Meet Our Teachers

Studio3 Music School

Kathy Estes, Music Director

Violin, Viola & String Orchestra

 

Kathy Estes received her BME from Jacksonville University in Jacksonville Florida after studying at the University of Illinois in Champaign. She has taught public and private students in violin, viola and piano for 35 years and played her violin and viola in several symphonies, quartets, pops orchestras, jazz trio, and Christian rock groups, etc.

Kathy plays locally as a Violist in the Western Piedmont Symphony Orchestra, a Jazz trio, the New Life Worship Team, and directs the Celtic Christmas Concert.

As the Studio3 Music Director, Kathy works with the teaching team in the development of the curriculum, events, and special performances, and oversees the structure of the school.

She is dedicated to the development of each young musician. Kathy says, "Put an instrument in the hands of a child and change a life.''

Contact Information:

Phone: 828-381-0007

Email: kathy@studio3nc.com

*Email preferred

 

Andy Wallen

Guitar Teacher

 

Andy Wallen was raised in West Virginia and received a BA in Music Education from West Liberty University. He studied classical guitar performance and composition at Shennandoah Conservatory of Music in Winchester, VA. Andy's guitar classes are extremely popular and growing every semester.

Contact Information:

Phone: 304-780-7133

Email: andy@studio3nc.com

*Phone or Text preferred

 

Rachel Palmer

Violin Teacher

 

Rachel Palmer, a Bethlehem NC native, has been playing the Violin for more than ten years, first studying under Kathy Estes for seven years.

Currently, Rachel attends the Annie Moses Conservatory in Nashville, TN where she is studying the Violin with Annie Dupre, and also the Mandolin and Voice.

Rachel was Concertmaster for the Western Piedmont Youth Symphony and has performed at the Altenberg Germany Music Festival with the Western Piedmont Youth Symphony Quartet in 2018.

Rachel has performed in many events in surrounding Counties, notably the famous Celtic Christmas Concert. She enjoys teaching at Studio3 and watching her students grow.

Contact Information:

Phone: 828-851-6261

Email: rachel@studio3nc.com

*Email preferred

 

Melody M. Beaty

Children & Youth Choruses Conductor, Voice Lessons, Piano & Flute Teacher

 

Melody Morrison Beaty earned a BS in Instrumental Music Education and a Masters of Music in voice. In the course of her career, she has sung leading roles with Opera companies from NY to Florida.

She has worked extensively with children, understanding the unique needs of their growing voices, training them in technique, artistry, and performance, all with spirited fun!

Contact Information:

Phone: 704-437-0448

Email: melody@studio3nc.com

*Text preferred

 

Jordan Dagenhart

Studio3 Chorale Conductor

 

Jordan Dagenhart brings to Studio3 his own special energy and love for music! Graduating from Alexander County High School with many musical accomplishments, he continued with a degree from West Lenoir Ministries Association, and earned his Bachelors of Music Education from Wingate University. His teaching experience includes award winning contributions in choral achievement to the North Carolina Christian School Association. Jordan is an accomplished and sought after pianist and singer in the region. He is now teaching in the public school system and is the Director of Music at Calvary Baptist Church. Studio3 is honored to have Jordan as the Chorale Conductor.

Contact Information:

Phone: 828-228-7706

Email: jordan@studio3nc.com

*Phone or Text preferred

 

Sharon Owenby

Cello Teacher

 

Sharon Owenby has been a long-time advocate for arts education as well as a music educator. She has been teaching since 2007 and strives to help her students achieve holistic excellence – in music and beyond.

Ms. Sharon was raised in the Washington, DC area and studied cello under David Hardy of the National Symphony Orchestra and later at Shenandoah Conservatory.

Ms. Owenby’s previous students have gone on to win positions in junior and senior regional orchestra festivals, be accepted to the UNC School of the Arts, NC School of Science and Math, Interlochen Center for the Arts, and prestigious universities.

Contact Information:

Phone: 704-266-0287

Email: sharon@studio3nc.com

*Text preferred

 

Janet Hayes

Piano & Improvisational Piano Class Teacher

 

Janet Hayes is an accomplished pianist. She has been teaching piano for over 40 years.

Janet has completed many courses of piano studies including playing church piano, studio piano, technique, runs and fill ins, composing, and transcribing music.

She is also a part of the southern gospel family group, The Hayes Family, from Boone, NC. She sings and plays the piano with them.

Janet is the director of music at Middle Fork Baptist Church in Blowing Rock, NC.

Contact Information:

Phone: 828-302-5706

*Phone or Text preferred

 

Livia Palmer (Student teacher)

Piano and Mandolin Teacher

 

Livia Palmer has been playing the piano for ten years, having studied with Kathy Estes for seven years.

She travels to Franklin, Tennessee twice a month to the Annie Moses Conservatory for music lessons. There she studies Classical Piano with William Alexson, Mandolin with Gretchen Wolaver, and Composition from the award winning songwriter Bill Wolaver.

Livia also accompanies the Studio3 Orchestra and Chorus, and performs at many local events, such as the famous Celtic Christmas Concert. Livia loves teaching and giving her music away. The kids love Livia.

Contact Information:

Phone: 828-639-1259

Email: livia@studio3nc.com

*Text preferred

 

 


Our Teaching Staff

''We are proud of our very professional and experienced teaching staff. Each one comes to Studio3 with the highest recommendations. Studio3 follows the general guidelines of the Safe Sanctuary Policies that apply to our teaching format.''

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