Ryan Leaver started his journey in music education at the Community Music School
(Trappe, Pa) in 1996 at the age of 16. While attending CMS for three years, he studied guitar and music theory with Eric Sessler, Don Reese, and James Kinney.
After graduating high school from Perkiomen Valley in 1998, he attended the Berklee College of Music receiving a B.A. in Jazz Composition in 2003. During this period, he studied privately with Dennis Sandole, Charlie Banacos, George Garzone, Bob Moses, Joe Morris, John Thomas, Ben Sher, Jack Pezanelli, and John Wilkins, attended masterclasses and clinics with Mick Goodrick, Dave Liebman, Chuck Loeb, Frank Tibeiri, Charlie Kohlhase, Chad Smith, Laszlo Gardony, Jamey Haddad and Alex Skolnick, and took single lessons with Ran Blake, Ben Monder, Ron Thomas, and Tony Marino.
In 1999, he attended the National Guitar Summer Workshop with masterclasses given by Jack Wilkins, Mark Dziuba, Peter Bernstein, and Howard Alden (he was able to perform with Howard Alden). Mr. Leaver taught at the Community Music School as a guitar instructor in 2002-2003 before pursuing graduate studies.
In 2006, he received a M.A. in Modern American Music from the Longy School of Music of Bard College in Cambridge, MA. Longy’s unique graduate programs curriculum consisted of focused studies in the Alexander Technique, the Feldenkrais Technique, Eurhythmics, Harmolodics (Ornette Coleman) and the Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization (George Russell). While at Longy, he continued his jazz studies with the Fringe (Bob Gullotti, George Garzone, and John Lockwood) and also studied classical guitar with Thom Noren, saxophone with Stan Strickland, ensemble studies with Charlie Kohlhase, and composition with John Morrison. He attended masterclasses with distinguished musicians such as Allen Forte, Robert & Pozzi Escot, Robert Willoughby, Bob Moses, Greg Bendian and Karl Berger.
From 1999 to 2009, Mr. Leaver earned 60+ credits in a variety of subjects at the Montgomery County Community College. In 2009, he became an adjunct professor at the Northampton Community College teaching music fundamentals classes.
In 2012, Mr. Leaver became an instructor at the Community Music School again after performing at their annual Alumni Concert. In 2013, he received a Certificate of OrtonGillingham Teacher from the Children’s Dyslexia Center in Allentown. In 2016, he attended the Golandsky Institute’s Summer Piano Symposium at Princeton University. In 2017, he became an instrumental, ensemble, and music theory instructor at the Kimberton Waldorf School in Kimberton Pennsylvania.
Mr. Leaver has been studying drums privately with Master Drum Educator Martin Bradfield since 2018. In 2020, he completed the Teacher Certification Program at Immaculata University and was awarded Level I Certification (K-12) to teach music in the state of Pennsylvania.
Will Currier is a freelance guitarist, composer, and educator from the Philadelphia area. He studied music at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, with a concentration in jazz performance and composition. Some of his teachers include Nate Radley, Neil Kirkwood, Carver Scott Lee, and Kevin Kjos. Currier frequently gigs in a wide array of musical genres from Jazz, R&B, and rock, to musical theatre. Currently, he plays guitar in the Philadelphia based original R&B group “Sages,” as well as fronting and composing for his own project “Currier Snyder Shaak.” Compositionally his work falls in the category of jazz and contemporary music but draws from a wide range of influences including folk, rock, blues, and classical.
We are pleased to welcome pianist and educator Hye Kyung Choi to the Community Music School family. Ms. Choi has over 30 years of teaching and performing experience. She received her Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree, both in Piano Performance, from Hanyang University. She also studied Collaborative Piano Program at the Sungshin Women’s University. In addition to her rich teaching background, she also has held several positions in multiple churches internationally and in the United States. Hye Kyung currently works for the Antioch Church of Philadelphia as the choir accompanist. She is also the founder and music director of the Antioch Youth Orchestra, conductor of the Silver Choir, and an assistant teacher in the Antioch Preschool. Hye Kyung is an active member of the Philadelphia Korean Musicians Association.
Alan has been playing piano professionally for over thirty years. A versatile pianist comfortable performing both jazz and classical, Alan is also skilled at blues and boogie, Latin, Ragtime, showtunes and pop music. Alan has been a featured performer for The North Carolina Jazz and World Music Society, the Circular Church Jazz Vespers Series (Charleston), The Atlanta Symphony Associates, as well for many other concert events.
A native of Philadelphia, Ms. Levicoff began playing the violin at age six, taking private lessons from Philadelphia Orchestra violinist Joseph Lanza and, later, from Robert, Julia, and William dePasquale, also Philadelphia Orchestra musicians. She earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Violin Performance from The Philadelphia College of Performing Arts and a Master of Arts Degree in Education from LaSalle University.Valerie is passionate about teaching and enjoys working with young children through adults. In addition to recently teaching at Ambler Music Academy, and presently coaching viola with PRYSM strings, Ms. Levicoff is an Adjunct Professor of Music at Arcadia University. She also served as a full time teacher in the Philadelphia School District for twenty four years receiving numerous awards for outstanding educational contributions.
Peter Lockman has performed throughout the United States, Europe and Korea appearing at Carnegie Hall, the White House, and the Wiener and Graz Musikvereins. He earned his Bachelor of Music at DePauw University studying with Eric Edberg and Master of Music at Indiana University studying with Eric Kim. He acted as principal cellist at both universities, was a finalist in the DePauw Concerto Competition for three consecutive years, and soloed with IU’s Philharmonic Orchestra as winner of the Jacobs School of Music Cello Competition. In 2014, Peter formed the Esherick Trio with fellow musicians Keoni Bolding and Seth Trumbore focusing on producing audience-centric experiences emphasizing diversity in programming, audience-performer connection and education. Peter is excited to inspire and educate aspiring cellists of all backgrounds, building each student towards a fulfilling life in the arts.
Emily McDonald is a graduate of Kutztown University where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance in 2018. She studied violin under teachers Dr. Mary Ogletree and Dr. Peter Isaacson, while adding proficiencies in viola, piano, voice, and guitar. A highlight of Emily’s undergraduate time was leading the Kutztown University orchestra from the concertmistress chair, as well as being a founding member of the gypsy jazz band Gateau au Chocolat. Studying jazz, blues, Irish fiddle genres and the art of improvisation has complimented her classical training into a well-rounded player.
