Posts in Spec: Music History
Monique Gaddy

Bio: Monique is an instructor and the Assistant Director for Piano Lab of Asheville. With a passion for early childhood music education, she pursued her Kindermusik teaching license in 2019. She is currently teaching piano, voice, guitar, ukulele and Kindermusik classes.

Email: moniquemccreary1@gmail.com

Phone: 828-575-8055

Website Address: pianolabasheville.com

Studio/Store Location, Serving: Asheville

Offering Piano Lessons for: Beginner, Intermediate, Young Children, Elementary, Middle/High School, Adults, Lessons in your home (teacher will travel)

Teaching Styles: Classical, Jazz, Popular

Offering Other Music Lessons for: Voice, Guitar, ukulele ; Kindermusik

Address: Asheville

Lauren Cason

Bio: Lauren Cason is a life-long pianist who had her first piano lesson at age 3. She continued her piano studies through high school then went on to earn a BA in Piano Performance and an MM in Piano Pedagogy. She has taught private lessons for twenty years and loves understanding the unique qualities of each student she teaches. She is an active performer with a solid resume of piano work over her career. Currently, she accompanies Asheville Chorale Society's select ensemble, Tempus. She is also co-founder of the musical nonprofit, For the Folk and makes up half the roots music duo, Songs of the Folk.

Teaching: I teach students from age 7 to young adult. I teach all skill levels and teach in student's homes or online. My husband is a piano tuner if that service is needed.

Teacher Specializations: Classical, Music History, Pedagogy, Popular, Religious, Theory, Virtual

Performing: I am available for full wedding ceremony music and have my own keyboard and sound equipment. I am also available for background piano music at events for 1-2 hours of music.

Performance Styles: Classical, Religious, Improvisation

Email: lpmusic85@gmail.com

Website: Facebook Page

Phone: 803-640-2321

Address: Columbus, NC

Dr. Deborah Belcher

Bio: Dr. Deborah Belcher holds degrees in piano from Winthrop University, Indiana University and Michigan State University, and has performed as recitalist and collaborative pianist throughout the Eastern U.S. and in Canada. She has appeared as soloist with the Blue Ridge Symphony, the Converse College Chamber Orchestra, the Elmhurst Symphony, the Sammartini Chamber Orchestra and the Windermere Chamber Orchestra. Her solo & chamber music performances have been heard in public radio broadcasts throughout the Midwest and the Southeast. She is a member of the music faculty of UNC Asheville and is in demand throughout the Southeastern states as facilitator of the “Instant (Pop) Piano for Hopelessly Busy People” seminar. Dr. Belcher developed an affinity for the music of Latin composers including Astor Piazzolla, became an aficionado of Argentine tango and sometimes performs tangos joined by dancers on stage.

Email: deborah.belcher@icloud.com

Phone: 828-230-7343

Website Address: deborahbelcher.com &/or https://www.facebook.com/AshevillePianoExperience/?ref=bookmarks

Studio/Store Location, Serving: Asheville, Hendersonville, Weaverville, Black Mountain, Canton, All of Western NC, WNC & upper SC

Offering Piano Lessons for: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Young Children, Elementary, Middle/High School, College, Adults

Teaching Styles: Classical, Popular

Offering Other Music Lessons for: Theory, Music History. Piano Pedagogy.

Address: Asheville

Jenna Jaffe

Bio: Jenna Jaffe graduated cum laude from the University of California at Santa Barbara with a Music Degree in Vocal Performance in 1992. She was also accepted into two Masters of Music programs at the renowned New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. Jenna has been teaching private piano, voice, and general music for over 28 years. She specializes in teaching beginning to advanced voice and beginning to intermediate piano students. She is currently accepting new students in her private studio in East Asheville. Jenna is also a passionate performer of dance, performance art, singing in most genres, as well as playing several different instruments. In addition, she is a certified teacher of ESL at Asheville Buncombe Community College and regularly studies languages in her spare time.

Email: jenna.jaffe@gmail.com

Phone: 828-273-2605

Website Addresses:

Studio/Store Location, Serving: Studio: All of Asheville and online lessons

Offering Piano Lessons for: Beginner, Intermediate, Young Children, Elementary, Middle/High School, College, Adults

Teaching Styles: Classical, Popular, Jazz, Improvisation

Offering Other Music Lessons for: Theory, Composition, Voice, Percussion, Music History, Improvisation, Recorder, Composition Arrangements, Diction, Drama Coaching, Energy Healing with Voice

Other Music Related Services: Vocal and Piano Performance for any Events

Address: Asheville

Hwa-Jin Kim

Bio: Dr. Hwa-Jin Kim is a concert pianist, educator, author, and founder and artistic director of Sonare Music Academy. A graduate of Seoul National University, she earned her Doctor of Musical Arts from Manhattan School of Music, where she also served on the faculty. She taught for over 22 years at the University of North Carolina Asheville and is a two-time recipient of the Steinway & Sons Top Teacher Award. In 2026, Dr. Kim created The Beethoven 32, a week-long celebration of Beethoven’s complete piano sonatas. She is currently organizing Chopin Festival 2027, celebrating Chopin through performance, education, and community engagement.

Email: hwajinkimdma@gmail.com

Website(s): sonaremusicacademy.com, YouTube channel

Teacher Specializations: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Classical, Music History, Theory, Pedagogy, Virtual, Young Children

Performance Styles: Classical

Address: Asheville

Dr. Leonidas Lagrimas

Bio: Dr. Leonidas Lagrimas, NCTM serves as Associate Professor of Piano and Piano Pedagogy at Western Carolina University. His duties include coordinating the Class Piano program and teaching Applied Piano.  He has presented his research at numerous local, state, and national conferences.

Dr. Lagrimas’ performance experience includes multiple collaborative piano appearances at Carnegie Hall, and guest artist recitals at numerous universities throughout the East Coast.  He is active as a musical theatre accompanist/keyboardist as well as a choral/church accompanist.  He holds National Certification (NCTM) in piano from MTNA, and a Ph.D. in Music Education and Piano Pedagogy from Florida State University.  

Email: a.lagrimas@gmail.com

Phone: 850-443-2940

Web Site: www.wcu.edu/faculty/llagrimas.aspx

Styles: Classical, Religious

Specializations: Music History, Pedagogy, Theory, Virtual

Address: Sylva

Judy Sullivan

Bio: Dr. Judy Sullivan is an active piano teacher and accompanist in the Asheville area. Joining the AAPF in the fall of 1994, Judy has served on the Board of Directors for five years, as President for three years and Member Activities Chair for two years. She served as membership co-chair for 15 years. Judy's education degrees are from James Madison University, the University of Virginia, and The College of William and Mary.

Email: jsullivanpiano@gmail.com

Phone: 828.298.8037

Studio/Store Location, Serving: Asheville, Weaverville, Black Mountain, Canton

Offering Piano Lessons for: Beginner, Intermediate, Elementary, Middle/High School, College, Adults, Lessons in your home

Teaching Styles: Classical, Jazz, Popular, Religious

Offering Other Music Lessons for: Theory, Composition, Music History, Pedagogy

Address: Asheville