PRIVATE MUSIC INSTRUCTION
Spindrift offers private lessons in Piano, Guitar, beginning & intermediate Violin and Voice. We usually offer a beginning piano class in the fall and a week-long vocal & audition class at the end of summer to prepare for auditions for the winter show. Our Choir program is currently offered for 3 months in the Fall and then 5 months in the Winter & Spring.
If you are interested in private lessons, call the office at (650) 738-8648.
Alex Bootzin – Private Instruction in Advanced Piano & Voice Alex along with his late wife Martha, co-founded the Spindrift School of Performing Arts back in 1994. Alex’s training and experience include a B.A. degree in Piano Performance and a M.A. in Musicology from the University of California. His education includes many years of study with European master teacher, Dusi Mura. Alex is committed to sharing his experience and knowledge with young people. He is also active as a pianist and music director throughout the Bay Area and is currently the Associate Music Director at First Presbyterian Church of Burlingame. He also leads a jazz quartet called Nucleus.
“The arts are a metaphor for life, and as such, play a vital role in a young person’s balanced and well-rounded development. They can do the same for adults, regardless of their age! Music, especially, touches the emotions in a way that few other mediums can. Studying and playing music can be an avenue for all manner of growth, healing, breakthrough, and success. My goal is for my students to express themselves in a way that draws forth who they really are.” Email Me
Helena Pacholuk – Piano Instructor: All levels of private piano instruction and piano classes. Helena has been with SSPA since January of 2008. She has a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance, Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies and a Clear California Teaching Credential (pre-K through grade 12/adult classes).
“My primary goals in teaching are to inspire my students to a love of learning about and creating music, and to promote independent thinking skills and self-confidence.” Email Me
Philip Keil – Piano Instructor: All levels of Piano. Philip has been teaching with SSPA since 2008 as a private piano instructor and then in 2010 was instrumental in developing and launching our Coastside Children’s Chorus. He became a professional performing musician at the age of 13 and has enjoyed a career playing keyboard instruments; training and directing choirs; conducting orchestras; coaching singers; teaching music theory privately and music appreciation in the classroom.
His academic training at the University of Pittsburgh and the Juilliard School of Music was in theory and composition. From Trinity College, London (U.K.), he earned the Licentiate in organ performance. Philip is one of the founders of the famed Northern California Peninsula Ragazzi Boy’s Choir.
“As a piano teacher at SSPA, I welcome self-motivated students, children and teens, who respond to a creative and improvisational style of coaching and direction.” Email Me
Annie Li – Music Instructor in: Piano & beginning Violin, Bass, Guitar. Annie started working with SSPA in the summer of 2009 doing musical direction for the Broadway Bound musical camps. She attended UC Davis where she received a B.A. in Music. She also holds a Kodaly certificate of Music, Level One from St. Mary’s.
“I enjoy teaching music because it is very fun and rewarding to see my students learn and grow. When they are able to play and perform a piece they have worked on for a while, it is very exciting. Everyone is proud of this accomplishment. Also, having the ability to play music is wonderful. Therefore teaching music brings me joy because it is a hobby that can be shared with anyone.” Email Me
Andre DeVilliers – Guitar Instructor. All levels of acoustic and electric guitar. Andre has been with SSPA since 2007 teaching guitar class, outreach and private guitar. He started playing guitar when he was a teen and played in garage bands and at open mics for the next 10 years.
Andre spent a three year apprenticeship with Johnny Ciccolella where he developed a passion for Spanish classical music. He became a member of Gato Papacitos, a creative Spanish jazz ensemble and performed with them for several years. He has a B.A. in music from Humboldt State where he dedicated himself to honing his craft and developing an authentic voice, performing solo as well as with a variety of ensembles. While there he helped develop the department’s performance repertoire.
In addition to music, he has been involved in the theater community. For over 15 years he has professionally pursued acting, sound design/engineering, stage management, set fabrication and technical direction.
“Since moving to San Francisco I have continued to play professionally and teach individual lessons. I know what it is like to be passionate about guitar and how challenging it can be to learn. I also understands that everybody learns music in a different way. I truly love teaching and aim to bring out the rockstar in every one of my students.” Email Me
Diana Lee - Private Voice, Piano & Cello Instructor. Teaches all levels of piano and cello and beginning voice with a specialty in audition prep for musical theatre or other auditions. Diana Lee is a classically trained pianist and cellist teaching, performing and freelancing in the Bay Area. She maintains a private studio in the East Bay and works as an accompanist for studio classes, recitals, and competitions. She is the Artist-In-Residence at Lawton and Claire Lilienthal Alternative Schools in San Francisco where she teaches the Musical Theater Elective classes. She was the Musical Director of the San Francisco Arts Education Project Players for The Pajama Game (2009), Fiorello! (2010), and the world premiere of Everything Goes!: The Music of Cole Porter (2011), and the rehearsal pianist at the Oakland School for the Arts for Bye Bye Birdie (2010). In 2010, she successfully created a Vocal Audition Workshop Series for the middle-school students in the Players, helping them with the process of applying to and auditioning for the Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts Vocal Department. She is a cellist in the Bear Valley Music Festival Orchestra, and served as the principal cellist for SFArtsED’s summer productions of Carousel (2010) and Guys and Dolls (2011). Most recently she played cello in The Last Five Years with the Poor Man’s Players (2011) and Ragtime with Youth Musical Theater Company (2012). She was the Musical Director for A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum at Pacifica Spindrift Players, and is excited to continue her work in Pacifica with SSPA. This summer will mark her first year as the Musical Director for the Spotlight Stars camps at Cabrillo. Email Me
Katy Stephan – Voice Instructor, Songwriting. In the Summer of 2006, Katy began with our teens as musical director for our teen summer program and has done musical direction for our Winter productions as well. Katy studied at Cal State East Bay, and sang for many years with the Pacific Mozart Ensemble. With them She was a soloist on the Grammy-nominated recording of Bernstein’s Mass with conductor Kent Nagano and the Deutsche Symphonie. She has also been a soloist with the Oakland East Bay Symphony. She has written original music for theatre productions by Word For Word, Porchlight Theatre, Upon These Boards, The California Shakespeare Festival, Azeotrope (Seattle) and others. She is the recipient of a Bay Area Critics Circle award for Best Actress in a Musical in 2005.
“I believe in the truth that Martha Graham described: There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. “ Email Me