Woodwinds, Brass and Strings

Alicia is an Elementary Band and Strings teacher in the Cartwright School District. Originally a Pennsylvania native, Alicia received her Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a concentration on flute and piccolo. During her time in Phoenix, she has taught students who have participated in the ASU String Project, Greater Phoenix Honors Music Festival, and has led performances at two Phoenix Suns NBA games. She enjoys teaching band instruments as well as strings to beginners, preparing them for further studies as they enter high school. Without outstanding teachers like Ms. Berasi to foster an early love for these instruments within the children who pick them up for the first time, we wouldn't have older kids flourishing in their musical studies. She has a reward system that she uses to encourage excellence and a great personality!

Violin Teacher

Andrew has established himself as an extraordinary chamber musician, soloist, and teacher throughout America. As a former member of the critically acclaimed Fifth House Ensemble, he has performed at Columbia University’s Miller Theatre on their Composer Portrait series, on Rush Hour’s yearly summer music series, and participated in many master classes at institutions such as the University of Wisconsin-Madison and New Music on the Point. As a soloist, he specializes in performing great contemporary solo violin pieces. At Ravinia's Bennet Gordon Hall (summer of 2012) he performed David Rakowski’s, When the Bow Breaks, a sonata for solo violin, for which the composer praised ‘Now I like the whole piece, for the very first time!’ In November of 2011 he performed Kevin Puts’ epic solo piece, Arches on a Rush Hour Encore which was broadcast live on Chicago’s WFMT. Considered a champion of new music, Williams has commissioned a number of works for the violin. He has also given seminars on composing for the violin at Roosevelt University and the Fresh Inc. festival.

As a teacher, Williams has been on faculty at the Merit School of Music, teaching violin, viola, and served as string department chair. He was a co-founder of Merit’s Solo String Workshop, which hosted world class

Strings - Woodwinds - Brass

Daniel Greene is a woodwind, brass and strings musician who has been teaching for 30 years in schools as well as private instruction. He has taught all over the United states as a band, strings and music instructor at Eagle’s Erie Charter (Chicago IL), Carmel Integrated Arts School (Caroline County, VA), Weitzel Elementary (Flagstaff, AZ), as well as elementary, middle school and high school band, chorus and drama director at Mammoth Schools (Mammoth Lakes, CA).

Daniel received his B.A. in Music Education with a minor in Music Performance at NAU, and his M.A. in Music Education at GCU. He often performs around the valley at various churches, venues and has played with the North Valley Symphony (second chair), Promusica Orchestra (second chair), as well as the All State Southern California Band (principal chair) and many others. Currently, Daniel is the lead band instructor for the Cartwright District, directing the 4th and 5th grade bands and strings programs in addition to clinics and mentorships all around the valley.

Cello

Hannah received her bachelor’s degree in cello performance at the University of North Florida. She is a cello instructor, piano tuner, and chamber musician. She has over 15 years of musical experience and regularly performs in small and large ensembles with the Symphony of the Southwest and the Southwest Shakespeare Company. She has been teaching cello for over 5 years and is a current member of the Herberger String Quartet, who performs a range of classical and pop music at various venues in the Valley.