Teacher Bios

Jennifer Hummler holds a B.A. in both Music (piano) and Music Industry and has been teaching privately since graduation. She has studied piano with Laura DuBois and Dr. Vai-Meng Lei and currently studies with Dr. Hendry Wijaya. In addition to teaching private music lessons, Jennifer is also Stage Manager for the Pacific Opera Company.

Steve Bowen is a classically trained pianist and holds a bachelor’s degree in Music from Monmouth University.

Jim Green teaches guitar, bass, and drums. He received his bachelor’s degree in Music from Monmouth University in 2004. He has been teaching privately since 2005. Jim’s style is heavily based in classic rock, but also includes influences from all areas of music.

Dana Capozzalo teaches beginning piano, violin, cello, and most band instruments for LionWhale Music. She has a bachelor’s degree in Music Education and Elementary Education from Monmouth University. In addition to teaching private lessons, Dana also works in Marlboro, NJ, as a fourth- and fifth-grade instrumental music teacher.

Ben Wilton began on his path as a guitar player at age 15, though he had been an alto sax player and singer prior to finding the guitar. He graduated from Monmouth University in 2007 with his Music Performance degree. Ben is currently teaching guitar and bass for LionWhale Music and other studios. He teaches in all styles, but his playing style leans toward rock, folk, bluegrass, jazz, and blues. When Ben is not teaching, he still has his guitar in his hands because he is involved in many different projects. Ben plays in the Spirit of Peace ensemble at Unity Church by the Shore in Neptune, a classic rock cover band called WreckenBall, and a bluegrass band called Firelight. Ben can also be found playing and singing original music in coffee houses and bars all around New Jersey, Philadelphia, and New York City.

Shannon Magee graduated from Texas Tech University with a degree in Music Education. Shannon has been pursuing a professional music career and is a dramatic mezzo-soprano. She has garnered rave reviews for operatic performances and concert appearances alike. Recently, Ms. Magee performed as a soloist in Alexander Nevsky with the Ft. Collins Symphony and as a soloist in Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 with the Colorado College Summer Festival. Ms. Magee performed as alto soloist in Mendelssohn’s Die Erste Walpurgisnacht with the Colorado Symphony. Shannon performed Princess Amneris in Verdi’s Aïda with the Ft. Collins Opera. She performed Madam Quickly in Verdi’s Falstaff in western France with the Lyrique en Mer Festival. She also performed with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic in Handel’s Messiah. Ms. Magee made her opera debut performing Ulrica in Un Ballo in Maschera with the Piedmont Opera. She has also performed the comic Marquise de Birkenfeld in Donizetti’s Daughter of the Regiment for Opera Theatre of the Rockies and appeared as alto soloist in the Colorado Springs Philharmonic’s inaugural performances of Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 with Maestro Lawrence Leighton Smith. Shannon has been a guest artist for Midland, Texas’ Messiah performances for the past two seasons. She was the first-place winner of the Denver Lyric Opera Guild’s 2003 auditions, has been a regional place winner of the Metropolitan Opera Auditions, and was a winner in the Vera Scammon International 2004 Auditions. Ms. Magee was selected from among thousands of applicants across the USA and abroad for Santa Fe Opera’s prestigious Apprentice Artist Program in 2004 and was honored to return to the Santa Fe Opera for the 2005 season to cover Auntie in Britten’s Peter Grimes and to perform other solo and ensemble assignments. Ms. Magee has been featured as a Preview Artist for Central City Opera, and has portrayed such roles as Jezibabo in Rusalka, Principessa in Sour Angelica, Mother in Tales of Hoffman, Mother in The Consul, and Azucena in Act IV of Il Trovatore for the Colorado Springs Philharmonic’s February, 2004 performances in the Pikes Peak Center under the baton of Christopher Wilkin. Her upcoming engagements include performing Azucena with the Ft. Collins Symphony in May ’09.

Sarah Clemency is working on her bachelor’s degrees in both Music Education and Theater at Monmouth University. She teaches piano for LionWhale Music.  As
well as teaching, she enjoys writing her own music.

Anthony LeProtto started his music education as a member of the children’s choir at Our Lady of the Holy Angels in Little Falls, NJ. He began studying drum set with a fellow parishioner in Fall of ‘98 and hasn’t put down his sticks since. Anthony played at Sunday morning masses at Holy Angels and school masses while at St. Joseph Regional High School in Montvale, NJ. He decided to pursue music education at Monmouth University where he furthered his studies of drums and percussion. During his years at MU Anthony began to network within the local music scene.  Now, after earning his degree, he is currently playing with numerous bands ranging from reggae to children’s music throughout NJ and NYC.