Brendaliz Cepeda and Saul Penaloza are artists and educators passionate about cultural equity and community engagement. Together they co-founded Bomba de Aquí, an organization specializing in the performance and education of Afro-Puerto Rican music and dance, with a focus on the bomba tradition. Based in western Massachusetts and central Connecticut, the group is committed to preserving and promoting Puerto Rico’s African-rooted heritage through dynamic performances and interactive workshops. Bomba de Aquí brings the rhythms, movement, and storytelling of bomba to a wide range of audiences, delivering culturally responsive programming in Spanish and English. Bomba de Aquí celebrates the richness of Afro-Puerto Rican traditions and fosters cross-cultural dialogue, artistic expression, and a deeper understanding of Puerto Rican identity—particularly for Latino/a youth. At its core, Bomba de Aquí believes in the power of music and dance to build community, inspire pride, and connect generations. Brenda and Saul joined the Sonido Music staff in 2025.

Ava D’Agostino is a soprano and music educator with a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from SUNY Fredonia and a Master’s degree in Voice Performance from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. With nine years of teaching experience, she has held various roles, including choral director, private voice instructor, and early childhood music educator. She currently teaches private voice at the Community Music School of Springfield and throughout the greater Western Massachusetts area.

As a performer, Ava’s operatic credits include The Fire/Nightingale in Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges and the Witch/Mother in Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel.

Learn with me if…

If you are curious about your singing potential, interested in voice technique/how it works, and/or just want to sing to have fun! We can focus on music literacy and learn to sight sing, or focus more on learning repertoire and getting comfortable performing it. In my lessons, it is important to me that my students enjoy the songs they are singing, so whatever genre/song serves your vocal/musical growth while being enjoyable, we can work with it.

A native of South Korea, Eun Joo Lee began playing the piano at the age of seven and soon started playing in the City Hall. After entering into the specialized Art High School in Pusan, remarkably she appeared at the Art Hall of Ga-ram and Ga-Eun as solo pianist. When she was studying in Pusan National University, she received a scholarship from the Department of Music, and also played at the school’s concert hall every year before her graduation under the tutelage of Jung Soon Choi. In 2002, she played Bartok’s Rhapsody op.1 at Cultural Concert Hall of Kyumjung. Her performance of Bartok Rhapsody Op.1 was highly received by the audience with a storm of applause. Also, she started expanding her repertories by playing contemporary work such as Copland, Bartok, Scriabin, Charles Ives.

The 2002 Piano Summer at New Paltz, NY hosted by Vladimir Feltsman, inspired her to come to New York and begin intensive studying. During the summer session of that year, she performed Ravel’s Jeau D’eau in the Concert Hall in SUNY at New Paltz. As a receiver of Art Bridge America Scholarship, she was able to pursue her master’s degree in Music with the well-known pianist Paul Ostrovsky in SUNY at Purchase.

In 2007, her immense fascination with music led her to participate in the Summer Course in New Paltz again, so that she could get more valuable stage experience. She achieved the Master of Music in 2007 and the Artist Diploma Degree at SUNY Purchase in 2008. She also learned the organ with the interest of sacred church music with Anthony Newman. In 2010, she began the fall semester in the Graduate Professional Study at the Hartt School, University of Hartford with Luiz De Moura Castro. She successfully finished her first Graduate Diploma Recital on January 31, 2012 in Berkman Recital Hall at the Hartt school. As well as her piano studying, her interest in sacred church music led her to meet the renowned organist Patrica Snyder at Hartt school. She studied with her for one year and also completed the final organ recital in her studio. She successfully completed her second Graduate Diploma Recital on May 13, 2013.

She was a lead faculty member for five years at the Music School of Woodwind since 2005. She was also recently hired by the Cheshire Academy as a piano faculty member in the music department. She worked as piano faculty at ABC music school in Litchfield county from 2013 to 2016. She also gave a Lecture Recital about Composer’s life and representative works (Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart) for the Korean Community. She performs as an Official Accompanist for the Connecticut College Choirs every semester since she was appointed as an collaborative pianist in 2020. She has been teaching students as Piano Faculty at the Thames Valley School at Connecticut College.

In the local Korean community, she plays chamber music with other members in various concert halls. As a music director in the Korean Presbyterian Church of Greater Hartford, she had served for the choir since she moved to Connecticut in 2009. She was a music director and organist in the Calvary Baptist Church and The First Congregational Church of Woodbridge. She recorded the Brian Field’s piano solo piece “Three planets” for climate change warning and also uploaded the whole movements on her YouTube channel. She is a currently active member of Harford Music Teacher Alliance (HMTA) since 2013 and also member of National Music Teachers Association (NMTA).

Take private lessons with me if…

If you are interested in learning the piano as a hobby/fun or if you’re interested in sharpening your skills and musicianship for recitals or competition. I customize my lessons to meet student’s musical goals, responding to the needs of students and parents in offering high quality musical training. I commit to inspiring students to reach the highest artistic level of piano playing. My mission is to provide professional instruction with enthusiasm and dedication where each lesson has a purpose to nurture and enhance musical ideas and concepts. Students in my studio are encouraged and empowered to improve musical skills which will eventually help them to enjoy music for the rest of their life.

Eun Joo Lee’s Student Testimonials

“My instructor teaches me the best fundamental technique and theory for beginners looking to excel. When I don’t understand, she is patient. She is really encouraging and complements my playing throughout the lesson.” -Angie Stanford

Andres Lopez Pozo, originally from Cuba, is a multi-instrument player who specializes in guitar. Andres graduated from the Esteban Salas Music Conservatory in Santiago de Cuba, where he studied the instruction and performance of guitar, Cuban tres guitar, and ensemble. He has over twenty years of experience teaching guitar, Cuban tres guitar, and Latin music to students of all ages. Songwriting, arranging, and composing are also within his repertoire. In addition to teaching music, he has performed professionally with a traditional Cuban music band, a classical guitar ensemble, in popular Cuban music festivals, and on tour in international festivals.

Learn with me if…

If you are looking for an excellent opportunity to learn different styles of guitar and music theory through beautiful songs, melodies, harmonies, and more. I work with beginners to professionals. Give it a try. Explore your artistic side and achieve your potential.

Andres’ Student Testimonials

Dr. Timothy Skinner has been teaching and playing professionally for over 10 years. He holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Texas, a Master of Music degree from the University of New Mexico, and a Bachelor of Music degree from California State University in Northridge. After finishing school in 2015, Dr. Skinner won the audition for bass clarinetist of the New Mexico Philharmonic, a position he still holds today. In addition to his time with the NM Phil, he has performed as principal, second, bass, and e-flat clarinet with the Santa Fe Opera, the Dallas Winds, the Santa Fe Symphony, Santa Fe ProMusica, the New Mexico Winds, and the Del Sol String Quartet. International performances include concerts in Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, China, and the UK.

Dr. Skinner has held several teaching positions throughout the United States, including as a lecturer at the University of New Mexico. He currently teaches at Westfield State University, the Campus School of Smith College, the Nashua Community Music School, and the Community Music School of Springfield. His favorite non-musical activities include reading books of all kinds, skiing and hiking in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and watching (too many) food and travel videos on YouTube.

Study with me if…

If you love music and want to learn more about the clarinet. I can help with anything from fundamentals to auditions, ensemble music to unique solo pieces. Stop by and say hello anytime!

Trevor Pitts is a native of Springfield who came to find his passion in percussion at the age of 10 while visiting different churches in the New England area. In his early years he began taking lessons and guidance from legendary musician/percussionist Billy Arnold. Not only did Billy teach him about technique & musicianship but to always strive to do your best no matter what with a great attitude. After years of practice and playing he went on to accompany in numerous bands & ensembles in various genres such as The Charles Majid Greenlee Jazz Ensemble, Ethel Lee, The Jus Us Band, John Hanifin Band & a host of many singers, groups & poets. He also has been a member and musician for St. Johns Congregational Church for the past 17 years. His influences include drummers Teddy Campbell, Stanley Randolph, Sonny Emory, Richard Bailey, Buddy Rich, Philly Jo Jones, Dennis Chambers and many more. Today he continues to work to inspire people just as those that came before did for him.