Faculty: Academy of Performing & Creative Arts: Clinton, New York

Instrumental and vocal instruction

Jovita Bernard-Copeland, Piano and Managing Director of the Academy of Performing & Creative Arts- Jovita Bernard-Copeland has been active in the private music education field locally for over 25 years. Originally from Malaysia, she started her piano education at age 5 and completed the internationally recognized curriculum through the Associated Board of the Royals Schools of Music, United Kingdom. She has been the sole owner and managing director of the Academy of Music located in Clinton. The school has expanded its services from offering private piano lessons to music lessons in voice and all instruments. Jovita also holds degrees in FInance and Management Science and has worked locally in the economic developement field. She is also an active member in the Clinton Chamber of Commerce and performs frequently in the community together with her students and staff at local venues for charity and events. Jovita has also created a successful complimentary business in custom designing and arranging of music to be performed live at special social functions such as corporate events, weddings and specialty social functions.

Charito Byrne, Classical & Musical Theater Vocal Coach- Charito has a B.A. in vocal performance from the Mannes College of Music, studying with both Marion Thompson and Neil Goren. She also holds a Masters of Music Ed. from the University at Albany, where she studied under Frances Wittmann. Charito has performed in many venues including Glimmerglass Opera, where she spent a summer in their Young Artist Program, and along with the Albany Chamber Singers, under David Griggs-Janower, where she was showcased as a soloist during their choral tour of Costa Rica. She can be heard in the 1999 recording of Medea, performed through Opera Quintonius and recorded by Newport Records. Recently she was chosen as the lead actress to play the role of Dolly in the Stage Two production of "Hello Dolly" performed Summer of 2007 here in the valley.

Catherine Russo, Contemporary Vocal Coach- Graduating from The New School University Jazz & Contemporary program at Mannes College of Music, Catherine has been fortunate enough to learn from jazz masters such as Reggie Workman, Junior Mance, Dennis Chambers, Richard Harper, and others. Cathie has a voice that quivers with Jazz and quakes with Soul. Her percussive vocal styling has been adequately called a complimentary throwback of the great scat masters of the Jazz era. She has been performing her original music since 1999 all around NYC to the four corners of the United States, and as far as the mountains of Alaska. She strives to empower the next generation of vocal talent with successful building tools incorporating the vocal styles of today such as Jazz, Blues, Rock, Country, Folk, R&B, and Soul. She wants every student to love his/her vocal skills, as well as have the ability to read, write, compose, and lyricize. Feel free to listen to some CLIPS of her own professional compositions:

Olga Megedyn, Violin & Viola- Olga is a professional violinist holding a Master's in Violin from Lviv State Conservatory in Ukraine. Originally from Ukraine, Olga was not only an educator, as an associate professor of Ivano-Frankivsk College of Music but also performed with the Ivano-Frankivsk Philharmonic Chamber as first violinist and the Ivano-Frankivsk Symphony Orchestra as Concertmaster of the second violin section. In 1994 she also successfully competed and won the International Competition of Chamber Music held in Chmelnitsk, Ukraine. Olga is proud to share her knowledge of the instrument with her students and encourages them to always play and perform with their local school programs. In addition to being on faculty with the Academy, Olga also performs with Utica, Catskill and Colgate University Symphonies and is an active member of the Academy's String Quartet ensemble.

Lynn Jacobs, Guitar, Contemporary Composition Coach- With a BA in Music Theory & Composition, and a minor in classical guitar, Lynn has also written an eclectic variety of music. Her forte is in guitar, but she also teaches keyboard, bass, banjo, and voice. Having performed nationally with her original works, Lynn's song repertoire spans from pop, blues, jazz, rock, electronica, rap, and classical. Feel free to listen to some of her own professional compositions on: http://www.mindawn.com/artists/LynnJacobs. Feel free to listen to a CLIP of her own professional composition:

"For Faith Rose"

acting, Creative Writing, and Art

Lavinia Wilburn, Acting Coach- Throughout her life, Lavinia has had a driving passion for the Performing Arts. Participating in many amateur and community theater performances, she's gained valuable on-stage and back-stage skills. Lavinia loves being part of a group, working as a team, and finalizing an entertaining show. She finds great joy working with children, and has patience and insight towards their development. Her favorite quote, by the legendary Ginger Rogers, is "There are no small parts, only small actors." Every part of a Play, Musical, TV Show or Movie is made up of a multitude of characters who make the production come alive and it cannot be done without each of them performing and sharing their talents.

Melissa Emmerich, Creative Writing- Melissa has a long-standing love of performing and creative arts. As an experienced dancer, a member of the APCA competitive ballroom team, a local theater performer, and creative writer, Melissa has passionately been involved in the arts for many years. After receiving her B.A. in English and her Master of Science in Education from LeMoyne College, Melissa has worked as an English teacher for the past 13 years. Melissa has attended various local, state, and national conferences sponsored by the Mohawk Valley Writing Project and the National Council for the Teachers of English. She also delivered a presentation on the creative writing of poetry at the New York State English Council conference in New York City in 2007. She has written various poems and stories, and she is currently working on writing a children’s book. As a creative writing instructor, Melissa fosters a love of writing in students. Through the use of highly engaging activities and positive encouragement, she believes in nurturing her students’ writing so that they utilize a unique writing voice, colorful and descriptive vocabulary, and their own style in their writing.

Florence DiGennaro, Fine Artist & Illustrator- Graduating with an Illustration/Photography degree, Florence has applied her talent of the Arts to various classical mediums as well as digital. Focusing on the current trends of the Art world, she shares her knowledge of what is in demand of the field with her students. Feel free to check her work on Facebook: "Art Life".

Dance and Fitness

Ambi Daniel, Latin Ballroom & Dancesport- Ambi is an award winning competitive International Latin Ballroom dancer. Dancing on the collegiate and amateur circuits, her many accomplishments include a United States national silver medal with partner Stephen Howard. Beginning her ballroom career with the RPI Ballroom Dance Team in Troy, NY, she continues to train with world class coaches from New York City and Canada.

Yan Kit Pang, Hip Hop- "Kit" originally comes from Boston, MA by way of Hong Kong. His passion for the Hip Hop culture stems from a strong belief that the dancing of it is an art form and a skill that anyone can learn to express their own creativity and to show who they are individually. His desire is to also share the true history behind Hip Hop culture and to encourage the learning and appreciation of this dance form for its real elements. As a performer who has performed around the city of Boston, Kit's goal is to bring the true essence of street dance and its culture through sharing his talent, skill and experiences with his students.