Triad Music Academy

TMA's August Student of the Month is Annabelle B., a voice student of Peyton Wheeler! 🎤

Q: What do you like most about voice lessons?
A: I’m learning how to express my creativity with singing while staying true to the song.

Q: What other activities do you do besides voice?
A: Besides voice classes I act with the Little Theater of Winston Salem and next year at Reynolds High School, I’m an active Girl Scout and I babysit.

Q: What has been your favorite experience with Triad Music Academy?
A: I’ve loved training with Peyton because she’s the best!

Q: Which musicians do you look up to or like to listen to?
A: Because of my love for Broadway, I like Jeremy Jordan and McKenzie Kurtz. I also love listening to Sabrina Carpenter’s new album. Also Olivia Rodrigo.

Q: Why did you decide to take voice lessons?
A: I started voice lessons so I could be confident with my voice on stage.

“Annabelle is a phenomenal student who shows up prepared and eager to learn more. She is growing quickly as a singer and performer because of all of her hard work!” - Peyton Wheeler, TMA Voice Instructor

TMA's July Teacher of the Month is Piano Instructor & Head Piano Technician Austin Caldie!

Q: If you could only play one composer for the rest of your life, who would it be?

A: It would have to be Rachmaninoff. He's got it all: intricate counterpoint, beautiful melodies, flashy technical passages... a pianist's dream.

Q: What is one thing that you think you teach uniquely?

A: I try to be unique in how I approach improvisation, encouraging my students to use their imagination to think of gestures, shapes, colors, how animals would sound, fun stuff like that before laying down any strict rules. Think of how kids babble before learning grammar!

Q: What is your favorite part about being a piano instructor?

A: Being able to see the connection between emotional and musical development is incredible- not just for my younger students, but my adults too! Watching everyone get closer and closer to effortlessly expressing their inner selves is a reward in itself.

"Austin is both one of our longest-tenured and highest volume teachers. His students learn to love playing the piano and regularly perform their own self-composed music on recitals. Austin also takes care of our five pianos. TMA would be very different without him!” - Alek Wasserman, TMA Founder & Lead Piano Instructor

July's Student of the Month is Matilda V., a piano student of Dr. CJ Everett!

Q: What do you like most about piano lessons?
A: I like that we get to draw, too. I like to play piano and I also get to draw letters and animals in between playing.

Q: What other activities do you do besides piano?
A: Gymnastics, swim, dancing, arts and crafts, baking with my mom, listening to Yoto stories, reading chapter books, and I love to have playdates.

Q: What has been your favorite experience with Triad Music Academy?
A: I loved making the spring picture (in Piano Safari Friends), and I loved learning and playing the song “Picnic Time.”

Q: Which musicians do you look up to or like to listen to?
A: Kacey Musgraves and K Pop Demon Hunters.

Q: Why did you decide to take piano lessons?
A: Because I wanted to learn to love playing an instrument and playing piano, like my dad.

“Matilda has proven herself to be a quick learner who shows dedication to mastering new concepts. I am impressed by her ability to remember music and play it thoughtfully. She also shows a wonderful mix of enthusiasm, fun, and focus during her lessons!” - Dr. CJ Everett, TMA Piano Instructor

July TMA Newsletter Highlights:

🎹 Student of the Month Matilda V.
🎓 Teacher of the Month Austin Caldie
🎼 Spring Recital Highlights

Introducing Triad Music Academy - Studio E!

We are elated to announce that we’ve acquired 897 Peters Creek Parkway, Suite 205, affording TMA our fifth lesson room.

We moved our Wurlitzer from the Main Hall over to Studio E to kickstart this exciting next chapter. We’re glad to have a piano on a dolly, which makes the room modular and multipurpose (more details to come soon).

Expect an announcement when the room is ready either later this summer or early this fall.

Lastly, we’d love to spotlight Larry Willis and his crew. They’ve moved several pianos for us and they always do phenomenal work. We’d be happy to connect anyone to them who need a piano moved!

TMA's June Teacher of the Month is Piano Instructor Shannon Lindegren!

Q: If you could only play one composer for the rest of your life, who would it be?

A: I have several favorites, but I love Beethoven. From pieces that are triumphant and dynamic to music that is melancholy and profound, all composed by a man who could not hear… it amazes me!

Q: What is one thing that you think you teach uniquely?

A: Before beginning a new piece, I will frequently ask a student to keep their hands in their lap, look at the music, and tell me what they see. I love to teach students to look at the music kind of like a map, getting a preview of the route before they begin the journey. I believe it helps them become better musicians and sight-readers.

Q: What is your favorite part about being a piano instructor?

A: I love watching a student discover their own enjoyment in playing the piano. Sometimes it’s obvious because they‘ve mastered a piece and they just play it beautifully and confidently. Sometime I can tell because of the smile on their face when they walk into the studio. And sometimes I can tell that they love piano just because they practiced without having to be told to.

"Shannon has been with TMA since nearly the beginning, and her students have consistently shown a love for playing the piano. When I need a teacher to come in and sub last minute, she always does a seamless job. We are certainly lucky to have her!” - Alek Wasserman, TMA Founder & Lead Piano Instructor

TMA is thrilled to welcome four new instructors spanning guitar, piano, and violin!

🎸 Guitar Instructor Duncan MacMillan (first picture) comes to us with experience in guitar and the film industry, as well. He's a perfect complement to Lead Guitar Instructor Mark Fields, who pairs guitar with a dance background.

🎹 Piano Instructor Sarah Kennedy (second picture) is a current graduate student in the Organ Department at the UNC School of the Arts. In addition to her duties as a church musician, she has experience working in the corporate world.

🎻 Lead Violin Instructor Deanna Miller has performed with the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra and holds degrees in both violin performance and violin pedagogy. She just graduated with her Master of Music from the UNC School of the Arts and performs around North Carolina.

🎹 Piano Instructor David Green is a current graduate student in the Piano Department at the UNC School of the Arts under Dr. Dmitri Shteinberg, who also taught Founder & Lead Piano Instructor Alek Wasserman. Fun fact: David was the Valedictorian at RJ Reynolds High School in 2018.

The June TMA Newsletter is here! Highlights:

🎹 Student of the Month Sebastian W.
🏆 TMA Shines at Moxley Competition for Second Year
🎼 Welcome New Instructors

Over the weekend, we held three spring recitals featuring about 75 students! 🎶

We had several amazing performances, including our first-ever recital for violin students!

Our pianists, violinists, and vocalist all did amazing work and we are very proud of them. Bravi tutti!

TMA's June Student of the Month is Sebastian W., a piano student of Natalie Barela and also a guitar student of Mark Fields!

Q: What do you like most about piano and guitar lessons?
A: I get to learn songs I like listening to. Especially some of the more popular classical pieces!

Q: What other activities do you do besides piano and guitar?
A: Basketball! I like basketball and music equally.

Q: What has been your favorite experience with Triad Music Academy?
A: Learning the piece I’m playing now - Clair de Lune. I really love how it sounds and how challenging it is.

Q: Which musicians do you look up to or like to listen to?
A: When it comes to Classical, I like Beethoven or Debussy. Other than that, just anything really! I enjoy all styles.

Q: Why did you decide to take piano and guitar lessons?
A: I was teaching myself piano for about a year and then eventually my mom said I could take piano lessons. I took that opportunity and ran with it! Guitar came later, but I love both.

“In the nearly two years he’s been in my studio, I’ve grown more and more impressed by Sebastian’s perseverance, dedication, and musicality. Since day one, he’s been on fire for classical music. I’m truly lucky to have a student as talented as Sebastian.” - Natalie Barela, TMA Piano Instructor & Staff Accompanist