Our Mission
We empower families and individuals to learn and grow through music so they can flourish as human beings.
Our values
Community
It takes a combined effort of family, peers, and teachers to support the growth of each individual student.
Diversity
Through collaboration, we learn to see the beauty in the variety and individuality of others.
Personal Growth
Music study teaches us valuable life skills that carry through to all areas of our lives.
Creativity
Knowledge of music opens up a world of possibilities for self-expression.
Joy
Musical ability, self-development, and connection with others leads to a deep love for life and delight of being.
Discipline
Through hard work and perseverance, good habits are cultivated.
Our Teachers
ART
Brass
percussion
Shae Hanke
Shae Hanke holds a degree in Secondary Language Arts Education from Bethel University. She considers herself a self-taught life long artist, and her arts specialties include, but are not limited to:
drawing, painting, printmaking, jewelry making, and weaving. Miss Shae has taught art classes at Bryant Elementary in Moore for the past 8 years. She has been married to Matt for 5 years, and in her “spare time,” she is an avid reader and artist, and she runs a shop on Etsy.
Connor Cowan, trombone
Connor Cowan is a graduate student studying trombone performance with Dr. Justin Cook at the University of Central Arkansas. He received his Bachelor of Music degree at the University of
Oklahoma where he studied with Dr. Irv Wagner. While at OU, he won the Young Artist Competition at Oklahoma Christian University in the Spring of 2019. More recently, he placed third in the S. E. Shires Solo Competition held at the Southeast Trombone Symposium in Summer 2023.
Connor has taught private trombone lessons for over eight years and has helped students win seats in competitive honor bands, achieve superior ratings at solo competitions, and audition for collegiate music programs. Whether a student wants to make music their career or not, Connor’s goal is to help students find enrichment and empowerment through their study of the trombone.
Tyler Romine, trumpet
Tyler Romine received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Percussion Performance from the University of Oklahoma. While attending, he instructed drum set classes, steel band classes,
private percussion lessons and marching band clinics. He has been performing for 21 years in the regional music scene and national tours. He is trained in drum set and world percussion as well as all forms of traditional/orchestral and mallet percussion. He is experienced in styles including Rock, R&B, Country, Jazz, Latin, Pop, Orchestral, and Contemporary small ensemble and has performed with the OU Wind Symphony, Symphony Orchestra, Percussion Orchestra, New Century Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble. He is currently performing and recording with the band Kinfolk as well as local artists Justin Logan, Ben Brock, and Giakob Lee.
Guitar
Elisha Moncrief
Elisha Moncrief is a classically trained guitarist living in Norman, Oklahoma. He has been playing guitar for 9 years and graduated with a degree in Bachelor of Musical Arts in Music at the University of
Oklahoma in 2018. His guitar playing experience includes playing gigs at local restaurants, church worship, and playing in jazz bands. In addition to playing guitar he also has experience playing piano, bass, and choral singing. It is his desire that God is glorified through what he does in music.
Jacob Frost
Jacob Frost is a guitarist, composer, and vocalist with experience in popular, jazz, and classical music. His work as a performer and composer focuses on creating cross-genre fusions and drawing
connections between music and literature. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Music from Drury University and his Master’s Degree in Music Composition from the University of Oklahoma. In addition to his teaching duties, Jacob works as a freelance composer and serves as Music Director at Hillcrest Christian Church in Oklahoma City.
piano
Jennifer Walschap
Jennifer Walschap, NCTM, is the Founder and Director of Imagine Music and Arts, where she also teaches piano using the Suzuki Method. She received a Bachelors in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from
Shorter College and a Masters of Music Education with an emphasis in Piano Pedagogy from OU.
Jennifer has completed training in all of the Suzuki Piano Books with Mary Craig Powell, Rita Hauck, and Fay Adams. She aspires to become a Suzuki Teacher Trainer. She has taught masterclasses and group piano classes at the DFW-WOW Suzuki Institute, and group classes at the Preucil School of Music Spring Workshop.
Mrs. Walschap has presented at numerous locations, including the Music Teachers National Association Conference, the National Conference for Keyboard Pedagogy, the Colorado Springs Music Teachers Association, and the University of Oklahoma. She also regularly adjudicates auditions and competitions around the state of Oklahoma.
Jennifer currently serves as the Treasurer for the Oklahoma Music Teachers Association (OMTA), as well as accompanist for the OYSing Da Capo Choir. In her spare time, she enjoys playing with her cats, gardening, studying Spanish, and doing crafts. Jennifer believes that music can enrich our lives in countless ways, and that every child can, should, and deserves to learn and experience music!
guitar
Piano
Elisha Moncrief
Elisha Moncrief is a classically trained guitarist living in Norman, Oklahoma. He has been playing guitar for 9 years and graduated with a degree in Bachelor of Musical Arts in Music at the University of
Oklahoma in 2018. His guitar playing experience includes playing gigs at local restaurants, church worship, and playing in jazz bands. In addition to playing guitar he also has experience playing piano, bass, and choral singing. It is his desire that God is glorified through what he does in music.
Jennifer Walschap
Jennifer Walschap, NCTM, is the Founder and Director of Imagine Music and Arts, where she also teaches piano using the Suzuki Method. She received a Bachelors in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from Shorter College and a Masters of
Music Education with an emphasis in Piano Pedagogy from OU.
Jennifer has completed training in all of the Suzuki Piano Books with Mary Craig Powell, Rita Hauck, and Fay Adams. She aspires to become a Suzuki Teacher Trainer. She has taught masterclasses and group piano classes at the DFW-WOW Suzuki Institute, and group classes at the Preucil School of Music Spring Workshop.
Mrs. Walschap has presented at numerous locations, including the Music Teachers National Association Conference, the National Conference for Keyboard Pedagogy, the Colorado Springs Music Teachers Association, and the University of Oklahoma. She also regularly adjudicates auditions and competitions around the state of Oklahoma.
Jennifer currently serves as the Treasurer for the Oklahoma Music Teachers Association (OMTA), as well as accompanist for the OYSing Da Capo Choir. In her spare time, she enjoys playing with her cats, gardening, studying Spanish, and doing crafts. Jennifer believes that music can enrich our lives in countless ways, and that every child can, should, and deserves to learn and experience music!
Jessica Witt
Jessica Witt fell in love with the piano at the age of four, knowing just a few years later that she wanted to become a teacher. She was able to achieve this goal in 2014 and has worked since then with both children and adults guiding them in
discovering their own unique styles of learning. Recently, she has become the holder of a Collegiate Music Diploma from the International Program of The National Guild of Piano Teachers; she also plans to further her studies with the Suzuki Association. For Jessica, music is a beautiful language and her goal is to divulge its secrets to whomever is willing to listen and learn.
PIAno
Meldy Tanako
Meldy Tanako is a doctoral candidate at the University of Oklahoma, where she studies piano performance with Dr. Igor Lipinski and pedagogy with Dr. Barbara Fast, Jane Magrath, and J.P. Murphy. As a graduate assistant at OU, Meldy’s
commitment to teaching has been recognized with the Provost’s Certificate of Distinction for Teaching twice. She is a certified Kodály Level 1 instructor and applies her learned skills to teaching undergraduate group piano, secondary applied piano lessons, and aural skills.
Meldy has received multiple prizes in national and international competitions, including a Grand Prize at the New York International Young Musicians Competition. She has performed recitals in Indonesia, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Currently, she serves as the accompanist for the OYSING Youth Choir and NorthHaven Church Adult Choir.
An avid researcher, Meldy has presented at numerous regional and national conferences, including the Music Teachers National Association Conference, the National Conference for Keyboard Pedagogy, and College Music Society. She recently received the James Brewer Memorial Award for best student presentation at the College Music Society’s Central Chapter Regional Conference.
Beyond her music pursuits, Meldy finds joy in exploring local coffee shops and channeling her creativity through crafting.
Amber Barnes
Amber discovered early on that singing and making music was her favorite pastime. After high school,
she went on to pursue a vocal music degree, graduating with honors in 2005 from East Central University in Ada, OK.
Since that time, she has served in various musical capacities. She has taught beginner band, elementary thru high school choir, and general music. She has also led children’s music ministry classes, led a church praise and worship team, and has given private voice and piano lessons.
Amber particularly enjoys working one-on-one with students. She has a lot of musical theater experience and has participated in various musical productions, such as Carmen, Die Fledermaus, and Bye Bye Birdie. Amber is excited to help her students rise to their full potential while developing their own musical craft.
PIAno
Jenna Klein
Jenna Klein has been a dedicated teacher to students of all ages and levels for the past eight years. Currently she teaches piano at Imagine Music and Arts and Applied Piano at Southern Nazarene University as an adjunct faculty member.
She is a Candidate for the Ph.D. in Piano Pedagogy at OU where she studies piano with Dr. Jane Magrath and piano pedagogy with Dr. Barbara Fast. Her past teachers include Sean Botkin, Dr. Lynn Worcester, and Dr. Ruthanne Schempf. She earned her BA in Piano Performance and Contemporary Music Studies with an emphasis in Music Therapy from SUNY New Paltz and a MM in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Northern Iowa. She has performed nationally throughout the Hudson Valley region of New York, Michigan, and the Midwest and internationally in Eisenstadt, Austria as part of the Classical Music Festival.
During her time at OU, she has been a four-time recipient of the Provost’s Certificate of Distinction in Teaching for outstanding instruction as a Graduate Teaching Assistant. Most recently, she was awarded the 2021-2022 Mergler and Bullard Dissertation Completion Fellowship which she will use to continue research related to diversity and representation in the piano repertoire. In addition to teaching, Jenna is an active presenter at state, regional, and national conferences.
ART
Shae Hanke
Shae Hanke holds a degree in Secondary Language Arts Education from Bethel University. She considers herself a self-taught life long artist, and her arts specialties include, but are not limited to: drawing, painting, printmaking,
jewelry making, and weaving. Miss Shae has taught art classes at Bryant Elementary in Moore for the past 8 years. She has been married to Matt for 5 years, and in her “spare time,” she is an avid reader and artist, and she runs a shop on Etsy.
percussion
Tyler Romine
Tyler Romine received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Percussion Performance from the University of Oklahoma. While attending, he instructed drum set classes, steel band classes, private percussion lessons and marching
band clinics. He has been performing for 21 years in the regional music scene and national tours. He is trained in drum set and world percussion as well as all forms of traditional/orchestral and mallet percussion. He is experienced in styles including Rock, R&B, Country, Jazz, Latin, Pop, Orchestral, and Contemporary small ensemble and has performed with the OU Wind Symphony, Symphony Orchestra, Percussion Orchestra, New Century Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble. He is currently performing and recording with the band Kinfolk as well as local artists Justin Logan, Ben Brock, and Giakob Lee.
Strings
Dr. Charlene Dell, violin
Charlene Dell is currently the Associate Professor and Chair of Music Education at the University of Oklahoma. She teaches undergraduate courses in conducting, string methods, and pedagogy, graduate courses in music education, and conducts
the Oklahoma Youth Philharmonic.
Prior to beginning her work at the University of Oklahoma, Dr. Dell taught for sixteen years in the public schools of upstate New York and South Carolina. She also has strong experiences as a youth orchestra conductor, having directed youth orchestras in Poughkeepsie, NY. She also served for 8 summers as Assistant Administrative Director of the New York State Summer School of the Arts School of Orchestral Studies in Saratoga Springs, NY.
Dr. Dell is active as a researcher and clinician at both state and national levels. She has presented clinics at the national conferences of National Association for Music Educators, and the American String Teachers Association National conference, as well as the state conferences of Oklahoma, Texas, South Carolina, and New York. She has published in the Teaching Music through Orchestra book series, the American String Teachers Journal, and Music Educators Journal, as well as other national and international research journals. She became Editor of the American String Teachers Journal in June of 2021.
Dr. Dell received her Bachelor of Music Education at Crane School of Music, State University College of New York at Potsdam. She then obtained her Master of String Education Degree from Western Connecticut State University, as well as her PhD from the University of South Carolina.
Jaden Frye, viola
Jaden Frye, B.M. is a graduate student at the University of Oklahoma studying for her Masters of Music in Viola Performance. She received her Bachelor of Music Degree in Viola Performance from Oklahoma City University. She has
thoroughly enjoyed teaching viola private lessons for middle school and high school level musicians. She is also serving as a violist for New Hope United Methodist Church and plays in various other ensembles, including The Painted Sky Opera Orchestra. After her the completion of her Masters degree, she will continue teaching private viola and violin lessons to a variety of ages and continue performing in various settings.
Victoria Day, cello
A native of San Antonio, Texas, Victoria Day is a cellist, teacher, and adjudicator currently living in Norman, Oklahoma. Victoria is actively pursuing both a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance and Bachelor of Music Education degrees
from The University of Oklahoma, with an anticipated graduation date of May 2023. While in school, she has been an active performer in the OU Symphony Orchestra, serving as principal, section, and undergraduate orchestra assistant. In addition to this, Victoria has performed regularly in a variety of student quartets and with OU’s New Century Ensemble. She has participated in the FOOSA Summer Festival, Sewanee Summer Music Festival, and Manhattan in the Mountains Music Festival, where she studied with many accomplished instructors such as Marion Feldman, Thomas Loewenheim, and Bonnie Hampton. Her primary instructors include Jonathan Ruck, Ignacio Gallego, and Phyllis Kline. When not playing cello, Victoria enjoys cooking, crossword puzzles and spending time with her friends.
Woodwinds
TJ Blackburn, bassoon
TJ has a Bachelors of Music from the University of Oklahoma and a Masters of Music from the University of Minnesota. She has been the 2nd Bassoonist for the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra for 12 years. Other than music,
TJ is also very passionate about the health and wellness side of performing. She is currently studying to become a Physical Therapist Assistant and hopes to help musicians prolong their playing careers by helping with the body mechanics of playing an instrument.
Zack Smith, saxophone
Zack Smith is on the faculty as a Music Theory, Saxophone, and Piano Instructor. He has a Bachelor’s of Music from the University of Oklahoma, and is currently working on his Master’s in Music Theory. He is a member of the local band, Valouch
and the Hooch, switching between saxophone, bass guitar, and piano. Zack has 12 years’ experience teaching saxophone and received the Provost’s Certificate of Distinction for Outstanding Graduate Assistant Teaching in 2015-2016 for music theory. He stresses the importance of creativity in the learning process, the importance of lifelong learning, and the importance of naps.
Thomas Lassiter, oboe, clarinet, flute
Thomas Lassiter has previously studied at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, and is currently working on completing a Bachelor’s of Music Degree. He has previously performed with the University of Science and Arts of
Oklahoma`s Concert Band, and is currently principal oboe of the Rose State Concert Band and the Rose State Orchestra.
Thomas passionately believes in using music as a way of escape from the stress of everyday life. He makes this clear in his teaching, as well as taking care of one’s mental health.
VOICE
Paige Cleveland
Paige Cleveland teaches PreK through 5th Grade Music in Norman Public Schools. She is a 2021 Graduate from the University of Oklahoma and has a bachelor’s degree in Vocal Music Education. She loves teaching voice and
early childhood music and has a passion for helping students establish a life-long love for music
Lydia Jackson
Lydia Jackson is a K-5th grade music teacher in Norman Public Schools and holds a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Oklahoma. While in school, she was involved in OU Women’s Chorus, music student wellness initiatives,
and completed an internship for the OYSing Con Brio choir. In addition to singing, she loves hiking, playing guitar, and spending time with her friends. She hopes to help students of all ages develop a life-long appreciation for music and gain confidence in the process.
Matthew McKinnon
Matthew McKinnon is a recent graduate from the University of Oklahoma where he completed his Master’s degree in Music (opera emphasis). He also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.
Matthew McKinnon specializes in teaching students of all ages and has experience as a performer of many styles including opera, musical theatre, and contemporary music. Mr. McKinnon has a passion for teaching and loves educating his students on the art of singing and performing.