Instruction by a Highly Qualified Teaching Faculty
TSMA handpicks only the most extremely experienced instructors. Our faculty are highly regarded music educators and musicians in the St. Augustine area who have a heart not only for music, but also for kids. The instructors nurture the child even as they nurture the child’s musical gift and skills.
Our faculty is dedicated to learning about the child’s personal musical goals and helping them to achieve them, even as the instructors offer top-tier education, focusing on the fundamentals of the instrument.
Ashley Adams
Director
Ashley Adams comes to the Sacred Music Academy with a background in music direction, arts administration and performing. The holds the Master of Music degree from the University of Georgia where she was awarded a teaching assistantship. She has been professionally serving in music ministry since 2006, and has worked for churches of many denominations, including Non-Denominational, Baptist, Methodist, Episcopal, Anglican, Lutheran, and Presbyterian.
Ashley uses her extensive background in opera, musical theater, choral music, and contemporary music to equip individuals with the musical skills needed to understand and participate in any music program.
In addition to her work at the Sacred Music Academy, Ashley is Music Director at Veritas Classical School, Corpus Christi Catholic Church and the Saint Augustine Schola Cantorum.
In her free time, Ashley enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter, painting and birdwatching.
Mimi Zhang
Strings
Founder of St. Augustine Piano Academy, Dr. Mimi Zhang is a pianist, violinist, collaborator, pedagogue, and researcher based in St. Augustine, Florida. Zhang has previously served on collegiate faculty, and is passionate about dynamic group piano instruction. She holds degrees in music education, piano performance, and piano pedagogy. Recently, Zhang was the grand prize recipient of the 2024 Music Studio Startup Grant Competition.
Zhang’s research interests include the infusion of group fitness pedagogy and music education, the Kodály approach, musculoskeletal awareness, and injury prevention for musicians. Her research has been featured in national and regional conferences, including MTNA National Conferences, NCKP National Conferences, MTNA Collegiate Chapters Symposiums, OMTA State Conference, AMTA State Conference, Music by Women Conference, and numerous CMS Regional Conferences. She has been published in the MTNA e-Journal November 2024 and September 2020 Issues, the 2023 NCKP Proceedings Publication, and ShareOK Publications. Her dissertation, titled "China's Pioneering Composer: A Stylistic and Pedagogical Analysis of Selected Solo Compositions by Ding Shande," analysis the pedagogical advancements of Chinese composer, Ding Shande -丁善德。
As a soloist, Dr. Zhang has holds 1st prizes in the Orbetello International Piano Competition (2022), Great Composers International Competition (2017), University of Oklahoma Rising Stars Young Artist Competition (2021), AMTA Solo Concerto Competition (2019), Alabama Federation of Music Collegiate Auditions (2020), and Alabama MTNA Young Artist Performance Competition (2019). Additionally, she has received awards at the New Star International Piano Competition (2023), VII Future Stars International Competition (2023), and Memphis International Piano Festival and Competition (2019). A passionate chamber musician, Zhang performs in a piano duo named the Echo Piano Duo with Dr. David Mach. The duo received prizes in The MTNA Stecher and Horowitz Two-Piano Competition, Ohio International Piano Duet and Two-Piano Competition, University of Oklahoma Concerto Competition, and New York Victory International Competition. They were recipients of the Hwaen Chu'qi Prize for their performance of new music by Incan-Peruvian composer Hwaen Chu'qi. The Echo Duo has performed internationally throughout China, Germany and the United States.
Dr. Mimi Zhang received her Doctorate in piano performance and pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma under the tutelage of Dr. Jeongwon Ham, Dr. Barbara Fast, J.P. Murphy, and Dr. Jane Magrath. Dr. Zhang received her Masters in Music in piano performance from the University of Alabama and a B.A. in music education and piano performance from Virginia Tech.
Matthew Daniel
Organ
Matthew L. Daniel has served as Organist and Choirmaster of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Jacksonville, FL since May 2019. Prior to this appointment, he has served many other faith communities throughout northeast FL. In addition to his duties at St. Patrick’s, Mr. Daniel is a sought after clinician, judge, and recitalist on both piano and organ.
Matthew began playing the piano at age 3 and organ at age 10, and shortly thereafter began playing for church under the leadership of his grandfather, the late Rev. Lonnie Daniel. In high school, he excelled in band and choir, learning to play a dozen different instruments and winning numerous Superior ratings and awards at festivals.
Mr. Daniel holds a Bachelors Degree in Music Performance from the University of North Florida, where he studied Piano with Dr. Sandra Stewart and Dr. Erin Bennett and Organ with Timothy Tuller. He has performed extensively throughout Florida and the entire southeast, and has performed in at Westminster Abbey, Canterbury Cathedral, and Ely Cathedral in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Daniel lives in the San Marco neighborhood of Jacksonville with his 7 year old Great Dane mix Austin. In addition to his love and passion for music, he is an avid reader, runner, and cook.
Professional organizations include the American Guild of Organists, the Church Music Association of America, and the Royal School of Church Music.
George Fridlender
Voice
George Fridlender is a native of Russia. He received his training in piano, conducting, and singing at the State Conservatory in St. Petersburg, Russia and the Juilliard School of Music in New York City. Graduate of the International Opera Studio in Zürich, Switzerland, he began his operatic career on the stage of the Zürich Opera House. He later appeared as ensemble member and guest artist at the Theater Basel, Opéra de Toulon, Opéra National du Rhin, Opéra Royal de Wallonie, Stadttheater Klagenfurt, Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe, and many more.
He won the Prix de Chant Pro Arte Lyrica in Lausanne in 1988, the Concurs Internacional de Chant Francisco Vinas in 1994, and the Grand Prize of the Concours International de Chant de Verviers in 1993.
Since 1994, George makes his home in the USA where he runs a voice and piano studio. He centers his teaching around developing voices of ample volume, purity of intonation, and vocal endurance.
As a teacher, he has proven himself to be successful with both male and female voices. A bass-baritone himself, Georgi retains the full measure and health of his voice and range, which also serves him in the capacity of interpretive coach.
Agnes grew up in a musical family, and began playing the violin and piano at a young age. She has studied music and performed throughout the United States and Europe, and graduated with a degree in music performance from Belmont University in Nashville, TN, where she also served as concertmaster of the university orchestra. In 2011, upon getting married and starting a family, she and her husband launched the Giuliani Music, a private music studio dedicated to enriching the lives of others through the art of music. In addition to teaching, Agnes is an active performer, and has played with the North Charleston POPS! and numerous chamber ensembles.
Agnes teaches beginning through advanced violin, and beginning through intermediate cello to students of all ages.
Agness Coca Giuliani
Violin
Brittany Maroney
Cello
Brittany Maroney began playing the cello at age 8 while she was attending Pine Forest School of the Arts in Jacksonville, FL. She went on to study cello as part of the inaugural class of LaVilla Middle School of the Arts and she graduated Principal Cellist from Douglas Anderson School of the Arts in 2007.
She then continued her studies at the University of North Florida, studying cello performance with Dr. Nick Curry. She received the Most Outstanding Musician of the Year Award all four years in attendance, held the Principal Cello position all four years in attendance, and graduated Magna cum Laude with a Bachelor's Degree in Cello Performance in the Spring of 2011. While still a student at UNF, Brittany competed as a finalist in the Northwest Florida Concerto Competition and performed for numerous master classes taught by world-renowned cellists such as Hans Jorgen Jensen, Alisa Weilerstein and Antonio Meneses.
Since graduation, Brittany has had the privilege of performing with numerous touring artists including Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Styx, and Celtic Woman. She performs regularly for local chamber and symphony concerts, operas and musicals, and for local artists' albums and YouTube music videos through studio recording. She has served as a cellist for the Coastal Symphony of Georgia, the Ocala Symphony Orchestra and the St. Augustine Orchestra, and she has performed for the First Coast Opera, the Amelia Island Chamber Singers, the St. Augustine Community Chorus and the St. Augustine Women's Chorale.
Brittany currently teaches for her own private studio. She is also a musician on staff for Church of Our Savior Anglican Church in Jacksonville Beach and Christ Episcopal Church in Ponte Vedra, and she has performed live music for over 1,000 weddings and private events over the last 16+ years.
Brittany is honored to have had the opportunity to study with, work for, and work alongside countless talented musicians and professionals through her career to date. And, she considers it a privilege to contribute to her community through music.
Dayvin Sterlin
Piano
Dayvin Sterling is a pianist, accompanist and private teacher in St. Augustine, Florida. Sterling has her Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance from Stetson University, where she studied under Dr. Michael Rickman. She then went on to receive a Master’s degree in Piano Performance from the University of Alabama, where she studied under Dr. Noal Engebretson. Sterling also studied with famed mentor, Seymour Bernstein of New York City, who has received international recognition for his teaching and performance abilities.
Sterling has performed internationally, including but not limited to works by Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, and Brahms. While she enjoyed performing, she found teaching music to be her passion. She has been offering private and group music lessons for 20 years. Sterling has worked for both other conservatories of music and her own thriving private piano studio, Sterling Music LLC.
Mrs. Sterling has also created and written her own curriculum for early music education called Jumpin Jammerz. This curriculum is for ages birth to 5 years, and it is offered in a mommy and me style group setting. Sterling included keyboard basics, ear training, rhythm training, music theory and more. The goal of the curriculum is to not only prepare young students for private lessons, but to share joy for music in order to foster bonding between parents and children.
Her passions for music and teaching have allowed Sterling to share the love of music with people of all ages. Dayvin loves watching students as their music and piano skills grow, as well as seeing the confidence and belief in one’s self mature. Sterling loves experiencing music with others as her life’s work. She says, “Music is life.”
Courtney Conners
Kindermusik
Courtney has been singing and dancing for as long as she can remember. It was not uncommon as a child to be told to quit dancing in the grocery store. Always with a tune playing in her head, Courtney went on to be invited to the All County Chorus in elementary school, an award winning Showchoir member in middle and high school, and spent several years in musical theatre. Still singing Courtney became a graduate of West Virginia University, with a B.S in Child Development and Family Studies. She completed additional graduation requirements to obtain additional certifications in infant and toddler development and special education that enabled her to become a successful preschool teacher at WVU’s lab school.
Naturally, Courtney was able to embed ways to use music and movement in her daily teaching with both her preschool students and the early childhood education college students she was responsible for mentoring. Upon the birth of her first son, Liam, Courtney discovered the Kindermusik curriculum, which was being used by a local music studio to provide mommy and me music classes. Quickly falling in love with Kindermusik and all the many benefits this program provided to young children and their grownups, Courtney began teaching Kindermusik in 2015 and has never looked back. With Kindermusik Courtney has been able to transform and enrich the lives of many children and families through musical experiences that will establish foundations for a lifetime love of learning in all areas of development while also building an appreciation and understanding for music.
In 2020, Courtney and her family moved to Jacksonville to open up Musical Moments, an early childhood music and movement studio utilizing the Kindermusik curriculum. In just two short years, Musical Moments was named a Top Program by Kindermusik International, a prestigious award given to the top 200 Kindermusik studios in the world.
Courtney believes that music is the universal language and through music connections can be made and challenges can be overcome. She is excited to share her knowledge of early childhood development with the families at Sacred Music Academy as they begin their musical studies as young musicians. When Courtney is not teaching you will find her at one of her boys' sporting events or the beach.