Teachers
Helen Malyszka, Owner, Head of Baby & Preschool Music
Helen Malyszka, Graduated from Stevenson College in Edinburgh, Scotland, with a degree in Early Childhood Education in 1975. Helen became involved in the Suzuki Music School in 1983 with her son Paul, who was three years old at the time. In 1985 she received her Suzuki training from Jeanne Luedke and began teaching Pre-Suzuki and music theory classes at the school. Helen has been the music teacher at St. Rose Pre-School in Newtown since 2000, Newtown Congregational Nursery Co-op since 1987, and the Wesley Learning Center in Sandy Hook since 1994. Helen has been directing the St. Rose Children’s choir Newtown, since 2002. She has been performing with her Brother and twin sister in the group Eclipse since the early 70's.
Andy Lafreniere, Owner, Head of Guitar Department & Piano Teacher
Andrew Lafreniere, with a Masters degree in guitar performance from the Hartt School of Music, teaches both guitar and piano at the Suzuki Music School. His Suzuki studies have been with Jeanne Luedke, Frank Longay, and Bill Kossler. Mr. Lafreniere has been a Suzuki teacher since 1982. He is on the Suzuki Association of the Americas Guitar Development Committee and, as a member of the committee, he has been involved with the publication of the Suzuki guitar method books. He is a popular clinician, teaching at many Suzuki institutes throughout the country. Several of his students have gone on to study at some of the finest music schools in the country and have won several performance awards. Andrew has performed throughout the area, most recently with Eclipse and the Wykeham Consort.
Trish Keil, Baby & Preschool Music
Trish Keil Born and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland, is Helen’s twin sister, she also teaches the pre-Suzuki program. Trish has been the music teacher at Wesley Learning Center in Sandy Hook, Newtown since 2004 and New England Country Day School in Danbury since 2000. Trish has been directing the St. Rose children’s choir since 2002 and is one of the lead singers and guitarist in the Vocal harmony group Eclipse. Trish has had a lot of experience in the recording field and has sung backup vocals for many artists.
Paul Malyszka, Director & Head of Piano Department
Paul Malyszka has been teaching piano at the Suzuki Music School since 2002. He was a student of the Suzuki Method beginning his study at the age of three. He received his B.A. in Music from Manhattanville College and M.M. in Piano Performance from The University of Hartford at The Hartt School of Music. He has also worked as the Director of the Choral and Chamber Divisions at The Wooster School in Danbury, CT for 15 years where he directed the Middle and Upper School Handbell Choirs, Middle School Chorus, Wooster Singers, Madrigals Choir, and the Middle and Upper School Chamber Ensembles. Paul has been the Director of Music at King Street United Church of Christ in Danbury, CT since 1999. He is the full time organist and choir director of the Junior and Senior Choirs. He has also worked as the Piano Accompanist for the Southington Festival Chorale, and King Low Heywood Thomas School in Stamford, CT.
Ms. MorganEve Swain, Violin
Ms. MorganEve began learning the violin at age three at this very school. A native of Newtown, she grew up with the Suzuki Method, performing in the community, participating in school orchestras and the Norwalk Youth Symphony. Around age ten, MorganEve discovered the fiddle music of Maritime Canada and by sixteen she was performing in Irish and Americana bands around Fairfield and New London Counties. As an undergrad at Hampshire College, she studied Literary Journalism and Ethnomusicology, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts. Since 2008 she has toured extensively playing violin, guitar, and upright bass as half of the duo Brown Bird, and a member of The Devil Makes Three, among others. She continues to write and perform as The Huntress and Holder of Hands. After fifteen years of being based in Providence RI, MorganEve has returned home, where she now runs a small violin repair shop out of her barn in Bethel, performs and tours as much as possible and is passionate about teaching violin to the next generation of Suzuki kids.
Ms. Jazmin Giles, Piano
Jazmin Giles is a classically trained solo pianist and accompanist based in Connecticut. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Music Education at Western Connecticut State University.
She began studying piano at The Hartt School’s Community Division and studied classical piano under pianist Malgosia Lis. While studying at the Hartt School Community Division, Jazmin performed in many recitals, and small ensembles, and has won awards and competitions such as the HMTA Rising Pianists Competition. She also attended The Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts where she studied with performer Alex Nakhimovsky and performed with many of the academy’s musical ensembles.
She continued her studies by taking private instruction in classical piano from Russell Hirshfield and piano pedagogy from Laurel Larsen at Western Connecticut State University. As a collegiate music tutor, Jazmin provides her peers with additional training in Keyboard Competency, Music Theory, and Sight-singing. She is an active member of the state's National Association of Music Education chapter, and the Connecticut Music Educators Association, and presided over the Music Department’s Keyboard Club. She was awarded the Ruth P. DeVillafranca Music Education Award for music teaching potential, and contributions to the school and the music department.
Through studying and teaching music, Jazmin hopes to pass on the many joys and skills music has provided her to future generations.
Ms. Bobi Evrova, Violin & Viola
Ms. Bobi holds a BA in music, viola performance, from the State Academy of Music in Sofia, Bulgaria; an MM cum laude, viola performance, from the Hartt School of Music; and received long-term Suzuki teacher training from Hartt. She is a member of the American String Teachers Association and the Suzuki Association of the Americas. She is a member of the Bristol Symphony Orchestra and the New Britain Symphony. She is a former member of the National Opera and Seasons Chamber Orchestra in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Ms. Emily Franz, Violin, Viola & Cello
Ms. Emily studied at The Royal Academy of Music in London & Oberlin Conservatory. She regularly performs with the New Haven Symphony, has taught beginning strings in Wilton since 2013, and coached the Bravura and Sinfonia ensembles with Greater Connecticut Youth Orchestras. Other ensembles include: Oberlin Orchestra, Oberlin Baroque Orchestra, Royal Academy of Music Concert Orchestra & The Royal
Academy of Music Baroque Orchestra. Ms. Emily is thrilled to be teaching our "Saturday Strings" program where she teaches violin, viola & cello to students of all ages.
Mr. Val Fedorov, Piano, Guitar
Mr. Val is a performing artist and music educator, passionate about teaching and playing music. He plays multiple instruments, such as piano, guitar, accordion, baritone ukulele, harmonica, mandolin, and banjo. He received his bachelor’s degree in music performance and music education from Dnipro Conservatory of Music in Ukraine. Since moving to the United States in 2001, he has taught in private schools and studios throughout Connecticut. He has been teaching music for over 25 years and has performed in many public and private events. Val’s repertoire consists of music of many different genres and styles, from classical and jazz to folk and popular.