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Amanda Eldred graduated from the University of Iowa in 2013, receiving her Bachelor of Music in Oboe Performance with distinction studying with Dr. Andrew Parker. She also has an Associate of Arts Degree with an emphasis in Music from Kirkwood Community College, where often she participates with the Kirkwood Community College Concert Band as their first chair oboist during the school year.
She has been working as a Woodwind Music Teacher since 2014, teaching oboe, saxophones, flute, clarinet, and bassoon in the Cedar Rapids/Marion area.

She has had students chosen for the Iowa All-State Music Festival and local honor bands and has helped prepare students to study music in college. She loves working with students of all ages and abilities and enjoys seeing students grow and develop their skills and performance.

Andrew Gentzsch, a native to Iowa City, is the violin instructor at Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa and Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa. Dr. Gentzsch has led the Unversity of Deleware Chamber Orchestra and the Unversity of Iowa Symphony Orchestra. Previously, Dr. Gentzsch received music degrees from the University of Wisconsin Madison studying with David Perry and the University of Deleware studying with Xiang Gao. Whilte at the University of Deleware, Dr. Gentzsch performed the Bach Concerto for Two Violins with Dr. Gao, both performing violins from the Boorse Collection of Contemporary Violins. Dr. Gentzsch received his docorate in of musical arts at the University of Iowa. He is a founding member of Concerts in the Shed and actively performs multiple solo recitals a year as well as chamber concerts.

Brittany Lensing is a musician and piano teacher who loves guiding others in learning and playing music. A native Iowan, Lensing earned her B.A. in Music at Huntington University and her M.M. in Piano pedagogy and performance at the University of Northern Iowa. While at UNI she taught undergraduate group piano as a graduate assistant and later as a temporary adjunct. In addition to her appointments at UNI, she taught private and group lessons through the UNI Community Music School, group piano classes at Aplington-Parkersburg high school, then later served as an adjunct piano instructor at Iowa Wesleyan University. Lensing currently keeps a full studio at Marion Music Academy and enjoys various seasonal outdoor activities such as biking, hiking, snowshoeing, and ice skating.

Candy Deister grew up Cincinnati Ohio, learning piano at 6 years old, scooting her older sisters off the bench for a chance to try the keys. In her junior and high school years, 1970-1976, she studied with John K Toedtman, through the University of Cincinnati, College Conservatory of Music, and continuing with him into her adult years.

Candy earned a Bachelors of Music Performance and Piano Pedagogy, Cum Laude, from The Wichita State University, 1990, where she studied under Dr Julie Bees. Living in St Louis, Holton and Olathe Kansas, and now Marion, Candy continues to accompany and teach piano students.

You can usually find Candy in her sewing room creating quilts, cross-stitching, beading, or gardening. She and her husband Jerome have 3 adult children, a 15 year old Lhasa-Poo Charlie and a parakeet who says “you’re so cute”.

Dr. Gabrielle Harvey has over twenty years experience as a violin teacher in Iowa, Kansas, and Oklahoma. She performers regularly as a member of the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra, and has played with ConcertIA, Peoria Symphony Orchestra, and the Wichita Symphony Orchestra. She has a passion for music history and has many fun stories about violinists in the nineteenth century. Dr. Harvey holds a DMA in violin performance and pedagogy from the University of Iowa, where she studied with Katie Wolfe. She also earned a Masters degree in violin at Wichita State University, where she studied violin with John Harrison and worked closely with note string orchestra pedagogue Jacquelyn Dillon. She also holds a BMA from the University of Oklahoma.

James Ellis is a cellist from St. Clair Shores, Michigan and has received three music degrees: a Bachelor from Western Michigan University, studying with Bruce Uchimura; a Masters from University of Georgia, studying with David Starkweather; and a Doctorate from the University of Iowa, studying with Charles Wendt. James has played with 17 professional symphones in Michigan, Georgia, South Carolina, and Iowa. He currently maintains a bustling studio in Linn County and teaches at Cornell College. He has served as principal cellist with the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony, Orchestra Iowa, the Southeast Iowa Symphony, the Waverly Community Orchestra, and the Quad-Cities Symphony. He is also a member of the Durward contemporary chamber music ensemble which will perform in North Carolina and Illinois late this spring.  James also plays regularly with the Iowa City Community Orchestra and the Iowa City Chamber Singers. In his spare summer months, he works at Pleasant Valley golf course.

Jason is a passionate and enthusiastic teacher with decades of experience on multiple instruments: guitar, bass, ukulele, banjo, mandolin, harmonica, piano, and voice. He’s an experienced performer, with over 1,000 concerts across Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, Colorado, and Texas. Notable performances include opening for President Barrack Obama in 2012, the 2015 Wisconsin State Fair, and opening for Andy Frasco & the U.N. in 2016. Jason graduated from Kirkwood College in 2009 with an emphasis in music.

Jason tailors lessons to the student’s age, ability, and interest, while focusing on fun and practical applied music theory in a variety of modern styles. 

Chia-Ti (Katie) Fang is a native of Tawain, has served on the faculty of Marion Music Academy since 2011. Previously she worked as a collaborative pianist at the University of Iowa Dance Forum and the Youth Ballet and as a teacher and collaborative pianist at Cornell College. She received a bachelor's degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada, a master's degree and performance certificate from Bowling Green State University in Ohio, and a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from the University of Iowa.

Kelly Vieth received her bachelor degree in Instrumental Music Education from Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois. After graduating in 2004, she began her career in education as the assistant orchestra director at Bettendorf Middle School. During the summer of 2005, Kelly served on the string faculty and the counseling staff at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Twin Lake, Michigan. Kelly joined the orchestra staff at Linn-Mar Community Schools in 2005 and is in her 16th year of teaching strings. She currently teaches 5th and 6th Grade Orchestra at Boulder Peak Intermediate in the Linn-Mar District. In past years, she has enjoyed performing with community ensembles such as the Iowa City Chamber Orchestra and the Coe College Symphony. Kelly has been a member of the American String Teacher Association (ASTA), the Iowa String Teacher Association (ISTA), and the Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA). During the summer of 2014, she completed her Master's Degree at VanderCook College of Music in Chicago and completed the trainings for Suzuki Cello Book 1 and 2. She plans to further her Suzuki training next summer. In her spare time, Kelly enjoys spending time with her children, Ellie and Gregory. Other hobbies include cooking, running, reading, and playing cello with other ensembles within the community.

Lauren Kundel, a native of Muscatine Iowa is thrilled to be joining the Marion Music Academy! Lauren is a spring 2023 graduate from the University of Iowa, receiving a Bachelor’s of Music in Voice Performance. She will return to Iowa in in the fall of 2023 to pursue a Master’s in Voice Performance. Miss Kundel loves teaching classical voice and musical theater/contemporary voice. As well as being a vocalist, she has been a bassist for over 10 years. Spending many years in both choir, orchestra, and jazz bands, Lauren has a well rounded approach to learning and teaching music.

Melanie Bell founded the Marion Music Academy in 2005, and has been Artistic Director and piano instructor ever since. She enjoys seeing her students grow and mature. Bell earned her bachelor's degree in in Music from Luther College and her master's degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from Bowling Green State University. As a member of Luther College Orchestra, she performed around the United States as well as internationally in Europe. She has extensive performing experience both as a soloist and accompanist, with playing for a masterclass with Yo-Yo as a highlight. Bell served on the faculty of BGSU teaching group piano for many years, as well as maintaining a private piano studio in Bowling Green.

Sara Ulmer studied music at UNI and William Jewell College graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Church Music. A Marion native, and Linn-Mar High School graduate, Sara has been teaching piano in the Marion/Cedar Rapids area since 1995. Her passion is to make learning fun and to inspire excellence in musicianship and character.

Ms. Dotzel has more than 35 years of teaching experience. After earning a bachelor degree in music education, Ms. Dotzel taught string instruments in Kansas, Des Moines, and Mt. Vernon. She recently retired after nearly two decades of teaching Junior High orchestra in the Iowa City Community School District. Ms. Dotzel, a violinist, has been an active performer in several area symphony orchestras including Des Moines, Clinton, and Waterloo-Cedar Falls and is currently a member of the Southeast Iowa Symphony.