Instructor Bios

Dr. Syneva Colle - Cello

Syneva Colle received her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in cello performance from the University of Maryland. In addition to being an experienced classical musician, Syneva spent ten years working as a session musician in Nashville, TN. She enjoys collaborating with fellow musicians across multiple musical genres. Syneva is a published arranger and composer; her works include original soundtrack music for the 2018 documentary Huan Dao, and the 2019 musical Land Girls, an official selection of the Atlanta Music Theatre Festival.

Syneva is a founding member of the Corwin Trio and the Arco Ensemble. She is passionate about making music accessible to communities of all ages. From 2020-2021 she was an Artist-in-Residence at the Collington Independent Living Community, and from 2009-2019 she served on the faculty of the W.O. Smith Music School, providing music lessons free of charge to underserved students. Syneva has over twenty years of experience as a cello teacher, working with students of all ages.

Click here to submit an inquiry for cello lessons with Syneva Colle.

Daniel “Bernardo” De Leon - Guitar, Bass, Ukulele

Towson Class of 2021 Jazz Performance major (BA)
7+ years of teaching experience
17+ years of performance experience
Proficient in many styles of music including jazz, rock, blues, Hip Hop, EDM, and R&B

Available for private lessons in electric/acoustic guitar, bass guitar, and ukulele

I have experience in teaching private lessons both in person and virtually. I've taught all ages, and all levels from very beginner to advanced students. I believe that lessons are for students to ask questions on the topics they have explored throughout their own musical journey. It is your own journey, but I'm here to guide you.

Click here to inquire about lessons in guitar, bass, or ukulele with Bernardo De Leon.

Lihua Fang - Piano

Bio coming soon!

Click here to submit an inquiry for piano lessons with Lihua Fang.

Anita Garcia - Violin, Viola

Anita Garcia has been an and educator performer in the Washington, DC area for more than 30 years. She has performed with the National Symphony as a substitute, as well as with the Washington Opera, Annapolis Symphony, Maryland Symphony, National Gallery Orchestra, among many others. 

She was a recipient of a full scholarship from the Catholic University of America for all three of her Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral degrees. Her main teachers were the late William Steck, Robert Gerle and Jody Gatwood. She has also studied with Victor Danchecko, David Salness, Herbert Greenberg and members of the Guarneri String Quartet. 

As a passionate advocate for instrumental music education, she believes that all children have the right to music. Through music, life for all children can be transformed. Anita Garcia started her teaching career exactly where her performing career began: at the D.C Youth Orchestra Program. It was through her mentor and founder of DCYOP, Lyn McLain, that she learned to love and appreciate orchestral pedagogy. 

Her students have gone on to attend and graduate from prestigious universities such as Indiana University, New England Conservatory,  Stanford, Brown, Oxford and Duke University, UMBC, UMD, CUA and many others. 

Her greatest joys in life are watching her students succeed and work towards helping others. 

Click here to submit an inquiry for violin or viola lessons with Anita Garcia.

Michelle Kelly (soprano) - Voice

Originally from Rome, GA, Michelle Kelly is currently based in the Washington, DC area. She completed her MM in Voice Performance at Catholic University, and her BM in Vocal Performance at Shorter College. She has taught privately and as an Adjunct Professor of Voice at Christendom College in Front Royal, VA. Her teaching philosophy is that anyone can learn to sing.

As a performer, Michelle recently appeared in Berlin Opera Academy’s July production of Die Fledermaus (Rosalinda - Cover). Additionally, she has appeared as a Russian Opera Workshop Artist, playing the role of Zemfira in Rachmaninoff’s Aleko, and in Joseph Kaz’s Alice Flagg (Alice) in the original Kennedy Center Page2Stage Premiere. She has also appeared in the Music Academy International production of Gianni Schicchi (Nella), in Catholic University productions including: Susannah (Susannah cover, Mrs. Hayes) and Hansel and Gretel (Sandmann).

Click here to submit an inquiry for voice lessons with Michelle Kelly.

Chang Eun Lee - Piano

Bio coming soon!

Click here to submit an inquiry for piano lessons with Chang Lee.

Kate Magill Robinson - ACTivate Drama

Kate Magill Robinson has worked professionally as an actor, costume designer, drama teacher and arts education administrator in various theatres and schools across the country.

Kate received a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Arts from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, with concentrations in theatre, music and literature.  She began her career as an actor, teacher and resident costume designer for Gamut Theatre in Harrisburg, PA. She also worked with Open Stage of Harrisburg, Elizabethtown College and was an Adjunct Professor of Costume Design for Gettysburg College. After marrying, she moved to Alabama and became the Education Program Coordinator for the Alabama Shakespeare Festival where she managed their SchoolFest Matinee Program and expanded the Acting Academy, to include a highly successful wing of the Acting Academy specifically for homeschoolers. She moved to the San Francisco Bay Area to become Director of Education for the Marin Shakespeare Festival, managing numerous Artist Residency programs and Summer Shakespeare camps in the Bay Area. Later, she became the Education Director/Artistic Director for Cinnabar Theater’s Young Repertory Company, which focused on producing fully staged operettas and classical plays featuring child and teen actors.

Kate relocated to the Maryland/DC area in 2013 with her husband, Mark (who often works alongside her) and has continued to work part time as a teacher/director/designer while homeschooling her children, Aaron (10) and Aria (6). She is currently the director of Camp Encore - a summer camp for teenagers around Greenbelt. She has directed the school musicals for five years at University Park Elementary School and is an Adjunct Drama Instructor for Holton-Arms School's Arts Adjunct Program, as well as a Costume Designer for a number of Holton’s productions, and directs Camp Encore through the Greenbelt Community Center. This past summer she expanded her programming to start the Teen Summer Shakespeare Intensive (TSSI) which teaches theatre/Shakespeare skills through mounting a full-scale Shakespeare production.

You can learn more about Kate at katerobinsondrama.com (teaching website), and https://katemagillrobinson.weebly.com/.

Click here to register for ACTivate Drama with Kate Magill Robinson
(Holton-Arms students only)

Jose-Luis Oviedo - Trumpet

Jose Luis Oviedo began trumpet at the age of 10 with his father in Mexico. He later enrolled as a student in the National Conservatory of Music of Mexico City where he later earned a bachelor’s degree while pursuing his studies in the USA. He has played with some of the most prestigious orchestras in Mexico City such as the Mexican National Philharmonic, Mexican National Symphony, Mineria Symphony Orchestra, and Bellas Artes Chamber Orchestra.

In 2002, he was invited to play with the New England Symphonic Ensemble at Carnegie Hall, New York, and was awarded a full scholarship to study at Washington Adventist University where he earned his Bachelor of Music. Since then, he has toured and performed as a soloist with the NEYE throughout the USA and over 25 countries including venues as Windsor Castle, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Ely Cathedral, Salzburg Cathedral, Crystal Cathedral, Kennedy Center and Strathmore Hall. During his studies at the University of Maryland, where he earned a Master of Music degree, he studied with Chris Gekker and Steve Hendrickson.

Jose is currently a member of the National Philharmonic and a member of the New England Symphonic Ensemble, with whom he has performed several concerts at Avery Fisher Hall and Alice Tully Hall in the Lincoln Center and over 60 concerts at Carnegie Hall. He is an active freelance artist in the Washington DC metropolitan area.

Click here to submit an inquiry for trumpet lessons with Jose Oviedo.

Danae Powers - Oboe

Danae Powers is an oboe teacher and performer from Knoxville, Tennessee, currently residing in Fairfax, Virginia. Her love of music started at a very young age through playing the piano, flute, and oboe. Danae is eager and determined to instill this love of music in others through teaching oboe to students of all ages and experience levels.

A recent graduate, Danae was Principal Oboe of the Mason Symphony Orchestra and the Mason Wind Symphony, while also participating in several chamber groups. Also, during her undergraduate studies at Lee University, she held Principal Oboe of the Lee Symphony Orchestra and the Lee University Wind Ensemble. Additionally, she is a concerto competition winner and a recipient the prestigious Presser Scholar Award. Danae recently performed in the Manassas Symphony Orchestra and the Capital Wind Symphony, becoming an active freelancer in Northern Virginia. As a teacher, Danae has taught oboe sectionals at numerous schools in the Fairfax area and has led a Double Reed summer camp through the Mason Community Arts Academy. She also maintains a private studio through her home and is honored to be a Teaching Artist at Holton-Arms School.

Danae received her Master’s of Music in Oboe Performance in December 2021 from George Mason University, and her Bachelor’s of Music in Oboe Performance at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee in 2019. She is committed to pursuing her career as a teacher and performer and is excited to extend her skills and experience to her students.

Jennifer Ries  - Violin, Viola

Jennifer Ries has been teaching violin and viola for over 25 years, and has been on the faculty of several music schools, music camps, and conservatories nationwide.  Miss Ries returned to the DC area after playing with the Kansas City Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, and the New World Symphony, and subs with the National Symphony Orchestra, as well as playing principal viola with the Washington Ballet Orchestra.  She is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory, San Francisco Chamber Music Center, and has received fellowships from Tanglewood and Aspen Music Festivals.  As an avid chamber musician, she is the former violist of the Beau Soir Ensemble and plays with the National Chamber Ensemble, and is the founder of the Inner Loop Chamber Players.

Click here to submit an inquiry for violin or viola lessons with Jennifer Ries.

Dr. Emily Robinson - Clarinet, Saxophone

Dr. Emily Robinson has been an active performing clarinetist and educator in the Washington, DC area for over 15 years. A former member of "The President's Own" US Marine Band, Robinson has performed extensively across the US and the DC area in such prestigious venues as The White House, The Kennedy Center, Wolftrap, and Strathmore Music Center. She currently maintains an active freelance performance schedule, appearing with Opera On The James, National Philharmonic Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, and Avanti Orchestra. She is also a member of Patagonia Winds, a woodwind quintet that performs regularly throughout the DC area.

Dr. Robinson earned her doctorate at the University of Maryland as a student of Paul Cigan-National Symphony Orchestra. She previously studied with Burt Hara-LA Philharmonic while completing her master's degree at University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and earned her BMus at DePaul University-Chicago, where she studied with Julie DeRoche and John Bruce Yeh-Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Click here to submit an inquiry form for clarinet and/or saxophone lessons with Dr. Emily Robinson

Mark Robinson -
ACTivate Drama

Mark Robinson has worked professionally as an actor, director, scenic designer, lighting designer, sound designer, technical director, drama teacher, and arts education administrator in various theatres and schools across the country.

Mark received a Bachelor of Arts in Theater/Dance and Music from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. While in college, Mark interned at the Commonweal Theater company as both an actor and theater tech. He began his professional career as an actor, teacher, technical director, and resident scenic designer for Gamut Theatre in Harrisburg, PA where he met and married his partner in life and theater, Kate Magill Robinson. Mark received his Master of Fine Arts in acting from the University of Alabama through the Alabama Shakespeare Festival’s Professional Actor Training Program. While living in Alabama he taught and directed at Auburn University. Relocating to the San Francisco Bay area in 2008, Mark worked as an actor, technical director, and scenic designer for the Marin Shakespeare Company as well as freelancing for several Bay Area theaters including Sonoma Rep, Cinnabar Theater Company, African American Shakespeare Company, Alter Theater, and Rooster Scene Shop. He also taught and directed at Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep. In 2010, Mark was hired as Technical Director and then Production Manager for the Conservatory Program at American Conservatory Theater where he both designed and produced multiple productions, as well as serving as part of the team that designed and built A.C.T’s Costume Shop theater space.

Mark relocated to the Maryland/DC area in 2012 to become Technical Director and Theater Manager at Holton-Arms and has been instrumental in developing and growing the drama program at Holton over the years through directing, designing, and teaching, as well as supporting all the Arts programming at Holton serving as both Performing Arts Department Chair and Interim Director of Fine and Performing Arts. He now serves as the Director of Theatrical Arts and Theater Manager working to cultivate the potential of students through the collaborative art of theater. 

Click here to register for ACTivate Drama with Mark Robinson
(Holton-Arms students only)

Allyson Royster - Flute

Bio coming soon!

Click here to submit an Inquiry for flute lessons with Allyson Royster.

Marissa Singer - Musical Theater; Group Chorus

Marissa Singer studied Music Education at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. She has performed with the Damascus Theatre Company, and has worked for Montgomery County Department of Recreation’s musical theatre camps, directing both small and large performances with children of all ages.

For the last two summers, 2022 and 2023, Marissa has directed the Creative Summer at Holton-Arms School’s Rising Stars musical productions.

Click here to register for Musical Theater Workshop (Holton Students only) or Group Chorus (open to the Community) with Marissa Singer.

Heidi Sturniolo - Harp

Bio coming soon!

Click here to submit an inquiry for harp lessons with Heidi Sturniolo.

Vanessa Young - Harp

Bio coming soon!

Click here to submit an inquiry for harp lessons with Heidi Sturniolo.

Sherri Zhang - Violin, Viola

Bio coming soon!

Click here to submit an inquiry for violin or viola lessons with Sherri Zhang.