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.
This opportunity is also available through the Villa Maria Conservatory as a non-credit option.
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.
Instructors
Voice
Lindsay Miller
Lindsay Miller is the Director of Choral Music and Music Teacher. Additionally, she teaches private piano and voice lessons. Ms. Miller holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Music Education and a Bachelor of Music Degree in Piano Performance from The Pennsylvania State University. She also holds a Master's Degree in Piano Performance from West Chester University. She currently holds her Level 2, Instructional Music Education Certification in the state of Pennsylvania for students in grades K-12.
Dr. Kelly Gebhardt
Dr. Kelly Gebhardt is a lecturer in music at Immaculata University, where she has taught Applied Voice, Vocal Pedagogy, and Music for Exceptional Leaders, among other courses. She is also the Director of Performance Arts at Stratford Friends School. She earned her doctorate in musical arts, vocal performance, from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and a master's degree in music, voice performance from Temple University. Dr. Gebhardt She has worked extensively in musical theater at Immaculata, Temple University, and Stratford Friends School, in roles ranging from music director to production and stage manager/director.
Ms. Denise Rose
Denise Rose is a choral conductor and educator from the Philadelphia area. She has an MM in Choral Conducting from West Chester University of Pennsylvania and a BM in Music Education from Immaculata University. Her career as an educator includes private voice and piano instruction, teaching General Music classes, and directing choirs and ensembles of students in Pre-K through High School. Denise has worked in Catholic Churches throughout the Archdiocese of Philadelphia as Choir Director, vocal soloist and organist. She is currently the Music Director and Choir Director at St. Colman Church in Ardmore, PA, and the Choir Teacher at Archbishop Wood High School. Other musical experience includes Music Directing for local Community Theatres and performing as singer/pianist for Christmas Shows, Valentine’s Day Shows, and other events at nursing homes and local churches. Denise is excited to be part of the Villa Maria teaching voice and piano lessons.
Guitar
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 founder/president of MusicAngels non-profit organization, Director of Music at Villa Maria Academy High School, founder/director of the Villa Maria Conservatory, a violinist in Fairmount String Quartet, La Croix Quartet, and founder/director of Pennsylvania Youth Orchestra.
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
Dr. William Carr
Dr. Carr is a Steinway Artist and former Chair of the Fine Arts Department at Immaculata University. Dr. Carr studied piano at the Juilliard School as well as at Temple University, and he earned his doctorate in piano at the Catholic University of America. He continued his piano studies in Germany and Austria with concert pianist, Paul Badura-Skoda. In 2005 he was named a Steinway Artist, a prestigious title that recognizes the most exceptional music performers in the world. For six consecutive years, Dr. Carr was named one of the "Top Music Teachers" by Steinway & Sons. Dr. Carr holds an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Ms. Ieva Carucci
Bio coming soon
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
Ms. Lindsay Miller
Lindsay Miller is the Director of Choral Music and Music Teacher. Additionally, she teaches private piano and voice lessons. Ms. Miller holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Music Education and a Bachelor of Music Degree in Piano Performance from The Pennsylvania State University. She also holds a Master's Degree in Piano Performance from West Chester University. She currently holds her Level 2, Instructional Music Education Certification in the state of Pennsylvania for students in grades K-12.
Ms. Denise Rose
Denise Rose is a choral conductor and educator from the Philadelphia area. She has an MM in Choral Conducting from West Chester University of Pennsylvania and a BM in Music Education from Immaculata University. Her career as an educator includes private voice and piano instruction, teaching General Music classes, and directing choirs and ensembles of students in Pre-K through High School. Denise has worked in Catholic Churches throughout the Archdiocese of Philadelphia as Choir Director, vocal soloist and organist.
She is currently the Music Director and Choir Director at St. Colman Church in Ardmore, PA, and the Choir Teacher at Archbishop Wood High School. Other musical experience includes Music Directing for local Community Theatres and performing as singer/pianist for Christmas Shows, Valentine’s Day Shows, and other events at nursing homes and local churches. Denise is excited to be part of the Villa Maria teaching voice and piano lessons.
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
Harp
Mia Venezia
Philadelphia-based harpist Mia Venezia performs and teaches throughout the country, including performance settings such as the Nashville Opera, New World Symphony, Richmond Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra where she holds the principal chair. A frequent collaborator in chamber music, Mia was featured as a soloist with the Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh and a two time winner of the Pittsburgh Chamber Society Chamber Division.
Mia graduated from the Yale School of Music as a Irving Gilmore fellow, where she studied with harpist and pedagogue June Han. Previously she has received degrees from Carnegie Mellon University and Northwestern University, graduating both institutes with distinguished honors. A passionate educator, Mia holds a private studio in which she hopes to inspire and foster the next generation of harpists
