FACULTY
Gennaro Della Ragione – Dance
Gennaro is a professional dancer from Naples, Italy, trained in all styles and disciplines of dance.He studied in Germany at the official school of the Dresden Semperoper Theater. During his training he had the opportunity to work with teachers such as Carmela Pirozzi, and Margherita Veneruso, (etoile of the San Carlo Theater in Naples) and Ferdinando Arenella (director of the Dance Factory Company in Italy). Gennaro had the opportunity to study in Germany at the Palucca Hochschule für Tanz Dresden, the official school of the Semperoper Theater in Dresden. Gennaro studied in Germany at the official school of the Dresden Semperoper Theater. Gennaro also trained as an apprentice with Mystic Ballet company directed by Goran Subotic (director on the founding board of the CT Dance Alliance and artistic evaluator for the RI Council of the Arts, and International competition adjudicator for NAMUE in Tokyo). In the US, Gennaro has been Principal dancer for Sonia Plumb Dance Company as well as Dimensional Dance.
Martha Ebel – Voice- Art Songs, Lieder, Opera
Martha holds a Masters in Music and a Graduate Diploma in Opera from Longy School of Music and a Bachelors of Music from California State University, Long Beach. She has taught vocal students of all ages privately and at local music organizations. Martha has sung roles in eight operas. The Boston Globe reviewed one of her performances as “sensitive and full of finesse.” Her teachers include Robert Honeysucker and Donna Roll.
Doreen Edgar – Piano
Doreen holds a BFA in Piano Performance from SUNY College, Purchase, New York and an MS from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Doreen has taught piano to students of all levels and ages for more than 30 years. She believes in customizing lessons for each individual’s emotional expression of art with a better understanding of proper technical development and musical interpretation of composers, theory, and composition. In addition, she integrates methods of teaching harmony, dictation, solfege, sight-singing, ear training, and counterpoint within her piano lessons. She also taught piano performance at the prestigious Calderone School of Music for 15 years in East Hanover, NJ
Teddy Edgar – Voice: Musical Theater, Pop, and Opera
Teddy is a Boston-based tenor, actor, and educator recently hailed by local critics as “ready for prime-time.” A passionate teacher, Teddy helps students build a strong technical foundation while embracing their unique, marketable artistry. He holds a Bachelor of Music from Oklahoma City University and a Master of Music in Opera Performance from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Recent professional credits include Assassins (Lyric Stage Boston), The Little Mermaid and Oklahoma! (Reagle Music Theatre), and Pippin. Teddy is thrilled to share his love for the vocal arts with PAC MetroWest.
Anat Engel – Piano
Anat received her Bachelor of Arts in Piano Performance and Musicology and studied toward a Master of Arts at the Rubin Academy of Music in Tel Aviv University, Israel. Anat has been teaching at PAC since 1988! She is an expert at teaching all ages, young to adults, and is skilled in identifying students’ strengths and weaknesses to develop a personalized lesson plan that optimizes their learning experience. She is the perfect choice for students who want to make piano a priority.
Eric J. Hollander – Viola / Violin
Eric J. Hollander is a violist/violinist, musicologist, writer, and community music facilitator. He has a bachelor’s degree in viola performance from The Boston Conservatory, an MA in writing and publishing from DePaul University, a PhD in musicology from Brandeis University, and is currently pursuing a master’s in clinical mental health counseling and music therapy at Lesley University. Eric has a particular passion for making music in and as community. From his earliest memories, Eric has noticed music’s capacity to brighten the darkness and has constantly sought to be part of that process: from music ministry and outreach performance as a young fiddle-player in Chicago; to experimental poetry/music collaborations in Boston as a college student; to music education and performance projects for social change and critical thought in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia and around the world as a young adult; to illuminating – through writing, public speaking, and performance – collaborative music making as a means of giving voice, hope, and compassion to the silenced and ignored as a continuing student of music theory and therapy. Music is amazing, and playing is very serious business. Let’s get to work!
Robert “Bob” Johnson – Drums and Percussion
Bob has been performing and teaching in the Boston area for more than 40 years. Early on, he played in the orchestra for many local community theater productions, youth theater groups, and church and civic organization shows. Every summer, he plays drums for summer youth musical productions. He also plays for New England Band Productions, a marching band that performs throughout the area. In recent years, Bob has focused more on teaching, extending his instruction program to local music studios. He has coached several students to place first, second, and third place in their categories in the New England Music Competition.
Jimmy Lanzillotta – Guitar and Ukulele
Jimmy studied at the Hartt College of Music and has studied privately with Jose Rey de la Torre and Peter Lorenco. While Jimmy specializes in classical guitar, he teaches all guitar styles, including pop. Jimmy teaches all his students to read music, and as they progress introduces them to music theory and guitar history. Jimmy has given classical guitar concerts and lectures at Harvard University, Regis College, Wentworth Institute, Curry College and other venues in New England, New York, and Italy. He has been a member of the Boston Classical Guitar Society since 1977. Jimmy joined the PAC faculty in 2004, bringing a wide range of teaching experience both in schools and with private students and has built a thriving guitar studio.