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Amabile School of Music logo Amabile School of Music

Faculty

Meet the teachers behind 18 years of Amabile.

Over 30 instructors across both campuses — hand-picked, performance-tested, and trained at conservatories and universities around the world. Browse the full faculty list below and find the specialties that fit your student best.

Amy Aguirre in a music library

Amy Aguirre

Piano, Voice & Violin Faculty

Piano, Voice & Violin

Amy Aguirre received her Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of California, Davis, with a minor in Education. She studied piano for three years under Dr. Dale Tsang at Laney College and continued her piano studies with I-Hui Chen at UC Davis, where she also trained in harpsichord with Dr. Faythe Vollrath and choral performance under Dr. Erick Peregrine. Amy studied voice with Lori Willis for two years and has taught piano for over three years and voice for two years, working with students from young children to adults. She also has experience directing middle school choir, focusing on helping beginners build confidence and joy in music-making. Currently pursuing a Master of Science in Library and Information Science, Amy is passionate about combining her love of music and research with the goal of working in an academic music library. As an ethnomusicologist, her teaching philosophy centers on cultural sensitivity and inclusivity, creating a welcoming environment where students feel encouraged to explore diverse musical styles and traditions.

Jeremy Wheat

Jeremy Wheat

Guitar, Bass, Voice, Keyboards & Ukulele Faculty

Guitar, Bass, Voice, Keyboards, Ukulele, Music Theory & Songwriting

A San Francisco native and second-generation music teacher, Jeremy Wheat has been motivating students from kindergarteners to adults on guitar, bass, voice, keyboards, ukulele, music theory, and songwriting for nearly twenty years.

He has studied Rock and New Orleans music with Jimi Finley, Jazz with his late father David “Buck” Wheat (Chet Baker, the Kingston Trio) and the great guitarist Jimmy Wyble, Ska/Reggae with Joey Altruda (Jump With Joey, Ernest Ranglin, Seu Jorge) and anything else to Country with cult hero Bay Area guitarist Jim Campilongo (Norah Jones, Martha Wainwright).

His patience and kindness are legendary, and his thoughtful notes on musicality and technique accelerate the progress of any student. Beginners and long-time players have all made breakthroughs under Jeremy’s tutelage, and we hope you are next to level up!

Samuel Mason

Samuel Mason

Piano Faculty

Piano

Sam is an educator, pianist, and composer based in San Francisco. He teaches with the San Francisco Symphony’s Music and Mentors program, serving students in the San Francisco Unified School District. A recent graduate of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Sam has performed original music in venues including Feinstein’s/54 Below in Manhattan and for Young Adults Institute (YAI): Seeing Beyond Disability.

As a composer, his recent honors include runner-up in SFCM’s Kristin Pankonin Art Song Award and second prize in Sparks & Wiry Cries’ 8th Annual SongSLAM in Minneapolis. Sam’s teaching is individualized, student-centered, and play-oriented. He encourages students to develop their ears alongside their reading skills through listening, improvisation, and playing by ear, with a strong emphasis on rhythmic confidence and fluency. He aims to meet students at their individual level and interests while helping them develop the skills to become confident, independent musicians.

Matthew Gaspar

Matthew Gaspar

Piano Faculty

Piano

Matthew started piano at age 5. After graduating from UC San Diego with a degree in General Biology, he discovered his joy in piano teaching and has pursued it for 14 years. He guides students ages 5 and above to discover the fun of playing the piano by focusing on a solid foundation of note reading, rhythm, and finger and hand positions, and constantly building students' confidence.

Megan Obrien

Megan O'Brien

Voice Faculty

Voice

Megan is a classically-trained soprano with experience leading song in churches across the United States and at European festivals. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Performance from the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music at Catholic University of America and continued her studies in New York with the Amalfi Coast Music Festival. She has been a member of the St. Patrick's Cathedral choir in New York, the Baltimore Symphony choir, and recently led the men's Catholic choir at San Quentin Prison.

Monica Chan

Monica Chan

Piano and Voice Faculty

Piano, Voice

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Monica is an experienced music educator with a Bachelor's in Music Education from The Education University of Hong Kong, ABRSM grade 8 piano, ABRSM grade 5 vocal singing, and 13 years teaching in public elementary and middle school. She has coached students for ABRSM piano examinations to excellent results and led public performances. Fluent in multiple languages.

Raul Quines

Raul Quines

Piano, Guitar & Ukulele, and Voice Faculty

Piano, Guitar & Ukulele, Voice

Raul Quines is a composer and singer-songwriter whose primary instruments are piano, guitar, and voice. He earned a Bachelor of Music in Piano and trained in Composition at the Manhattan School of Music, plus a Master of Art in Ethnomusicology from Hunter College. He taught Composition, Music Theory, and Ear-training at the Manhattan School of Music Preparatory Division. His released works include Music for Lamentation, There's A Bridge, Lilac Wine, Mesmerized, and his debut EP Moons and Arches. Each music student has a unique voice, he says.

Renata Norcia

Renata Norcia

Violin and Piano Faculty

Violin, Piano

A Berkeley native, Renata studied with Rafael Bronstein, a student of Leopold Auer, at the Manhattan School of Music. She freelanced and played on Broadway with tours in Florida, Virginia, and Connecticut, then moved to Amsterdam and toured the world for three years with the Heidelberger and Köln chamber orchestras. She freelanced across Holland, Sweden, and Norway, and taught violin and piano at Vestby and Hobøl Cultural schools for 21 years before returning to the Bay Area.

Rupali Sharma

Rupali Sharma

Piano Faculty

Piano

Rupali is a versatile pianist and instructor with over a decade of experience teaching pop, rock, and classical to students ages 4 to adult, including students with dyslexia, chronic illness, and autism. Many of her students have stayed with her for years. Her teaching covers ear training, music theory, sight-reading, and solid technique. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Music from San Francisco State University.

Sarah Jaegers

Sarah Jaegers

Piano Faculty

Piano

Originally from Holland, Michigan, Dr. Sarah Korneisel Jaegers teaches piano at Amabile. She earned her DMA from The Ohio State University, MM from Michigan State University, and BM and BA in Spanish from Iowa State. Her dissertation focused on Turkish classical piano repertoire. She believes each student has a unique voice and creates a fun, welcoming studio that engages students and inspires joy and creativity.

Taylor Compton-Phelps

Taylor Compton-Phelps

Guitar & Ukulele and Piano Faculty

Guitar & Ukulele, Piano

Taylor is a versatile guitarist and dedicated music educator with over eight years of teaching experience. Originally from Knoxville, Tennessee, he holds a Bachelor of Music in Studio Music and Jazz from the University of Tennessee. He's taught students of all ages and skill levels across guitar, piano, bass, drums, and ukulele, from jazz combos to rock bands. His teaching philosophy emphasizes patience, curiosity, and joy.

Zachary Uzin

Zachary Uzin

Violin Faculty

Violin

Mr. Uzin started violin at age 5. He graduated from Sokolovky's Musical College in Gomel, Belarus in 1977 and taught violin at Gomel's Tchaikovsky Music School from 1975 to 1983, where his students placed in many competitions and festivals. He worked as concertmaster of violins at the Gomel Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra. After moving to the United States in 1989, he has continued to teach violin and also performs as a guitarist with The Best Russian Music Band and The Caesar's Empire Jazz-Rock Band.

tracina bertolami at a piano

Tracina Bertolami

Piano Faculty

Piano

Tracina is a graduate of Saint Mary's College of California, where she earned her B.A. in Psychology. Based in the Bay Area and raised in the Lamorinda area, Tracina has developed a strong passion for both music and personal growth throughout her life. She plays piano and sings, having started music lessons at a young age. She performed in several advanced choirs through her sophomore year of college and continued expanding her musical education by attending two music camps at Berklee College of Music in 2018, focusing on piano and songwriting. In addition to her musical background, Tracina enjoys songwriting, music production, traveling, and martial arts. She has trained in Kung Fu for 11 years and has extensive experience working with children. Known for being gentle, kind, honest, and patient, she enjoys encouraging others to work hard and reach their full potential. Bringing positivity to others and seeing them succeed are among the things she finds most rewarding.

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