Our Instructors
Katherine Colburn/ Director and Cello Instructor
Mrs. Colburn received her Bachelors degree in Cello Performance from the University of Miami in 1997, and her Masters degree in Cello Performance from George Mason University in 2009. She has been a cellist with the Prince William Symphony, Manassas Chorale and the Manassas String Quartet. Mrs. Colburn is currently the Assistant Principal cellist of the National String Symphonia as well as the Principal cellist of the Fredericksburg Symphony. She is also an Adjunct Professor of Cello at the University of Mary Washington.
Anna Henke/ Cello Instructor
Anna Henke graduated from Lawrence Conservatory in Wisconsin in 2010 with a Bachelors degree in Cello Performance and Instrumental and General Music Education. She is the orchestra director at both the Nokesville School and Brentsville High School in Prince William County.
Ms. Henke currently performs as a freelance cellist in the DMV area.
Sam Runolfson/ Cello Instructor
Sam Runolfson graduated from Weber State University with a Bachelors of Music Education degree and then received his Masters degree in Cello Performance from the University of Utah. Sam currently teaches elementary strings in Prince William County.
Mr. Runolfson is the Principal cellist for the Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic.
Katie Huszcza/ Cello Instructor
Ms. Katherine Huszcza received her Bachelor of Music degree in Cello Performance from The Catholic University of America. Following this, she earned her Master of Music degree in Cello Performance with a specialization in PreK-12 Music Education from Carnegie Mellon University where she was a student of Anne Martindale Williams, Principal Cellist of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. She is also an alumnus of the Sewanee Summer Music Festival.
Ms. Huszcza is currently the Orchestra Director at Parkside Middle School in Manassas, VA.
Joe Ichniowski/ Cello Instructor
Joe Ichniowski is a cellist and cello instructor based in Gaithersburg, MD. He received his Bachelor of Music with a focus in Music Therapy from Howard University in 2017 and studied cello performance under Drew Owen. Formerly the principal cellist for the Washington Metropolitan Gamer Symphony Orchestra, Joe has also performed with the Sinfonietta of Washington and the Old Bridge Chamber Orchestra. When his schedule allows, Joe enjoys performing in pit orchestras for local theatres and has performed with Ovations Theatre, Rockville Music Theatre, Free Range Humans, and Levine Music Theatre. When he isn't practicing or teaching, you can find him buried in a sci-fi/fantasy novel or in your local climbing gym.
Stephen Kelsey/ Bass Instructor
Stephen Kelsey received his Bachelors of Music Education degree from West Virginia University. He was awarded a full scholarship from the School of Music where he studied double bass with Dr. Andrew Kohn.
Mr. Kelsey is the orchestra director at Osbourn Park High School in Prince William County, VA.
Brian Slaymaker/ Guitar & Bass Guitar Instructor
Brian Slaymaker received his Bachelors of Music in Guitar Performance from George Mason University. He is an experienced performer in classical music as well as rock, along with other musical genres.
Brian teaches his students a strong foundation of music theory along with proper instrument specific techniques to ensure that his students will excel in any musical style that they choose.
Carol Brobst/ Violin & Viola Instructor
Carol Brobst has enjoyed a long career as both a violinist and violist. She performed with the Richmond Symphony for 13 years as well as the National Gallery Orchestra for 18 years.
Ms. Brobst has taught private violin and viola for 36 years, along with coaching chamber ensembles, has been a director for a youth orchestra program and founded a summer music institute.
Chris Dixon/ Violin & Viola Instructor
Chris Dixon graduated from Shenandoah Conservatory in 2007 with a Bachelors degree in Music Education. He graduated from Eastern Illinois University in 2023 with a Master of Arts in Music: Music Education Concentration. Mr. Dixon is currently the Principal 2nd violinist and orchestra manager of the Old Bridge Chamber Orchestra in Woodbridge, VA as well as a violinist with the Fredericksburg Symphony.
Mr. Dixon teaches elementary strings in Prince William County, VA.
Jennifer Bockstege/ Violin & Viola Instructor
Jennifer Bockstege received her Bachelors degree in Viola Performance from Hope College in 2009. She received both her Masters degree in Viola Performance as well as a Post-Master’s Certificate from DePaul University in 2011 and 2013 respectively.
Currently, Mrs. Bockstege teaches elementary strings in Fairfax County, VA.
Jen Ransdell/ Violin & Viola Instructor
Jen Ransdell graduated from the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA with a Bachelors degree in Music. She went on to receive her Masters degree in Music Education from Shenandoah Conservatory in 2013.
Ms. Ransdell has taught strings in Prince William County for the past 22 years at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.
Pamela Ferguson/ Violin Instructor
Pamela Ferguson received a degree in music from Case Western Reserve University in 1977. Ms. Pam is certified in the Suzuki Method through Book 6 and taught at the acclaimed Levine School of Music for seven years.
Ms. Pam currently performs with the band Shenandoah Run.
Matt Gattuso/ Violin, Viola, and Piano Instructor
Matthew Gattuso received his Bachelors degree from the College of William & Mary with a concentration in piano and composition in 2011. He went on to earn his Masters in String Pedagogy from George Mason University in 2015.
Mr. Gattuso performs regularly as a freelance musician in the DC area as well as being Assistant Principal violist of the National String Symphonia.
Rob Leong/ Violin and Viola Instructor
Rob Leong is a violinist and violist from Fredericksburg, Virginia. Rob currently works at the WM Mason II Violin shop as a repairman and plays viola in the Fredericksburg Symphony; through both, he participates in outreach programs with public schools in the surrounding counties. Rob also performs on violin and viola regularly with the Melodious Strings Studio.
Rob holds degrees from West Virginia University and Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.
Ryan Tusing/Piano Instructor (virtual)
Pianist, Ryan Tusing is an active performer and teacher. He received his Bachelors degree in Piano Performance from Bob Jones University in 2016. He has since taken courses from James Madison University towards a Masters degree in piano performance.
Ryan is interested in both solo and collaborative playing, performing regularly in both capacities.
Nadiia Shvedko/Piano Instructor
Nadiia Shvedko, born in Ukraine, earned a bachelor’s degree in piano jazz performance and education at the prestigious Ukraine Music conservatory named after M. Glinka Dnipropetrovsk Academy of Music. As a young student, she started teaching piano to others and joined the faculty at a local music school in later years of her education. Nadiia successfully graduated in 2016.
Nadiia’s goal is to inspire a love for music and help her students achieve their musical aspirations while providing a supportive and encouraging learning environment.
Michelle Ayler/Piano Instructor
Michelle Ayler attended and graduated from Duke Ellington School for the Arts in Washington, DC. She later attended Radford University and received her music degree in piano and composition. Michelle is an avid composer and piano teacher in Northern Virginia.
Katie Highfill/Flute Instructor
Katie Highfill earned a Bachelors degree in Music Education from The College of Saint Rose (Albany, NY) in 2009. She also studied flute and piccolo with Jan Angus, piccolo for the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, at the Eastman Community Music School. She is the orchestra director at Patriot High School in Prince William County. Mrs. Highfill has performed with several orchestras in Virginia. Currently, she plays piccolo in the Fredericksburg Symphony Orchestra.
Sherry Rice/Voice Instructor
Sherry earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music/Education from Ashland University, where she studied both voice and piano. In addition, she has earned a Certificate in Vocal Performance from the London College of Music. Sherry also spent several years in New York city studying voice and acting before moving to Northern Virginia.
While in NYC, she performed in several off Broadway plays and showcases. Sherry had roles in productions of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Pippin, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Fiddler on the Roof among others. She has a particular passion for musical theatre as well as experience coaching students on song selection, audition and performance technique.