Teachers
Meet Our Teachers!
Our teachers are experts in their chosen instruments and know how to establish a working rapport with their students. They inspire, motivate and challenge the student to achieve, while keeping the experience fun and enjoyable.
Katherine Vilardi (she/they)
Piano, Voice and Woodwind
Katherine is a multi-instrumentalist and music educator from South Orange, NJ. She started piano lessons at 4yrs old and played woodwinds and low brass while at school here in town. Katherine found her passion to be a music educator and now works with all ages in near by public schools and as an audio engineer for performance programs professionally.
She holds her BA in Music Education from The College of New Jersey and a MFA in Creative Music Technology from Ramapo College.
Katherine is dedicated to meeting students where they are, making connections with students' interests, and finding fun and engaging ways to share a love and passion for music.
Thomas Monaco (he/him)
Guitar, Bass, Drums and Piano
Thomas is a versatile multi-instrumentalist who performs with local brands and works as an audio engineer in his community. A graduate of Berklee College of Music with a degree in Contemporary Writing and Production, he brings his expertise and passion for music into the classroom. Thomas is dedicated to creating a dynamic and engaging learning environment, helping students enhance their technical skills while deepening their understanding of composition and music theory.
Jillana Kucey (she/her)
Voice and Piano
Jillana has an MM from New York University and a post master's certificate in vocal pedagogy. She has been a singer since her first choir when she was 5 years old. Her passion for teaching comes from a love of creativity and self expression. She looks to empower her students by teaching them proper technique and then challenging them to dig into the material to create their own interpretation. She has worked with students of all ages and abilities for nine years. Jillana is an active member of the SoMa arts scene, as a member of the board of the Maplewood Strolllers and as a performer in operas and musicals.
Jordan Stackhouse (he/him)
Guitar, Bass and Piano
Jordan is a multi-instrumentalist with many years of composing and performing experience. As a teacher he encourages exploration and improvisation, guiding his students' development on their musical journey. In addition to one on one lessons, Jordan teaches the
Play Loog Guitar! class as well as Start a Band!
Sunshine Viljoen (they/them)
Piano and Ukulele
Sunshine is a classically trained pianist who graduated from Drew University with a BA in Music. They base their lesson structures on each student's individual personality, musical interests, and goals.
Sunshine’s lessons combine essential music fundamentals with the student's own music choices to inspire a love of music and a desire to learn and grow.
Mary Amato (she/her)
Guitar, Uke and Songwriting
Mary teaches songwriting, ukulele and guitar and enjoys nurturing joy in music making.
She also has experience as a performing singer-songwriter and as a performance coach. In her lessons, she shares strategies for overcoming stage fright and teaches positive ways to embrace the sharing of music.
Keiko Au (she/her)
Piano
Keiko graduated from Ferris University in Yokohama, Japan, with a Bachelor of Arts. She started taking piano lessons at the age of 5 and has over 25 years' experience teaching piano in Tokyo and New Jersey.
Her students range from preschoolers to adults, from beginners to advanced. Keiko modifies her approach based on her students’ personalities and interests.
Gustavo Caraballo (he/him)
Guitar, Uke and Bass
Gustavo is an NJCU jazz performance/Music Education Graduate with experience playing and teaching in Jersey City and Newark. He hopes to one day see some of his own students playing up on the big stage! He is excited to teach students of all ages and levels about the joy of music and its amazing depth!
David Longworth (he/him)
Drums
Available In Home & Online
David is a methodical and patient drum teacher and mentor with real-world experience. He has played with Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, Ben E. King, Phoebe Snow, Percy Sledge, Joan Osborne, The Drifters and many others. David teaches our in-home drum lessons.
Bill Buckley (he/him)
Guitar, Bass and Ukulele
Bill is a guitarist and song writer who reinforces theory as the key to enable students to read music, write their own songs and play with other musicians. he holds a Master's Degree in Education with a focus on simulation-based learning, and strives to enable students to develop their own voice on the instrument.
Katie Willey (she/her)
Voice and Piano
Katie is dedicated to developing the capability and confidence of young musicians and has taught at In Tune since 2019. She teaches Vocal Music in The Orange Public School district and is a Conductor with Brooklyn Youth Chorus. She finds joy in guiding all of her students towards competency and fulfillment while creating music. Katie has performed at Carnegie Hall, The Kimmel Center, with various choirs and orchestras, as a jazz pianist, and as keyboardist and vocalist in a cover band. Katie completed her Masters of Music Education at Westminster Choir College in 2021 and her Bachelor of Music at Northwestern University in 2014. She is an active member Gordon Institute for Music Learning, the American Choral Directors Association, and the National Association for Music Education.
Sally Shupe (she/her)
Guitar, Loog and Uke
Sally is majoring in Jazz Guitar Performance at William Paterson University, studying under Dave Stryker. She has many years of performing experience and currently plays in the orchestra pits of musicals, including 'Something Rotten' and 'Mama Mia'. Sally’s goal is to fuel students’ love and knowledge of music in a fun and creative way!
Maisie Conrad-Poor (she/her)
Violin
Maisie hails from Maplewood and is a Columbia High School grad! She was first violinist in the Lawrence University Symphony Orchestra and chamber ensembles, performing classical repertoire and new music, and also has experience playing Southern Appalachian and Celtic tunes, gained during Summers in North Carolina. Maisie has gained experience with younger students through her violin work at Finlay & Gage.
Matthew Henegan (he/him)
Cello
Matthew teaches online cello lessons while he pursues his MBA at the University of Boston. He has a Bachelor of Music degree in Cello Performance from The Boston Conservatory at Berklee College of Music.
Matthew is very passionate about cello, and tailors his teaching style to fit the needs and goals of his students.
Available Online
Richard Alston (he/him)
Piano
Richard earned his Bachelor's and Master's of Music from Juilliard, and at age 17, performed Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto no. 1 at Lincoln Center. Richard's Classically Black lecture-concert series has been performed at universities throughout the US. He is an adjunct professor of The London College of Music.
John Brophy (he/him)
Guitar
John founded In Tune ten years ago as a neighborhood music school where kids, adults and teachers can all share the joy of learning and playing music. He is an active Suzuki guitar teacher in addition to teaching morning adult lessons.
A.C. Panno (she/her)
Voice and Piano
A.C. is a classically trained pianist and vocalist, and lead music instructor for a notable NYC recording studio. She has worked with top talent from Lincoln Center, major record labels and other media outlets.
A.C. specializes in pop music training, providing piano and vocal instruction for all levels. She is also a ghostwriter and producer, and enjoys helping artists find their unique voices and gifts. She encourages her students to bravely embrace their art and is excited to be working in her local community!
Sandro Bevilaqua (he/him)
Guitar and Piano
Sandro is a composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist who graduated Magna Cum Laude from Berklee College of Music with a double-major in Music Composition and Film Scoring. He has countless live performances and creative collaborations under his belt, and his compositions have been recognized in several prominent publications.
As a teacher, Sandro focuses on catering to a student's unique learning style and interests to build healthy practice habits while always keeping a relaxed yet fun and engaging learning environment.
Gina Rajeckas (she/her)
Voice, Piano and Flute
Gina is a music educator and performer who graduated with a degree in Popular Music and Music & Entertainment Business Studies from William Paterson University. She has a deep appreciation for every aspect of music, from performance, to songwriting, to navigating contracts. She currently releases music through Universal Music Group under her solo artist name: Gina Royale
Students can expect a lesson with Gina to be fun, productive, and leave them with a genuine desire to continue their musical journeys.
Hannah Schwartz (she/her)
Cello and Violin
Hannah Schwartz is a Senior at Columbia High School, and is the first chair cellist in the honors chamber ensemble Virtuosi. She has experience as the concert master at New Jersey Youth Symphony, and first chair as a cellist in the Ravina Symphony Orchestra. Hannah strives to build a student's interest and love for classical music while advancing technique, and help students find their unique voice and style.
Colin McNally (he/him)
Piano, Guitar, Bass and Voice
Colin has been teaching musicians of all ages for over 20 years. Growing up as a Beatles fan led Colin to learn guitar and piano. These days, he listens to mostly metal, but enjoys writing and recording power pop and progressive rock songs in his home studio. Colin teaches piano, guitar, bass, voice, and songwriting, as well as beginning percussion, woodwind, and brass instruments.
Joe Mejia (he/him)
Piano, Guitar and Bass
Joe is a musician, producer, audio engineer and teacher who picked up the guitar at twelve and hasn’t stopped exploring music since! He teaches piano, guitar and bass to students of all ages and skill levels, helping them develop a love of music. Joe also plays live shows around NJ and NY with his band, Los Vincis, and other local artists. When he’s not teaching, you’ll find him writing, recording, and performing music—always striving to get better and always eager to learn more.