Laura Appert received a Master of Music degree in viola performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music in 2002, and a Bachelor of Music degree from Eastern Washington University in 2000.  Laura received Suzuki violin training from Ed Kreitman, Moshe Neumann, and Roger Steig.  Before moving to Bermuda in September 2006, she was active in the Greater Cincinnati area as a teacher, performer, and administrator.  She taught at two community arts schools, was Principal Viola of the Huntington Symphony Orchestra, and played in many other regional symphonies in Kentucky, Indiana, and Southern Ohio. She performed many concerts with her sister Rebecca, also a violinist and Suzuki teacher.  Laura recently returned from a trip to Kosice, Slovakia where she performed with the State Philharmonic with her father as guest conductor.  Currently Laura teaches Suzuki violin, viola, Kindermusik at the Bermuda School of Music.

Chas Arnold has been playing violin since the age of 2.  Graduating from the Colorado College in 2000, he has performed throughout the States, Europe, Japan and Bermuda.  In 2000 he took a position running workshops for music professionals at Carnegie Hall in New York.  After a year at Carnegie he moved to Bermuda to teach Suzuki Violin at the Bermuda School of Music.  He’s helped build the School’s Suzuki programme over the past 8 years and currently sits as the Suzuki Development Coordinator and String Teacher at the Bermuda School of Music.

Shelton Bean was taught the drums by his father, Clarence “Tootsie” Bean. After completing High School at The Berkeley Institute, he went on to  Berklee College of Music on a partial scholarship from The Bermuda Arts Council.  While at Berklee, his drumming instructors were Alan Dawson, Gary Chaffe and Keith Copeland.  After completing his degree in music he was hired by Ghandi Burgess to play with his orchestra at The Southampton Princess Hotel.   There he had the opportunity to play for acts featuring  Freda Payne, Melba Moore, Four Tops, Frankie Avalon, female impersonator Jim Bailey and many more.  Shelton has also played with several local musicians including Ghandi Burgess, Tony Bari, The Joe Wylie Trio and with the Greg Thomson Cabaret.

Moving to the United States for more musical experience, he met the trumpeter Joe Robinson and frequently worked with him.  While working with singer Janis Price, he met the keyboardist Bob Sanger with whom he collaborated on his first CD called “No Words”.  The trio played with several artists around Greensboro, North Carolina - Melva Houston, Joe Robinson with whom he recorded two CDs “Moving On” and “Better Late than Never”.

While in Greensboro, North Carolina, he played for East White Oak Baptist Church and Reid Memorial CME Church. He is currently playing for Vernon Temple AME Church and teaches drumming at The Bermuda School of Music.

Chris Broadhurst took up the guitar as a child and has worked a professional musician for the last 25 years. He has performed continuously during that time both here and overseas and, as a guitarist, is perhaps best known for his country/folk finger picking style. Chris ended his banking career last year to concentrate on music full time. He currently performs dinner theatre, produces radio commercials, does private parties, also pub gigs - and now he teaches acoustic/electric guitar with us too. He describes his musical style as FOROCOCA - Folk Rock Country Calypso.

Chris has performed at the Bermuda Festival, at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington D.C. and at countless other international events. He has opened in Bermuda for many well known international artists, and continues to receive a great deal of airplay on local radio. He has two commercially available CDs and is working on a third.

His original song "Let's Go Down To Bermuda" was recently chosen to go on a CD compilation to commemorate Bermuda's 400th anniversary. It will be released spring 2010.

Lastly, he has been performing at the Bermuda Folk Club for over 30 years, and is co-creator, writer, producer and performer in Bermuda's most beloved comedy show Not The Um Um.

Marcelle Clamens is a gifted singer with a colourful and expressive voice and magnetic stage presence.  Her talent delighted all who witnessed her debut performance in 1990 as soprano soloist in the Bermuda Philharmonic's Verdi Requiem. Marcelle's unquestionable talent earned her the support of many in Bermuda and she was able to pursue intense training at the prestigious College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati in Ohio.  After earning a Bachelor of Music degree with honours in 1996.

She has performed in numerous recital halls in Bermuda and the United States.  This includes her debut performance at the world famous Carnegie Hall in New York City in 1998. Marcelle has also performed in Europe, including Italy, as a major prize winner of the Bellini International Competition and Artists International Recital Management.  She was extremely successful and very well received as one of the main characters, Micaela, in the Bermuda Festival's astounding presentation of Carmen in 2001.  She was invited as guest artist in 2002 and 2003 with the Bermuda Festival's presentation of Word and Walk Together Children respectively.  Since that time, she has had many invitations to sing in Germany, England and Canada.

She has studied with renowned coaches and teachers such as Mr. Charles Reicker (deceased), Artistic Liaison of the Metropolitan Opera, New York, Mr. Gildo Denunzio, Assistant Conductor of the Metropolitan Opera (now retired) and the coach to Luciano Pavarotti  (deceased).  She also studied with Mr. Wayne Sanders, Co-founder of Opera Ebony, New York,  as well as with Ms. Mary Henderson Stuckey, Head of the Voice Department College-Conservatory of Music and Ms. Sylvia Plyver, coach to international renowned soprano, Kathleen Battle.  Ms. Plyver is a voice coach at College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati.  Mr. David Brewer of Brewer International based in Germany is her present coach.

She has since turned her attention to teaching voice. In 2001, Marcelle taught with the Jackson School of Performing Arts from 2002 to 2003 and then branched off to teach voice privately from 2003 to 2006.  She joined the staff at the Bermuda School of Music in January of 2007 as a vocal teacher. She has also directed the Talent Explosion, for the past five years, along with her husband, Michael.  This event gives an opportunity to introduce her own voice students as well as talented Bermudians and Bermuda based artists.

Stephen Crawford was born in Glasgow, Scotland. He took an interest in playing guitar at age 15 listening to recordings of his favourite rock music and performing with friends at  the local youth club. After a period of time he began studying with James Polland  who was a profound musical influence.

He has performed in masterclasses in Scotland, England and the US. His debut concerto was 1998 at St Theresa’s Cathedral where he performed the Vivaldi Guitar Concerto in D Major. In 1999 he passed the Advanced Certificate of the ABRSM with Grade A in performance and in 2001 the licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music. He has given Concerts in the Scotland, England and Bermuda, notably the Bermuda Festival 2002 in which he performed Rodrigo’s Concerto Aranjuez. In 2004 Stephen founded the Bermuda Guitar Festival, which is now in it’s sixth year.

Caroline Eaton graduated from Bath Spa University in BA (Hons) in Music in 2001. She then went on to complete her Music Teaching in Professional Practice Post Graduate diploma.  Then taught privately and in schools in Derbyshire UK. She joined the Derby Concert Orchestra in 2001 and later became the cellist in what is now the Derventio String Quartet, where she still performs for events when back home in Derbyshire.

In 2006 Caroline accepted the job of cello and piano teacher at the Bermuda School of Music where she is currently teaching, cello, piano, Kindermusik, accompanying Suzuki group classes, and performing for corporate events as a solo cellist and as part of small ensembles. She has performed for larger events including being part of the backing strings for Smokey Robinson in 2007 and has worked alongside the singer song writer Heather Nova for the IBM event in 2008 and other corporate events. She has also performed larger classical works alongside her colleagues such as the Mendelssohn Octet for Strings and the Brahms Piano Quintet in F Minor. Other performances have included playing cello with the Bermuda Chamber Choir and Philharmonic Orchestra.

Ryan Ellis received his MM, University of Massachusetts in Choral Conducting; MM, Longy School of Music in Composition; BM, Louisiana State University in Organ Performance and Composition.  He studied orchestral conducting with Jeffrey Rink, of Concert Opera Boston and choral conducting with Wayne Abercrombie, UMass choirs. Director of the Bermuda Chamber Choir and Treble Choir he teaches Voice, Piano and Theory.  Ryan also serves as Organist and Choirmaster at the Anglican Cathedral of Bermuda.  He was a guest clinician for the Bermuda Choral Workshop, 2007 and recipient of the ASCAP award for compositions. 

David France grew up in Connecticut where he studied violin in the pre-college division of the Hartt School of Music.   He obtained a BA in Music and a MM in Violin Performance from the University of Minnesota. Before coming to Bermuda he taught at St. Joseph School of Music, The St. Paul Conservatory, and Wichita State University, as assistant to John Harrison.

He is an active soloist and Chamber musician.  He has performed with The Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra, The Wichita Symphony, The Hartford Symphony, the Minnesota Orchestra, and the National Orchestral Institute Orchestra.  He has performed with Josh Grobin, Dave Lubbin, Voices of Freedom Gospel Choir, and Smokey Robinson. David has recorded with Dave Lubben, Conspiracy among Friends, Golden and Twisted Linguistics.   He is a member of Two to Tango with classical guitarist Louise Southwood and is simultaneously working on a collaborative debut CD in Brooklyn, New York.   His major teachers include Sally O'Reilly, Samantha George, and Aaron Janse.

Raymond George was born and raised in Toronto and obtained a BA in Music from the University of Toronto. He has had the privilege of studying piano with William Aide, Larysa Kuzmenko and choral music with Brainerd Blyden-Taylor. He received the Lloyd Bradshaw Prize and an Ontario Service Award for choral excellence and music direction in community programs. Raymond’s diverse musical background in jazz, gospel, rock, choral music and piano performance has taken him all over the world. In 2009, he toured Canada with the Sean Jones Band for WIDEawake Entertainment. He was Director of Music for the Toronto Children’s Concert Choir that toured England in 2007 and produced their Covenant Award wining record “Our Message”. Before moving to Bermuda he was Director of Music for the Christ Church B.M.E Conference in Toronto.

Oliver Grant studied piano in Madrid Conservatoire and later in Bath Spa University and Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. He has performed in London, Bath, Chester, Manchester, Derby, Nottingham, Madrid and Bermuda.

Concertos include Rachmaninov`s second piano concerto with the Bath Philharmonic and later with the Derby Concert orchestra. He performed the Liszt Piano Concerto #1 with the Chester Philharmonic orchestra. Since September 2006, he has been teaching piano at the Bermuda School of Music and is the Organist at Christ Church, Warwick.

Lisa Hollis began her violin studies at the age of five with Suzuki violin teacher Ellie Albers LeRoux.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music and English from Milligan College and a Master of Music degree in violin performance with an emphasis in Suzuki pedagogy from Northern Arizona University.  Her violin instructors include Dr. Louise Scott, Mark Zelmanovich, Shlomo Mintz, Mark Bjork, and William Barbini. Ms. Hollis has studied pedagogy with Ellie Albers LeRoux, Dr. Kellie Brown, Libby Armour, Linda Fiore, Ed Kreitman, Karin Hallberg, and Louise Scott. 

Ms. Hollis also enjoys conducting and has served as conductor for the Milligan College Concert Choir, the Flagstaff Youth Orchestra, the Northern Arizona University Orchestra, as well as for the Bermuda School of Music’s Youth Orchestra.

Ms. Hollis joined the faculty of the Bermuda School of Music in 2003 as a Suzuki violin instructor.  Before joining the faculty of the Bermuda School of Music she taught violin and viola at Talent Education of Appalachia and Northern Arizona Preparatory School, as well as at music workshops in Tennessee, Arizona, and South Dakota.

While in Bermuda, Lisa has performed at the Bermuda School of Music’s Some Enchanted Evening, the Bermuda Music Festival, and as part of the Bermuda Philharmonic Orchestra.

 Lloyd Matthew, pianist, organist and choral director, is a graduate of Andrews University in Michigan where he received a Master of Music Education degree. 

His experience as a music teacher in Bermuda Schools has been at the primary, middle and secondary levels.  During this time, he was responsible for introducing handbell ringing at Elliott Primary, Southampton Glebe and Whitney Institute Middle School, where until June 2006, he held the post of Co-ordinator of Arts.

In addition to his commitments as Music Director, he is also the Music Director of The Ensemble Singers and Director of Music and Organist at Wesley Methodist Church

Margaret Macpherson is a piano and music theory teacher and accompanist.  She holds qualifications in music: ARCT, LMM, and in English Literature: MA.  She has taught as a member of both the Manitoba and the Ontario Registered Music Teachers Associations and teaches currently for the Bermuda School of Music, Pembroke, Bermuda. 

Margaret has performed with chamber groups in Canada and Bermuda.  She has played as an accompanist for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Ottawa's The School of Dance and currently the Bermuda School of Russian Ballet. 

Professional development has included training with Ronald Turini, James Dick, John McKay and Alma Brock-Smith.  Most recently, in the summer of 2007, she completed part one of the Bigler/Lloyd-Watts 'Mastering the Piano' Teacher Development Course in Kingston, Ontario.

Janice Pearman received both her Certificate in Music in 1997 and Bachelor of Musical Arts in 2001 from the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago. A self taught guitarist at age ten Janice also possess up to Grade 8 in Music Theory. Before migrating to Bermuda in 2002 Janice taught for 12 years at the primary level and was the Music Director of both the Church and School choirs. This meant performance every weekend at church and other related functions.

Janice also holds a Master in Education Curriculum and Technology from the University of Phoenix. She is presently the Music Teacher at Paget Primary School and runs the only steelband programme in the public school system. Within this programme, she arranges and directs the band which has performed at different events including The Music Festival, Drumline and Premier’s Concert. Mrs. Pearman has recently joined the staff of the Bermuda School of Music as the Steelband Teacher.

Jennifer Sheridan is from Chicago, Illinois and began her violin studies at the age of 4 through The Northfield Suzuki String Academy. Jennifer received a Masters degree in performance from DePaul University and received a Music Education/Performance degree from Western Illinois University in her BA studies.

Locally, Jennifer was Concertmaster for the Bermuda Festival Orchestra in 2001 and has performed extensively for many international events on the Island with the Bermuda School of Music, The Bermuda Philharmonic, and the Gilbert & Sullivan Society.

Louise Southwood was born in Paris in 1978. Her guitar playing began at an early age with many competition successes and performances throughout the UK. At age twelve she began studying privately with the eminent guitarist Carlos Bonell. Carlos has been a major and lasting influence on her musical career. In 2000 she was awarded a Bachelor of Music degree from The Royal College of Music in London. There, Louise worked with Gary Ryan on both solo guitar and guitar accompaniment. This was an intense performing period and involved collaborations with many other musicians as well as master classes with some of the world’s most renowned guitarists.

After a year of traveling and performing throughout Australia Louise returned to London where she and Daniel Chandler formed an acclaimed guitar and flute duo. Performance engagements within the UK were highlighted by appearances at The Trinity Chapel, Cambridge and The Dillington Guitar Festival.

Louise currently holds the position of a classical guitar teacher at The Bermuda School of Music. Since arriving in Bermuda in 2004, she has been fully involved in the Island’s musical scene and has released her debut solo C.D ‘Emergence’. She also performs as part of a Violin and Guitar duo with David France which has provided many performing opportunities including The Bermuda Guitar Festival and performances in Kodi and Goa in India.

Eileen Stone began studying piano at the age of 8 in southern Ontario, with piano teachers Evelyn Roe and Elsie Dobson with the Royal Conservatory of Music.  She started teaching piano privately in 1989 under the tutelage of Marion McClements and Linda Herlihey through the Pickering ORMTA.  She has accompanied vocalists for the Oshawa Kiwanis and Pickering Rotary Music Festivals in Ontario, and a violin student for RCM exams.  Eileen led music circles with children from infants to 12 years of age, at the PRYDE Daycare Centres in Durham Region,  Ontario, for almost 10 years.  She also played the organ at church services; for weddings at church and piano/keyboard/flute at other locations; and for funerals at church and Accetone Funeral Home in Ajax. Eileen attended several sessions of Dr. Kenneth Inkster’s SICM, RCM piano workshops, and an organ workshop with Diane Bish.  Eileen is happy to be teaching piano at the Bermuda School of Music and encouraging a love of music in her students.

Olga Zeidel began her musical studies on the violin at the age of four and switched to the piano at age ten.  She graduated with honours from Ludkevich College and later obtained her Master’s degree in piano performance and pedagogy from Lysenko Conservatory of Music in Lviv, Ukraine.  Ms. Zeidel moved to Toronto, Canada after winning the Ludkevich Competition in 1995.  She is also the first prize winner of the Kiwanis Festival in Toronto.  Before moving to Bermuda she worked as a teacher and accompanist for the Vesnivka Choir, TrypTych Production, and the International School for Musical Arts.