Julia Minkin - Voice, Songwriting, Piano
Julia Minkin is a singer/songwriter from Chicago with strong ties in France. She began her career in 2014 with the French pop band Kid Francescoli, with whom she collaborated on two albums, With Julia and Play Me Again, contributing lyrics and music as well as vocals. Until 2019, the project toured internationally with Julia on lead vocals, appearing at European festivals such as Dour and For Noise, as well as established French venues like Le Trianon and Moulin Rouge. Songs from both albums have been used in major ad campaigns (ALDI, Lancome, Hyundai) as well as in TV and film (Emily In Paris, Get Shorty) with one song (“Moon (And It Went Like)”) becoming a viral sensation on TikTok and reaching more than 68 million streams on YouTube (September, 2022).
Julia feels comfortable in a variety of musical genres, and sings in both English and French. While living in Marseille between 2014 and 2021, she became involved with the local jazz scene, collaborating with local double bassist Pierre Fenichel, saxophonist Fred Pichot and others. During the same period, she was invited to contribute lyrics and vocals to a number of projects, ranging from experimental music to electro (Thylacine, French79, Wuman, Paravision Music). Most recently in 2021, her lyrics and vocals, as well as an original song, were featured on an album from jazz trumpetist Christophe Leloil, based in Marseille.
Songwriting provides Julia with an outlet for her love of language. She has a BA from NYU in Comparative Literature and a minor in Creative Writing, a practice that carries through into her lyrics. She is always excited to be invited to compose lyrics for others, even as she continues to write for herself. To read some of Julia’s lyrics, click here.
Since moving back to Chicago in 2021, Julia and her husband, guitarist Andrew Sudhibhasilp, have shifted their focus to recording an album of original songs at their home studio. For a preview of what’s to come, check out their submission to the Tiny Desk Contest 2022.
Julia feels comfortable in a variety of musical genres, and sings in both English and French. While living in Marseille between 2014 and 2021, she became involved with the local jazz scene, collaborating with local double bassist Pierre Fenichel, saxophonist Fred Pichot and others. During the same period, she was invited to contribute lyrics and vocals to a number of projects, ranging from experimental music to electro (Thylacine, French79, Wuman, Paravision Music). Most recently in 2021, her lyrics and vocals, as well as an original song, were featured on an album from jazz trumpetist Christophe Leloil, based in Marseille.
Songwriting provides Julia with an outlet for her love of language. She has a BA from NYU in Comparative Literature and a minor in Creative Writing, a practice that carries through into her lyrics. She is always excited to be invited to compose lyrics for others, even as she continues to write for herself. To read some of Julia’s lyrics, click here.
Since moving back to Chicago in 2021, Julia and her husband, guitarist Andrew Sudhibhasilp, have shifted their focus to recording an album of original songs at their home studio. For a preview of what’s to come, check out their submission to the Tiny Desk Contest 2022.
Madelyn Merrell - VOICE & PIANO - Individual Lessons And Group Classes
Madelyn Merrell is a singer, pianist, and educator that strives to make music lessons responsive to students’ needs and interests. She received her Bachelor of Music Education degree in voice from Jacobs School of Music, with minors in Conducting and General Music Education. Madelyn has performed with Indiana University’s Singing Hoosiers, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, and the Fort Wayne Philharmonic. Besides her classical training, she has experience with musical theatre, contemporary music, and jazz. She is dedicated to sharing the joy of music with students of all ages and backgrounds!
Angelo Nottoli - Guitar AND Piano - Group And Individual Lessons
Angelo Nottoli is a Chicago-based composer, guitarist, pianist, audio engineer, and music educator. He received his Master's of Music in Music Composition for Film from the Pacific Northwest Film Scoring Program in Seattle, Washington. Musical styles Angelo teaches range from Classical, Avante-Garde, Electronic/Ambient, Jazz, Punk/Rock, Soul/R&B, and Hip-hop.
Throughout Angelo's musical career, he has collaborated with many filmmakers across the globe to write and record original film scores to bring their artistic visions to life. Furthermore, he has collaborated with many live orchestras, such as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chicago's Composer Orchestra, and Seattle Philharmonic, for many pieces he has written on multiple film projects and concert compositions.
Angelo's goal is to bring students' creativity to the forefront. He teaches beginner, intermediate, and advanced players, where we will develop skills to push their musical boundaries beyond what they thought was possible.
Throughout Angelo's musical career, he has collaborated with many filmmakers across the globe to write and record original film scores to bring their artistic visions to life. Furthermore, he has collaborated with many live orchestras, such as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chicago's Composer Orchestra, and Seattle Philharmonic, for many pieces he has written on multiple film projects and concert compositions.
Angelo's goal is to bring students' creativity to the forefront. He teaches beginner, intermediate, and advanced players, where we will develop skills to push their musical boundaries beyond what they thought was possible.
Kara Schultz - Voice, Piano And Guitar - Individual Lessons and Group Classes
Kara Schultz has been teaching since 2017 in the Chicagoland area. They received a BFA Musical Theatre from Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin. You may have seen them perform with Corn Productions, Alphabet Soup, or Traveling Lantern theater companies.
Kara's teaching style is student-centered, discovery based and goal oriented. Kara has experience teaching many styles and techniques of singing including riffs, harmonization, belt, mix, and multiple styles of vocal distortion. In addition to voice, Kara can play and teach piano, guitar, and beginner drums. Kara is an expert in teaching young kids ages 4-6 and specializes in teaching group classes. Some of Kara's favorite musicals include, Spring Awakening, The Little Mermaid, Avenue Q, and Merrily We Roll Along.
Kara's teaching style is student-centered, discovery based and goal oriented. Kara has experience teaching many styles and techniques of singing including riffs, harmonization, belt, mix, and multiple styles of vocal distortion. In addition to voice, Kara can play and teach piano, guitar, and beginner drums. Kara is an expert in teaching young kids ages 4-6 and specializes in teaching group classes. Some of Kara's favorite musicals include, Spring Awakening, The Little Mermaid, Avenue Q, and Merrily We Roll Along.
Owen Garcia - Piano & Percussion - Individual Lessons
Owen Garcia is a piano, drums and percussion instructor who specializes in Jazz, Pop/Rock, Latin, Classical, and World Music. Fluent in both Espanol and English, Owen is a graduate of Elmhurst University with degrees in music performance and production. He has been playing percussion and piano for the majority of his life and is dedicated to passing along his knowledge and love for music to students young and old alike.
SAMuel Barsi - ADMIN, Guitar, Drum Set - INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP LESSONS
"I want to inspire my students to love music and discover their best selves. The reason I started teaching music was because I had a teacher that almost cost me my love of music. Now music is such a huge part of my life, I would be missing out on so much!" - Sam Barsi, Founder, Pilsen Music Studio
Samuel Barsi grew up in a musical family and decided he wanted to take piano lessons at the young age of 6 years. After his first recital performance, Sam began to lose interest in piano. He decided he wasn't good at piano and begged his mother to let him quit. His teacher kept telling him that he needed to practice, but when he sat down at the piano his assignments seemed like an insurmountable mountain. After of dozens of practice battles and much begging and pleading, Sam's mother let him quit. Sam was a victim of poor music teaching practices and these poor teaching practices almost cost him his love for music.
Here is how Sam's passion for music was saved: Sam's sister and father were both drummers. After being exposed to his family's enthusiasm for music and seeing a wide variety of performances, Sam decided to give musicianship another go. He joined his school band as a brass player and he started learning drum set on a hand-me-down drum kit from his sister. When Sam was fourteen, a couple of friends asked him to join their pop/rock band. From then on, Sam's performing career had begun. Joining that band was some of the most fun Sam had ever had.
Before he knew it, Sam was in High School and playing shows at VFW halls, Church Basements, Pool Halls and Festivals. He loved the music, the shows, and all of the interesting people he was meeting on the way. Eventually Sam was approached by some friends to start teaching them how to play drums. Sam was so excited to show his friends what he loved. He found he was a natural teacher. He found it was a fun challenge to figure out how his students learn best and help them improve quickly.
Fast forward to today, Sam is a college educated, road tested, professional teacher and drummer. He has played hundreds of pro gigs in many bands in many states. He has studied with some of the best players in the industry on drums, brass, and piano and shared the stage with big names such as Jay Leno, Rodney Atkins, Emery, Bernard Purdie, Ice Cube, Blues Traveler, Lonestar, and many more. Sam has a keen sense of what students need and when they need it. Sam has ironed out a 3 pillared approach for his own teaching and for his other teachers that can be read about in detail above. Contact us today to schedule a free trial lesson with Sam.
Sam also manages https://samslessons.com
Samuel Barsi grew up in a musical family and decided he wanted to take piano lessons at the young age of 6 years. After his first recital performance, Sam began to lose interest in piano. He decided he wasn't good at piano and begged his mother to let him quit. His teacher kept telling him that he needed to practice, but when he sat down at the piano his assignments seemed like an insurmountable mountain. After of dozens of practice battles and much begging and pleading, Sam's mother let him quit. Sam was a victim of poor music teaching practices and these poor teaching practices almost cost him his love for music.
Here is how Sam's passion for music was saved: Sam's sister and father were both drummers. After being exposed to his family's enthusiasm for music and seeing a wide variety of performances, Sam decided to give musicianship another go. He joined his school band as a brass player and he started learning drum set on a hand-me-down drum kit from his sister. When Sam was fourteen, a couple of friends asked him to join their pop/rock band. From then on, Sam's performing career had begun. Joining that band was some of the most fun Sam had ever had.
Before he knew it, Sam was in High School and playing shows at VFW halls, Church Basements, Pool Halls and Festivals. He loved the music, the shows, and all of the interesting people he was meeting on the way. Eventually Sam was approached by some friends to start teaching them how to play drums. Sam was so excited to show his friends what he loved. He found he was a natural teacher. He found it was a fun challenge to figure out how his students learn best and help them improve quickly.
Fast forward to today, Sam is a college educated, road tested, professional teacher and drummer. He has played hundreds of pro gigs in many bands in many states. He has studied with some of the best players in the industry on drums, brass, and piano and shared the stage with big names such as Jay Leno, Rodney Atkins, Emery, Bernard Purdie, Ice Cube, Blues Traveler, Lonestar, and many more. Sam has a keen sense of what students need and when they need it. Sam has ironed out a 3 pillared approach for his own teaching and for his other teachers that can be read about in detail above. Contact us today to schedule a free trial lesson with Sam.
Sam also manages https://samslessons.com
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