Our Faculty
The Lighthouse teaching staff is comprised of highly accomplished professionals whose academic credits include degrees from America's most respected conservatories and university schools of music, including The Juilliard School, the Manhattan School of Music and the Boston Conservatory of Music.
About Our Faculty and Staff:
Leslie Jones -- Executive Director of the Music School
Leslie holds a DMA from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and an MM from the University of North Texas. She has served on the faculties of Ithaca College and Montana State University. A frequent clinician, she is acclaimed nationally for her workshops, “Jazz and the Classical Pianist” and “Musical Mainstream: Fostering Independence Through Accessibility.” At the Lighthouse, she has been instrumental in developing an assistive music technology center, as well as expanding community outreach and the visibility of the Music School.
Jennifer Apsel -- (Comprehensive Music Program for Young People, Piano)
Jennifer received both her BM and MM degrees from the Manhattan School of Music. She has earned prizes in several competitions at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore. Recently, Jennifer has performed as a soloist in New York City, Seattle and Vermont.
Svetlana Avezbakiyeva -- (Comprehensive Music Program for Young People, Braille Music, Piano)
Svetlana received her BA degree in music education from The City University of New York, Queens College. She is also a graduate of our Music School.
Gerald Gewiss -- (Wind Instruments)
Gerald holds a BS from The Juilliard School and has pursued graduate studies at the City University of New York and professional studies at The Embouchure Clinic. His teachers have included William Vacchiano, Murray Karpilovsky and Carmine Caruso.
Juan Pablo Horcasitas -- (Comprehensive Music Program for Young People, Piano, Music Appreciation)
Juan Pablo holds both MM and BM degrees from the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied with Nina Svetlanova. He has performed as a soloist and chamber musician in New York City, Mexico, Finland and Venezuela. Recently, he was named Musical Director at Opera Hispanica.
Amanda Wheeler, Administrative Assistant
Amanda is responsible for coordinating teaching schedules, tuition billing, concerts, and activities. Amanda comes to us from the Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden, where she was the Programs Manager.
Lisa Johnson, Director of Music Administration
Lisa Johnson holds a doctorate from City University of New York, where she specialized in woodwind performance and musical analysis for performers. Long active as a free-lance and Broadway orchestra performer in the metropolitan NYC area, she was most recently Music Program Director and a Senior Program Officer at the New York State Council on the Arts. Previously, Dr. Johnson was Associate Dean of the Mannes College of Music, a division of New School University, and was also a tenured Associate Professor at Clarion University in Pennsylvania, teaching clarinet, saxophone, jazz, and music business.
Yo Kano -- (Comprehensive Music Program for Young People, Piano, Jazz Improvisation, Assistive Music Technology)
Yo is an internationally known jazz pianist and composer-arranger. His concerts have taken him across Asia and he has released four CDs. For more information, visit www.yokano.com.
Katharine Flanders Mukherji -- (Comprehensive Music Program for Young People, Flute, Recorder, Piano)
Katharine holds a BA from Harvard University. Among her teachers are Samuel Baron, James Pappoutsakis and Franz Bruggen. As a fellowship recipient, she studied flute in Paris with Michel Debost and theory with Nadia Boulanger. She has recorded on the Mode and CRI labels.
Chris Petz -- (Guitar, Theory, Contemporary Ensemble)
Chris studied at the University of Vermont and the Mannes School of Music. He has performed and/or studied with jazz greats Phil Markowitz, Ritchie Bierach and Ed Maceachen.
Dalia Sakas -- Coordinator of the Comprehensive Music Program for Young People (Piano, Chorus)
Dalia received her BM from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, MM from the Manhattan School of Music and DMA from the University of South Carolina. She is also an adjunct professor at William Paterson University in New Jersey.
John Sanfilippo -- (Assistive Music Technology)
John holds a BA in music education from Adelphi University. He has performed with the Lighthouse Vocal Ensemble, The Lance Hayward Singers, and in several solo and joint Kramer concerts.
Owen Stewart-Robertson -- (Comprehensive Music Program for Young People, Guitar)
Owen has been an active performer, composer and music educator for many years. He also teaches at Sunset Park School of Music in Brooklyn, NY.
Charlotte Surkin -- (Voice)
Charlotte holds BMEd and MA degrees from Temple University and New York University. In addition to being an oratorio alto soloist at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center, she has performed in operas across the US. Also, she is a voice instructor at Collaborative Arts Project (CAP21) and Marymount Manhattan College, as well as an alto soloist at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. For more information, visit www.charlottesurkin.com.
Marc Wagnon (Comprehensive Music Program for Young People, Percussion, Jazz, Music Technology)
Marc has toured the United States, Europe, and Japan as a percussionist and vibraphonist. He can be heard on over 20 recordings, which reflect his interest in varied contemporary forms. For more information, visit www.buckyballmusic.com.
Maria Rios -- Administrative Assistant
Maria serves as Music School receptionist, braillist and student liaison. Maria sings in the Vocal Ensemble, performs with “Jam 59” and studies guitar. She is also a founding and active member of the Music School Student Council.
