Meet Our Teachers
Meet the great minds and talents behind The Lesson Foundry. Click on a teacher’s picture to view a short video introduction.
ORCHESTRA
ORCHESTRA
Michael Berwanger is a former licensed music teacher from Baltimore County Public Schools with over 40 years of teaching experience instructing every age group. She holds a Masters Equivalency from Towson University as well as an Advanced Professional Certificate. She received her early training from private lessons at Peabody Preparatory and Conservatory, with instructors from the Baltimore Symphony.
Michael offers teaching methods using the standard classical approach or the Suzuki Method, and strives to help students achieve individual success through selection of age appropriate music and excellent, strategic instruction.
Robert Shann lives in Spencerville, Maryland and began studying music as a teenager. He earned a B.A. Degree in music performance from State University of New York @ Stony Brook. He is a full-time musician and has been performing and teaching in the DC area for over 20 years.
His experience teaching is conveyed in the classroom with a commitment to encourage his students to excel. He also has a deep understanding of music theory and can work with students not only on classical technique but also with learning improvization playing rock, blues and jazz.
WOODWINDS
WOODWINDS
Baltimore native Denis Karp began studying flute at the age of 6 at the Peabody Preparatory. In 1989, he performed with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and James Galway on an East Coast tour. In 2002, he received a B.S. Degree in Music from Towson University, where he studied with Sara Nichols. He frequently records in studio and performs with many groups throughout Maryland, Pennsylvania and Washington D.C.
Mr. Karp is the flutist in The Gallery Winds and Charm City Winds woodwind quintets. He is the co-founder/co-director of The Gallery Winds Chamber Music Summer Camp and coaches chamber music for the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestra. Mr. Karp has taught private flute lessons since 1999 and is the flute teacher at the Baltimore School for the Arts TWIGS program. Mr. Karp has served as a judge for many local competitions in Maryland. His students frequently win competitions, college scholarships and are accepted into all-state, all-county, and GT Bands, and local youth orchestras.
Gregory Thompkins performs and resides in Baltimore, Maryland. He is an early jazz and commercial music graduate of Towson University, receiving his Bachelor of Science in 1989. Mr. Thompkins has studied music with Hank Levy, Glenn Cashman, Ron Diehl, George Garzone, Sara Nichols, and Denis Karp. In his 30-plus year music career, he has performed with All Mighty Senators, Lafayette Gilchrist, David Murray, George Garzone, Dave Ballou, Michael Formanek, and many others. He has recorded with Lafayette Gilchrist, All Mighty Senators, and his own groups.
As a saxophone teacher, his students have performed in first chair positions in their local school bands. Several of his students have received music scholarships from Eastman School of Music, Towson University, University of Michigan, University of Maryland, and University of The Arts. Mr. Thompkins is the Music Director of The Baltimore Jazz Education Project (BJEP), which has raised over $140,000 to provide underserved Baltimore area children with free instruments and music lessons. In eight years, the BJEP has worked with four local schools and helped hundreds of local students experience music.
Andy Saehan Shin is a graduate of University of Maryland, College Park with a double degree in psychology and music education with classical saxophone. Starting his journey in instrumental music in the age of 3 with the piano, he moved on to play the saxophone at the age of 11. He has student taught in Howard County and Montgomery County in instrumental music (band and orchestra) for elementary and middle schools.
As a vocalist, he has performed in various venues and events, including the Carnegie Hall and the Korea tour of the Christian Broadcasting System of New York Choir. He also frequently leads worship in churches, such as Bridgeway Community Church and Heavenly Vision Community Church. Andy is very excited to join the Lesson Foundry to teach as a private instructor for saxophone and vocals.
Lori Fowser graduated from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor of Music in 2004 and Master of Music in 2006, specializing in clarinet performance. Her teachers include Loren Kitt, Edward Palanker, Robert Dilutis, Roger McKinney, and David Martins.
Ms. Fowser serves as the woodwind section coach, and clarinet and saxophone instructor at St. Vincent Pallotti High School, as well as adjunct Professor of clarinet and saxophone at Prince Georges Community College. She is the co-founder of two wind quintets: Charm City Winds and Gallery Winds. In addition to performing, Gallery Winds has hosted an annual Summer Chamber Music Camp for middle and high school students for eight years.
Ms. Fowser has been the third, Eb, and bass clarinetist in the Columbia Orchestra for 10 years. She has also been a woodwind doubler in musical theater productions at Washington Savoyards, Toby’s Dinner Theater of Columbia, Rockville Summer Dinner Theater, Catholic University of America, and various school productions. She was the alto saxophonist in the Berceuse Saxophone Quartet. Lori’s students have been selected for Maryland All State Band and Orchestra, All-County Bands (Montgomery, Howard, and Prince Georges Counties), and local youth orchestras.
Lionel Lyles has been teaching professionally since 2002. He graduated from Morgan State University with a BA Music Education degree and North Carolina Central University with a MM Jazz Studies Saxophone Performance, and will soon be pursuing his PhD/DMA in the very near future.
Lionel has taught in Baltimore City for a year, Baltimore County for two years, and Prince George’s County for two. His specialty age group is eleven years old to adult.
Eddie Sanders is based in Columbia, Maryland. He has been the principal bassoonist for the United States Air Force Band for 20 years, and also plays with the Atlantic Reed Consort reed quintet. He is also a member of the Apollo Orchestra. He is the winner of numerous awards over the last 20 years.
Eddie has taught bassoon master classes throughout the US including the Cincinnati Conservatory, Eastman, Texas, and Puerto Rico Conservatory. His students have received scholarships to Peabody, University of Maryland, University of Delaware, Duke, Yale, Towson, and George Washington University.
Steve Churchill graduated summa cum laude from The Catholic University of America, and received his Masters degree in oboe in 1993. He has played oboe, saxophone, clarinet and flute in the Kennedy Center Opera House and Show Orchestras, The National Theater Orchestra, national tours of Broadway musicals, and network television shows, performing with artists as diverse as Ray Charles, Nat Adderly, Charlie Daniels, Marvin Hamlisch, Loretta Lynn, Steve Lawrence, Jerry Lewis, Johnny Mathis, Sam Moore, Kenny Rogers, Barnum and Bailey Circus, and the Bolshoi Ballet. He has also played principal oboe in the Maryland Symphony and at Opryland in Nashville, Tennessee.
Steve currently performs with the Chesapeake Saxophone Ensemble, a “supersax”-style group specializing in the bebop jazz of Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. In addition, he has taught at Catholic University and Howard County Community College, Landon and Bullis prep schools, St. John’s College High School, and has been on the faculty at Montgomery College for the past 30 years. He has also taught hundreds of students in his private studio during that time, from ages 8 to 80, many of them of them winning honors and awards.
BRASS
BRASS
Dr. Jacob Dalager is a trumpet player, composer, and educator on faculty at The Catholic University of America, Frostburg State University, and Frederick Community College, teaching trumpet, jazz history, music theory and ear training, and American popular music. In addition, he teaches at The Lesson Foundry, International School of Music, and maintains a private trumpet studio. Dalager holds a D.M.A. in music performance from Catholic University, M.M. and Arts Leadership Certificate from the Eastman School of Music, and a B.A. and B.M. in Theory/Composition and Trumpet Performance from St. Olaf College.
He is principal trumpet of the Washington Chamber Orchestra, and has been a guest performer or had compositions commissioned and performed by with several orchestras and symphonies the world over. Dalager is the principal trumpet of Parkway Brass and M Street Brass Quintets. A versatile crossover musician, Jacob is the lead trumpet player of the renowned world fusion band, Black Masala and the Wammy-award-winning reggae outfit, Shamans of Sound.
PERCUSSION
PERCUSSION
Chuck Ferrell has performed with jazz, rock and country artists, and continues to work as a performing and recording artist. He attended Virginia Commonwealth University, where he was fortunate to study with incredible professors such as percussionists Scott Taylor & Don Bick. He later studied with Clarence Penn and has also done a professional workshop with Dave Weckl.
Mr. Chuck, as his students call him, teaches all ages because he believes in sharing his love of music. Many of his students have earned high honors in solo & ensemble festivals, as well as music scholarships.
PIANO
PIANO
Eunyoung Lee was born in Seoul, South Korea and has been playing the piano since she was 4 years old. She first started performing as a church accompanist at the age of 11. Ms. Lee most recently studied with Mr. Reynaldo Reyes and earned her B.M. in Music Performance from Towson University. She has been teaching and performing professionally for over 25 years.
Combining her Korean and American experiences, and her significant performance experience and education, Ms. Lee strives to achieve the right balance and approach to best motivate her students.
GUITAR
GUITAR
Columbia, Maryland native David Gorrie’s fascination with the guitar began at age eight. Since then he has explored just about every style of music including Blues, Rock, R&B,Country, Classical, Flamenco, and Jazz. He earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in guitar performance from The Peabody Conservatory of Music (affiliated with Johns Hopkins University), where he was privileged to study with renowned RCA recording artist Manuel Barrueco.
Since then he has pursued a career as a full-time guitar instructor teaching at Frostburg State University, Howard Community College, Potomac State Community College, Essex Community College, Music and Arts Center, and through his own studio for over 30 years.
Dave also makes his living performing with the DC/Baltimore area’s top bands, various jazz combos, guitar and violin ensembles, and as a soloist.
Skip Grasso works as a freelance jazz guitarist based in the Baltimore/Washington Area performing in a very wide variety of situations which include everything from solo guitar to big bands. As a co-leader of The Grasso-Ravita Jazz Ensemble, he will release his debut recording Jagged Spaces which he produced and contributed four original jazz compositions. Skip can also be heard on the recordings The Don Junker Big Band: Junkyard Dog and the Hank Levy Alumni Band: An “Odd-Time” Was Had By All.
Having taught guitar since 1988, Skip has taught as an adjunct professor at Mount Saint Mary’s University, and continues to teach privately. In addition to receiving a Bachelors of Science in Jazz/Commercial Music from Towson University, he also received Masters of Music from the prestigious University of North Texas. He was fortunate to study privately with numerous renowned educators and musicians including pianists Charlie Banacos and Garry Dial, guitarist Paul Bollenback, and musicianship and theory with Dr. Asher Zlotnik. Skip also has two books of blues guitar transcriptions published: Vital Blues Guitar: Freddie King and Vital Blues Guitar: Gatemouth Brown.
Gary Waugh started on the bass in 1969 after being told by a locally respected player that “Baltimore has 100’s of guitar players and 3 bass players.” This began a lifelong passion to conquer all styles of music on the bass. Gary has performed all over the US, Europe, and Russia, on numerous recording sessions, commercials and television appearances.
After playing bass through High School, college, and 6 years touring, Gary entered into a 35-year career in the musical instrument industry, retiring in 2014 as the Eastern US Regional Sales Manager for the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. He is also a two time inductee of the Maryland Entertainment Hall of Fame.
He has taught private lessons and seminars at The Friends School of Baltimore, Roland Park Country School, Bryn Mawr, Stevenson College and Boy’s Latin. In 2018, he started teaching online and has worked with students in the Mid Atlantic and Europe.
Gary likes to help people learn what they want to learn on the bass. He works with players in all stages of their musical pursuit and custom tailors each curriculum to meet the student’s needs and desires.
PRO AUDIO
PRO AUDIO
Jordan is our website manager, marketer, graphic designer, and resident certified educational technologist. He also teaches pro audio for home recording here at The Lesson Foundry.
Jordan is a long-time musician, multi-instrumentalist, and self-producing recording artist, and also serves as a music ministry leader at Bridgeway Community Church near his home in Columbia, Maryland.
Staff
OTHER STAFF
OTHER STAFF
Josh Comstock
Finance
Josh is our manager of finances, and will almost certainly make you laugh. He’s loves all things acoustic guitar, and is passionate about making others’ dreams come true. He also really enjoys spending time with his cat, his family, and playing video games.
Kimara Walker
Lesson Coordinator
Kim is an avid sports fan who also has a love for the arts and a passion for helping people. She’s been playing violin for 16 years, and has taught herself multiple other instruments.
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