Teachers
Welcome to our teacher bio page. If you would like to request a specific instructor for lessons please do so as a part of your signup submission. If you are looking to get in touch with a particular teacher just let us know via the contact form and we will direct you to them.
Christopher Tolbert
Christopher is the founder and CEO of Tolbert Music. With over 12 years of teaching experience, Christopher has done it all. General Music, Band, Orchestra, and private lessons on every instrument. He received his music education degree from Ithaca College in 2010. His primary instruments are trumpet and piano, and he regularly performs on both. Christopher has experience working with students of all ages and needs, and has developed a curriculum and teaching style that allows students to pursue their own interests and become independent learners.
kelsey tolbert
Kelsey Tolbert is a professional vocalist and teacher from Harrisonburg, VA. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree of Music from James Madison University. She has 9 years of experience teaching ages preschool through high school in Fairfax County Public Schools as both a general music and choir . During her years in FCPS she also worked with special needs populations as various schools. In addition to voice, she also teachers the piano, guitar, and ukulele. Kelsey encourages her students to focus on not only their areas of growth but also their areas of success. Her positive and energetic teaching style are a great fit for beginning learners. She works to instill a lifelong love of music in all of her students.
Matthew Krysztopik
Matthew has a BM in Music Education from George Mason University. At George Mason, he performed with many ensembles including the Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band, Mason Percussion Group, and various chamber ensembles. Outside of the University, he has performed with the Rappahannock Pops Orchestra, Festival Pops Orchestra, and the Raiders Drum and Bugle Corps. “Teaching music has been a very positive experience for me. Although I originally planned to pursue a performance degree, I realized that teaching was my true passion. The most influential people in my life have been my music teachers, and I hope to spark the same passion in my students that my teachers imbued in me. Music education is about bringing joy to students’ lives, and I look forward to continuing to cultivating that joy in my classroom every day.”
DIEGO NAVA
Diego Nava is a pianist, composer and a music teacher. He has performed in many different settings such as jazz ensembles, jazz quartets, and jazz trios and has also performed at weddings and theater. He currently performs at the St Augustine’s Episcopal Church as the pianist and music director. He has also taught in many different settings.
During the Fall of 2019, he supported the Washington Latin Charter School as the substitute teacher for the entire music program. In this program he directed three choir classes, a jazz ensemble class and taught a music theory class. Diego also aided the Blues Alley Jazz Camp as an instructor with the task of enhancing ensemble performance.
Diego has experience teaching private piano lessons for a great variety of students with many different musical goals. He currently teaches students from ages 4 years to 50 years and has been doing so for over 6 years.
COLE HOLLAND
Cole Holland is a Berklee College of Music graduate (’17). He is a professional guitarist based in the DMV area that has a strong passion for all styles of music. He composes original music, performs in a large variety of musical settings, and has a consistent drive to explore new paths within music. Cole started playing guitar at an older age compared to some people (about 14 years old). But the desire and passion for music was with him since the beginning. Thankfully he had some very good teachers and mentors that helped take his passion to the next level, leading him to having the opportunity to attend Berklee on scholarship, and winning an award for guitar while there. He loves teaching, performing, creating, everything music and love to share that with whoever!
nichole savage
Nichole Savage is a classically trained Opera singer and music educator located in the DMV area. She earned a Bachelor of Music Degree in Vocal Performance from Virginia Commonwealth University and has over 10 years of experience in education. Her teaching style is informed by her exposure to a diverse range of students. Nichole has worked at a variety of Montessori schools, schools for students with disabilities, group homes for teenagers, with churches of various denominations, and as a nanny for three children under three. She uses the skills and knowledge gained from her experiences to create adaptive and achievable lesson plans for all of her students.
Nichole has performed with VCU Opera, Capitol Opera Richmond, Classical Revolution RVA, and Virginia Lyric Opera Company. Her favorite past operatic roles include playing Phyllis in Iolanthe, Sisa in Noli me Tangere, and The Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute. She has volunteered with ACDA, SAI, Manchester Manifest, the Big Brother Big Sister Foundation, the Girl Scouts of America, and Girls Rock! DC.
Cory Haley
Cory Haley is a professional percussionist and music educator in the Northern Virginia Area with a BM in music education from George Mason University. Cory has studied under world-class musicians such as Jon Bisesi, percussionist and soloist in the “President’s Own” United States Marine Band, National Symphony Orchestra artist John Kilkenny, and Victor Provost, internationally acclaimed jazz artist.
Cory has performed at the Percussive Arts Society International Conference in Indianapolis with the Mason Percussion Ensemble, taught master classes Kenyatta University in Nairobi, Kenya, and was a member of the GMU indoor Drumline which consistently places top 10 in the world.
Cory comes from a diverse musical background that includes: classical and contemporary percussion, jazz, ragtime, funk, European and American brass bands, and the marching arts. As a teacher, he strives to incorporate many of these different styles and genres into his curriculum. Cory has experience teaching band, orchestra, jazz, and composition at all ability levels with a flexible approach that is tailored to each individual student.
Daniel Frankhizen
Daniel Frankhuizen has performed throughout the United States and abroad as a soloist, chamber musician, and in several pop groups. He has performed in venues from Alice Tully Hall and Carnegie Hall, to the Corcoran Gallery of Art, and Storm King Art Center. Mr. Frankhuizen is a passionate music educator adept in many styles and instruments. He has over fifteen years of private lesson teaching experience in cello, piano, violin, viola, guitar, and ukulele and ten years of classroom teaching experience. When he is not teaching the next generation of young artists, he uses his combined talents to compose for the film industry
Andy Goldsmith
Andy is a performer and teacher who has over 15 years of teaching experience. He is used to working with students of all abilities and from all age brackets, teaching woodwind and piano in private practice and working with the entire 3-18 age range as a qualified classroom teacher.
Able to draw on a wide range of skills and experience, Andy’s previous UK posts include Assistant Programme Leader for Music at Harrogate Grammar School and Head of Music at Fulford School in York.
Andy was honoured to win the York Cultural Education Award in 2016 for an innovative city-wide outreach programme, and these successes propelled him to a new role as Partnership Director for a Multi Academy Trust where he was able to refine his pedagogical skills in designing and delivering a 3-18 education for all pupils within his remit. More recently, Andy worked as the Director of Performing Arts for one of North Yorkshire’s leading independent schools before relocating to North America.
Andre Ramos de souza
Andre is a classical guitarist, pianist, composer, and music educator. Originally from Brazil, he came to the USA to study music at the Jacobs School of Music, and later got his bachelor's at the Eastman School of Music. He has performed internationally and held tours in Switzerland, Brazil, Canada and America.