Lessons

Lessons & Teachers

 Our Music Teachers

We are currently filling slots for in-person lessons for piano, violin, percussion and brass instruments! Call us at 847-623-8565 or fill out our online form for more information.

Our teachers require that the potential student be at least 7 years of age*.

*Violin students may be younger. Please contact us to learn more. 


Paul Hefner - Brasswinds
Trained in music education and performance, along with 11+ years of college teaching experience, Paul Hefner brings the highest level of quality instruction to his brass lessons. His extensive knowledge of classical and jazz literature is incorporated into his instruction. Paul's music work often includes judging junior high and high school solo and ensemble contests as well as band, orchestra and jazz contests. In addition, Paul taught music for 11 years as adjunct faculty at the College of Lake County. There he instructed low brass, concert band and jazz band. Also, Paul has been a featured soloist with national groups including Allegheny College in Pennsylvania and Windjammers Unlimited in Florida as well as local groups including Lake County Symphony Orchestra and the Lake Geneva Symphony Orchestra. Paul's students have successfully auditioned to become members of the CYSO (Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra) and have gained entry to well regarded colleges studying music performance and education.

Here's a video of Paul in action:

Jaime Rukstales - Violin & Viola

IN-PERSON and VIRTUAL VIOLIN LESSONS

Jaime currently teaches private violin lesson in-person and online for our A-Major Music students ages 3 and above. She also works with students on site at their school to conduct group lessons for students who are PreK 3 to 8th grade. Jaime earned a Bachelors Degree both in music from the School of Music and in Elementary Education from Illinois Wesleyan University. In addition to being a founding member of the Silver Strings Quartet, she has over 25 years of experience in violin and ensemble performance. Over the years, Jaime has performed with the Waukegan Symphony Orchestra, the North Suburban Symphony, the Northbrook Symphony Orchestra, and the Racine Symphony Orchestra. She continues to perform with the Waukegan Symphony Orchestra, the American-Croatian Waukegan Tamburizans and her quartet, the Silver Strings.


Angie Ashmore - Piano

Angie has a Bachelors Degree from Carthage College with an emphasis in performance. She has been a church pianist and choir director for various churches including being the music director at Assemblies of God. Angie has over 35 years of experience teaching piano.


Sean Jelinek - Percussion

Sean Jelinek graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance, and a Masters in Music from VanderCook College of Music. Sean has taught private lessons, drumline, and percussion ensembles from grade school to the high school level for the past 20 years. Sean has performed with various groups, in a variety of styles, in the Chicagoland area for the past 20 years, including with The Chicago Children’s Choir. He has performed with Orange Alert internationally at the Aberdeen Jazz Festival in Scotland 2007, the Jazz Bar, Edinburgh Scotland 2007, and at the Halo in London England 2007. Closer to home, he has performed in New York for the Rochester Jazz Festival 2005, Pritzker Pavillion in Millenium Park 2007, and in Milwaukee (WI) for the Jazz in the Park festival in 2006, 2007 & 2009. Sean also composes and leads his own jazz group “Common Tones” which you can hear on Spotify. Here's Sean in action:

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