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 she also has a Master’s in Arts and Liberal Studies from S.U.N.Y. Brockport and is a graduate of the Spencerport School District. Dori plays organ and piano for the church service in addition to the keyboard for the church praise band at The United Church of Christ also known as The White Church in the village of Spencerport. She also subs as an organist and pianist at other churches in the area when needed. She is a retired vocal and instrumental music teacher at Leo Bernabi Elementary School in Spencerport. In the studio, she teaches piano, keyboard and school band instruments.
Sean Conlon has a B.M. in Music Education from the Crane School of Music where his concentration was tuba with a minor in Jazz Studies. He 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 other bands. Sean has opened for such acts as Average White Band, Little Feat, The Subdudes and The Campbell Brothers. He is also an adjunct at FLCC where he teaches Jazz Bass and has a student jazz ensemble. Sean is happy to be teaching in his hometown of Spencerport. In the studio, he teaches guitar, bass, brass, percussion and piano.
Mercie Frink has a B.M. In music education from SUNY Fredonia and is a graduate of Spencerport school district. Mercie is teaching vocal general music at Leo Bernabi School in Spencerport. She has experience working with students of all ages. Her primary instrument is voice. Mercie teaches voice, beginning piano, and beginning violin.
Laura Mance has a B. S. in Music Education from Nazareth University and a Masters in Performance from SUNY Fredonia and masters in Music Education from Nazareth University. Laura is a graduate of the Spencerport School District and currently teaches vocal music at Spencerport High School. She enjoys singing in her church as well as solo performing. Laura teaches voice in the studio.
Dylon Walbridge has a B.S. in Piano Performance from Roberts Wesleyan College. Growing up in the Spencerport School District, Dylon started taking piano lessons at Dori’s at age four. Dylon continued to enroll in the Eastman Community School where he received instruction from Harriet Zimmerman throughout high school. His other teachers include local musicians John Viavattine, Michael Landrum, and Mike Van Allen. Dylon has extensive performing experience including stage productions, solo recitals, collaborative chamber and orchestral work, as well as his experience leading his own Rochester-based jazz bands, Behrcat, THIEF!, WILDRY Jazz Quarter. He has performed in pit bands for such stage productions as You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown and Les Miserables and performed with the Roberts Wesleyan Community Orchestra, playing the final two movements of George Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F. Dylon has strong backgrounds in classical, jazz, music theory, and composition, and is enthusiastic about teaching students of all ages and skill levels. He is flexible to work with students to pursue any piece or other genre of music they are enthusiastic about. He is an adjunct professor at FLCC, teaching classical and jazz piano, directing a jazz ensemble and accompanying the chorale. In the studio, Dylon teaches classical and jazz piano.
Leanne Zito has a B.S. in music education from Roberts Wesleyan College and a M.Ed from University at Buffalo. She has taught 4-6th grade instrumental music at Kendall Central schools for 9 years and has instructed private piano and woodwind lessons for over 10 years. Presently she teaches middle school bands and jazz bands at East Rochester School District. Leanne’s primary instruments are piano and flute and has performed in the Hilton Gazebo Band for the past 5 years. She performs on organ and piano at local churches and has performed in several pit orchestras in the Rochester area. In her spare time she likes to run and spend time with her family. She teaches woodwinds and piano.
In Memory of …
Dave Lott was the first guitar and bass guitar teacher when we started adding teachers in the studio. Dave had a degree from Berklee School of Music. He taught a variety of styles of music and played in several bands in the Rochester area. In the studio he taught bass guitar, guitar, and electric guitar. Dave passed away unexpectedly in July 2024. We all miss him dearly.