Our school employs professionals from all over the world.
Meet Our Staff
KYLE WEHNER (Owner/Director; Violin/Viola)
BIRTHPLACE: Midland, Michigan
EDUCATION: BM in Viola Performance, Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (2000); Suzuki Certified, Member of SAA EXPERIENCE: Playing since 1985, teaching since 1994 INTERESTING FACT: Plays Violin and Viola part time with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. Also owns a wedding music business, Wehner Weddings.
Kyle Wehner (Owner/Director)
Peg Gillick (OFFICE MANAGER)
PEG GILLICK (Office Manager)
BIRTHPLACE: Nowra, Australia
EDUCATION: Bachelor Degree in Secondary Education, Armidale University
EXPERIENCE: Front office manager at WSOTA since 2000
INTERESTING FACT: Plays well with kangaroos and dingos!
ASHLEY CARR (Director of Dance)
BIRTHPLACE: Fort Wayne, Indiana
EDUCATION: Currently attending St. John's River Community College to pursue a Degree in Business while working towards a Dance Master Certification.
EXPERIENCE: Performing since 1991, teaching since 2000. INTERESTING FACTS: Member of the dance team for the Jacksonville Jam. Took classes from judges on the show, "So You Think You Can Dance"
EDUCATION: BA Business, University of North Florida; Certified in Vocology from the National Center of Voice and Speech in Denver, Colorado; Certified in Somatic Voicework, The LoVetri Method (tm)
YEARS TEACHING: 40+ years YEARS PERFORMING: 50 years
INTERESTING FACT: Vocology is a new discipline in the area of voice science. To date only about 100 people are certified worldwide. Judy has performed solo in opera, oratorio, jazz cabaret and musical theater.
BARBARA BROACH (Piano/Keyboard) BIRTHPLACE: Cape Girardeau, Missouri; Home town - New Madrid, Missouri (famous for New Madrid earthquake fault)
EDUCATION: BA in English, University of Mississippi; MAT in English, Brown University
YEARS TEACHING: Piano since 1989; Has also taught English in high school, community colleges, and as a second language in Japan. INTERESTING FACT: I married Robert Broach in 1968. We've lived in MS, VA, RI, Spain, Japan and now here. We have two grown children, Adrianne in Atlanta and David in the Virgin Islands. I'm an avid tennis player, reader and traveler. I also love to cook, especially dishes picked up on trips.
Barbara Broach (PIANO)
Pete Winders (GUITAR)
PETE WINDERS (Guitar)
BIRTHPLACE: Tampa, Florida
EDUCATION: BA in Psychology, UNF; BA in Music, UNF
EXPERIENCE: 20+ years playing, 10+ years teaching
INTERESTING FACT: Pete plays guitar in a band called "3" and is currently touring with Donovan Frankenreiter.
VIOLETA RADLOVSKA ZEBEAU (Piano/Voice)
BIRTHPLACE: Sumy, Ukraine
EDUCATION: BM in Piano, University of Culture (Kieve Ukraine); BM in Piano, Musical College (Sumy, Ukraine)
EXPERIENCE: 40+ years playing, 25+ years teaching INTERESTING FACT: First performance was at the age of 4 1/2 as a soloist with a chorus.
Violeta Radlovska Zebea (PIANO / VOICE)
KRISTINA ROBLOW (Piano/Woodwinds)
BIRTHPLACE: Jacksonville, FL
EDUCATION: BS in Music Education - USF
EXPERIENCE: Performing Since 1999, Teaching since 2005.
INTERESTING FACT: Marched in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland with the Ridgeview High School Band in 2005. I am in the women's music fraternity, Sigma Alpha Iota.
JORDAN MIXSON (Violin)
BIRTHPLACE: Jacksonville, FL
EDUCATION: Music Major at UNF, class of 2009
EXPERIENCE: Performing Violin Since 1997, Teaching at WSOTA since 2007.
INTERESTING FACT: I love to write my own music in my free time.
Jordan Mixson (VIOLIN)
Tatyana Detkova (PIANO)
TATYANA DETKOVA (Piano)
BIRTHPLACE: Potsdam, Germany
EDUCATION: BM in Piano, Musical-Pedagogical College of Kiev, Ukraine; Suzuki Certified from Atlanta
EXPERIENCE: 35+ years playing, 25+ years teaching
INTERESTING FACT: For 10 years I worked in Artistic Gymnastics with Russia's famous choreographers and gymnasts. Since 1990 I've worked in St. Petersburg with Russian Ballet on the ice, traveled on tours around Russia and Europe with actors, composers and singers. I had met and worked with Olympic and World Champions of Figure Skating from St. Petersburg, Russia.
EXPERIENCE: In the music business for over 20 years, teaching Kindermusik since 2004.
INTERESTING FACT: Jennifer is the Vice President of Worship Concepts Network, Inc. She is also a Worship Leader, Songwriter and Conference Speaker.
Jennifer Bassett (Kindermusik)
Jeff Reynolds (GUITAR)
JEFF REYNOLDS (Guitar)
BIRTHPLACE: Jacksonville, FL
EDUCATION: Paramedic / Firefighter
EXPERIENCE: 45 Years Performing, 20 Years Teaching
INTERESTING FACT: 18th Century History Re-Enactor, French & Indian War Period
ANNA CRISTODERO (Woodwinds)
BIRTHPLACE: Long Branch, NJ
EDUCATION: AA in Music, UNF; BA in Music Education, UNF
EXPERIENCE: Performing since 1978, Teaching since 1987
INTERESTING FACT: Started with WSOTA (then Suzuki Talent) as a student in 1986. I have known Kyle Wehner since he was eight years old.
Anna Cristodero (WOODWINDS)
Rick Benedetto (BRASS / GUITAR)
RICK BENEDETTO (Brass/Guitar/Percussion)
BIRTHPLACE: Salisbury, MD
EDUCATION: Attended FSU, UNF and UCF
EXPERIENCE: Teaching since 2003. Rick was a member of the Jazz Band for Tokyo Disney and toured with the musical show "Blast"
INTERESTING FACT: Plays in "KC and the Sunshine Band"
DANAE CAREY (Dance)
BIRTHPLACE: Jacksonville, FL
EDUCATION: FCCJ "Dance Works"; Dansations Performing Arts " Next Step" Company, 2005-2007; The Florida Ballet, 2004-2005. EXPERIENCE: Performing Since 1995, Teaching Since 2002.
INTERESTING FACT: I was home-schooled Kindergarten through 12th Grade.
Danae Carey (DANCE)
Linwood Noble (PERCUSSION)
LINWOOD NOBLE (Percussion)
BIRTHPLACE: Sanford, Maine
EDUCATION: AS in Business; BS in Management; Currently working on MBA.
EXPERIENCE: 15 Years Performing, 5 Years Teaching.
INTERESTING FACT: I have a wife and two kids. I play in local and national bands.
LAURA TAWNEY (Store Manager)
BIRTHPLACE: St. Paul, MN
EXPERIENCE: Wehner's Music & Dance Supply, Store Manager since 2008.
INTERESTING FACT: I have two teenage boys and have been married for 16 years. My boys are both in the school band, one on Saxophone and the other on Baritone.
Laura Tawney (SUPPLY STORE MANAGER)
JENNELLE COMISKY (Pottery)
BIRTHPLACE: Orange Park, FL
EDUCATION: BS in Ceremic Arts from FSU; minor in music, piano at FSU
EXPERIENCE: Working with pottery since 1995, teaching ceramics and pottery since 2001.
INTERESTING FACT: The furthest I've shipped a pottery order is Bulgaria. I know Sign Language and I am in the process of earning graduate degrees in Art Education, Art Therapy and Deaf Education.
ROBERT ZIELINSKI (Violin/Fiddle)
BIRTHPLACE: Lakewood, Ohio
EDUCATION: North Carolina School of the Arts; Cleveland Institute; Interlochen Arts Academy; Suzuki Certified through East Carolina University.
EXPERIENCE: Played violin since 1975, teaching since 1992.
INTERESTING FACT: Started Suzuki violin at age of three. My car runs on vegetable oil and gets 55 miles per gallon.
Robert Zielinski (VIOLIN / FIDDLE)
Faye Tarin (GUITAR / FIDDLE)
FAYE TARIN (Guitar/Fiddle)
BIRTHPLACE: Tifton, GA
EDUCATION: WSOTA, 1995-1999.
EXPERIENCE: Performing Since 1998, Teaching Since 2003.
INTERESTING FACT: Plays Fiddle and is the lead vocal in "The Blue River Travellers," a bluegrass / gospel band, which has recorded one CD already. Also volunteers weekly to play for seniors and veterans.
JARRET KNUTH (Guitar)
BIRTHPLACE: Gainesville, FL
EDUCATION: Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA
EXPERIENCE: Performing Since 2001, Teaching Since 2004.
INTERESTING FACT: I can make a lot of creative things with balloons, even a balloon guitar!
Kourtney Taylor (OFFICE STAFF)
KOURTNEY TAYLOR (Office Staff)
BIRTHPLACE: Jacksonville, FL
EXPERIENCE: WSOTA employee since 2008
INTERESTING FACT: I Love the outdoors. My hobbies include hunting, riding motorcycles and swimming. I've also been skydiving...scary, but exciting!
MARK GIBSON (Guitar)
BIRTHPLACE: South Bend, Indiana EDUCATION: BM, Jazz Performance, UNF
INTERESTING FACT: Studied with Tim Reynolds (Dave Matthews Band) and Shawn Lane. Performed with Slash, John Wilkes (Red Jumpsuit App), Spin Doctors, Hootie and the Blowfish, Avi Bortnick (John Scofield Band), and many others...
