Allegra's Staff

Faculty and Staff Faculty

Mr. Thomas Bardar, Senior Woodwind/Brass, Percussion

Mr. Bardar is a recipient of the "Teacher of the Year" award. He was selected from among 1,000 professionals in the Woodbridge School District. This honor is the highest honor school district can confer upon a professional staff member. Mr. Bardar has been a teacher for over 30 years. His introduction to music was the saxophone in seventh grade. Mr. Bardar played for the Woodbridge high school band during his junior and senior years. While stationed in Germany for two years, Mr. Bardar continued to play music as a soldier for the Eighth Division Band. He attended the Naval School of Music in Washington, D.C. and performed with the Fort Monmouth Post Band. Mr. Bardar majored in Music at Trenton State College, where he earned his Masters degree. In 2000 Mr. Bardar lead several Allegra SMA students to successful auditions in the Somerset Regional Band.

Mr Patrick Callahan, Associate Guitar Teacher, Substitute
Music Education Major with a concentration in guitar at the John J. Cali School of Music, Montclair State University. Mr. Callahan has have taken master’s classes with Jazz Guitarist Howard Alden, Jazz Saxophonist T.K Blue. Additionally he has studied with Roger Spinella, David Tocar, and Grant Gardner. He has played with Jazz Bands and Guitar Ensembles that have performed live at Disney World. His strengths include Music Theory and he is an above average sight reader. His main focus is Jazz, but he very versatile in my multiple styles. Peter is happy to share his love of music with the students at Allegra. Mr. Kai Cheng, Senior Piano Teacher - Remote Consultant

Ms. Nijole Carpenter, Senior Violin/Viola, Piano
Ms. Nijole Carpenter began playing the violin at the age of 6 at Kaunas Music School in Lithuania. She then continued her studies at The Lithuanian Music Academy, earning her B.A. degree equivalent, where she performed in a student orchestra with the Lithuanian Music Grand S. Sondeckis. After graduation Ms.Bara played with the Kaunas Chamber Symphony and Music Theater Orchestras. She has been fortunate to play with great musicians such as, Lanzer, Rampal, andPavel Berman, who is also the conductor of the Kaunas Chamber and Symphony Orchestras. Ms. Bara taught at her alma mater Kaunas Music School before coming to live in America. Ms. Nijole loves teaching and believes that anyone can learn an instrument and appreciate the world of music.

Mr. Jordan Johnson, Saxophone, Piano, Jazz Piano, Director of "Big Fun" Summer Theater Camp

Mr. Kendrick Liu, Senior Jazz, Contemporary & Classical Piano
Kendrick is a pianist who is fluent in various genres of music ranging from Pop, R&B, Jazz, Gospel to Classical. His exposure to music began at the age of 5, where he began taking piano lessons with his mother, a classically trained pianist. As a teenager, Kendrick was drawn to the keyboard sounds he heard in Pop and R&B tunes. He began playing songs he heard on the radio by ear and crafting the art of improvisation under the guidance of Tan Kian Wee and Thomas Berdos. He also studied Classical piano with Paul Didario.
Kendrick has also served as pianist at various churches and has published a Gospel solo-piano arrangement with Pedalpoint. In 2005, Kendrick was accepted into the prestigious Berklee College of Music on scholarship where he studied Jazz/Pop/Gospel piano with Ross Ramsay, Robert Christopherson, David Limina and Dennis Montgomery III. While enrolled at Berklee, Kendrick made the Dean's List every semester and graduated Summa Cum Laude in the spring of 2008. Upon graduation, Kendrick has been invited to India to provide music instruction to hundreds of students at various colleges. He also plays the piano at various events and functions.

Mr. Bob Ramos, Senior Drums/Percussion, Piano
A native of New Brunswick, NJ, is a well-known player on the scene. Bobito's recorded work as a drummer\percussionist represents a significant contribution to New Brunswick's rich musical history: the Legendary RHYTHM METHOD (produced by bassist Dave LaRue from the Steve Morse Band, G3); two albums and singles with the FALSE VIRGINS (produced by Lee Renaldo of SONIC YOUTH); various recordings with world/alternative band SPY GODS (produced by Martin Atkins of Public Image Limited), and a trip hop/acid jazz album with BOOM SMACK (featuring Culture Freedom from Poor Righteous Teachers). He has also recorded two records and toured the west coast twice as Drummer/Percussionist with the Nick Clemons Band, son of Clarence Clemons from Bruce Springsteen's E street band. Bob was also the Timbalaro and percussionist for the RUTGERS SALSA BAND, which has toured Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Bob has had a life long passion to study world music and to play the drums, and has been constantly searching for ways to bring together the different flavors - and has worked with the Latin/pop/rock tropical fusion Bands such La Manuela, Santa Juana, and LOPEZ. He has had televised appearances on both Univision and Telemundo with these bands. In the realm of today's jam band scene, he has recorded with One-Eyed Jack and Buzz Universe, and Performed on such stages as the StarLand Ballroom, the Church of Sacred Mirrors, the Stone Pony, and various summer festival stages such as StrangeCreek, StoneHenge, Floyd Fest, the Black Crowe's The Gathering of the Vibes and Warren Hayne's MountainJam. A consummate sideman, he has ably and successfully filled in on the drums for upcoming N'Orleans/Gospel artist Brother Josephus at Sullivan Hall this New Year's Eve, and recently played for the famed Brazilian Choral Conductor Eduardo Lakschevitz at Rider/Westminster Choir College. Today, with his Masters of Music in hand, Bob is back to his roots, exploring, studying and teaching his instrument, and performing Latin/Jazz/Funk/Fusion with the Group Not Yet, (available at cdbaby and itunes) every friday night in Spanish Harlem, and will recording with them soon.
Bob is very Happy to join the stellar crew of instructors and contribute to the mission of ALLEGRA.

Mr. Eric Swionthkowski, Senior Bass, Guitar Instructor

Ms. Florence Simons, Senior Piano, Voice Coach, Summer Theater Musical Director, Broadway Workshop Music Co-Director

Ms. Florence Simons earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance from Westminster Choir College. She studied piano with Jose Ramos-Santana and Lillian Livingston. She also sang in the renowned Westminster Symphonic Choir under Joseph Flummerfelt performing with the New York Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra. At age eight Florence began studying the piano, and at age eleven began learning the trombone. Throughout middle and high school she participated in both concert band and marching band, playing the trombone, and in chorus as one of the accompanists. As well as teaching here at Allegra throughout the year and acting as musical director for Allegra’s Summer Theater Camp, she is a staff accompanist at Westminster Choir College, where she accompanies Voice Performance majors. Florence loves teaching the students at Allegra. She hopes that all her students are growing and enjoying their musical journey as much as she.

Ms. Thorunn Elfa Stefánsdóttir, Senior Voice Coach, Piano, Artistic Director, Broadway Workshop Co-Director

Thórunn Elfa Stefánsdóttir, a native of Reykjavik, Iceland, began studying the organ at the age of 13. Miss Stefánsdóttir holds an ABRSM diploma in voice performance and pedagogy from the Reykjavik Academy of Singing and Vocal Arts in Iceland. She also studied privately in Germany and Austria, and participated in master-classes with Emma Kirkby, Kiri Te Kanwa, among other notable singers. In August, she will be graduating with the Masters of Music degree in Voice Performance and Pedagogy from the Westminster Choir College of Rider University, where she studied voice with Laura Brooks Rice. Ms. Stefánsdóttir has taken on the roles of the Second Lady in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Jen in the musical Grease, and the Angel in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. She was also a member of the Icelandic Opera Choir for two years, performing a concert version of Verdi’s Otello among other works. In 2004, Miss Stefánsdóttir sang in a joint performance with other Icelandic singers introducing Icelandic solo and choral works in Salzburg, Austria. In May 2006, she presented a recital in Reykjavik, featuring works of Brahms, Dvoràk, Puccini, among other composers. Highly passionate about teaching, Ms. Stefánsdóttir is very excited to have the opportunity to share her love of music with the students of Allegra SMA.

Ms. Ting Yang, Senior Piano, Violin

started her formal musical training from the third grade. She began playing the piano at the of four the violin at the age of ten. She finished her Bachelor of Music degree in Soochow University in Taiwan and was a prize winner of the piano concerto competition in the university. She performed Beethoven’s first piano concerto with the orchestra in late March, 2006. In 2008, Ms. Ting received her Master of Music degree from Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University. For the last twenty years, Ms. Ting has performed as a soloist, chamber musician, and a soloist with the orchestra. She is also an experienced instructor who always devoted to teaching and great with students of all ages and all levels.

Mr. Leon Yin, Senior Guitar, Bass

Staff

Donnetta Johnson, Founder, Director, Senior Drama Coach
Donnetta Johnson is an avid lover of the arts. She has been a resident of the Hillsborough community for greater than fifteen years. Donnetta and her husband, John, have 3 children. Having grown up in New York City with a rich and steady diet of the arts through venues such as, The Brooklyn Academy of Music, Henry Street Theater, Broadway and Lincoln Center. As an arts reviewer for her school paper, Donnetta understood the power of beauty of the arts, particular the theatrical arts, from an early age. She had front row student-journalist seats to Chorus Line, Cats, and other Broadway Classics and off-Broadway classics. While in college Ms. Bishop-Johnson worked at the American Craft Museum. One of the perks of working at the museum was full and unlimited access to the city’s other artistic centers such as, MOMA, The Metropolitan, etc.., of which she took full advantage of furthering her insight and love of the arts. In our community, Ms. Bishop-Johnson, along with the very talented staff of Allegra SMA and local supporters are working hard to provide a strong, thriving arts education center for students, teachers, and lovers of the Arts in our Community.

Ms. Rose Bishop, Customer Care Senior Manager

Mrs. Rose Bishop, affectionately known as "Miss Rose," is the person you'll likely speak to when you call Allegra SMA. Ms. Rose is a retired nurse and mother of five; Donnetta is the eldest. Ms. Rose is a strong component of Allegra’s customer care. Ms. Rose is responsible for making the match between student and instructor, and also maintains the schedules. Ms. Rose’s pleasant and helpful demeanor is a big plus for the Allegra SMA studio environment.

Mr. Michael Bishop, Customer Care, Senior Sound Specialist, Disc Jockey

Ms. Anisha Panday, Customer Care, Art Department

Ms. Jennifer Barron, Customer Care