Sarah Garin has been teaching students of all ages to play the violin for over 20 years and is
excited to begin teaching at the Lewis Music Studio! Sarah received a Bachelor of Music degree
from the Pennsylvania State University, an Artist Diploma in Violin Performance from Duquesne
University, and a Master’s Degree in the Art of Teaching from the University of Pittsburgh.
Sarah is an adjunct violin instructor at Washington and Jefferson College and has a violin studio
in her home in Mt. Lebanon. She is a member of the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra and an
active freelancer in the Pittsburgh area. Sarah has performed with Barry Manilow, Marie
Osmond, Andrea Bocelli, and others. When she isn’t teaching or playing her violin, Sarah
enjoys playing with her 6 year old son, Adam, and their dog, Scooter.

Devon Jackson started his journey in music when he was just seven years old. During that time, he has studied and played various styles of music. Devon minored in music at IUP and played various recitals and concerts throughout his college life. At Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Devon had the pleasure of studying under the late head of the piano department, Dr. James Staples. He has also studied under Dr. David Ed from Sewickley as well as Charles Wilson.  Currently Devon has the privilege of studying classical piano with the celebrated Pittsburgh concert pianist Yeeha Chiu.  In addition to teaching and playing, Devon manages several recording artists including his band, Fidello.

Alex Kenrick is an active professional guitarist and instructor based in the Pittsburgh area, a transplant from his native Oklahoma.  Beginning his classical music studies during his collegiate years at the University of Oklahoma and achieving his Bachelor’s degree under the instruction of Larry Hammett, Kenrick’s fierce determination in producing quality artistic sound, matched with his love for ensemble settings and exploration of diverse musical genres led to his establishment among central Oklahoma’s local musical theater, operatic, and chamber ensembles as the go-to guitarist for productions. Performing in combos, bands, and orchestras for such shows as Avenue Q, Bonnie and Clyde, Grease, Meet Me in St. Louis, Ragtime among others, Kenrick has built an expertise in ensemble performance and fluency in many styles of music.

Alex Kenrick achieved a Master’s Degree in Classical Guitar performance studying with Grammy-winner and internationally-sought teacher Jason Vieaux and his colleague Colin Davin at the Cleveland Institute of Music, and regularly performed with the Cleveland Opera Theater, Western Reserve Playhouse, and other theater companies during his time in Northeast Ohio. During the 2021 academic year, Alex Kenrick was selected to give masterclass instruction to students attending University of Maryland – Baltimore County as a part of the InterPlay partnership, offering collegiate level instruction to undergraduates in the guitar program. Kenrick is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Music Arts under the tutelage of Julian Gray at the Peabody Institute of  Johns Hopkins University, while also performing regularly with theater companies around western Pennsylvania- most recently performing Anything Goes with Stage 62.

Tom is a composer and pianist from Pittsburgh, PA. From a young age, Tom was fascinated with music and began to take piano lessons at the age of 7. Piano lesson quickly developed into many diverse interests, and Tom began to branch out into learning to play guitar, singing in a choir, and writing original music. Tom began performing music professionally at 14, and has continued to perform ever since in various styles such as jazz, big band, rock, pop, and classical. Tom earned a Bachelor’s of Music from Duquesne University in 2014, and had the pleasure of studying with such eminent musicians as Rob Kurth, Jeffery Turner, and Lynn Purse. Tom believes that music is for everyone, and that with the right attitude, anyone can achieve their goals.

Mary Amrhein-May holds a bachelor of music degree in cello performance from Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, where she studied cello with the world renowned performer, Janos Starker, as well as cello pedagogy, the research of movement in music, and additional cello instruction with Dr. Helga Winold. After graduating from I.U., she was selected to be the cellist of the Niles String Quartet in Lexington, KY, from which she holds a masters degree in cello performance. During her time in Indiana, Mary performed with professional orchestras in Evansville, IN, and Columbus IN. In Kentucky, she was a member of the Lexington Philharmonic, principal cellist of the U.K. orchestra, and taught chamber music at the university level. Mary is a Pittsburgh native and came home to Pittsburgh to begin a freelance career and be closer to family. She has performed with several local professional ensembles, including orchestras in McKeesport, Johnstown, Altoona, Westmoreland, Wheeling, WV, Youngstown, OH, and Cumberland, MD. She is the cellist of the Cama String Quartet, the Crystal Strings, and is a regular member of music ministry at St. Louise de Marillac Church. Before having children, she taught extensively at Mt DeChantal Academy in Wheeling and the Jewish Community Center in Squirrel Hill. After reducing her performance and teaching schedules for several years while raising her two children with her husband Charles, she is happy to be re-establishing her orchestral and teaching careers and is excited to be part of the Lewis Music Studio Faculty. Mary looks forward to sharing her love of music and the cello with all of her students and believes playing a musical instrument helps all of us to be better communicators as we work together to make the world more beautiful. In addition to her professional music endeavors, Mary keeps busy as an advocacy volunteer for the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation and is a panel member of the 2022 Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs. In her free time, Mary enjoys running, hiking, biking, and spending time with Coda, the wonderful four-legged member of the May Family.

Russ Pedersen received his undergraduate degree from Duquesne University and his masters degree from Carnegie Mellon University. Both a musician and educator, Russ has performed around the country and in Scotland and Canada with such ensembles as the American Wind Symphony Orchestra, the River City Brass Band, the Westmoreland Symphony, the Washington Symphony, the Edgewood Symphony, the McKeesport Symphony, the Big Easy Jazz Band and the Unity Brass Quintet. Russ has been involved in music education since 1982. Russ’s experience as an music educator includes several years in the Pittsburgh City Schools beginning in 1987. He began work in the Carlynton School District in 1996 as the High School Marching Band and Concert Band Director where he built the program from an ensemble of 35 to over 100. He also taught elementary band, choir, general music and served as music dept head until his retirement in December of 2020. Russ also worked with the Pittsburgh Youth Philharmonic Orchestra as the Prelude Band conductor, brass coordinator for all ensembles and as the music librarian. His most influential teachers include Matty Shiner, Sumner Erickson, Edward Kleinhammer and Arnold Jacobs. Russ makes his home in the South Hills of Pittsburgh with his wife Diane and his two sons Luke and Liam.

Pat Rush resides in the South Hills and is a graduate of Duquesne University School of Music. He is a long-time veteran of Pittsburgh’s music scene having played drums with some of the region’s most recognizable names which include Metro, Blind Date, Nancy McKeen Bluz Machine, Rock-it, Flight Risk and Gone South.

Pat has been influenced by everyone that he has ever played with. He taught drums and  percussion privately for many years and credit’s Pittsburgh’s drum legend Tom LaFlame as his mentor and inspiration.

Evan Spurlock is a musician from Bridgeville, PA who teaches piano and bass guitar. He originally began playing in his school band when he was ten years old and ever since has continued to broaden his musical skills. He picked up piano lessons when he was thirteen and is self-taught on the bass guitar. Evan has also taught himself the art of recording and producing, and in addition to freelance mixing and recording, he writes, records, and edits music for the local band Fidello.  During the live Fidello shows, Evan is the bass guitarist.  In addition to teaching and working with Fidello, Evan studies Music Technology at CCAC.

Violist and Violinist Stephen Weiss enjoys an extensive career as a multi-genre soloist, chamber musician, recording artist, and orchestral player having performed throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. His international presence includes a residency with the InterHarmony International Music Festival where his playing has been noted as “downright puristic [and] with a warm, viola sound.” (“Onetz”, Sulzbach-Rosenberg, Germany). Stephen’s career has involved collaborations with renowned musicians from the Dallas, Charleston, and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestras, the New York Metropolitan Opera, the Houston Grand Opera, and international artists such as The Eagles, The Who, Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, Sarah
Brightman, Evanescence, Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, and the Tran Siberian Orchestra. Stephen additionally has spent time as concertmaster and violist for the North American Broadway tour of “Moulin Rouge!”. He is also a permanent member of Celtic Rock Band “Bastard Bearded Irishmen” which he joined as their electric violinist in April 2021.

As an accomplished chamber musician, Stephen has performed with renowned musicians such as Barbara Nissman, Jan Loeffler, Andres Cardenes, and Gary Levinson. In 2022, he became a member of OMG Classical, a chamber ensemble rooted in the “Classical Revolution” which aims to bring classical music out of the concert hall and into venues more accessible to the general public. Stephen is also a violist for Camerata 33, a Latin-American chamber ensemble. He is also a founding member of the Red Line String Quartet, which gained national recognition from their 2019 sold out performance at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music in New York City. The quartet released their inaugural album, “TURN”, in August 2021.

Stephen was appointed Principal Viola of the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra in August 2019 and is also currently a violist with the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra. He can also be seen with the American Pops Orchestra, Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra, Pittsburgh Ballet Orchestra, Pittsburgh Civic Light Orchestra (CLO), Resonance Works Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Festival Orchestra, Pittsburgh Chamber Orchestra, Opera Project Columbus, and many more.

Stephen is also heavily invested in music education. As a devoted, sought-after teacher, he is currently Professor of Viola at Seton Hill University and the Viola Instructor for City Music Center at Duquesne University. He additionally maintains his own professional viola and violin studio, and he has conducted masterclasses at high schools and collegiate institutions across the United States.

Stephen received a fellowship to attend Carnegie Mellon University where he received his Master of Music in Viola Performance and two post-master certificates in Music Performance. He was a student of both David Harding and Tatjana Chamis. He is also a graduate of the Mary Pappert School of Music at Duquesne University where he studied with Maryléne Gingras-Roy. His previous primary teachers include Dr. Timothy Deighton and Paul Silver of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

Stephen performs on a 1966 Turtis-model viola by Dudley Reed, which was originally custom-made for the late Pittsburgh Symphony violist Jose Rodriguez. He is also the owner of a custom made 6-string “Viper” model electric violin made by Wood Violins.