Our talented and experienced faculty have degrees from major music, theater, and art schools as well as universities throughout the world. Click the instructor's name below to learn more about them.
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.
A native of Central Virginia, cellist Emma Hays Johnson is an active performer and educator. She serves as Co-Artistic Director of Galatea Chamber Music, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to making chamber music accessible through free concerts, mentorship programs, and community-based projects. She is also the co-founder of Empath Concerts, a series that fosters open and thoughtful dialogue about current and social issues through music. In 2024, Empath Concerts was featured at the Intersections Festival at the Atlas Performing Arts Center, exploring the theme of politics, gender, and race.
Emma performs regularly with chamber series including Galatea Chamber Music, Washington Musica Viva, SoloX, and the Epiphany Tuesday Concert Series. She also appears with orchestras such as the Richmond Symphony Orchestra, Apollo Orchestra, New Orchestra of Washington, New Carolina Sinfonia, Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, and Great Falls Philharmonic. Her performance collaborations range from Grammy Award winning violinist Domenic Salerni of the Attacca Quartet to international artists such as Michael Bublé, Il Divo, and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
Emma is deeply committed to music education and the mentorship of young musicians. Her teaching work includes faculty positions at The Madeira School in Great Falls, Virginia, the Apex Arts Program in Anne Arundel County, and the Holton-Arms School, along with her private cello studio in North Bethesda, Maryland. Each summer she also teaches at New Wave Chamber Music Week in both North Bethesda and Virginia Beach.
Emma earned her second Master of Music in Performance from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she studied with Edward Arron. Her earlier studies include a Bachelor’s degree from Converse College and George Mason University, where she worked with Kenneth Law, and a Master’s degree from East Carolina University with Emanuel Gruber.
Outside of music, Emma enjoys being outdoors through rock climbing, backpacking, and camping, traveling to new places, and spending time with friends, family, and her cat, Baby.
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).
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.
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.
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.
