Music Instruction
Each week, there are almost two hundred music lessons taught by ten music specialists in the areas of voice, guitar, piano, and orchestral instruments within the school day.
Villa Maria's private music lessons are open to all students, from aspiring beginners to experienced musicians. Students registered in music instruction receive graded, one-on-one lessons for 0.25 credits. In addition to the convenience of taking lessons during the school day, these lessons are available for a fraction of the cost of private instruction outside of school. Lessons are scheduled during study hall or advisory periods.
Begin an Instrument
Many students at Villa Maria are highly successful at beginning a new instrument and then becoming a member of the Orchestra. String and brass instruments can be borrowed for a nominal annual maintenance fee. Students with experience on the piano are especially encouraged to begin a new instrument in order to participate in Orchestra.
Performance opportunities
In addition to joining Villa Maria's music ensembles, music students have multiple opportunities to perform throughout the year, including:.
- Piano Repertoire Classes
- Voice Recital
- Guitar Recital
- Piano Guild Auditions
- Constance Murray Piano Festival
- Student Music Recital (Instrumental)
Instructors
Voice
Dr. Anthony Mosakowski (Fine Arts Department Chair)
Dr. Anthony Mosakowski is Chair of Villa Maria’s Fine Arts Department. He received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music composition from Temple University. He later earned a Ph.D. in composition at the University of Durham, UK.
At Villa Maria, Dr. Mosakowski teaches courses in music theory, composition, music technology, ear training, music appreciation, and applied voice; and directs the Concert Chorus and Madrigal Singers.
Dr. Mosakowski’s numerous compositions include works for a wide variety of media and audiences, and his special interests include choral and electroacoustic music. Dr. Mosakowski has also directed the Early Music Ensemble at Temple University, taught aural theory at West Chester University, and is currently a tenor vocalist with the Renaissance consort, Musica Humana, based in West Chester.
Guitar
Mr. Dominic Mastrangelo
Mr. Mastrangelo is a graduate of the Musician’s Institute in Hollywood, Ca. He plays acoustic guitar, classical guitar, electric guitar and bass. Dominic plays and teaches a multitude of styles including classical, Spanish, blues, jazz, rock and alternative. He teaches students of all ages from beginner to pro, with an emphasis on sight reading, harmony and theory, improvisation, technique and composition. Dominic is an innovator in creating and developing the band workshops, guitar orchestra and clinic/seminar programs at Beam’s Music. Other classes he has taught in schools include jazz/rock band, harmony and theory and composition. Dominic has composed, arranged, performed, recorded and produced over 25 albums in many styles. He is the author of six books for the guitar. His book “Blues Bag” has been used both in the USA and internationally.
Violin and Viola
Ms. Leah (Kyoungwoon) Kim-Tomilson, Director of Music
Ms. Leah (Kyoungwoon) Kim was born in Busan, S. Korea. She was an Associate concertmaster at Suwon Philharmonic Orchestra in Korea and a guest concertmaster for Pottstown Symphony. As a violinist she performed with Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra, Pennsylvania Ballet, Philadelphia Opera, Harrisburg Symphony, Lancaster Symphony, Delaware Symphony, and Elysian Camerata Trio Excelsior. She is the founding member of La Croix Quartet, Tononi Quartet, Sori Duo, and Caritas Trio.
Ms. Leah was a faculty member at Temple University, West Chester University, Valley Forge Christian College, West Catholic High School, Settlement Music School and Peabody Conservatory Prep. She was a director of string ensemble at Archbishop John Carroll High School, Lehigh Valley Performing Arts High School, and director of music at Rebecca Davis Dance Company.
Currently Ms. Leah is the Director of Music at Villa Maria Academy High School, faculty at Eastern University, a violinist in La Croix Quartet, and Director of Pennsylvania Youth Orchestra, Pennsylvania Petit Ensemble, and Vivace Competition and Chamberstrings Summer Camp.
Ms. Leah studied Performance and Pedagogy at Juilliard, Peabody Conservatory, and National Conservatory in France, and began her Doctorate in Music and Arts at Temple University.
Some of Ms. Leah’ music major students have gone on to Curtis Institute of Music, Juilliard Music School, Manhattan School or Music, Eastman Music School, Peabody Conservatory, New England Conservatory, Boston College, Swarthmore, Berkley, Michigan, Vanderbilt, University of Hartford, Moravian University and Temple University.
Piano
Mrs. Pavinee Snyder (Piano Coordinator)
Mrs. Snyder was born and raised in Bangkok, Thailand. She earned a degree in Pharmaceutical Science from prestigious Chulalongkorn University and a Master’s degree in Piano Performance from Trinity College London. In 1985, she moved to the United States and earned a Bachelor of Arts in French Language from Florida Atlantic University. Mrs. Snyder has performed professionally and taught piano for over 40 years. She is an active member of the Pennsylvania Music Teachers Association, National Federation of Music Clubs, and National Guild of Piano Teachers. She encourages her students to participate in piano festivals and competitions sponsored by these organizations.
Mrs. Snyder has taught piano at Villa Maria Academy since 2000 and is the piano coordinator for the school music department. She is also a chairperson for the National Piano Guild Auditions, Malvern PA Center. Besides working at the school, she also teaches piano to students of all ages in her home studio.
In addition to teaching, Mrs. Snyder performs at weddings, funerals, and special occasions, as well as weekly masses at SS. Simon & Jude Catholic Church and at Immaculata University. As part of their music ministry, she coaches and helps with the children’s choir and college choir. She also works as a professional accompanist for both instrumental and vocal auditions and competitions.
Mrs. Snyder is married and has two grown children – a son who is a 2010 Malvern Preparatory School alumnus and a daughter who is a 2013 Villa Maria Academy alumna. In addition to music, she enjoys gardening, cooking, jogging and family activities.
Mrs. Ieva Carucci
Mrs. Carucci has distinguished herself as a highly insightful and artistic piano instructor whose students consistently achieve excellent results at variety international, national competitions, festivals and exams. She is a member of several organizations including the National Guild of Piano Teachers since 2004, the MLTNA since 2003, the World Piano Competition (Cincinnati) since 2005. She has also been a member of the New Jersey Young Pianist Competition since 2007, serving on the board since 2015.
Mrs. Carucci began her music education at the age of 5 under an intensive system of training that was prominent throughout the Soviet Union. She graduated with honors from the Jazeps Medins Music College and Latvian Music Conservatory in Latvia, where she received instruction from Constantine Blumenthal and Ventis Zilberts.
Winds and Brass
Ms. Angela Falco ’76
Angela Falco ’76, a graduate of Villa Maria Academy, is a highly motivated teacher who provides an enthusiastic musical setting for the student. She combines performance, composing, recording experiences & educational studies that results in a unique style of teaching. She has taught in early childhood, public, private and university settings.
She studied flute at the University of the Arts, under Adeline Tomasone, Joseph Musemeci, soloists with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Harold Bennett, NY Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, John Krell, piccolo with the Philadelphia Orchestra, and Latin Grammy winner, classical/jazz flutist, Nestor Torres. She continues to study piano with renowned jazz pianist, Andy LaVerne.
Angela graduated from Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts (University of the Arts) with a Bachelor of Music Performance and a Bachelor of Music Education, Master of Arts (Music Therapy) and a Special Education Certification from Immaculata University.
Angela’s noted performances include a President Clinton fundraiser concert and, Grammy participation certificate in the two-time Grammy award movie, “Standing in the Shadows of Motown” playing piccolo in the soundtrack. Awards include “Who’s Who Among American College Students” and Delta Psi (P Kappa Lambda) in Musical Composition.
Currently, Angela is writing a book about music therapy using her original compositions. Hear Angela’s compositions on Pandora, Spotify and many other platforms. Visit her website: angelafalco.com
Mr. Gareth Haynes
Conductor, composer, pianist and organist Gareth Haynes is the music director and conductor at Daylesford Abbey in Paoli. He also serves as music director and pianist for the Marian Anderson Historical Society in Philadelphia and conducts the Youth Strings division of the Pennsylvania Youth Orchestra.
Mr. Haynes’ performance experience includes the full range of brass and woodwinds, as well as piano, organ, harpsichord, and voice. As a teenager, he studied clarinet with Will Amsel and Gi Lee, and played with the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra. In 2018, he earned a bachelor’s degree in music composition from Temple University, where he studied under Jan Krzywicki and Dr. Cynthia Folio. While in college, he sang with Temple’s Concert Choir, served as a church staff singer, and won two composition competitions hosted by the Network for New Music.
Cello and Bass
Ms. Kathryn (Kitty) Bobnak
Kathryn Leonard Bobnak is an active chamber and orchestral musician in the Philadelphia area. She holds a cum laude degree in cello performance from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and pursued graduate studies at the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University. Her principal teachers have included Deborah Reeder and Christopher Rex (in Philadelphia), and Mihaly Virizlay (in Baltimore). She attended the Pierre Monteux School in Hancock, Maine for five summers and for four of those summers served as orchestral assistant to Maestro Charles Bruck and performance manager of the weekly chamber music concerts. An interest in early music led her to study baroque cello and viola da gamba at the Baroque Performance Institute (Oberlin Conservatory), where she also learned to dance the Minuet!
Ms. Bobnak has performed for many years as assistant principal cellist with the Pottstown Symphony Orchestra and as a substitute with the Delaware and Allentown Symphonies. She founded two successful wind and string chamber ensembles, tre voci and the Sebastian Trio, and frequently collaborates with guest instrumentalists and vocalists. In the early music realm, she has performed with the Penn Baroque Ensemble and in recitals and concerts in Philadelphia and New York.
In addition to her performance commitments, Ms. Bobnak is a dedicated and sought after teacher, chamber music coach, competition judge, clinician, and writer of program notes. She has amplified her traditional conservatory training with coursework from two of the great twentieth century teaching masters: Zoltan Kodaly and Shinichi Suzuki, including formal Suzuki Teacher training at the Hartt School of Music (Univ. of Hartford, CT). She encourages her students by developing an individualized lesson plan tailored to each student's abilities and learning style; creating not just performers but informed listeners.
Ms. Bobnak currently teaches cello at Friends’ Central School and co-directs the Lower School string ensemble. She also teaches cello and bass at Villa Maria Academy High School, is an adjunct instructor of cello at Haverford and Bryn Mawr Colleges, and maintains a lively private studio for students of all ages.
Percussion
Mr. Ken Vogel
Ken Vogel has been teaching drums for over 30 years and annually presents drum clinics, recitals and now hosts his own drum camps. He has studied with noted composer and author William Schinstine and Armand Santerelli. He also studied at Drummer's Collective in New York and participated in percussion and jazz clinics at the University of Miami from 1970 to 1975.
Mr. Vogel performs and records regularly with a variety of rock, jazz, and Irish bands in the Philadelphia area. He is the author of six books including Drum Set Unlimited, Melodic Solo Encounters for Drum Set, The Creative Rock Drummer Vol. I and II, Bass Busters (Double Bass Method), and Sticking method for Today's Drummer. His articles have appeared in Modern Drummer Magazine, For Drum Instructors Only, and Creative Drummer Magazine.
Ken specializes in teaching rock, double bass, jazz, Latin, and odd meters on the drum set. A strong foundation of the basics and theory are a focus in his instruction.
Sister Dolores Margaret Murray, IHM
Sister Dolores Margaret Murray comes to Villa Maria from Immaculata High School in Somerville, N.J. For many years Sister has been involved in marching band, pit orchestra, and instrumental and vocal music programs.
Her various degrees from Immaculata University, Temple University and West Chester University have prepared her for her many experiences in Music Education.