Meet our Instructors

Ryan Cullen is an aspiring percussionist in the New Jersey/Philadelphia region. Ryan completed his bachelor degree in music education: jazz studies at Rowan University where he studied under Dean Witten, Jim Miller, and Anthony Orlando. During his time at Rowan, he has had the chance to perform in various ensembles and chamber groups. He was one of the concerto competition winners for the orchestra and got to take part in the world premiere of Jennifer Higdon’s “Like Clockwork.” He was the recipient of the Steve Weiss Percussion scholarship his senior year.

Outside of school, Ryan has performed with the Eagle Theater, The Atlantic Brass Band, the Garden State Philharmonic, The Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra and many jazz artists in the region. In March 2016, Ryan took part in the inaugural tour of the World Percussion Group under the direction of the Maraca2 percussion duo. This international percussion ensemble toured universities and high schools in the US where Ryan was able to take part in showcase concerts, teach clinics on drum set, teach masterclasses and private lessons. The group was selected as a showcase artist for the Percussive Arts Society’s International Convention (PASIC).

Ryan hopes to continue his studies as a drummer/percussionist so he can bring an ever more enriching education to his future students.

Graduating from Rowan University in 2013 with a Bachelors of Music in Music Composition, Vince studied under the direction of Dr. Harold Oliver, Dr. James Castelli, and Bruce Yurko. There he received percussion lessons from Dean Witten and Dean Schneider. Before that he studied drum set under the instruction of Tom Callan for 4 years. Vincent has played drum set and percussion in ensembles from elementary school through college along with marching band and jazz band. In addition, he has played drum set at open mic nights and special events across the southern New Jersey area. Vincent can play a wide spectrum of genres including Jazz, Rock, Funk, Latin and is always ready to challenge himself in order to improve his abilities. He has a strong passion for percussion and composition as a whole, one that he will continue for as long as he can.

A freelance violist and music teacher based in the Philadelphia area, Zebadiah started his education in the Play On, Philly! program when it first began. Since then, he has gone on to perform in many renowned ensembles such as the Philadelphia Sinfonia Players and the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra and has been in notable programs such as the Primavera Fund. He has also attended Kinhaven Music School located in Weston, Vermont. He is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in music education at Rowan University where he studies with the head of strings, Dr. Timothy Schwarz.

Zebadiah has been part of many amazing projects both due to his musical abilities and his ability to capture an audience with his words. These projects include being part of a chamber group that opened a TED Conference in Vancouver and being featured in the documentary Crescendo, the Power of Music. Zebadiah currently resides in Glassboro, NJ but is still very active in Philadelphia as well as in New Jersey.

Professor Dan McGarry, pianist, teacher, and general lover of music, is fully committed to the practice his craft, whether it be through his own playing or through the sharing of knowledge. While his primary focus is on the classical repertoire, he is also proficient in Jazz and Pop styles. To quote Sergei Rachmaninoff “Music is enough for a lifetime, but one lifetime is not enough for music.”

Professor McGarry earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree under Professor’s Veda Zuponcic and Lidia Boguslavsky. He has also studied under the critically acclaimed pianist Raffi Besalyan. Professor McGarry did well as a collegiate student, placing in two state events and one National piano competition, both run by MTNA. He has also held positions as music director at two churches, and taught over a hundred students throughout the years. Currently, Professor McGarry divides his time equally between teaching as an adjunct at Rowan University, giving piano lessons, and practicing.

Teaching piano in the South Jersey area for over a decade, Aaron is an Alumni of the Berklee School of Music of Boston. There he studied music composition for film and television. Mr. Adriano has made his career in surrounding himself in the world of all things music. As a Musician, Mr. Adriano is still active as both a pianist and a composer and take a great deal of time perfecting his craft. As a teacher, Mr. Adriano likes to challenge his students through the study of dynamic repertoire and encouraging their own artistic abilities. Aaron Adriano has availability at the Resonance School of Music where he teachers composing, songwriting and piano lessons.

Robert Thomas graduated Rowan University with a BA in Music Education and has taught piano privately for over two decades. Robert believes a well-rounded curriculum helps students develop a lasting appreciation for the great Classics. As well as building the skills to play the popular songs they enjoy most.

A classically trained pianist, Robert also has many years experience as a church pianist and keyboardist in Rock bands. He currently plays with the 80s Hair-Metal tribute “Arena Gods”

Gwen Hasheian Norton is delighted to join the teaching staff at the Resonance School of Music in 2024 as a voice and piano instructor. Gwen hails from Salem County,  NJ and began her music training in the Pennsville Public School District.  Vocal studies progressed at Rowan University with Dr. Eugene Thamon Simpson,  the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia  with Bill Shuman and post-graduate studies under the tutelage of Laura Brooks Rice at Westminster Choir College.  Gwen holds a doctoral degree (EdD)_from West Virginia University in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy.

Dr. Norton’s formal educational journey was greatly enriched by a performance internship at the Curtis Institute of Music and an opera apprenticeship at the Juilliard Opera Center.  She is committed to being a life-long learner for as long as possible!

She has performed and covered various leading and supporting roles during her career as a dramatic mezzo-soprano with the Merola Tour of the San Francisco Opera,  Chicago Lyric Opera,  New York City Opera,  Dallas Opera,  Opera Company of Philadelphia,  Santa Fe Opera and La Piccola Scala Opera of Rome, Italy, among others.   Over the last three decades,  Gwen has received awards and prizes from the Mario Lanza Foundation,  Marian Anderson Foundation,  Luciano Pavarotti Foundation,  Giargiari Bel Canto Guild,  and the Northeast Regional Council of the Metropolitan Opera.

Her teaching experience in the areas of vocal and instrumental music has included students of all ages and stages throughout the tri-state area.   It has been an absolute privilege to work with ensembles of all types and sizes, as well as solo performers and she plans to continue her teaching in these domains.

A classically trained musician and teacher at Resonance School of Music, Mark teaches Electric and Upright bass, guitar and clarinet. His life long career in music started at the age of 7 with Helen Slavin in Rockaway, New Jersey. Since then he has played clarinet, electric bass, upright bass, and guitar.

Throughout his time as a musician, Mark has studied with Rob Hall in high school and Doug Mapp at Rowan University. In High School Mark was in Marching Band, Jazz Band, Musicals and the Tri-M Music Honor Society. This shaped his abilities and honed in his interest in playing and being a part of the musical world. At Rowan University he achieved a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Studies for Upright Bass. At that time, he played in the Jazz Band, Lab Band, String Ensemble, and Orchestra, as well as in other ensembles.

Outside of academia Mark has written, recorded and played live for a multitude of groups ranging from folk and jazz to rock and classical. These groups have played in cities all across the country in places like New York City, Nashville, and Denver. Mark has taken all these influences and focused them into teaching to allow students the knowledge and capabilities to play in all styles of music masterfully. Theory and practice are an integral part of playing music and thus are implemented through these lessons.

Jake is a classically trained musician with over 8 years of experience studying and playing 6-string guitar. Born and raised in New Jersey, he spent countless hours playing genres such classical, country, folk, pop, punk, funk, and rock.

He attended Rowan College of Burlington County where he studied music theory and classical guitar for 2 years before transferring to Rowan College of Glassboro and graduated with a bachelors of science degree in Music Industry, concentrated in technology. During this time, he played guitar in the jazz band and bass guitar in the concert band. Additionally, Jake wrote and recorded his own EP while attending college.

Jake also has experience in teaching music appreciation along with recording, production and mixing, and he loves the connection of being in a classroom and transferring what he knows to the next generations. He is continuing his own journey to become a more versatile and holistic musician by playing with local musicians and writing/recording songs as part of a band.

Angus is a classically trained musician, having studied the guitar for more than twenty years, and hails from Bath in the UK.
He attended Bath Spa University, graduating in 2015 with his BA in Music, majoring in Jazz.

A classically trained musician and teacher at Resonance School of Music, Mark teaches Electric and Upright bass, guitar and clarinet. His life long career in music started at the age of 7 with Helen Slavin in Rockaway, New Jersey. Since then he has played clarinet, electric bass, upright bass, and guitar.

Throughout his time as a musician, Mark has studied with Rob Hall in high school and Doug Mapp at Rowan University. In High School Mark was in Marching Band, Jazz Band, Musicals and the Tri-M Music Honor Society. This shaped his abilities and honed in his interest in playing and being a part of the musical world. At Rowan University he achieved a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Studies for Upright Bass. At that time, he played in the Jazz Band, Lab Band, String Ensemble, and Orchestra, as well as in other ensembles.

Outside of academia Mark has written, recorded and played live for a multitude of groups ranging from folk and jazz to rock and classical. These groups have played in cities all across the country in places like New York City, Nashville, and Denver. Mark has taken all these influences and focused them into teaching to allow students the knowledge and capabilities to play in all styles of music masterfully. Theory and practice are an integral part of playing music and thus are implemented through these lessons.

Ashley Reim is a freelance flutist and woodwind player in the South Jersey area. She has several years of experience teaching elementary band, orchestra, and general music in public schools throughout South Jersey. Ashley graduated with a music education degree from The College of New Jersey in 2019 where she studied flute with David DiGiacobbe. Ashley has also studied flute with Ronna Ayscue during her high school and college experience. During her time at TCNJ, Ashley was the principal flutist of the wind ensemble and orchestra, played with the flute choir and woodwind trio, sang in college choir, and played clarinet and oboe in the college concert band. In 2018, she was the principal flute of the intercollegiate wind ensemble at Yale University for the CBDNA Eastern Division conference, where she was a featured soloist in Sally Lamb McCune’s “High Water Rising”.

Ashley enjoys freelancing as a solo flutist while accompanying choirs and playing during church services. She also enjoys playing woodwind instruments in musicals, with some of her favorites she’s played including Beauty and the Beast, Once on This Island, Legally Blonde, and Mary Poppins.