Our Teachers
Laura
Laura Havrilla--Owner (Voice/Piano) in Butler
Laura is a classically trained singer of 25 years. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from William Paterson University with a Vocal Performance degree in 2005, received her New Jersey Music Teacher's Certification in 2012. Laura completed her Masters Degree in Teaching December of 2015. Her research included in-depth focus on the adolescent changing voice. Laura gained expertise and further understanding of the physical and emotional aspects of young singers (males and females) going through vocal change, and applies that knowledge in the studio. She has traveled and performed around the world in countries including Italy, Tanzania, and Switzerland. She has trained with Juilliard professors including Mr. Daniel Ferro, Mr. Robert Kopelson, and Bruno Rigacci in the Daniel Ferro Vocal Program in Chianti, Italy. Laura has also trained with professionals in a performance-based music program for emerging artists called Opera Works, run by Ann Baltz in Los Angeles, California. She currently enjoys teaching students in piano and all areas of the voice in her home studio in Butler, NJ, and loves to perform all musical genres.
Jan
Jan (Piano & Voice) in Wayne
Jan has been playing the piano, accompanying and teaching music since she was a young teenager. She has been a music director for dozens of musicals, including the Wayne Senior Follies, West Milford High School productions, St. Anne’s Players musicals in Fair Lawn and St. Catherine's Performing Arts Guild productions of Peter Pan and Titanic (assistant music director) in Ringwood.
Sheis currently Music Minister at St. Michael’s Church in Wayne and has been for more than 11 years. She also taught elementary and high school music in West Milford Schools for 14 years. She has had dozens of private students of all ages, teaching both piano/keyboard and voice lessons/coaching. She and her husband (now deceased) toured the east coast and midwest for 6 years in a rock trio. They played top 40 music at upscale hotels. Several years later her husband founded their audio/video production company, Rave Review Productions, LLC, which still is a thriving business with her son (who has a Bachelor’s Degree in recording arts) taking over for his dad.
Jan graduated from Denison University with a BMus degree in piano, obtained her teaching certificate and 48 credit hours at University of Michigan, trained in technology at Walden University, and achieved Level 1 and 2 certification in TI:ME, the technology association for Music Educators.
Pete
Pete (Percussion) Pompton Lakes
Pete is a professional Musician/Teacher with over 20 years of experience. He attended WPC University Jazz program under the direction of the world renowned Jazz bassist Rufus Reid. Pete has performed and recorded worldwide with recognized artists such as Bill Ware (Vibraphonist for Steely Dan), Jeanie Bryson (daughter of Dizzy Gillespie) and Bluegrass great, Tony Trishka. Other performances include Jazz and Rock festivals, TV and film work, and numerous recordings with local artists. In addition to his private teaching practice, he also teaches at Gerrard Berman Academy in Oakland, NJ, and as an Adjunct Instructor at Caldwell College. Pete has also previously taught at Newark Academy in Livingston, NJ, and the Summer Jazz workshops at Rutgers University. Lessons include a variety of styles such as Rock, Jazz, Rhythm and Blues, Funk and Hip Hop. Lessons also focus on many aspects of music including snare drum rudiments, reading and rhythm studies, drum set independence studies, chart reading, performing and soloing.
Accepting all students, beginners through advanced!
Brittany
Brittany (Voice & Piano- Virtual Only)
Brittany is a graduate of the University of Delaware where she studied music education with a concentration in choral and general music. She is a certified K-12 music teacher who combines many methodologies into her teaching. She was the musical director of the D Sharps, an all-female a cappella group. Brittany has a strong musical theatre background and has musically directed, stage managed, and performed with many theatre companies around New Jersey. Most recently, Brittany was brought in as a musical director at the prestigious children’s theatre company, Children’s Musical Theatre, in Oklahoma. Currently, Brittany is a music teacher at an elementary school in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. She also directs the musical at the middle school in her district. Brittany has had over thirteen years of vocal training and has been teaching voice and piano for over seven years.