Teachers

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Shawn Duchscherer

Owner & Instructor

Mr. Duchscherer has been educating, performing, arranging and recording in WNY for 15 years. His studies of Jazz Performance at Villa Maria College, and tours across the east coast have taught him the importance of music in its social form. Over the years award winning Duchscherer has educated and guided hundreds of musicians of all ages and proficiencies. Duchscherer’s students have been accepted in All County and All State Ensembles, received scholarships and have gone on to major in music in college. It is Shawn’s passion to educate and give the life long gift of music to his students and their families.

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Scott Keller

Drums & Percussion Instructor

Scott Keller has been playing drums and percussion for over 40 years. He has performed locally in bands playing various styles including: Rock, Jazz, Blues, Progressive Rock, Rockabilly and Americana. He has studied with Michael Bookspan and Gerald Carlyss from the Philadelphia Orchestra, Lynn Harbold of the Buffalo Philharmonic and at the University of Buffalo with Jan Williams.

Scott currently performs with the Sam Marabella Band.

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Teresa Izzo

Horns (Brass/Woodwinds) & Piano Instructor

Teressa is a graduate of Buffalo State University with a dual major in Music Education and Performance degree. She has been playing trumpet for 11 years. Ms. Izzo has also been part of NAFME (National Association for Music Education) festivals and Instructor at the Buffalo Urban Music Project. She has experience teaching all ages, from child care to high school marching band and adults. Teressa has passion and love of music and music instruction, that she brings to her teaching methods and curriculum. In addition to her teaching and guiding of students she has experience playing all different genres including classical, jazz and blues. Teressa was also a lead trumpet and soloist in the drum and bugle corps known as the “Skyliners”. Currently she is playing in a ska band called the Abruptors, where she plays valve trombone and has recorded her first album.

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Paul Yates

Bass

Paul Yates is a bass player and teacher from Niagara falls, NY. Over the last 10 years, Paul has played on studio recording sessions with both electric and upright bass. In 2009 he toured with rock and soul artist Fred Shafer performing in US cities such as New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, St. Louis, Nashville and even did an MWR tour to Southeast Asia.

Paul has shared the stage with such artists as Hinder, John Michael Montgomery, Julianne Hough, Billy Ray Cyrus, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Johnny Winter, Kansas, Journey and performed with two national Elvis Tribute Acts — the award winning Irv Cass, and Rick Alviti. Currently Paul performs with many WNY artists, and performs pit orchestra work at Niagara University and other local schools. He has earned two Buffalo Nightlife Music Awards for Best Blues Bassist (2015 and 2016).

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Jessica Stewart

Vocals

Jessica Stewart is classically trained and studied Music Performance at Buffalo State College as well as Audio Production at Niagara County Community College. In addition, she has performed and recorded with various musical artists in the Western New York area. Jessica’s interest in music began at a very young age, while performing in both school & church choir. She started taking private vocal lessons at age 12 and has since studied with Sue Anne Culp (now of Grand Rapids, MI), and with Lisa Marie Surace of Bravo Studio (Niagara Falls, NY).

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Jackie Davis

Vocal & Piano

Jackie Davis’ music has taken her to cities across the United States, Canada and West Africa. Jackie has served as a soloist, worship leader, seminar speaker, and choir director for Kingdom Bound Ministries. She brings to Cadence Music a wealth of experience preparing students for auditions, college entrance, performances and more. Her students have gone on to attend educational institutions. Others have advanced to sing solos with the Buffalo Philharmonic, independent recording artists, perform lead and supporting roles in musicals, sing in All County, Area All State and All State Choruses, and more.

Jackie is a graduate of Cornell University, where she received classical vocal training through a Cornell Chorus scholarship. She has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., as well as Kleinhans Music Hall with The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.

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Fran Woodmancy

Piano, Music Theory, Music Therapy

Fran Woodmancy has 40 years experience as a piano and keyboard instructor in various music genres and levels of study. Her background includes years of study with respected Toronto Royal Conservatory of Music affiliate, Russell Messina, and 34 years with Musical Director and noted jazz guitarist, Ralph Fava.  Many of her students have become music educators and performers. She can prepare students for NYSSMA and NCMEA adjudication, school band, performance, and college acceptance in a music program. 

Overall, she has been playing for 55 years, beginning her formal study at age 9.  She has performed for 45 years since the age of 19, both as a soloist and in bands, and has toured the US and Canada extensively.

In 2015, Fran became the music Director and worship keyboardist at the Covenant UCC Church in Gasport, NY, a position she currently holds today. 

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John Slobodzian

Guitar, Piano, Music Theory & History

John Slobodzian has been playing guitar for over 12 years, and piano for 8. Mr. Slobodzians piano studies along with music theory studies were with instructor Mr. Douglas Monroe. John’s first 8 of guitar were under the tutelage of Shawn Duchscherer. He is currently finishing his undergraduate in Classical Guitar Performance at the University at Buffalo under Professor Sungmin Shin and has also received instruction from classical guitarists John Feeley in Dublin, Ireland and Nicholas Goluses at Eastman School of Music in Rochester. Though he is specializing in classical guitar, he had his start in electric guitar and is enthusiastic about teaching all styles of music, on guitar and piano.  Mr. Slobodzain has performed many concerts and recitals, has been on recordings and is an active composer and arranger.