Music Program

Leah (Kyoungwoon) Kim-Tomilson

Fine Arts Department Chair
Director of Music
Music Teacher

lkim@vmahs.org

Ms. Leah (Kyoungwoon) Kim-Tomilson 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, Elysian Camerata Trio Excelsior. She is the founding member of La Croix Quartet, Tononi Quartet, Sori Duo and Caritas Trio. 

Ms. Leah was adjunct professor at Temple University, West Chester University, Valley Forge University, Eastern University, West Catholic High School, Settlement Music School and Johns Hopkins 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, Fine Arts Department Chair and Director of Music at Villa Maria Academy High School, founder/director of Villa Maria Conservatory, a violinist in Fairmount String Quartet, La Croix Quartet, and founder/Director of Pennsylvania Youth Orchestra and Chamberstrings Summer Camp.

Ms. Leah studied Performance and Pedagogy at Juilliard, Peabody Conservatory, National Conservatory in France and began her Doctorate in Music and Arts at Temple University. 

Ms. Leah’s music major students have gone on to play in the Philadelphia Orchestra, a concertmistress at the Grand Rapids Symphony, adjunct professor at NYU Music department  and to study at the Curtis Institute of Music, Juilliard Music School, Manhattan School of Music, Eastman Music School, Peabody Conservatory, New England Conservatory, Rice University, Cleveland Institute of Music, Boston College, Swarthmore, Berkeley, Michigan, Vanderbilt, Penn State, Columbia University, University of Hartford, Moravian University and Temple University.

Ms. Leah has been a finalist at the Jean Francaix International Competition (Paris)
Full scholarship recipients at Conservatoire de National(Paris), Mozarteum Conservatory (Austria), Peabody Conservatory plus Merit Scholarship.         

Ms. Leah was winners of the Long Island Symphony Young Artist competition (first place), New York Times Young Artist competition (first place), National Honors Society Scholarship for High Achiever of the year, MTNA National, Eastern, and New York State division (first place), NYSSMA highest Sore winner (scored 200/100 and it was first and only time ever given  in the competition history) and before coming to USA, she won many national competition awards and appeared as a soloist with several orchestra in South Korea. She had appeared “LIVE” performance at WQXR (New York Times Radio Station) performing Paganini Violin concerto No 1.

Ms. Leah has studied under Tae-sik Pyung, Margaret Pardee, Berl Senofsky, Victor Danchenko and Alexandre Brussilovsky.

 

Mrs. Lindsay Miller

lemiller@vmahs.org

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. 

Sr. Dolores Margaret Murray, IHM

sdmargaret@vmahs.org

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,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.

Mr. James Shirey 

jshirey@vmahs.org

Mr. Shirey is new to Villa Maria as of the Fall, 2024 semester.

A Grammy Award winner, baseball fanatic, Harvard graduate, and devoted Catholic, Mr. Jim Shirey is Villa's new guitar and social studies teacher. (Bio courtesy of students Dani S. and Monica Y.)