Violin and piano teacher
Sarah Icardi, studio director, violin and piano teacher
Sarah is a musician from Medina, Ohio. She started studying violin at 5 years old with Renee Matthews. She holds a Bachelor's degree in violin performance from Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio. She made her debut solo performance with orchestra at the age of 16 with the Baldwin Wallace Youth Orchestra, playing Mozart Violin Concerto no. 3 after winning the Baldwin Wallace Youth Orchestra concerto competition. She has traveled extensively on Orchestra tours through the United States and abroad. She toured China with the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra in 2015 and played concerts in Beijing, Tianjin and Ningbo. She also played concerts in Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Washington D.C. with the Baldwin Wallace Symphony Orchestra in 2016. Before and during college she studied violin and chamber music with members of the Cleveland Orchestra. In 2017, Sarah was chosen to perform with Barnaby Bright an award-winning folk-pop duo. In college she had the opportunity to be in leadership positions by being principle second and concert master. She played two undergraduate recitals in her time at BW featuring the works of Bruch Violin Concerto no. 1, Vaughn William's Lark Ascending, Bach Partita no. 2, Wienawski Violin Concerto, and Mozart Sonata in E minor. In the past few years, she has performed with The Cleveland Women's Orchestra, West Shore Chorale and The Ashland Symphony. She was the 2019-2020 concertmaster at Lakeland Civic Orchestra. Sarah has also judged violin and piano concerto competitions in the Northeast Ohio area.
Sarah started piano at the age of 8 and studied with Karen Campo throughout high school. She competed in piano competitions where she received superior ratings. She studied piano during her undergraduate career at Baldwin Wallace University studying with Anthony and Christine Fuoco and Nicole Keller.
Sarah’s most recent endeavor is building her studio in Medina, Ohio. She has grown the studio to 200 violin, viola and piano students. Some of her students’ achievements include winning competitions, being selected for solos, moving up to more advanced orchestras and being selected for leadership positions in their orchestra. Whatever the student’s goal is, Sarah will help them achieve it! In Sarah’s free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors, traveling and spending time with her husband (Matt) and cats (Weston and Cleo).
Lindsay Hastings, piano teacher
Lindsay Hastings is a musician who currently resides in Medina. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Ohio Northern University (2017) and spent eight years teaching general music at St. Francis Xavier School in Medina. She joined the studio as a part time piano teacher in 2024 and moved to full time in 2025.
While attending Ohio Northern University, Lindsay studied clarinet with Georg Klaas and piano with Pamela Ashmore. She participated in a variety of ensembles, including wind orchestra, symphony orchestra, marching band, choirs, and pit orchestras at ONU and at high schools nearby. She continues to study piano with Julie Melik-Stepanov.
Lindsay is passionate about teaching her students how to play musically and to enjoy the process of learning piano, while also having fun with lots of laughter along the way. Drawing from her experience in the classroom, Lindsay uses a variety of strategies to keep students engaged while providing quality instruction on the piano. Stickers and stretch breaks are included. :)
Lindsay grew up in Burton, Ohio and graduated from Berkshire High School. She lives in Medina with her husband, Matthew (a band director in the Wadsworth City Schools), and their dog, O’Malley. Outside of music, she enjoys going for runs around Medina, reading, and cheering on the Cleveland Guardians, Cavs, and Browns.
Violin, viola and piano teacher
Lesley Rudin, violin, viola and piano teacher
Lesley Rudin is a musician from Buffalo, NY. She began studying violin at age six through the Suzuki method, she then added viola and piano to her studies. Her most recent accomplishment is receiving her masters in music performance from Bowling Green State University. While at BGSU, she studied with Jordan Bak and Matthew McBride-Daline. She has recently performed with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra, Toledo Repertoire Theater, Lima Symphony, Perrysburg Symphony, the BGSU Philharmonia, BGSU Graduate String Quartet and the College Light Opera Company's 2022 season in Cape Cod.
Lesley also holds two bachelors degrees from Baldwin Wallace University in music performance and music history. At Baldwin Wallace, she studied with Lembi Veskimets who is a member of the Cleveland Orchestra. During her time at BW she performed in the Baldwin Wallace Symphony Orchestra, the BW opera pit orchestra, BW Beatles, and in the New Music Concert series, as well as in chamber ensembles and for student recitals. While completing her degree, Lesley completed a thesis on the portrayal of Japanese music and culture in opera.
Melissa Kleinert, piano teacher
Melissa Kleinert is a musician from Pittsburgh, PA. She started studying piano at the age of 4. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in music education from Baldwin Wallace University, as well as a Master’s degree in music education and Kodaly certification from Capital University. During her time at Baldwin Wallace, she studied piano with Dr. Robert Mayerovitch. She also got to study with Dr. Sungeun Kim and Mary Dobrea-Grindahl. She performed with the jazz band, and gave two undergraduate recitals featuring works by Beethoven, Debussy, Shoshtakovich, Rachmaninoff, Brahms, Schumann, and Bolcom. She had lots of performance opportunities at Baldwin Wallace, including master classes with Spencer Myer and Jenny Lin, and was selected to perform her favorite piece, The Serpent’s Kiss by William Bolcom at convocation. Melissa is also an accomplished accompanist, and started by accompanying her choirs in middle school.
Melissa currently teaches K-5 general music at Case Elementary, part of the Akron Public Schools. This is her 11th year teaching general music, and she has taught grades PK-12 throughout her career. She also has years of experience teaching private piano lessons. Melissa is a passionate music educator who loves instilling the joy of music in her lessons, and experiencing that joy with her students.In her spare time, Melissa loves to cook, read, travel, and cheer on her Pittsburgh Penguins. She is a yoga enthusiast, and is currently training to become a certified yoga instructor.
Madison VanScoder, piano teacher
Madison is a dedicated and versatile piano instructor with extensive experience teaching students of all ages and skill levels. With a passion for both classical and contemporary music, Madison offers personalized lessons that emphasize technical skill, musical expression, and a deep love for music.
Madison puts a great deal of effort into tailoring each lesson to meet the individual needs of every student, building strong rapport with both students and their families to create a collaborative, supportive learning environment. By balancing technical proficiency with artistic expression, Madison fosters both musical growth and personal connection. Whether preparing students for recitals, competitions, or helping them develop their skills, Madison provides constructive feedback, emotional support, and adapts innovative teaching methods to each student’s learning style, ensuring lessons are engaging, effective, and motivating for all levels of musicians.
Madison is currently pursuing an additional degree in Piano Performance at Berklee College of Music and has also studied at the Music Institute of Copenhagen, where Madison studied under esteemed Swedish pianist Madeleine Lofdahl. Additionally, Madison draws on their experience studying with jazz pianist Suzanna Sifter to integrate jazz and improvisation into lessons, further enriching the learning experience for students. With a Bachelor of Arts, with a minor in Piano Performance, from Denison University, Madison combines academic rigor with creative artistry, bringing a unique perspective to teaching and performance.
Whether preparing students for a recital, guiding them through the complexities of a difficult piece, or simply sharing a love for music, Madison is committed to fostering a positive, supportive, and inspiring learning environment where students can develop as confident and expressive pianists
Christopher DeShields, violin, viola and piano teacher
Christopher DeShields is a professional violist, violinist, and pianist in the greater Cleveland area who currently is based in Brunswick, Ohio. He grew up studying music starting with the piano at age 8. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Cedarville University (2018), and Master of Music degree from Kent State University’s Hugh A. Glauser School of Music (2021).
Christopher’s violin and viola teachers include Leah Frank and the late Jeanette Meyer, who was a student of Josef Gingold (Cleveland Orchestra concertmaster emeritus), as well as prominent musicians of both the Cleveland Orchestra and Chicago Symphony, including Joanna Zakany, Welsey Collins, Stan Konopka, Arthur Klima, and Peter Slowik. He has also studied with Sheridan Currie and Jane Jaquith. Christopher has received numerous honors, including being named the winner of Cedarville University’s concerto competition in 2017, sitting principal viola in the Cedarville University orchestra, and also participating in a symphony orchestra tour to Florida in 2016 and a chamber orchestra tour to Italy in 2018. In 2019, he was selected to perform chamber music at the annual Kent-Blossom Music Festival, which included a debut side-by-side orchestra performance with the Cleveland Orchestra. Christopher sat principal viola during his time at Kent State University, in addition to performing the completion of two graduate capstone recitals, which included the works of Bach, Brahms, Vieuxtempts, Hindemith, and Reger.
Christopher’s piano teachers include Nathan Eckel, Annette Palmer, Peggy Dunkel, and Lori Scheutzow. He has had many years of performance experience in recital and contest settings. In addition to his classical training, he has experience with piano improvisation, having the chance to perform both in jazz, gospel, rock, pop, and new music settings. He also has over 15 years experience playing improvisatory piano in a church music setting and is passionate about coaching students who have similar aspirations.
Christopher has been teaching for over 10 years both privately as well as in our local music schools. His teaching style is personable and student centered. His own words describe his overall teaching philosophy, “what I love the most is to inspire and equip students and watch them succeed.”
Maria Viñas, violin teacher
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Maria Viñas is a versatile and accomplished violinist and educator whose career encompasses performance, teaching, and community engagement. She began her musical journey in 2009 at the Aurora School of Music, where she rapidly advanced under the mentorship of distinguished instructors. Her passion for the violin led her to Cleveland State University, where she studied with Takako Masame of The Cleveland Orchestra. There, she earned her Bachelor's degree in Music Therapy with a focus on violin performance.
Based in Cleveland, Ms. Viñas has performed with numerous respected ensembles, including the Cleveland Pops Orchestra, Toledo Symphony, Mansfield Symphony, Ashland Symphony, Firelands Symphony, Cleveland Women’s Orchestra, and the Fryderyk Chopin Institute of Ohio. She has also appeared in a variety of productions at Playhouse Square. Previously, she served as concertmaster of the Euclid Symphony Orchestra, where she played a vital role in shaping the ensemble’s artistic direction.
A dedicated educator, Ms. Viñas is deeply committed to nurturing the next generation of musicians. She has worked alongside renowned violinist Isabel Trautwein, coaching advanced students in The Music Settlement’s Chamber Orchestra. At the Rainey Institute, she brings early childhood music education to life as a teaching artist, creating imaginative and accessible programs that spark a lifelong love of music.
Ms. Viñas has performed under the direction of esteemed conductors including Grammy Award winner Michael Repper, Carl Topilow, Grzegorz Nowak, Liza Grossman, Alain Trudel, and Giordano Bellincampi. She currently continues her professional development under the guidance of former CIM professor David Updegraff.
In addition to performing and teaching, Ms. Viñas maintains an active freelance career in the Cleveland area, offering private lessons and collaborating with local artists. Her extensive training, diverse performance background, and passion for education reflect a career devoted to excellence—both on stage and in the classroom.