Piano Lessons
Senad Mehinovic
Piano & Guitar
Senad (Sandy) Mehinovic holds a bachelor's degree in Composition and Music Theory from Sarajevo University, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He holds two master degrees in Composition: one from the University of Novi Sad in Yugoslavia and the other from State University of New York at Stony Brook, New York. Senad has more than fourthy years of experience as a music educator in guitar, piano, general music, voice, choir and music theory. He has won a numerous awards, including the SUNY at Stony Brook Scholarship, award for composing work "American Fanfare", awards for choral music, children's songs, First Award at the Ear Training and Sight-Singing Competition at the federal level in his native country (former Yugoslavia) and awards for his educational work. He has written chamber music, music for solo instruments, as well as choral, orchestral and some electronic and computer music. His music is influenced by classical music, rich folk music tradition of his native country and Jazz. Senad teaches guitar at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, piano and guitar at Middlessex Music Academy and is an organist at Zion Lutheran Church of Wallingford in Connecticut.
Kevin Wyman
Piano
Kevin Wyman is a classically-trained pianist, born in Connecticut. Kevin began playing music at an early age, and earned his Bachelor's of Music from the University of Massachusetts. He spent his time there exploring a number of disciplines, including jazz training with world-class musicians such as Walter Platt and Charles Gabriel. Kevin is further developing his classical training, while working closely with the Wesleyan piano faculty. Kevin lives in Middletown, CT, and is constantly working to better himself as a musician and an educator. He has been teaching privately for almost ten years, and has seen students of all ages develop a love of music. Kevin teaches piano with a traditional focus on sight-reading & music theory, with a modern approach to posture and coordination. Kevin is always striving to incorporate modern music into his teaching method, and welcomes students suggesting their own favorite pieces to work on together.
Ishaar Gupta
Piano & Voice
Ishaar Gupta, bass-baritone, graduated from the University of Connecticut in May of 2016, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in music, emphasis in vocal performance. At UConn, Ish studied private voice with Metropolitan Opera bass-baritone Rod Nelman, and sang in several choirs directed by Dr. Jamie Spillane. He currently sings professionally in various ensembles, including CONCORA, the South Church Chancel Choir, the Hartford Chorale, and Novi Cantori. In the past, he has sung with Connecticut Chamber Choir, Farmington Valley Chorale, CDN, and the Composer’s Choir. A diverse performer, Ish has sung and acted in several musicals, plays, operas, most recently with Madison Lyric Stage and Pearwater Productions. In addition to performing and writing his own music, Ish is currently pursuing a career as an educator as part of Hartford Stage’s education department, which brings innovative theatre education to more than 17,000 students each year. A native of Newtown, Connecticut, and a proud UConn Husky, Ish is excited to be a part of such a great program at Middlesex Music Academy!
Emily McDermott
Piano & Voice
Emily McDermott has been studying piano since 1995, and voice since 2004. Along with performing, Emily is also an accomplished songwriter, and teacher of composition and songwriting. She earned her Bachelors of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre from Oakland University in Rochester Hills, MI. Her love for music and performance has taken her on an incredible journey. Starting in Metro Detroit where she grew up and got her education, taking her to N.Y.C and Off Broadway, on to Westchester NY where she created and ran her own music department at a K-8 grammar school and taught piano/voice/acting at the Bennett Academy of Performing Arts, and finally landing her in Middletown CT with her husband and three children where she teaches privately, sings professionally and writes her own music. Recently Emily has begun the process of writing and recording an album with her band which they hope to release soon. While she was in college Emily studied many different performance genres. She is well versed in anything from classical to contemporary (Opera, Classical, Jazz, Blues, Rock n Roll…etc.) In her lessons she offers focus on sight-reading, improvisation, performance, theory and composition/songwriting. Her goal as a teacher is to introduce and familiarize every student with the foundations in each musical subset and to set them up for success in pursuing the music they connect with. Music is such a powerful influence on our lives, Emily makes it a priority to guide her students and help them forge their own path to create a long lasting relationship with their music and instruments while at the same time providing them with a strong foundation and musical background.
Zoe Vandermeer
Piano & Voice
Zoe Vandermeer has been teaching voice and piano for more than 20 years, and is dedicated to bringing the highest quality of training to her students. She teaches children and adults beginning to advanced levels in both voice and piano, as well as individual and group lessons in songwriting, musicianship, and music theory. In addition, Zoe provides audition preparation, and also works with students in preparation for the ABRSM (The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) program.
Zoe is a member of the New York Singing Teachers Association and teaches singers of pop, R&B, musical theatre and classical styles, focusing on establishing a reliable vocal technique resulting in singing with vocal ease, vocal power, stamina, flexibility, extended range, and improved tone. Vocal health is a top priority. She also has extensive experience working with children's voices. Many of her young vocal students have continued on to careers in the Arts, and have received college scholarships at Berklee School of Music, Carnegie Mellon, University of Connecticut, and elsewhere, and have had lead roles in musical theatre productions, sung in Regionals, All State and Nationals, and solos in school music events. Her adult students range from professional recording artists and soloists, to choral singers, worship leaders, singer-songwriters and band singers.
Zoe Vandermeer is a prize-winning graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, a recipient of the Hartt School Faculty Development Fund, and named to the roster of the CT Commission on Culture and Tourism in 2011. Her Carnegie Hall debut took place in 2014 as First Place Winner of the B. Alexander International Vocal Competition and in 2021, she won the Bronze Medal for her singing from Global Music Awards, and was a Semi-Finalist in the Premiere Opera Foundation International Vocal Competition. Zoe performs in the US and internationally in productions, concert series and festivals. She has given masterclasses and presentations at the Hartt School Summer Institute, Dalhousie University Nova Scotia, CMEA Convention, and elsewhere.