She added flute and guitar several years later. In college, she sang in the Penn State University Concert Choir, Chapel Choir and Penn State Singers. She performed in musical theater at The Three Little Bakers in Kennett Square and Christiana, DE, taking part in the beloved musicals “Annie”, “Sound of Music”, “Carousel”, and “Kiss Me Kate”. She studied voice and Music Education at Immaculata University, and taught piano at St. Agnes in West Chester. She enjoys introducing young people to music. Bonnie Sumerfield (Classical Pianist)
Bonnie Sumerfield holds a Bachelors degree in Piano Performance from the Boston Conservatory and a Master of Music in Accompanying from West Chester University. Sumerfield has been on the staff at Millersville University, the University of Delaware, West Chester University and Settlement Music School as both teacher and collaborative artist. She is the staff pianist at the Camphill School in Glenmoore, PA, pianist at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Malvern and for the Pennsylvania Eurythmy Ensemble, a performing group of movement artists. In addition to teaching at MSoM, she also runs a private studio. Christian Hankerson (Piano)
Christian is a pianist, multi-instrumentalist, and arranger. He is currently a student at Eastern University majoring in Music Education and is a resident of the Philadelphia area. Christian is a part of the world’s oldest tradition the Philadelphia Mummers, his string band is called the Avalon String Band. Claire Hoppen (Voice)
Claire taught voice lessons as part of her curriculum in college and is excited The Malvern School of Music has given her an opportunity to continue teaching! While studying music at The University of Tennessee, Claire spent many years performing as a Scholarship Singer at St.John’s Episcopal Cathedral in Knoxville, Tennessee. In the summer of 2016, Claire traveled to Urbania, Italy, where she participated in the festival ‘Si Parla, Si Canta!’, intensively studying the Italian language and opera. Upon receiving her Bachelors of Music in Vocal Performance in 2018, Claire moved to Philadelphia to pursue a career in music. Since moving to Philly, Claire has performed several concerts with Singing City Choir and focused her efforts on spreading music throughout the community. Through various roles, including administrative positions at Symphony Square Assisted Living & Memory Care in Bala Cynwyd and Chosen 300 in West Philadelphia, Claire has been able to sing for multiple Philadelphia communities on a multitude of occasions. Claire’s passion for helping people through music has led to an interest in music therapy. Her ultimate goal is to obtain a Masters of Music Therapy degree, and become a board-certified Music Therapist. Dwight McIntosh (Piano)
Erik Ryde (Guitar, Ukulele)
Erik recently graduated from Berklee College of Music with a Degree in Contemporary Writing and Production. He is the lead guitarist/songwriter for bands Yaer, Airstrikes, and Insomnivore. He also works as a freelance producer and studio guitarist. Erik is currently working on a post-minimalistic project for 9 guitars using both standard and experimental recording and production techniques. Erik regularly listens to and learns from Bach, Meshuggah, Pat Metheny and Pink Floyd. Jennifer Fisher (Piano, Music Therapy)
Jennifer studied Music with a Music Therapy equivalency after earning her BA in Psychology and working at Eastern University for 7 years. Since then, she has worked with children, teens, and adults in a variety of settings providing music therapy and music education. Jennifer has been teaching music privately since 2014 with both typical children, adults and children with special needs. She is excited to be working with the MSOM community! John Dickinson (Percussion/Drum Set)
John is a Berklee School of Music graduate. He plays in two great local bands. The funk Band, Universal Funk Order, and the Reggae Band, Spokey Speaky. You can even find him playing Gospel tunes from time to time at Covenant Presbyterian Church. It goes without saying, John is a versatile drummer and a great instructor. Here is a link of his Reggae band performing a Bob Marley Tribute at the World Cafe Live. Kathryn Hockenbury (Piano, Ukulele, Clarinet, Brass)
Kathryn Hockenbury is a graduate of Lebanon Valley College, where she received her B.A. in Music minoring in business. There she performed in the LVC Symphony Orchestra as well as the Clarinet Choir and the Symphonic Band. In 2018-2019, she spent a year in the United Kingdom on a Fulbright scholarship to earn her Master's in Music. While there, she performed in the Bangor Music Society Orchestra as well as the Bangor Symphony Orchestra. Kathryn is a multi-talented musician with a passion for teaching music, and is excited to teach piano, ukulele, clarinet, and beginner brass! Kyle Almeida (Violin, Viola)
Kyle recently graduated from Temple University's Boyer College of Music, double majoring in Music Education and Violin Performance. An active orchestral and pit musician, Kyle has played in the Bucks County Symphony Orchestra, Temple University Symphony Orchestra, Temple University Opera Orchestra, and Temple University Theatre Pit. He helps direct Temple’s Community Music Scholars Program String Orchestras, which are made up of students mainly from the city of Philadelphia. Kyle has been playing violin since the age of 5 and has studied with Inna Nedorezov and Barbara Sonies. Additionally, he maintains a private studio in Montgomery County teaching elementary and middle school students violin and viola and is a freelance musician playing in pits and various other events. Dr. Leonardo Dugan (Piano, Jazz Saxophone, Guitar, Bass, Composition, Jazz Improvisation, Music Theory and Composition Tutor)
Dr. Leo Dugan has been teaching piano, saxophone, guitar, bass, composition, and jazz improvisation at the Malvern School of Music for the last ten years. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, where he received both a B.A. in Music in 2002 and a PhD in Composition in 2007. An accomplished composer, Dugan’s works have been commissioned by the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Kansas City Symphony, the New Albany Symphony, the Juilliard School, the Government of Flanders, Jesse Colin Young of The Youngbloods, and many others. He also serves on the faculties of Haverford College, where he teaches Music Theory and directs the Jazz Ensembles, and Holy Child Academy, where he teaches piano, guitar, and ukulele, and directs the Rock Band. Lynne Frederick, MM, MT-BC (Music Therapy, Piano, Guitar, Ukulele)
Lynne Frederick is a graduate of Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado, where she received a Master’s in Music with a concentration in Music Therapy and Elizabethtown College in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, where she received a Bachelors in Music Therapy with a minor in Psychology. She has worked with children with various abilities through work at the Kardon Institute / Settlement Music School (Philadelphia, PA), where she was responsible for creating and overseeing the Music Therapy Internship program, the Academy of Community Music (Fort Washington, PA), where she oversaw 15 music therapists and the data collection for music in the Head Start program, and the Center on Central (Paoli, PA), where she conducted music groups and individual sessions for children of all ages and abilities. She is currently the owner of Malvern School of Music. Dr. Stephani Esposito (Clarinet, Oboe, Flute, Sax)
Dr. Stephanie Esposito Olcese is thrilled to say that she has been with MSoM for seven years! After completing her doctorate in clarinet performance from the Shenandoah Conservatory (2013), she has sought to expand her musical tastes. As a freelance musician throughout the greater-Philadelphia area, Stephanie performs within the American musical theater circuit, teaches Music History and World Music at Eastern University, conducts a church handbell choir, and has launched a volunteer music program with the Ronald McDonald House of Philadelphia. Outside of music, Stephanie lives with her husband and cat and enjoys weekend getaways to Gettysburg to enjoy history and scenery.
