2024 Violin Faculty
Cheri Lyon Kelley
B.M. University of Louisville
Louisville native Cheri Lyon Kelley, a long-time member of the first violin
section of the Louisville Orchestra before retiring in 2021, occupied the Mrs.
John H. Clay endowed chair. She enjoys a fulfilling career in both performing and teaching. She is a second-generation Louisville Orchestra member, her father Ernest E. Lyon having been the principal trombonist for 10 years. Cheri owns and performs on a Giovanni Battista Ceruti violin, ca. 1810, a beautiful example of the Cremonese school from Cremona, Italy. It was formerly owned by Mr. William Hedden of New Albany, IN, and played frequently in the home of Hattie Speed during informal chamber music gatherings.
She is married to Tom Kelley and they have a son, Ethan who is a pianist. Cheri’s other passions include cooking, history, and work with the children’s music worship at their church St. Francis in the Fields Episcopal Church.
Cheri received her Bachelor’s degree in applied music, violin performance, from the University of Louisville studying with Paul Kling. In addition, Cheri attended the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, Young Artist Instrumental Program studying with the renowned Roman Totenberg and receiving the Young Artist of the Year Award. At Meadowmount, Cheri studied with the famed pedagogue, Ivan Galamian. At Yale in Norfolk, she also received intensive chamber music instruction from the eminent Tokyo String Quartet and Raphael Hillyer of the Julliard String Quartet. Cheri went on to study privately with former Cincinnati Symphony concertmaster, Philip Ruder.
Aimee Quinn
B.M. University of Louisville
Aimee Quinn was born and raised in the Louisville area. She began studying the violin at age four with Hiroko Driver Lipman and has now recently graduated from the University of Louisville where she studied with Jennifer Ross and Dr. Geoffrey Herd. She plans to return for her master’s in performance pedagogy this fall. Aimee has completed her certification training for Suzuki violin books 1-10 with Dr. Timothy Durbin at the University of Louisville. She currently teaches violin and piano privately as well as leading sectionals for the Male High School orchestra program. She has volunteered at the University of Louisville's 2022 Suzuki Summer Institute. Aimee performs frequently with the University of Louisville Symphony Orchestra as well as the Louisville Philharmonia during the summer months. She also provides multi-genre string music for weddings and other events all throughout the year with her family trio "Quintrilogy". Aimee has learned to improvise and has honed her harmonizing skills while playing her violin on the worship team at Heritage Christian Fellowship where she attends weekly. Aside from playing the violin, Aimee has studied piano, lap and hammered dulcimer, and enjoys trying new and different instruments at any opportunity!
Sheri Quinn
B.S. University of Kentucky
Sheri began violin at 6 and piano at 11, performing several years with Louisville Youth Orchestra. She attended the University of Kentucky on a Violin Scholarship where she studied under Daniel Mason and performed with the University Symphony Orchestra. After graduation, she performed with the Southern Seminary Orchestra until 2011. In 2012, she founded Louisville Philharmonia – The Musicians' Orchestra with her musical colleagues, where she is currently President and Principal Second Violin.
Since college, she has taught violin and piano, as well as playing in chamber groups. She studied for her Suzuki certification with renowned Suzuki teacher-trainer Hiroko Driver Lippman, who studied with Dr. Shinichi Suzuki in Japan. Sheri has taught with the Suzuki philosophy for more than ten years. Also over the last decade, she has taken up the cello.
Sheri regularly performs for church services, weddings, recordings and other events as well as performing in an Irish Band. She has been involved with this String Camp for 12 years, performing and teaching violin and cello. Sheri is married and has two lovely daughters who play violin, cello and piano. When not making music, she is Irish dancing, doing circus aerials and flying trapeze.
Anna Laverty
B.M. University of Louisville
Anna Laverty is a violinist and graduate of the University of Louisville, School of Music. There, she studied under Brittany MacWilliams and Dr. Geoffrey Herd. She also completed certification in the Suzuki Method in books 1-10 with Kirsten Marshall. From 2022 to 2024, Anna served as President of the UofL American String Teachers Association Student Chapter, winning the Most Outstanding ASTA Student Chapter award at the ASTA National Conference in 2024.
Outside of University, she attended the Sewanee Summer Music Festival, learning from Dr. Lin He, Jane Stewart, and Jessica Dan. Anna traveled and performed with the Kentucky Ambassadors of Music in England, France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, and Germany.
In 2024, she had the opportunity to perform with the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 2022, she performed with the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago. Anna is currently a student at the Hartt School of Music in Hartford, Connecticut, where she is earning a Master’s degree in Violin Performance and Suzuki Pedagogy.
VIOLA FACULTY
Sam Meade
B.S.M.E. Clarks Summit University
M.M. University of Louisville
M.M.E. Illinois State University
Sam has taught all over Illinois, Massachusetts, and the greater Kentuckiana area. After finishing his bachelor of music education at Clarks Summit University, he moved to Louisville, KY to attend the University of Louisville and serve as a graduate teaching assistant. He was the violist in the University of Louisville Graduate String Quartet coached by Patrick Rafferty and principal violist from 2012 - 2014 for the University Symphony Orchestra. In 2017, he accepted a graduate teaching position at Illinois State University, where he taught for the ISU String Project and served as a principal player in the University Symphony Orchestra. He has performed in the Kentucky Opera, Orchestra Kentucky, the Louisville Ballet, Paducah Symphony, and is also a founding member of the Peccatte String Quartet. He has performed in many masterclasses with wonderful clinicians such as Annie Fullard, Peter Slowik, Jeffrey Irvine, and Catharine Carroll Lees.
Sam’s primary teachers have included Fritz Valenches, Brittany MacWilliams, and Katherine Lewis. He received his registration in Suzuki Violin with Dr. Timothy Durbin (2012, 2015 - 2016) and is a member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas, the American Viola Society, and the American String Teacher Association. In his short time in Central Illinois, he taught for the Rolland/Suzuki program at the Conservatory of Central Illinois and developed a great love for the teaching pedagogy of Paul Rolland. He currently directs the Seminary School of the Arts String Program and is the String Program Coordinator for the Oldham County Schools Art Center. While he loves to teach and perform, Sam has found his passion in directing string intensives. He is the director for the Kentucky Christian String Camp in Louisville, KY and the Oldham County Schools Art Center String Camp in Crestwood, KY. He also enjoys playing piano/violin/viola at Faith Community Church in Prospect, KY. When he is not performing or teaching music, he is running long distances, Crossfitting, and enjoying friends and family.
Henry Haffner
B.M. Vanderbilt University
M.M. University of Cincinnati
Henry C. Haffner is a Violist, Violinist, Music Director, Composer, and Educator. He has the great privilege of leading worship at Parish Presbyterian Church in Franklin, TN. The primary expression of his musical life is the weekly worship of Christ, through the songs of His people. As a violist and violinist, he has performed and given masterclasses throughout the South and Midwest. His work can be heard on recordings by Nathan Clark George, Jim Daneker, Paul Cardall, and Michael W. Smith. Since 2009, he has performed as a member of the Lexington Philharmonic in Lexington, KY (as Principal since 2011). He has also performed regularly with the Nashville Symphony, Evansville Philharmonic, Paducah Symphony, and Jackson Symphony (TN).
Henry served on the faculties of Middle Tennessee State University (2011-2018) and New College Franklin (2010-2022), teaching a variety of subjects including viola, violin, music history, music theory, and ear training.
As a composer and songwriter, his pieces for worship reflect a desire for accessibility and a deep sense of history and place. He has released two albums of original music: Southern Psalms in 2018, and Clovercroft, in 2021.
Henry was educated at Vanderbilt University and the College Conservatory of Music (CCM) at the University of Cincinnati. He lives with his wife and children in a little house in the country near Columbia, TN.
CELLO FACULTY
Felix Borges
B.M. Campbellsville University
M.M. University of Louisville
Felix holds a Master degree in Cello Performance from the University of Louisville where he studied with Paul York. During his time at UofL he was also a member of the graduate string quartet coaching students in Louisville. While at UofL he won the Concerto competition later performing the Variations on a Rococo Theme by Tchaikovsky with the UofL Symphony Orchestra. He has performed with several orchestras in the Louisville area, including the Lexington Philharmonic, Orchestra Kentucky, and Evansville Philharmonic.
In 2011, 2013, and 2014 Felix performed as a guest soloist for the Recife Symphony Orchestra in Brazil, under the baton of renowned Brazilian composer Marlos Nobre. In 2014, Felix also performed with the production of The Last Five Years at Actors Theatre in Louisville. Recently he has played with the Louisville Ballet, the Kentucky Opera, and is a member of the Peccatte String Quartet.
While he greatly enjoys performing, Felix has a special passion for teaching, always searching for new ways to improve his student's technique, musicality, and love for music. He teaches at the UofL String academy, Oldham County Schools Arts Center, Waldorf School of Louisville, and the Seminary School of the Arts. Felix lives in Louisville with his wife Celia and daughter Stella. www.felix-borges.com
Allison Olsen
B.M. Rice University
M.M. University of Akron
Formerly the Principal Cellist of Akron Symphony, Owensboro Symphony and a member of the Marini String Quartet, Allison Olsen joined the cello section of the Louisville Orchestra in 2006. During her tenure with the LO under the direction of Teddy Abrams, Allison has been involved in hundreds of newly commissioned works, as well as the release of several CD recordings. She received a Bachelor of Music Performance degree from Rice University, a Master’s degree in Music Performance from the University of Akron, and continued her studies at the Cleveland Institute of Music in the Professional Studies Program. Her teachers have included Desmond Hoebig, Shirley Trepel, Eric Kim, Michael Haber and Stephen Geber, as well as chamber music coaches Josef Gingold and Ron Leonard. Allison has performed and toured internationally in Europe, the Middle East and Russia, and has performed at music festivals including Eastern Music Festival, Grand Teton Music Festival, Kent/Blossom, Spoleto USA, North Carolina School for the Arts, Lancaster Festival, and the Jerusalem International Symphony Orchestra. She currently spends her summers as the Principal Cellist of the Lakeside Chautauqua Orchestra in Ohio.
Ms. Olsen joined the faculty of Bellarmine University as Violoncello Professor in 2011, and has also taught at Indiana University Southeast, the University of Akron Musical Arts Program and the Cleveland Public Schools.
Bass FACULTY
Derek Harris
B.A. Lindsey Wilson College
M.C.M. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Derek Harris teaches private bass, guitar, piano, and saxophone. In addition to private instruction, he leads camps and classes covering a variety of musical genres including rock and roll, folk, and classical guitar.
Before receiving a Master of Church Music with a piano and composition emphasis from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2011, Derek earned a bachelor of arts in psychology with a music minor from Lindsey Wilson College. He has studied under Maurice Hinson, Robert Reynolds, and Sandra Turner.
When he's not teaching at the Arts Center, Derek is the associate pastor of Lyndon Baptist Church, where he directs the choir and leads music every Sunday. He is an active performing musician, showcasing an array of styles including bluegrass, jazz, folk, surf, classic rock, and classical. Derek teaches foundations while helping students explore a number of genres and types of music.
PIANO FACULTY
Cara Lee Smith
B.A. Emmanuel College
Cara Lee Smith has taught piano and violin to children and adults of all ages and levels of experience since 2001, first teaching in northeast Georgia and now in the Kentuckiana area for the past 10 years. She studied piano primarily with Aurelia Campbell, Dr. Paolo André Gualdi, and Dr. Emma Pettyjohn and studied violin primarily with Angie Jones, Dr. Susan Quindag, Dr. Danijela Žeželj-Gualdi, and Dr. Leslie Boucher. She graduated as a valedictorian from Emmanuel College, earning a bachelor’s degree in piano and violin performance, played with the Toccoa Symphony and SBTS Orchestra, studied the Suzuki method with Dr. Timothy Durbin, completed Kindermusik's training and certification, and has taught at the KY Christian String Camp for 10 years.
Dr. Amy Valle
B.S. Tennessee Temple University
M.M. Austin Peay State University
D.M.A. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Amy Valle began to study piano at age four, when she badgered her mother to teach her. When Amy was eight, she attended Earl Wild's all-Liszt concert. The performance was amazing, and Amy wanted to be like him. Many scales and a few state-wide school competitions later, Amy was blessed to study with Jeanell Wise Brown, Anne Glass, and Maurice Hinson. Her favorite composers are Beethoven and Debussy.
Amy Dobben
B.M. Lee College
M.M. University of Louisville
Amy Dobben holds a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Louisville. From the age of seven, she participated annually in the National Piano Playing Auditions held by the National Guild of Piano Teachers, earning eleven certificates at the national or international level as well as the Guild’s High School Diploma. As a rising high school senior, she participated as a music major in the Kentucky Governor’s Scholar Program at Centre College, and she graduated as a Valedictorian from Evangel Christian School in Louisville.
Mrs. Dobben received a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Piano from Lee University (formerly Lee College) in Cleveland, Tennessee. While a student at Lee, she participated in numerous recitals in addition to serving as an accompanist for various choirs, vocalists, instrumentalists, and dramatic stage presentations including Annie and Fiddler on the Roof. She served on a panel of adjudicators for the Georgia Governor’s Honors Program, auditioning and selecting high school students to participate in the program. In 1997, she graduated magna cum laude, earning the Music Departmental Award.
Since 1997, Mrs. Dobben has directed choral programs ranging from simple children’s presentations to full-scale dinner theater, including compiling and arranging a choral Christmas concert. In 2004, she opened a private piano studio and continues to teach students of varying ages, levels, and styles. In addition, Mrs. Dobben has been a certified Musikgarten instructor since 2010. Since 2014, Mrs. Dobben has taught private lessons, choir, and music theory at Landmark Christian Academy in Louisville, KY.
Mrs. Dobben currently lives in Louisville, KY, with her husband and three children.
CONDUCTING FACULTY
Gert Kumi
B.M., Tirana Arts Academy, Tirana, Albania
M.M., The Juilliard School
Gert Kumi is a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music where he was a scholarship student of Stephen Clapp, a protege of Ivan Galamian and dean of Juilliard. Some of his other teachers at Juilliard include Dorothy DeLay, Itzhak Perlman, Donald Weilerstein, Robert Mann, Earl Carlyss, Paul Kantor, Curtis Macomber, and Lionel Party.
Mr. Kumi completed post-graduate studies at the Menuhin Academy in Gstaad, Switzerland where he was a scholarship student of Alberto Lysy, protege of Lord Yehudi Menuhin. Mr. Kumi has performed as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician across Europe, United States, Asia and Africa. He has played under distinguished conductors including Sir Roger Norrington, Jahja Ling, Otto Werner Mueller, Andrew Litton, Larry Rachlef, Itzhak Perlman, Teddy Abrams, and John Williams. Mr. Kumi made his New York debut in February of 2006 performing Chausson’s Concerto for Violin, Piano, and String Quartet at Lincoln Center’s Merkin Hall. Mr. Kumi has been featured as a soloist with the Staten Island Philharmonic, Anderson Symphony, Masterworks Festival Orchestra, Symphony of the Lakes Orchestra, Wenzhou Philharmonic in China, Yellow River Orchestra in Zhengzhou, China, Radio Symphony Orchestra in Albania and others.
Gert has performed as concertmaster of the Bacchanalia Chamber Orchestra in New York City, Symphony of the Lakes in Indiana, Masterworks Festival Orchestra, and Young Virtuosi of Tirana Chamber Orchestra. Mr. Kumi is the five time winner of the national Young Artist Competition in Albania. He made his Albanian solo debut with the Tirana Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 15.
Mr. Kumi has recorded for NBC, BRAVO, Vatican Radio, German Radio and Television, Swedish Radio, Austrian Radio and Television, French State TV, Spanish State TV, Italian State TV (RAI), Hungarian TV, and Albanian Radio and TV. Gert has collaborated with many distinguished musicians including Itzhak Perlman, John Williams, Elton John, Nathaniel Rosen, Nina Beilina, Alberto Lysy, Liviu Prunaru and many others. He is a featured guest with the Louisville Orchestra, Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, and Muncie Symphony.
As an educator, Professor Kumi has taught at Nyack College in New York City, and Grace College in Winona Lake where he was Artist in Residence from 2007-2010. Mr. Kumi is currently Associate Professor of Music at Anderson University in Anderson, Indiana where he is Head of the Strings and Music Director of the Anderson University Orchestra.
Mr. Kumi studied conducting at the Juilliard under the tutelage of Otto Werner Mueller, JoAnn Falletta and Virginia Allen.
Mr. Kumi plays on a Stradivari copy violin made in Moscow in 2010 by the international award-winning Russian luthier Igor Ulitsky. He plays with a W. E. Hill bow made in 1927 in London.