We would be like any other school without our incredible faculty and staff. We have 1:16 class ratios and 66% of our staff hold either Masters or PhD/DMA degrees. Small class sizes allow our faculty of academic scholars and of performing artists to provide personalized attention to all students. We use a grade-level approach to support students holistically, integrating studies and reinforcing cultural norms to bring out their best. We appreciate our faculty and staff’s everyday efforts, their commitment to excellence and passion for teaching.
Brass Studies Grades 5-12
Why ASA?
ASA is a place that allows me the freedom to cater my curriculum to the needs of the students. By doing so, this gives me the chance to make each class unique and allows me to keep things fresh year after year.
Derek Sanchez has been teaching here at ASA since 2010. A native of Illinois, Derek has lived in Arizona since 2008 and enjoys the weather year round. Yes, even the summer. Outside of teaching at ASA, he enjoys walking, traveling, gardening, hiking, cycling, tennis and watching some professional sports. Derek likes walking around campus and just being outside.
Total Years at ASA: 17
Total Years of Teaching Experience As Teacher of Record: 18
Teaching Experience: ASA
Other Years of Teaching Experience: 5
Education and Degrees Earned:
B.M. Music Performance | University of Illinois in Urbana Champaign, 2007
Professional Affiliations/Performance Groups: Phoenix Symphony- Extra/Sub, Red Rock Brass Quintet
Band 5-12; Woodwinds
Why ASA?
ASA constantly pushes students’ ability to think critically and creatively to help them become well-rounded individuals who can go out and contribute to the world in a meaningful way.
Lucille Berk graduated from ASA in 2015 before heading to Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where she graduated with a BM in clarinet performance and a BME in instrumental band. Once graduated, Lucille began working in Hope, Indiana, where she was the first-ever certified general music teacher. There, Lucille created and implemented a new elementary general music curriculum focused on creative learning and musical play. After her time in Hope, Lucille returned to Arizona, where she began teaching in the Tempe Elementary school district. During her time in Tempe, Lucille used her class to promote a fun and supportive learning environment where young students could explore their creative minds through musical projects. Lucille has found great joy in facilitating open-ended projects to encourage self-reflection and transparency. She is excited to share these projects with the unique and inspired ASA student body.
Total Years at ASA: 4
Total Years of Teaching Experience As Teacher of Record: 7
Teaching Experience: ASA, Tempe Elementary (Carminati and Getz), Hope Elementary
Other Years of Teaching Experience: None
Education and Degrees Earned:
B.M. Clarinet Performance | Indiana University/Jacobs School of Music, 2019
B.M. Music Education | Indiana University/Jacobs School of Music, 2019
Band Foundations; Concert Band; Symphonic Winds; Chamber Winds; AP Music Theory; Performing Arts College Prep
Why ASA?I chose to work at ASA because of its unparalleled commitment to educating the young people of our community equally in the arts and academic fields.
Dr. Thomas Mark Breadon Jr. is a teacher, bassoonist, and composer living in Phoenix, Arizona. He is currently the Band Director at Arizona School for the Arts where he instructs and performs with wind ensembles composed of students from 5th through 12th grade. In 2024 and 2025, Thomas led ASA’s Chamber and Symphonic Winds in playing the national anthem at the Rate Bowl, a college bowl game held at Chase Field in downtown Phoenix. He also teaches AP Music Theory and is the mentor for the Performing Arts College Prep course, a course designed to guide students going into the performing arts through the arduous process of applying and auditioning for colleges, universities, and conservatories. Since 2020, Thomas has been on the Showcase planning committee which plans and organizes the schools largest performance and fundraiser of the year.
Thomas also maintains a private composition and bassoon studio in the greater Phoenix area. Through this he has prepared students who have been awarded performance scholarships to Arizona State University, The University of Mount Union, and Vanderbilt University, and students who have won auditioned positions in the Phoenix Youth Symphony Chamber Winds, the Phoenix Youth Symphony Symphonette, the West Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Cleveland Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Cleveland Youth Wind Symphony, and the Akron Youth Symphony Orchestra.
In addition to his regular teaching schedule, Thomas has been a guest artist at The University of Arizona, Morehead State University, The University of Akron, Arizona State University, Western Washington University, the University of Northern Iowa, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he has performed recitals and given lectures and masterclasses on chamber music, bassoon performance, making bassoon reeds, composition, and music theory.
Thomas has previously been adjunct faculty at Glendale Community College where he instructed courses in bassoon and composition lessons, chamber music, Introduction to Aural Perception, Introduction to Music Theory, Hip Hop Music and Culture, Survey of American Music, and American Jazz and Popular Music. From 2015 – 2019 Thomas taught bassoon lessons at Rosie’s House, a non-profit organization that provides free music instruction and instruments to underserved students and from 2015 to 2018, he taught bassoon, chamber music, improvisation, and composition at the Mill Ave Chamber Players Summer Chamber Music Camp.
Recently featured performances of Thomas’s compositions include the Spring Mix at the Orpheum with Ballet Arizona and the Mill Ave Chamber Players, the FAOT Festival Alfonso Ortiz Tirado in Alamos, Sonora, Mexico, the Red Rock Music Festival in Sedona, AZ, the Walled City Music Festival in Derry, Northern Ireland, the Downtown Chamber Series at the Mesa Arts Center, the University of Arizona Woodwind Chamber Fest in Tucson, AZ , the International Flute Association Convention in Phoenix, AZ, Arizona PBS Playlist 48, and on The Classical Happy Hour with Greg Kostraba on KBACH 89.5 fm.
Thomas has recorded two albums with the Mill Ave Chamber Players. His composition Impressions for Wind Quintet was recorded and paired alongside compositions by composers Robert V. Springer, John Steinmetz, Kerry Turner, and Jessica Meyer for the album Impressions which was released in 2018. In 2016, The Mill Ave Chamber Players were joined by The Pacific Arts Wind Quintet to record the music of John Steinmetz in the album What The Birds Said.
The Mill Ave Chamber Players have also recorded two sets of Thomas’s educational outreach compositions for Woodwind Quintet and Narrator entitled Aesop’s Fables and North American Folktales. Both recordings were paired with paintings by the Phoenix based artist Tifa Holman to create videos that are available on Youtube. Aside from Chamber Music, Thomas has also performed with many orchestras here in Phoenix and across the country, including The Phoenix Symphony, the West Valley Symphony Orchestra, Symphony of the Southwest, Phoenix Opera, the Evanescence and Lindsey Stirling Orchestra, the Prescott Pops Orchestra, MusicaNova Orchestra, the Evanescence Orchestra at the Orpheum, the East Valley Millennial Choir and Orchestra, the Chandler Symphony Orchestra, the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra with Celtic Woman, Arizona Pro Arte Ensemble, the Tuscarawas Philharmonic, and the Cincinnati Metropolitan Orchestra.
Total Years at ASA: 6
Total Years of Teaching Experience As Teacher of Record: 11
Teaching Experience: ASA, Glendale Community College, Cicero Preparatory Academy
Other Years of Teaching Experience: 5
Education and Degrees Earned:
B.M. Bassoon Performance | Morehead State University, 2010
M.M. Bassoon Performance | The University of Akron, 2012
M.M. Music Theory | The University of Akron, 2013
D.M.A. Bassoon Performance | Arizona State University, 2015
Band 5-12: Percussion
Why ASA?
People are always amazed that I have taught at ASA for so long. My answer is always, “Where else would I be able to teach percussion where the whole community (students, teachers, parents) is so supportive and dedicated to the arts and education?” ASA is an amazing place that turns students into artist scholars. I wish I had gone to ASA when I was in high school!
Liz Guzman received her degree in percussion from Arizona State University in 2004 under the direction of Dr. Douglas Nottingham, Dr. JB Smith, Dr. Mark Sunkett, and Bill Wanser. (Phoenix Symphony, retired). In 2005, she joined the ASA faculty as the percussion specialist. In addition to ASA, Ms. Guzman maintains a busy private studio where her students have performed and earned honors at the AMEA Solo & Ensemble, Arizona Regional & All State Band and Orchestra, Curry Summer Music Camp, Berklee Percussion Camp, the AzPAS Solo & Ensemble Festival, Phoenix Youth Symphony, and the Academy Drum & Bugle Corp. In 2011, she was named a Surdna Arts Fellow, which granted her the opportunity to study with world-renowned marimbist Naoko Takada. Ms. Guzman regularly performs with various groups around the Valley, including the Rosewood Rascals Marimba Band and Salt River Brass. She is a member of the Arizona Music Educators Association and the National Association of Music Education.
Total Years at ASA: 20
Total Years of Teaching Experience As Teacher of Record: 22
Teaching Experience: ASA, Paradise Valley School District
Other Years of Teaching Experience: 2
Education and Degrees Earned:
B.A. Music | Arizona State University, 2004
Dolce; Concert Choir
Why ASA?
I love the way ASA partners the arts and academics. I have watched students transform into true artists in all areas of their education.I love the way ASA partners the arts and academics. I have watched students transform into true artists in all areas of their education.
Jessica Elder earned a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Arizona and a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of the Pacific Conservatory of Music. Her professional career began on the operatic stage, where she performed leading roles and served as a guest soloist with numerous symphonies and choruses in the San Francisco Bay Area. She has also served as a director of youth choirs and musicals, as well as a teacher of voice lessons, piano lessons, and singing classes. She has served as a guest clinician for several youth, community, and symphony choruses. Mrs. Elder moved from the Bay Area to Phoenix in 2011 and became a member of ASA’s choral faculty in 2013. She loves to witness her students’ growth in confidence through the art of singing, and is passionate about helping every student find a safe, joyful place in choir.
Total Years at ASA: 14
Total Years of Teaching Experience As Teacher of Record: 14
Teaching Experience: ASA, Rosie’s House, San Francisco Girls Chorus
Other Years of Teaching Experience: 24
Education and Degrees Earned:
B.M. Vocal Performance | University of the Pacific Conservatory of Music, 2000
M.M. Vocal Performance | University of Arizona, 2002
Professional Affiliations/Performance Groups: American Choral Directors Association, Arizona Music Educators Association
Cantabile; Bel Canto: Chamber Singers
Why ASA?
I love the collaborative spirit at ASA. Whether it’s choir performing with orchestra, theater students bringing stories to life alongside guitarists, or ballet dancers interpreting the beauty of a piano solo, ASA encourages students to create across disciplines in ways few schools can match.
Josef Curtis holds a Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) in Vocal Performance from Arizona State University. An active performer throughout the Phoenix area, he currently sings with the Trinity Cathedral Choir and has previously performed with Helios: A Modern Renaissance, the Grammy Award-winning Phoenix Chorale, Solis Camerata, True Concord Voices and Orchestra, the Phoenix Symphony, the Arizona Musicfest Festival Orchestra, and the Tempe Wind Ensemble. Before joining the ASA arts faculty in 2018, Josef taught voice, diction, and music history at Phoenix College and Central Arizona College.
Total Years at ASA: 8
Total Years of Teaching Experience As Teacher of Record: 11
Teaching Experience: ASA, Central Arizona College, Phoenix College
Other Years of Teaching Experience: 4
Education and Degrees Earned:
B.M. Vocal Performance | Brigham Young University, 2010
M.M. Vocal Performance | Arizona State University, 2012
D.M.A. Vocal Performance | Arizona State University, 2017
Professional Affiliations/Performance Groups: ACDA (American Choral Directors Association)
Cantus; Choral Union
Why ASA?
I’m inspired by ASA’s mission, which intentionally centers both academics and the arts. It is refreshing to be part of a school that recognizes the importance of developing well-rounded students through both rigorous academics and meaningful artistic experiences.
Taylor Day is a recent graduate of Choral Music Education from Northern Arizona University. Taylor has been involved in many choral ensembles and is still an active singer and performer in the valley. Taylor taught in the Kyrene Elementary School District and taught K-5th general music. Taylor serves on the board of Arizona American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) as the Communications and Social Media Manager. She also is a musical director at Arizona Community Theatrical Company (AzACT) where she teaches main stage musicals and hosts a voice studio primarily composed of high students.
Total Years at ASA: 1
Total Years of Teaching Experience As Teacher of Record: 4
Teaching Experience: Kyrene School District – Kyrene de la Colina & C.I. Waggoner Elementary Schools
Education and Degrees Earned: B. A. Choral Music Education, Northern Arizona University
Professional Affiliations:
Arizona American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) – Communications and Social Media Manager
Sedona Academy of Chamber Singers
Chandler Children’s Choir – Vox Anima Director
Arizona Community Theatrical Company (AzACT) – Music Director
Intro to Dance; Classical Core
Why ASA?
Because the culture, mission, and core values of ASA are what make this school an outstanding place to work and thrive in!
Gia Firicano received her formal ballet training at the Boston School of Ballet under a full scholarship. She began her professional career in 1984 with the Tennessee Festival Ballet, under the directorship of Anne-Marie Holmes. She went on to become a principal dancer with The Berkshire Ballet, the Southwest Ballet, and Ballet Arizona. Her repertoire includes the leading roles of Giselle, Juliet, Cinderella, Swanhilda, and the Sugar Plum Fairy. Additionally, her repertoire encompasses a diverse range of contemporary and Balanchine pieces. Ms. Firicano retired in 2003 after 13 years of performing with Ballet Arizona. She has been an instructor with The School of Ballet Arizona, Phoenix Dance Academy, and The Plumb Performing Arts Academy. In 2004, she joined the arts faculty at ASA and currently serves as the Artistic Coordinator of the school’s ballet program. She is also a faculty member at The School of Ballet Arizona.
Total Years at ASA: 22
Years of Teaching Experience As Teacher of Record: 22
Teaching Experience: School of Ballet Arizona (22 years)
Education and Degrees Earned:
Intermediate Dance; Survey of Dance
Why ASA?
I had the privilege of being a guest teaching artist a couple of times at ASA for the 2023-2024 school year, and I had such a wonderful experience working with the students. They were open, curious, receptive, respectful, and hard workers. When I was invited to join the ASA faculty, it was an instant yes!
Angelica DeLashmette is a hybrid dance artist passionate about Hip-Hop Culture, Contemporary dance forms and lineages, Somatic research, and the intersection of improvisational practices and social dance forms. Her study and pedagogical application of Western Contemporary forms encompasses Release Technique perspectives, floorwork, and improvisation. Her practice and study of Capoeira, House Dance, Street Dance styles, and freestyle within the context of Hip-Hop culture inform the way she approaches teaching Hip-Hop technique and lecture courses. Her creative research focuses on Western and Afro-Diasporic dance practices at the intersection of the social moving body, examining how a responsive and conversational body (the mode of call and response) is activated both in practice and performance. She is the Founder and Creative Director of Third Space Dance Project – a nonprofit organization that produces platforms for professional dance artists in Arizona. Angelica also continues to perform and create professional work as a freelance artist. Through her roles as a community organizer, producer, and curator, she aims to contribute to and invest in her local dance community, as well as beyond, to support growth, excellence, and innovation in the professional dance arena and within the classroom with her students. Angelica sees dance as a powerful art form that cultivates shared experiences and constantly reinforces the significance of meaning-making through the body. It is in her capacity to connect, collaborate, and be part of a community with others that dance has had its most profound influence on her life.
Angelica has been an educator for over 10 years and has been teaching in Arizona since 2021 as an Adjunct professor/faculty member at local higher education dance degree programs, including ASU, GCU, Scottsdale, Mesa, and Paradise Valley Community College. She has also been an invited teaching artist at local high schools throughout the PHX Valley, and is excited to join the ASA faculty!
Total Years at ASA: 2
Total Years of Teaching Experience As Teacher of Record: 14
Teaching Experience: School of Ballet Arizona, Mesa Community College, Scottsdale Community College, and Paradise Valley Community College, ASU, and GCU
Education and Degrees Earned:
B.A. Dance/Minor in Nonprofit Management | Brigham Young University, 2013
Certification CLM Analyst & RSM Educator/T, 2018
M.F.A. Dance, Choreographic Emphasis | The University of Iowa, 2020
Horton Dance; LS Pre-core; Contemporary Core
Why ASA?
Because ASA is an art school and accepts all people.
Kleiton Sistélos was born in Recife, Brazil. He studied classical dance in the royal method and graduated in 2006. He studied the Technique Cubana from 2005 to 2007. He has trained in Brazil, the United States, and at the Teatro Carcano in Milan, Italy. Mr. Sistélos has studied jazz and modern dance, specializing in the Horton Technique, in Brazil and at Alvin Ailey in New York City. He has danced in festivals throughout Brazil and Europe, including the Latin American Tour in Milan, the Dell’Art Festival in Genova, the Nice Festival in France, and the Festival of Valencia in Spain. He has performed in major productions on the stage and on television in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Total Years at ASA: 12
Total Years of Teaching Experience As Teacher of Record: 12
Teaching Experience: School of Ballet Arizona, Soleil D’or Dance School, Terpsichore Dance Studio, Studio 21, Ballet Etudes School of Dance
Other Years of Teaching Experience: 16
Education and Degrees Earned:
Teacher Certification | Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre NYC, 2008
Dance
Why ASA?
I believe in creating an environment where students can grow as artists, build confidence, and discover their full potential through dance.
Elijah Evans is a dancer, educator, choreographer, and community engagement professional originally from Newport, Rhode Island. He began his training at the Newport Academy of Ballet under Miki Ohlsen and gained early performance experience with Island Moving Company in productions including The Nutcracker, Dracula, and the Great Friends Dance Festival. Elijah attended The Hartt School at the University of Hartford on a full scholarship, earning his degree in Dance Performance with an emphasis in Ballet Pedagogy under the direction of Stephen Pier. His training included classical ballet, Limón and Graham techniques, contemporary dance, composition, and pedagogy.
Professionally, Elijah has danced with Island Moving Company, Spindle City Ballet, and The Hartt School Community Division. He has performed works by renowned choreographers including George Balanchine, Martha Graham, José Limón, Lar Lubovitch, Claudia Schreier, August Bournonville, and Doris Humphrey. As an educator, he specializes in classical ballet pedagogy with a strong foundation in the Vaganova methodology and has taught dancers from beginner through pre-professional levels.
Elijah has since expanded his career into community engagement, combining his background as a performer and educator with a passion for making dance accessible to people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. Through his work with Ballet Arizona, he is dedicated to creating meaningful connections between dance and the communities it serves.
Total Years at ASA: 1
Total Years of Teaching Experience As Teacher of Record: 10
Teaching Experience: Newport Academy of Ballet, University of Hartford: Hartt School Community Division, Southwest Ballet, Ballet Theater of Phoenix, Ballet Arizona.
Education and Degrees Earned: University of Hartford: Hartt School Pedagogy Emphasis 2020
Guitar Foundations 1; Guitar Foundations 2; Classic Guitar; Modern Guitar; World Guitar
Why ASA?
Because ASA allows me to most effectively put my skill set to work.
Joshua Pierce holds both a B.M. and M.M. in Classical Guitar Performance from Arizona State University, where he studied with Professor Frank Koonce. During his time at ASU, he was the recipient of the Richard and Babette Burns Classical Guitar Scholarship, the Northern Trust/Virginia G. Piper Enrichment Award, and was a two-time finalist in the ASU Concert of Soloists Concerto Competition. Mr. Pierce has studied with Chuck Hulihan at Glendale Community College, where he participated in premier performances of compositions written expressly for the GCC Guitar Orchestra and Octet. He has also performed in master classes with world-renowned guitarists, including Pepe Romero, David Russell, and Scott Tennant, and studied at the International Guitar Symposium in Iserlohn, Germany, in 2007. As a teacher, Mr. Pierce has been active in the Phoenix area since 2006, working with several studios and organizations, and serving as a teaching assistant at GCC and co-director of guitar ensembles at ASU. Mr. Pierce serves on the boards of three organizations: the Phoenix Early Music Society (vice president), the Phoenix Guitar Society (secretary), and the Grand Canyon Guitar Society (board member).
Total Years at ASA: 10
Years of Teaching Experience As Teacher of Record: 10
Teaching Experience: ASA
Other Years of Teaching Experience: 13
Education and Degrees Earned:
B.M. Classical Guitar Performance | Arizona State University, 2013
M.M. Classical Guitar Performance | Arizona State University, 2016
Keys to Connections; Keyboard Explorations; Keyboard Discoveries
Why ASA?
I chose ASA because I value arts education as an absolute necessity for students to have access to. It turns students into creative thinkers, problem solvers, and empathetic and compassionate people.
Mr. Kiernan Marriott is a graduate of Arizona State University, earning a B.M.E. in Music Learning and Teaching with an Emphasis in Popular Music. He seeks to include popular music in the music classroom and give it a stronger presence in music education. Mr. Marriott also teaches at a local non-profit, Phoenix Conservatory of Music, teaching students piano, music theory, and popular music ensembles.
Total Years at ASA: 2
Total Years of Teaching Experience As Teacher of Record: 5
Teaching Experience: BASIS Scottsdale Primary West, Phoenix Conservatory of Music
Education and Degrees Earned:
B.M. Music Learning and Teaching (Emphasis in Popular Music) | Arizona State University, 2023
Keyboard Adventures; Keyboard Collaborations
Why ASA?
I chose ASA because I also attended a similar arts school as a student and enjoyed having lifelong friends who were artists.
Mr. Sungmin Kim is currently pursuing a D.M.A. in Collaborative Piano at Arizona State University, studying with Dr. Andrew Campbell and Dr. Miki Aoki. Mr. Kim also serves as the collaborative pianist at the Trinity Episcopal Church (Phoenix, AZ) and Northern Arizona University (Flagstaff, AZ). He is from New York City, where he attended the Special Music School and Lucy Moses School at the Kaufman Center. In the summer months, Mr. Kim serves as the chamber music coordinator at the Saarburg International Music Festival & School in Saarburg, Germany.
Total Years at ASA: 2
Total Years of Teaching Experience As Teacher of Record: 9
Teaching Experience: ASA, Brophy College Preparatory, Saarburg International Music Festival and School. Teaching Assistant at Arizona State University, Ithaca College, and Hamilton College
Education and Degrees Earned:
B.A. Music | Hamilton College, 2018
M.M. Collaborative Piano | Ithaca College, 2020
M.M. Organ Performance | Ithaca College, 2021
D.M.A. Collaborative Piano | Arizona State University (in progress)
Professional Affiliations/Performance Groups: Helios: a modern renaissance, Northern Arizona University, Trinity Episcopal Church, Arizona State Music Teacher Association
Keys to Connections; Keyboard Explorations; Keyboard Discoveries
Why ASA?
I choose to work at ASA because I believe the arts can change hearts and save lives — a student is the expressing their emotions through an instrument or sitting in the audience. I love that ASA gives young people opportunities to experience both, every day.
Grace Templeton is currently earning her doctorate in Collaborative Piano at Arizona State University. She holds a Master of Music from CU Boulder and a Bachelor of Music from Rice University. A passionate advocate for interdisciplinary arts, Ms. Templeton frequently collaborates with choral groups, dancers, and musical theater productions. She has recently served as a faculty member at the SOUNDS Academy Music Camp and as a collaborative pianist at the Rocky Ridge Music Center College Intensive. In her teaching, she covers a wide variety of musical genres while grounding her technique in classical pedagogy. Outside the studio, Grace enjoys hiking, writing poetry, and practicing yoga nidra.
Total Years at ASA: First year!
Total Years of Teaching Experience As Teacher of Record: 6
Teaching Experience: Arizona State University, Graduate Teaching Assistant; University of Colorado Boulder, Graduate Teaching Assistant; Private piano studio
Education and Degrees Earned:
BMus in Piano Performance, Rice University, 2020
MMus in Collaborative Piano, CU Boulder, 2022
DMA in Collaborative Piano, Arizona State University, exp. 2028
Professional Affiliations/Performance Groups:
International Guild of Musicians in Dance, Member
American Guild of Organists, Member
School of Ballet Arizona, Accompanist
Strings 5-12: Low Strings; Orchestra Director
Why ASA?
I wish I could have gone to this school!
Cellist Maria Simiz founded the Strings Department at ASA when it opened in 1995. A former student of the late Gabor Rejto, her experience as a musician is very diverse. Mrs. Simiz is currently the principal cellist with Musica Nova Orchestra. She is an active freelance cellist and a section cellist at the Music in the Mountains summer festival in Durango, Colorado. Mrs. Simiz has also performed with the Phoenix Symphony, the Arizona Opera, the Amabile String Quartet, and with her husband, Phoenix Symphony Associate Principal Cellist, Jan Simiz. Awarded the SURDNA Arts Teacher Fellowship Grant in 2010, Mrs. Simiz studied chamber music at the St. Lawrence String Quartet Chamber Music Seminar at Stanford University. As part of the fellowship, she augmented ASA’s chamber music library and brought in guest artists to perform for our students.
Total Years at ASA: 31
Total Years of Teaching Experience As Teacher of Record: 31
Teaching Experience: ASA
Other Years of Teaching Experience: 35
Education and Degrees Earned:
B.M. Cello Performance | University of Southern California, 1985
M.M. Cello Performance | California State University at Long Beach, 1987
Strings 5-12: Viola & Lower Strings
Why ASA?
Teaching strings at the Arizona School for the Arts allows me to inspire young musicians in a community that values artistic expression and academic excellence. I am passionate about nurturing students’ musical talents and helping them develop the discipline and creativity that will benefit them throughout their lives.
Nicole Allen is an Arizona-based violinist/violist and is currently the viola instructor at Arizona School for the Arts. She completed her Bachelor of Music degree in Violin Performance at the University of Iowa under the tutelage of Dr. Scott Conklin. She recently finished her Master’s of Music in Viola Performance and Pedagogy with Prof. Nancy Buck.
A native of Olathe, Kansas, Nicole began studying the violin at the age of four with Marty Dennington of Black Swan Suzuki Strings. She continued her Suzuki method studies until she started her university studies. Nicole fell in love with music performance in high school, under orchestra director Cecily Mahan, and had the opportunity to perform in jazz, bluegrass, and musical theater string ensembles.
Throughout her graduate degree, Nicole served as principal violist of ASU’s Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Musical Theater and Opera Orchestra, and Studio Orchestra. She was a member of the Herberger String Quartet—the university’s graduate string ensemble—for three years, traveling and performing numerous times on behalf of Arizona State University. Nicole is currently performing with Sol Chamber Orchestra, Firebird Music Company, Arizona Broadway Theater, Arizona Philharmonic, and the Arizona Bach Festival.
Total Years at ASA: 2
Total Years of Teaching Experience As Teacher of Record: 6
Teaching Experience: ASA, Arizona School of Music in Scottsdale, Arizona State University, Preucil School of Music
Other Years of Teaching Experience: None
Education and Degrees Earned:
B.M. Violin Performance | University of Iowa, 2021
B.A. History | University of Iowa, 2021
M.M. Viola Performance/Pedagogy | Arizona State University, 2024
Strings 5-12: Violin
Why ASA?
I love the creative abundance of ideas among students and teachers at ASA. Being surrounded and inspired by such artistic spirit makes teaching here an experience of a lifetime.
The Polish-born violinist, Dagmara “Daga” Suchon, began her violin studies with her father, Stanisław Suchon, the concertmaster of the Poznań Philharmonic. Under the guidance of Prof. Michal Grabarczyk, she graduated cum laude from the Ignacy Jan Paderewski Music Academy in Poznan, Poland. Upon graduation, Daga lived in Germany, where, as a pop musician, she joined her sister Joanna in an electric violin duo “Space Violins”. Coming from a family of musicians with extensive musical traditions, from an early age, she performed in a wide range of productions, from early music to symphony orchestras, film music recordings, jazz groups, flamenco guitarists, and live circus shows in many European countries. After moving to the United States, she continued her musical career in Los Angeles and then Phoenix, where she settled with her family and founded “Lady Daga’s Violin Studio”.
Her orchestral engagements include Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra, Goran Bregovic Orchestra, Tiroler Festspiele Erl, The American Youth Symphony, Redlands Symphony, Riverside County Philharmonic, San Bernardino Symphony, The Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra, Phoenix Opera, Arizona ProArte Orchestra, Musica Nova Orchestra, Arizona Musicfest Orchestra, and The Phoenix Symphony. As a chamber musician, she performs regularly with Celebration Strings and Duo Polonaise.
Total Years at ASA: 6
Total Years of Teaching Experience As Teacher of Record: 10
Teaching Experience: ASA, Great Heart Academies
Other Years of Teaching Experience: 23
Education and Degrees Earned:
M.M. Violin Performance | I.J.Paderewski Music Academy, 2003
Theatre 1; Theatre 2; Creative Practices; Senior Seminar; Musical Theatre: Acting
Why ASA?
Nice students and good arts opportunities!
Dr. Craig Kosnik is a Theatre Instructor and Director at Arizona School for the Arts in Phoenix, Arizona. He graduated with his PhD in Theatre For Youth from Arizona State University in 2014 after successfully defending his dissertation: “The Adolescent’s Voice: How Theatre Participation Impacts High Schoolers and College Students.” Before this, Dr. Kosnik earned a BA in Theatre from Gannon University in 2002 and an MA in Theatre Education from Emerson College in 2005. Dr. Kosnik has experience in almost all fields of the theatre, but primarily considers himself a teacher, director, and playwright. He has had five full-length plays produced: The Grimm Truth (Erie Playhouse, 2004), The FP: A Modernization of The Frog Prince (Erie Playhouse, 2009), Q3 (Erie Playhouse, 2009), The Tallest Tale Competition (Paradise Valley Community College, 2017); Oz: The Land That Time Forgot (Paradise Valley Community College, 2019); one ten minute play virtually produced: Straight Up Superhero (SUNY Potsdam, 2020); and one monologue virtually produced: M Date (Virtual Theatre of Arizona, 2020). In his free time, Dr. Kosnik enjoys playing competitive tennis, reading, and collecting comic books.
Total Years at ASA: 10
Total Years of Teaching Experience As Teacher of Record: 26
Teaching Experience: ASA, New School For the Arts and Academics, Arizona State University, Grand Canyon University, Paradise Valley Community College, South Mountain Community College, Mercyhurst University
Other Years of Teaching Experience: 10
Education and Degrees Earned:
B.A. Theatre | Gannon University, 2002
M.A. Theatre Education | Emerson College, 2005
Ph.D. Theatre (Theatre for Youth) | Arizona State University, 2014
Cert. Creative Writing, Maricopa Community Colleges 2028 (expected date)
Professional Affiliations/Performance Groups: Plays for New Audiences, Professional Playwright
Theatre 2, 3; Theatre Studies; Performance Practices; Theatre: Acting Ensemble
Why ASA?
In just about any part of the world, it’s a tremendous privilege to be making art in the 21st century. I have benefited from a superb education, and it is now my responsibility to pass on the lessons regarding creativity, presence, grit, and collaboration to the next generation of artists. As a theatre kid myself, I was seeking the kind of community that exists in a unique way here at ASA. And not least of all, I am an ASA parent who hopes to treat all of my students the way I hope all of my faculty peers treat my own child.
Brian is an award-winning performer and director, working consistently since 1990. He has walked the red carpet arm-in-arm with Madonna, been photographed for Entertainment Weekly with Jon Stewart (and an Elephant), and appeared on multiple episodes of Sesame Street. Brian has made nearly a dozen trips to mainland China in the capacity of the Associate Artistic Director of the World Clown Festival. He has stage-managed at the French Embassy in Washington, D.C., and juggled for Cirque du Soleil. As a special event producer, he has created entertainment concepts for Desert Ridge Marketplace, ASU’s President’s Club, and Crunch Fitness in NYC. He calls himself a ‘lazy vegan’ and loves to cook for the family and walk his dog.
Total Years at ASA: 2
Total Years of Teaching Experience As Teacher of Record: 9
Teaching Experience: New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts; Arizona State University; Chandler-Gilbert Community College; Benedictine University; Kentucky Governor’s School of the Arts; Arizona Circus Center; and hundreds of school residencies across the country.
Other Years of Teaching Experience: 24
Education and Degrees Earned:
B.F.A. Drama | New York University/Tisch School of the Arts
M.F.A. Performance Directing | Arizona State University/Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, Phi Kappa Phi
Theatre 3; Theatre Foundations; Theatre Studies; Musical Theatre: Voice
Why ASA?
I get to work with great colleagues and create music everyday!
Elise Kurbat is originally from Cleveland, Ohio. She attended Kent State University and the Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music, earning degrees in criminology and music. She was a full-time piano accompanist, children’s choir director, music director, and private piano/voice teacher before moving to Arizona. Mrs. Kurbat has more than 20 years of teaching experience. As an accomplished pianist, Mrs. Kurbat was the assistant pianist for the Mansfield Symphony in Ohio. In addition, Mrs. Kurbat has music directed and played for such shows as “The Sound of Music,” “Cabaret,” “Cinderella,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “Pippin,” “Oliver,” “Kiss Me Kate,” “Seussical Jr.,” “Gretel and Hansel,” “Urinetown,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” and “Spring Awakening.”
Total Years at ASA: 21
Total Years of Teaching Experience As Teacher of Record: 21
Teaching Experience: ASA, North Royalton High School
Other Years of Teaching Experience: 25
Education and Degrees Earned:
B.A. Criminology | Kent State University, 1992
B.A. Music (double emphasis on piano and voice) | Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music, 2005
Theatre Studies: Stagecraft; Production Design Concepts; Production Practicum
Why ASA?
It has been a lifelong dream to follow my mother’s footsteps and be a theatre teacher, so it was a no brainer to apply when I got the call. ASA mixes academics, arts, and rigor in a way that I’ve only rarely seen done well. I know that I have the ability to push students to excel and that they have a lot to teach me.
Aelin Nyx earned her bachelor’s degree in Theatre from The Claremont Colleges consortium, where she was heavily involved in the Theatre & Dance department. She had the pleasure of serving on the board of Pomona College’s Spotlight Musical Theatre for two years, as well Pitzer College’s “Orange Jam” and Pomona College’s Blaremont Diamonds. She is passionate about helpings students find their niche in the theatre world, and believes that theatre is a place for everyone to shine. Outside of teaching, she can be found ballroom dancing, reading a good book, or spending time with her cats, Lucky & Chester.
Total Years at ASA: 1
Teaching Experience: A Noise Within, French Woods Festival, Spotlight Musical Theatre
Other Years of Teaching Experience: 1
Education and Degrees Earned:
AA in World Languages, Mount San Antonio College, 2027
BA in Theatre, Pitzer College, 2025
MFA in Lighting and Costume Design, Illinois State University, In Progress
Professional Affiliations: Maroon Arts & Culture Conundrum Theatre Co