2026 Faculty

Christie Felsing is Director of Teaching and Learning at the University of Hartford’s Hartt Community Division where she teaches violin in the Hartt Suzuki Program and leads the Suzuki graduate pedagogy courses. She has been active in the Suzuki Association of the Americas as a registered teacher trainer for many years, served on the SAA Board of Directors from 2004 to 2009, coordinated the 2010 SAA conference, worked as a staff member from 2014 to 2016, and served as a consultant for teacher development. Christie was assistant director at the Preucil School of Music in Iowa City, Iowa, for 17 years, and taught on its violin faculty from 1996 to 2014. In 2013, the Iowa String Teachers Association named her the Leopold LaFosse Studio Teacher of the Year. Christie received her Master of Music degree in Suzuki pedagogy with John Kendall at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, and her Bachelor of Music degree with Vartan Manoogian and Marvin Rabin at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In addition, she completed a nine-month Suzuki internship with Doris Preucil in Iowa, and her arts administration training (AMICI) with the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts.

Breana Bauman, a Suzuki-kid, studied pedagogy with Kimberly Meier-Sims (CIM), Ed Sprunger, Ed Kreitman, and Christophe Bossuat (France). She also credits Clara Hardie’s GEMS program and the Creative Literacy Classes by Carrie Salisbury and Michael McClean as major influences. Breana holds degrees from Oberlin Conservatory (BM), Cleveland Institute of Music (MM), and Boston University (PD), studying with Kyung Sun Lee, Steven Rose, Malcolm Lowe, and Bayla Keyes. Breana founded her home studio in Cambridge, MA in 2014 and serves as a community coordinator for Suzuki:MA. Since 2024, she has taught at the New England Suzuki Institute in Maine. Past teaching includes the BU Tanglewood Institute (2017–2020) and Chicago’s Merit School of Music. Acclaimed by the The New York Times for her "excellent work throughout" as Tanglewood Music Center concertmaster, Breana brings the insight of a seasoned performer to both inspire beginners and develop advanced students’ confidence and artistry.

Ms. Potts holds a Master of Music with an Emphasis in Pedagogy from the Longy School of Music. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music, summa cum laude, from Case Western Reserve University where she also studied with faculty from the Cleveland Institute of Music. Ms. Potts is an active member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas and has taken Suzuki training with Moshe Neumann, Kimberly Meier-Sims, Sherry Cadow, Joanne Melvin, Tom Wermuth, Doris Preucil, and Nancy Jackson. Additional pedagogical studies have been with Clay Hoener, Valerie Bobbett Gardner and Terry Durbin. Since 2021, Ms. Potts has served as a Registered Suzuki Violin Teacher Trainer through the Suzuki Association of the Americas. In addition to her private studio in Framingham, Ms. Potts teaches through the Rivers School Conservatory, where she coordinates the Suzuki Programs. She formerly served as President of the Massachusetts Suzuki Association. Students of Ms. Potts have performed in the Rivers School Conservatory Orchestras, Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras, the New England Conservatory Orchestras, the Northeast Massachusetts Youth Symphony Orchestras, and the Bay Area Youth Symphonies. Several of her students have also chosen to participate in the Royal Conservatory Music Development Program assessments, and have received marks of “First Class Honors,” and “First Class Honors with Distinction.” Her students have also earned certificates for “Best in the Center,” “Best in the State,” and the “Gold Medal: Best in the Nation.”

Dr. Kasey Calebaugh enjoys a wide range of musical endeavors, as a performer, chamber musician, and Suzuki educator. He completed a Doctorate of Music Arts degree in Viola Performance under Rita Porfiris, at the Hartt School, graduating with the Regents’ Honor Award - the most prestigious award that the University of Hartford bestows on graduate students. His published doctoral research, titled “Color in Music: An Analysis of Joan Tower’s Purple Works for Viola,” won third place in the 2020 Dalton Research Competition and is published through The American Viola Society’s Journal. He completed Suzuki violin & viola, long-term training throughout all degrees, and currently teaches full-time at the Suzuki School of Newton outside Boston, MA. He regularly films and interviews local residents at Ipswich Community Access Media, performs with the Cape Ann Symphony and Nonconformist Orchestra (the first and only transgender/non-binary, LGBTQ+ and minority inclusive professional orchestra), and serves on the Ipswich Cultural Council Board. As an active LGBTQ+ professional, Dr. Calebaugh has been invited to speak and perform at Buckingham Browne & Nichols in Cambridge, MA and Landmark High School in Beverly, MA, headline Hamilton-Wenham HRC Pride Picnic 2025, World Pride in Washington DC 2025, and countless other events & venues across greater Boston and the world.

Building community through music, Arab-American cellist Annie Barley Givler (she/her) is a passionate advocate for access to high quality music education for all. As a music educator, Annie specializes in culturally responsive music pedagogy, having taught in the music classroom for the past 17 years. Currently, Annie serves on the faculty of Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, an independent school in Philadelphia, where she directs eleven different string ensembles, working with students in third through twelfth grades. She is the founder and director of PRYSM Prep, the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra’s entry level string ensemble. Annie maintains a private Suzuki studio in her home in Bryn Mawr. Annie is also the founder and director of Connected Arts College Prep, a consulting service for high school students who wish to pursue music at the collegiate level. As a performer, Annie is an incredibly versatile cellist, at home in a multitude of genres. She has performed all over the world in ensembles ranging from professional symphony orchestras to Kanye West’s back-up band. She is the active vice-president of the Greater Philadelphia Suzuki Association and can be heard on Bridge, Cantaloupe, and New Amsterdam Records. Annie lives in Bryn Mawr, just outside Philadelphia, with her amazing husband Harley - a French horn player and music educator, their three children, and their dog, Arrow. She is a great cook, an avid reader, an outdoor enthusiast, a really fun dinner companion, a sometimes quilter, and a terrible roller skater.

Alyssa Lawson holds a master's degree in Cello Performance from Boston University, where she studied with Michael Reynolds. She is a Fulbright scholar with a B.A. in Music from Swarthmore College and an M.A. in Ethnomusicology from UCLA. Alyssa has completed Suzuki teacher training in all ten volumes, primarily with Nancy Hair and David Evenchick. She has also received training in Music Mind Games. Alyssa teaches at the Suzuki School of Newton and is on the faculty of the New England Suzuki Institute. She is a founding member of Cellos on the Charles, a group that supports cello education in Eastern Massachusetts. Alyssa has performed with the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, indie folk band The Morning Architect, the Boston Arabic Orchestra, the Aurelia Ensemble, and many chamber ensembles. She helped create the innovative performance group Spectacle Collective.

Sachiko Isihara has served as the Executive Director of Suzuki School of Newton for over 20 years. As a European Suzuki Association and Suzuki Association of the Americas certified piano teacher, she completed her Suzuki training in Matsumoto, Japan with Haruko Kataoka and long-term teacher training in Lyon, France with Colette Daltier. She is a frequently sought after clinician for the Massachusetts Suzuki Festival and adjudicator for the South Shore Conservatory piano competition. Prior to her appointment as Executive Director of Suzuki School of Newton in 1998, Sachiko served on the faculties of Ecole Koenig in Paris and Third Street Music School in New York. As a pianist, Sachiko has performed in solo and chamber music recitals throughout the USA and France. She earned her B.M. in piano performance with honors from New England Conservatory and her M.M. in piano performance form Juilliard. Sachiko is also the Director of the Suzuki by the Green summer piano institute, and she has been a certified Suzuki Teacher Trainer since 2008.

David Madsen founded what is now the Hartt Suzuki Guitar Program in '90. He is the Suzuki Guitar Coordinator for the Community Division at the Hartt School of Music in West Hartford, Connecticut, USA. David graduated with a BM in guitar performance from the University of Connecticut and has since studied with David Leisner and Pepe Romero. His Suzuki guitar training has been with Bill Kossler and Frank Longay, and he has also trained with Lynn McCall in Suzuki Early Childhood Education. He became the 3rd registered Teacher Trainer with the Suzuki Association of the Americas in 2000 and has conducted courses throughout North America and in Italy, Singapore, Peru, Puerto Rico and Argentina. Mr. Madsen is a member of the SAA Guitar Committee, and he is a former member of the Board of Directors for the Suzuki Association of the Americas. In 2008 he was invited to direct the Advanced Ensemble at the 1st International Suzuki Guitar Festival in Santa Cruz, CA, and he was also invited to direct the Guitar Ensembles at the SAA conferences in 2014, 2016 and 2018. David received a “Creating Learning Community” award in 2014 for his work in producing “The Sound of Success” video for the SAA, an informative video about the Suzuki guitar method.

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Leah Bartell is a passionate performer, conductor, and Suzuki violin and viola teacher. She has deep Suzuki roots and was fortunate to have played for Dr. Suzuki in Tucson, Arizona when she was 10 years old! In addition to running a thriving Suzuki studio, Ms. Bartell is the founder and music director of the Great Meadows Youth Orchestras, based in Lexington, MA. As a violinist, Ms. Bartell has performed throughout the U.S. and Canada and completed a one-month residency in Calcutta, India, teaching violin and performing as a soloist with the Calcutta Foundation Orchestra, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of orphans through music education. As a freelance violinist in the Boston area, Ms. Bartell has performed with symphonies and opera companies throughout New England, including the Vermont Symphony, Opera North, Opera Maine, National Lyric Opera, Emmanuel Music, and Portland Ballet. Locally, she is a Playing Member of the Lexington Symphony and also performs with Sonic Liberation Players, an ensemble dedicated to the performance of late 20th and 21st century music. Ms. Bartell discovered her passion for chamber music while studying with the members of the Lafayette String Quartet at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, where she completed her M.Mus. in violin performance. As a soloist and chamber musician, she has performed at the University of Pittsburgh, the University of North Carolina in Charlotte, and in many venues throughout the Boston area. Ms. Bartell has been on the faculty of the Winchester Community Music School Summer Chamber Music Festival and has been an orchestra conductor and clinician at the Suzuki Festival for several years. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, reading, and hiking with her dog, Farley.

Pianist and Dalcroze teacher, Arthur Simoes enjoys a multifaceted career as a performer, composer, and educator. His music is influenced by an eclectic mix of genres, including jazz, classical, video game music, and his Brazilian heritage. Arthur has performed extensively across Europe, Latin America, and the United States, and frequently presents lectures, workshops, and masterclasses worldwide. Passionate about education, Arthur has successfully led a private studio for the past 10 years. His teaching philosophy is grounded in the belief that every person has an innate ability to learn music. He integrates elements from Dalcroze Eurhythmics and the Taubman Approach into his teaching. In addition to his private studio, Arthur has served on the faculties of the Haute École de Musique and the Institut Jaques-Dalcroze in Geneva, Switzerland. He has also been a guest teacher at prestigious events and institutions, including the Dalcroze International Congress (Switzerland), Encontro Internacional sobre Pedagogia do Piano (Brazil), Longy School of Music (USA), Tufts University (USA), and NEOJIBA (Brazil). Arthur is the first prize winner of the 29th European Music Competition "Città di Moncalieri" in Italy, among other piano competitions. He has appeared at renowned venues and festivals around the world, including Victoria Hall (Geneva), La Schubertiade sur la Colline (Neuchâtel), and the Berklee Performance Center (Boston). Arthur attended Berklee College of Music for a Diploma with concentrations in Jazz Composition and Performance. He also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Piano and a Master’s degree in Music Pedagogy with a concentration in Dalcroze Eurhythmics, as well as the Diplôme Supérieur of the Dalcroze method. During his Dalcroze studies, Arthur was awarded the Institut-Jaques Dalcroze Award “for his qualities as eurhythmician”, the Emile Jaques-Dalcroze Foundation Award “for the excellence of his improvisation exam” and the Aletheia Foundation Award “for the excellence of his Diplôme Supérieur choreography”. He also received the Arditi Award for the best final recital of the year at the end of his studies at the Conservatoire de Musique de Genève. In parallel, Arthur pursued extensive studies of the Taubman Approach with his mentor Edna Golandsky, in New York. Currently residing in Boston, Arthur continues to perform, compose, and teach. In his free time, he enjoys learning about different cultures and studying foreign languages. He speaks French, Portuguese, English, Spanish, Italian, and German at varying levels of fluency, and is currently learning Japanese as a hobby.

Hannah Greene is a certified Alexander Technique Teacher and Registered Somatic Movement Educator based in the Boston MetroWest area. She received her Alexander Technique teaching certification from Boston Conservatory at Berklee, where she studied with Debi Adams. Hannah specializes in working with instrumentalists, singers, caregivers, social change makers, and people with movement disorders. She discovered the Alexander technique during her teenage years when a sports injury led to tendinitis, which affected her ability to play violin. The holistic, whole self approach of the Alexander Technique immediately resonated with her, and she is passionate about sharing what she has learned with people of all ages. A proud Suzuki and (G)BYSO alum, she holds degrees from Yale University (BA, History) and UC Berkeley (MA, Music History). She has performed with the Yale Bach Society Orchestra, the Yale Glee Club, the Berkshire Symphony, the Oakland Civic Orchestra, the UC Berkeley University Chorus, the University of Arizona University Community Chorus, and the Nashoba Valley Chorale. Hannah grew up in Concord and now lives in Acton with her family. She enjoys singing, hiking, camping, baking, meditating, and supporting social justice causes.

Sarah is a thoughtful violinist with years of experience in performing, teaching, and coordinating musical events. With a deep love for music and a dedication to her craft, she has performed in various ensembles, guided young musicians in their artistic journeys, and coordinated numerous wedding and event music in her home city of Nashville, TN and, now, Boston, MA where she is now based. She earned her Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from Vanderbilt University's Blair School of Music, studying with Dr. Carolyn Huebl. She recently completed her Master of Music in Violin Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music under the tutelage ofAyano Ninomiya. ​ Sarah is particularly passionate about chamber music and small ensembles. She was a founding member of the Eunoia String Quartet at Vanderbilt University, which was awarded first prize in the MTNA National Chamber Music Competition. She has also worked closely with composers, helping to bring their works to life, collaborating with feedback and performance. Her experience in collaborative performance has shaped her artistry, emphasizing musical communication and expression.​ In addition to bringing meaningful and thoughtful performances to her community, Sarah loves teaching young students. From the basics of technique to the nuances of character and the art of collaboration, Sarah's studio strives to build an environment of curiosity, engaging and direct instruction and musical and personal growth. ​As an educator, she has spent over five years teaching violin to students of all ages, helping them build technique, confidence, and a lifelong appreciation for music. Her musical career includes years of experience as a wedding and event music coordinator, bringing elegant and heartfelt performances to special occasions. Beyond performance, Sarah enjoys working in arts leadership and management, serving in leadership roles and organizational positions in school as concertmaster, council president and secretary, and manager for the Eunoia String Quartet. These experiences have given her a unique perspective on both the artistic and organizational sides of the music world.​ Whether on stage or interacting with students and audience members alike, Sarah strives to create meaningful musical experiences that connect people and inspire joy.

Iris Lin is a Taiwanese-American violinist who is currently pursuing a Performance Diploma in Violin at Boston University under the guidance of Bayla Keyes. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance, along with a double major in Business from Vanderbilt, as well as a Master’s in Violin Performance from Boston University. As a dedicated solo violinist, Iris has participated in masterclasses with renowned artists such as Paul Kantor, Grigory Kalinovsky, Andrew Wan, Simon James, Adele Anthony, and Stella Chen, among others. Throughout the summer, Iris has attended festivals including the Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival, Orford Musique, Center Stage Strings, ENCORE Chamber Music Institute, the Bowdoin International Music Festival, Chautauqua Music Festival, and LyricaFest. Her violin studies have been shaped by esteemed mentors such as Dr. Carolyn Huebl and Ronald Houston. Outside of her musical career, Iris enjoys traveling and discovering new restaurants and cafes.