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

Email: steven_b@bellsouth.net

Address: Asheville

Bio: Matt Blanks originally hails from Olney, Maryland, and taught and performed in the Chicagoland area for the last 10 years. A graduate of Peabody Conservatory and Baldwin-Wallace University, he has appeared as a young artist with Opera Southwest, Tri-Cities Opera, Indianapolis Opera, Sarasota Opera, and Chicago Opera Theater. Most recently, he held positions as Director of Music/Organist at Calvary Episcopal Church in Batavia and Adjunct Professor of Music at both North Park and Dominican Universities.

Phone: 301-221-0068

Email: matt.blanks.tenor@gmail.com

Web Site: SoaringSounds.as.me

Studio/Store Location, Serving: Asheville, Weaverville, Marshall

Offering Piano Lessons for: Beginner, Intermediate, Adults

Offering Other Lessons for: Voice

Teaching Styles: Classical, Jazz, Popular, Religious

Performers’ Occasions: Accompanist, arranger-for-hire

Address: Alexander

Bio: Retired Presbyterian Minister and University Psychologist

Email: ladlai@charter.net

Phone: 828-669-4869

Other Music Related Services: Will video performances and competitions as needed

Bio: I am a member of a similar but smaller group in Orlando Florida. We meet each month at a different member's home, like the performance groups in AAPF. We play mostly classical pieces from composers such as Debussy, Chopin, Bach, Scriabin, Schumann, etc. I consider myself an intermediate level pianist but like to challenge myself with more difficult songs. I live in Asheville during summer and fall and return to Florida at the end of November.

Email: bbroulik@aol.com

Bio: A graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory(B.M.), West Chester University (M.M.), with post- graduate performance studies at Rutgers University, Ms. Boyd has almost fifty years of teaching experience. Her students have won numerous competitions and many have continued music study at major universities. She is a founding member of AAPF, and is its president for 2020-21. Karen is also a member of NCMTA.

Email: karenpianoboyd@gmail.com

Phone: (828)669-4869 or (828)782-0502

Teaching Locations: at student homes, Black Mountain, Montreat, Swannanoa, East Asheville

Offering Piano Lessons for: Beginners through Advanced, ages 5-90.

Teaching Styles: Classical

Address: Black Mountain

Bio: Kimberly is a mother of two toddlers; wife of a double bassist & self-taught master of many trades; Eastman-trained professional concert pianist; sister of concert pianist Michelle Cann; director of Piano Lab Studios; and President of the AAPF 2012-2014 and 2017-2018. She loves Asheville and plans to retire here...but that's a long time from now. :)

Email: kcann98@gmail.com

Website Address: PianoLabAsheville.com

Studio/Store Location, Serving: Asheville, Hendersonville, Weaverville, Black Mountain, Canton, All of Western NC, Fletcher

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

Teaching Styles: Classical, Jazz, Popular, Religious

Offering Other Music Lessons for: Theory, Composition, Voice, Strings, Percussion

Bio: Emeritus Professor Benjamin D Caton taught for 46 years in the Department or Music at East Tennessee State University. He earned these degrees: BSME, ETSU; MA and PhD, The Ohio State University. Caton served as President of Music Teachers National Association from 2011-2013. Awards include MTNA Foundation Fellow, MTNA Distinguished Service Award, MTNA Teacher of the Year Award, ETSU Distinguished Service Award, Phi Mu Alpha Signature Sinfonian Award. Currently teaches piano in the ETSU Pre-College Program and is adjunct professor of piano and piano pedagogy at ETSU.

Email: caton@etsu.edu

Phone: 423-928-2478

Studio/Store Location, Serving: ETSU at Johnson City, TN

Offering Piano Lessons for: College and Pre-College

Teaching Styles: Classical

Address: Johnson City, TN

Bio: Elizabeth Child holds a DMA in piano performance from The Juilliard School.  She teaches classical piano and theory to all levels at her studio in Tryon NC, and often performs in the Asheville area.  You can contact her through her website at www.elizabethchildpianist.com.

Email: mechild@windstream.net

Phone: 828-817-4627

Website Address: www.elizabethchildpianist.com

Studio/Store Location, Serving: Tryon, NC and Landrum, SC

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

Teaching Styles: Classical

Address: Tryon

Email: ddawac@msn.com

Phone: 828-273-8503

Address: Asheville

Bio: Classical. Oberlin. U. Illinois, Peabody. Chamber music, sometimes lounge lizard.

Email: christineaclark@me.com

Phone: 904-910-2632

Bio: An international performer and recording artist, Dr. Cobb did post-doctoral study with legendary pianist Claudio Arrau. The New York Times praised his "solid technique, bronze tone and flexibility of interpretive style." While completing a Doctor of Music degree at Northwestern University, Dr. Cobb held a fellowship at the University of Chicago, where he pursued doctoral studies in musicology. He performs a broad repertoire of solo and chamber music, is a frequent performer on the Piano Forte series at the Asheville Art Museum and appeared as soloist with the Asheville Symphony, performing the Samuel Barber Piano Concerto. Dr. Cobb frequently serves as an adjudicator for competitions and music festivals.

Email: jcobbpiano@gmail.com

Phone: 828-551-3810

Studio/Store Location, Serving: Greater Asheville, Fairview, and Hendersonville

Offering Piano Lessons for: Beginners through Advanced, ages 10 through Adult; coaching for professionals

Teaching Styles: Classical

Offering Other Music Lessons for: Theory, Composition, Voice, Mrs. Cobb (Gwenn) is a singer/voice teacher

Other Music Related Services: Arrau Technique training: using relaxation and body leverage in playing.

Address: Fairview

Bio:   Diane has served as piano teacher for 10+ years in both Virginia and SD & as both traditional church pianist & worship team keyboardist for 40+ years in Kentucky, Virginia, S. Dakota & N. Carolina. Performances include: Buncombe Baptist Assoc. Choir Christmas performances at Biltmore & Grove Park, accompanying the AC Reynolds Middle School choir & bell soloist Christine Anderson. Diane earned a Bachelor of Music Education, majoring in piano, from Georgetown College, Kentucky, & Master of Rehabilitation Counseling from University of Kentucky. Not currently teaching. Interested in church piano sub.

Email: dianecoombs7@gmail.com

Phone: 828-280-5035

Address: Asheville

Bio: Dr. Jason DeCristofaro is the Director of Creative Arts & Events and Music Faculty at Warren Wilson. An active music educator, multi-instrumentalist and composer/arranger based in Asheville, NC. Jason has performed nationally and internationally at many jazz festivals, and is in demand as a clinician, having presented clincis, masterclasses and performances on jazz improvisation at many colleges and universities throughout the United States.

Email: jdecristofaro@warren-wilson.edu

Website: www.youtube.com/jasondecristofaro

Phone: 828-273-8254

Email: jpkontaksu@gmail.com

Address: Asheville

Bio: Dr. Leslie Downs is active as both a solo and collaborative pianist. He has performed in solo, lieder, chamber and choral concerts throughout the United States and in Canada. He has served as music director for regional musical theatre productions. For 16 years he worked as a freelance pianist/teacher/vocal coach in New York City. He currently serves as the Music Director for the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville. He holds degrees from Centenary College of Louisiana, Yale University, and University of Oklahoma.

Email: lgdowns721@gmail.com

Phone: (828) 775-3539

Website Address: LeslieDowns.com

Studio/Store Location, Serving: Asheville, Black Mountain

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

Teaching Styles: Classical, Popular, Religious

Other Music Related Services: Vocal Coaching

Address: Asheville

Bio:  Pianist Sharyn Edwards has concertized throughout the southeastern United States and in Russia. She has been soloist with the Charlotte, Charleston, Fayetteville, Wilmington and Charlotte Repertoire Symphonies and was an Artist with the N.C Touring Artists Roster. Dr. Edwards made her New York debut at Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall and has recorded a Classic CD for the Musikus Label. Dr. Edwards is a native of Asheville and her formative training was with Dorothy Krauss.  Other teachers include Dr. John P. Adams, Canadian Pianist, Raymond Dudley, John Quincy Bass, James Bonn and coaching with Madame Lili Krauss among others.  Currently she is Director of the Dr. Sharyn Edwards 46th Piano Festival and Competition.

Email: sharynedwards14@gmail.com

Offering Piano Lessons for: All ages.

Teaching Styles: Classical

Address: Leicester

Bio: Have been taking piano lessons for 3 years

Email: emerson10036@gmail.com

Phone: 828-702-8515

Address: Asheville

Phone: 828-777-0061

Studio/Store Location, Serving: Asheville

Offering Piano Lessons for: Intermediate, Advanced, Elementary

Teaching Styles: Classical, Religious

Offering Other Music Lessons for: Theory

Address: Asheville

Bio: Degrees from Oberlin Conservatory (Bach. of Music), Columbia University Teachers College (Master of Arts) with 2 years additional study at Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria. Career includes lecture-recitals, articles on piano pedagogy in leading music journals and competition adjudication.

Performer Details: I like the challenge of learning new repertoire, particularly 4 hand literature with fellow Piano Forum members. I also sub as a church pianist and am available to perform as a cocktail pianist.

Email: pollyfeitzinger@gmail.com

Phone: 828-676-0766

Studio/Store Location, Serving: Hendersonville

Offering Piano Lessons for: Teenagers, Adults

Teaching Styles: Classical

Offering Other Music Lessons for: Piano, Theory

Address: Hendersonville