Our Faculty


Home Arts Calendar Private Lessons &
Group Classes
Talent
Explosion!
About
Us

Jorge Lopez-Yañez
  • Voice

Jorge Lopez-Yanez and Maureen O'Flynn from the Metropolitan Opera 
"La Traviata" 
photo by Kelly Lambert
Jorge Lopez-Yañez has distinguished himself as a leading tenor on operatic stages throughout the world, earning acclaim for his portrayal of "heroic" Rossini tenor roles and the bel-canto repertoire of Donizetti, Bellini, and Verdi.

Mr. Lopez-Yanez is a graduate of the University of Zacatecas in Mexico, and studied music and voice at California State University, Northridge and at the University of Southern California. 

Opera Stages on which he performs include: In North America;  Metropolitan, San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles, Canadian Opera, San Diego, Pittsburgh, Austin, Atlanta, Edmonton, Quebec, San Antonio and Puerto Rico, In Europe; Amsterdam, Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Paris, Antwerp, Bern, Bordeaux, Canary Islands, Cologne, Dresden, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Ghent, Hanover, Karlsruhe, Monte-Carlo, Nice, Pesaro, Stuttgart, Strasbourg, Toulouse, Venice, and Zurich, In Other Countries; Santiago, Chile, Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Tokyo, Japan, Tel-Aviv, Israel, and Sydney and Melbourne, Australia.

Mr. Lopez-Yanez may be heard on recordings of Hamlet released by Sernissima, staring  in the opera Ermione release on video by NVC Arts, and an album of Mexican Mariachi Music . He may also be seen on YouTube.com.

While still performing around the world, he is limiting his touring to spend time with his young family. He is teaching vocal students and conducting Master Classes  in the tri-state area.


John Perry Reed
  • Piano
  • Organ

An accomplished pianist and organist, Mr. Reed is currently on Faculty at Anderson College as a piano teacher.  He is the Director of Music for St. John's Lutheran Church, Walhalla where he serves as organist and choir director.  Mr. Reed received his Masters of Arts in Church Music from Erskine College and Seminary.  He  is also on the board of the South Carolina Music Teachers Association.  He has experience with several music organizations and schools.

Students of Mr. Reed can participate in state piano festivals and competitions.

Betty Hoadley
  • Piano
  • Organ

Mrs. Hoadley has given private music lessons for over 40 years.  Many of her students have moved on to major in music in college and some become professional musicians, while others continue with music to enrich their lives.  Mrs. Hoadley has been a member of the Society of American Organists for 10 years.  She has been a church organist and has played piano for many stage productions.


Nancy Therrien
  • Painting
  • Drawing
  • Multi-Media
  • Art History

Ms. Therrien is a graduate from Auburn Univ. with a degree in Fine Arts, and earned a teaching certificate from the Univ. of South Florida.  She has worked as a commercial artist and taught in the public schools, to include the arts Magnet schools of Perkins elem. and John Hopkins MS in Fla..  She has shown her diverse skills  and talent in everything from fabric design for Lee Sofa Co. to a 22ft. mural in the Highlands Designer Showcase.  She has also been a medical illustrator for oral surgeons with over 850 medical illustrations published in 17 countries.  

 

 

Elizabeth Bost

  • Painting
  • Drawing
  • Multi-Media
  • Art History

Mother of two, teacher, and creative thinker, Elizabeth Horton Bost grew up in Oconee County and continued my education at The University of South Carolina. There she worked to become an educator and earned early childhood and elementary teaching certificates. She earned a Masters degree from Columbia College in Divergent Learning. After teaching for a while she earned 30 hours past my masters in art education and received my art educators certificate. Ms. Bost has been a teacher in The School District of Oconee County for nine years, three as a first grade teacher and six as an elementary art teacher. 


Alice Skaar
  • Strings
  • Solo/Ensemble and All State Preparation

An experienced strings teacher, Alice has taught for over 13 years. She received her Bachelor of Music degree in violin performance in 1994 and a Master of Music degree in violin performance in 1998 from Converse College. She received a second Master of Music degree in music composition in 2003 from Shenandoah University. She enjoys teaching students of all ages, with experience teaching from preschool to college and beyond. Her students have won various awards and competitions including SC Solo and Ensemble awards and SC All-State and All-Region orchestras.

Judy Weston

Ms. Weston is recently retired from teaching strings at Walhalla High and Middle Schools.  She has also participated in the GMAC orchestra in Anderson and accompanied stage productions.

Brad Price
  • Guitar

Mr. Price is the Music Minister at Rocky Knoll Baptist church and is a highly talented musician.  Mr. Price also teaches guitar at upstate schools.

 


Stuart Lyle
  • Hand building
  • Sculpting
  • Instrument Making
  • Wheel

Mr. Lyle has a degree in Pottery/Design & Business and apprenticed under Rob Gentry.  Mr. Lyles work has been displayed in Ashville at the Folk Arts Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway and A Far Away Place; and in Seneca at the Musicians Den, Heart Warmers and the Arts Company; as well as many craft shows and festivals.

POTTERY WORKSHOPS for ADULTS

Maria Stubbs

  • Digital Photography
  • Sculpture
  • Multi-Media
  • Art History

Ms. Stubbs holds a bachelors degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.  


Christen Mathis

  • Yoga

Ms. Mathis is a certified Yoga Instructor with over 200 hours of Yoga training.  She also teaches Yoga in several facilities in the upstate. 


book sale

 

Gena Cain
  • Instruments (woodwind & brass)
  • Highland Bagpipes 
  • Solo/Ensemble & Audition Preparation

Gena Cain received her bachelors degree with a double major in music education and flute performance from Appalachian State University. Ms. Cain earned her masters degree in music education from The University of South Carolina. She has performed as a soloist throughout the upstate and as a member of the Palmetto Concert Band and the Clemson Univ. Orchestra. Ms. Cain also plays the highland bagpipes in the Upstate United Pipes and Drums Band. Ms. Cain has served as the band director at Walhalla Middle School since 1991 and directed bands at Walhalla High School for 6 years.


John Fallon
  • Presentation Skills
  • Voice
Since founding the Design Insite consultancy in 1996, Mr. Fallon has been a sought after speaker, presenter, PowerPoint expert, website designer and clinician. As a recognized authority on the art of presentations, John has provided seminars / workshops in Presentation Skills, Broadcast Journalism, Public Speaking, Strategies for Success, Entrepreneurship and Technology.  In addition, Mr. Fallon has been the Chorus teacher for Walhalla High School for over 30 years.  

His recent speaking engagements include: High Schools That Work National Conference- Nashville TN, Education and Business Summit in Greenville SC, National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship Columbia University - NY, Youth Entrepreneurship in South Carolina College of Charleston - SC, School District of Oconee County Summer Institute, Association of Superintendents and Curriculum Developers National Convention in Anaheim CA.  Mr. Fallon has also participated in many stage productions and directed performance groups including the Shining Stars and a madrigal choir.

 John is the author of the books "Uncovering your Commitment to Excellence", "Presentation Tips for Administrators", "Presentation Technology Tips for Administrators" and soon to be released "GenNext: Strategies for Success.  He also developed the power point website  www.ppt4teachers.com.

In addition to being a member of  the National Speakers Association and Toastmaster International, Mr. Fallon has a Bachelor of Arts in  Music Education from  Long Island University (CW Post Center), a Masters of Arts in Educational Administration & Supervision Clemson University , and a Masters of Arts in Choral Conducting Western Carolina University.


Desiree Burdette
  • Creative Writing

Ms. Burdette received her Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and her Masters of Arts in English from Chapman University.  She also received her Bachelor of Arts from Clemson University. She has been a writing instructor both at Chapman University and at the Orange County High School of Arts in California.

 

 

Carol Collins
  • Acting
  • Playwriting
  • Art Discovery

Professor Carol Collins is the director of Writing and Performing Across Communities, a national project for K-12 teachers and students using creative drama and improvisation across the curriculum to strengthen learning skills, especially reading, writing and collaboration. She is also an adjunct instructor in playwriting at the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities. She is the past director of the South Carolina Arts in Basic Curriculum Project and former director of Creative Arts in Education at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center. Collins holds Master of Art in Theatre degree from Eastern Michigan University and a Master of Fine Arts from the Yale School of Drama.


  E-mail us for More Info
info@ocfasc.org

  Webmaster