Teachers

Our teachers have a wide breadth of education and experience. We can find the perfect fit for your music student.

Dori Swarthout has a B.M. in Music Education from Mansfield University in Pennsylvania and a Masters in Arts and Liberal Studies from S.U.N.Y. Brockport and is a graduate of the Spencerport School District. Dori is one of the organists at the First Congregational Church and teaches general music at Leo Bernabi Elementary School in Spencerport. In the studio, she teaches piano and keyboard.

Nicole Bell graduated with a Bachelors in Music Education from Nazareth College. She taught general music and orchestra for two years at Lancaster Central Schools and general music for one year at Urban Choice Charter school. Nicole is absolutely obsessed with the cello and has been playing from the age of 9. She also plays the violin, viola and string bass and loves to fiddle. Nicole enjoys playing in a cello quartet, playing in musical pits, and community orchestras. Nicole's major instrument is cello. In the studio she teaches, violin, viola, cello and string bass.

Sean Conlon has a B.M. in Music Education from the Crane School of Music where his concentration was tuba and is also a graduate of the Spencerport School District. Sean is an active bassist around the New York area, freelancing and playing with the Uptown Groove and the Brockport Big Band. Sean also plays tuba in the Music Educator's Wind Ensemble. Sean has opened for such acts as Average White Band, Little Feat, The Subdudes and The Campbell Brothers. He is happy to be teaching in his hometown of Spencerport. In the studio, he teaches guitar, banjo, bass, brass and piano.

Christian DeGrave has a Bachelors degree in Music Education and Music Performance from SUNY Fredonia. He actively participated in Saxophone Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, and various jazz ensembles. He has been subbing in the Le Roy Central School District. Christian also plays as a freelance musician. Some of his contracts include employment for Nik Entertainment and Royal Caribbean International. Christian plans on getting is Masters in Jazz Performance and becoming an instrumental music teacher. In the studio he teaches, saxophone, flute and clarinet.

Danielle Falco Frink is thrilled to be returning to Dori’s. Danielle is a voice and piano teacher who has a Masters degree in vocal performance and literature from The Eastman school of Music and a Bachelors in Voice from Houghton college. Danielle is a lyric soprano who has performed in Italy and now performs regularly with Mercury Opera Rochester, local musical theater organizations and also at universities, churches and other events in the greater Rochester area. Danielle is the assistant choir director and children's choir director at The Fathers House in Chili, and she also stays very busy with being a mom to her three kids ages 6, 8 and 10. In the studio, Danielle teaches voice and piano.

Stephen Georger has a B. M. in Music Education and a B. M. in Music from Syracuse University and also graduated from Spencerport School District. At Syracuse University, Stephen has performed in the Wind Ensemble, Symphony Band and Jazz Ensemble. While a student at Syracuse University, he studied music composition and theory extensively. Stephen's primary instruments are piano and trumpet. In the studio, he teaches piano, brass instruments and beginner woodwinds.

Colin Gordon has a Bachelors of Music from SUNY Purchase in Jazz Studies: Saxophone Performance and is working on his Masters in Music at the Eastman School of Music. Colin has performed in small and large jazz ensembles at various jazz clubs in New York City and across Europe. Aside from playing, he also finds a great amount of inspiration teaching engaged students. Colin is teaching saxophone, flute and clarinet at Dori's Music Studio..

Kurt Griffen has many years of experience in playing and teaching guitar. He has also studied voice for many years and has been in many local opera and musical productions. Kurt is a member of Adam’s band, Index Patient and in August 2007, Kurt studied music in Italy. In the studio he teaches guitar, bass guitar and voice.

Nora Hampton has a B.S. in Music Education from Roberts Wesleyan College. Nora is a retired general music teacher. In the studio, she teaches piano and keyboard.

Michael Lasaponara has a Bachelor's in Sound Recording from SUNY Fredonia under producer Dave Fridmann (The Flaming Lips, Thursday, Ok Go). His father, an education graduate of the Eastman School of Music sparked his passion for drumming at the age of four. During his high school years at the Aquinas Institute, Michael played and performed in the drum line, jazz band, concert band, and in musical productions. In addition to his formal education and numerous years of extensive touring, Michael has furthered his knowledge by studying under the likes of Brooks Wackerman (Bad Religion) and Chris Pennie (Coheed and Cambria). In the studio he teaches Percussion.

Elizabeth Lewicki graduated from Roberts Wesleyan College with a B.S. in Music Education concentrating in piano. While attending Roberts she received the Roy S. Harner Music Scholarship. She was a member, as well as one of the accompanists, for the Roberts Wesleyan Chorale and accompanied solo vocalists and instrumentalists. She has been teaching private lessons since 9th grade and has experience working with children of all ages. In the studio, she teaches all levels of piano lessons.

Chris McGlen graduated from Musicians Institute with a certificate in performance from the percussion division, PIT. He previously studied percussion at SUNY Fredonia. A graduate of SUNY Brockport with a BS degree in business, Chris has been employed at Whirlwind Music since 1995. He has been playing drums and teaching for many years at all levels, sometimes even teaching the teachers! In the studio, he teaches percussion.

Justin Passamonte has a B.A. in Music from Nazareth College as well as an A.S. in Music Recording Technology from Finger Lakes Community College. He is a professional drummer who has been performing in the Rochester area for over 10 years. He is proficient in a wide range of musical styles including blues, rock, jazz, reggae, funk, and hip-hop. Justin currently plays drums and sings for the Rochester-based group, Nevergreen. In the studio, he teaches percussion.

Kal Ridley has an Associate Degree in Music Performance on Classical Guitar from Monroe Community College and a Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance on Classical Guitar with a a minor in Business Administration from Mansfield University in Pa. He has been a musician since he was 6, growing up playing and performing on multiple instruments. However, the one instrument he has chosen to call his "own" is the guitar. For the past thirteen years Kal has devoted himself to studying, practicing, and performing various styles of guitar music. His specific areas of study include guitar performance, guitar pedagogy, music theory, and fretboard logic. He has studied with Dr. Matthew Slotkin (an Eastman School of Music graduate), Bruce Holzman (Florida State University), and privately with Dr. Nicholas Goluses (guitar professor at Eastman School of Music). Kal has participated in Master classes with David Russell, Rico Stover, Nicholas Goluses, Matthew Slotkin, Denis Azabagic, Martha Masters, Ricardo Cobo, Risa Carlson, and Raphaëlla Smits.

Katie Riegal has a B. S. in Music Education with a double concentration in voice and piano from Roberts Wesleyan College and will be pursuing her Masters in Music Education this year. In addition to piano and voice, Katie also was involved flute choir and jazz choir. In addition to the required classical ensembles, Katie co-directed an all female a'capella for almost 2 years and still arranges for groups in the area. Katie will be teaching vocal general music to students in the middle and high schools at the York Central School District. In the studio, Katie teaches piano and voice.

Adam Scoville has a B. M. in Music Education from Roberts Wesleyan College. Adam is also the lead singer of the band, Index Patient. In the studio he teaches brass, guitar, bass guitar, piano and voice.

Kylie Smith graduated from Roberts Wesleyan College with her B.S. in Music Education. She completed her student teaching in Brighton Central Schools and recently served as a long-term orchestra substitute at Mercy High School. Kylie has studied with Chris Woodard, Townsend Plant, Jim Piorkowski, and Tim Shannon. She has participated in the Fredonia Guitar Ensemble, Roberts Wesleyan Guitar Ensemble, Roberts Wesleyan College Community Orchestra, Women's Choir, and a Tafelmusik master class. Kylie has completed coursework in Guitar Pedagogy, Fretboard Harmony, and String Pedagogy. In the studio she teaches guitar, violin, viola and cello.

Laura Szymanowicz has a B. S. in Music Education from Nazareth College and a Masters in Music Education and Performance from SUNY Fredonia and is a graduate of the Spencerport School District. Laura teaches general music at Canal View and Leo Bernabi Elementary Schools in Spencerport and she is the High School Musical Director. She enjoys singing in her church choir at St. John the Evangelist in Spencerport as well as solo performing. She teaches voice in the studio.

Leanne Swaciak graduated from Roberts Wesleyan College with a B.S. in Music Education concentrating in piano and flute. While attending Roberts she received the Roy Harner Music Scholarship. She is an instrumental teacher at Kendall Elementary School. She teaches piano, woodwinds and beginning percussion at the studio.

Studio Staff


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