Creating a community where anyone – of any age and skill level – can express themselves wholly through music.
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We believe in the power of music to connect people and help them grow.
Founded in 2015, owner Amanda Testa-Oerth embarked on a remarkable journey by transforming a room in her humble home into a cozy music studio. Starting with just a handful of students, her dedication, and personalized approach quickly gained recognition in the community. As demand grew, Amanda made a bold decision in 2020 to open a larger studio space equipped with high-quality instruments and talented instructors.Today, her thriving music studio stands as a testament to her unwavering commitment, creating a harmonious space where people of all ages can flourish and discover their own unique melodies.
MEET THE STAFF
The Music Room boasts an impressive roster of talented musicians, each classically trained and passionate about sharing their love of music with our students.
OWNER, VOICE, & PIANO
AMANDA TESTA-OERTH
Amanda Elizabeth Testa-Oerth is a graduate from the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music program located at the Catholic University of America. There she studied voice, piano, and music education. After receiving her BM in 2013, Amanda performed and started teaching at private studios. Some of her favorite performince credits include Ado Annie in Oklahoma, Gertrude in Seussical, Winnifred in Once Upon a Mattress, Second Spirit in Die Zauberflöte, and Chérubin in Chérubin. Despite loving to perform, Amanda’s true calling has been teaching. Opening the Music Room when she moved to MA in 2015, Amanda has worked for years to share her love of music, to build relationships, and to create a safe and supportive environment for individuals to work on their skills. Amanda has continued to enhance her teaching and performance skills by attending pedagogy and musical style workshops and intensives through schools such as Boston Conservatory and Shenandoah Conservatory to better understand her instruments and serve her studio families.
VOICE, PIANO, GUITAR, UKULELE
CATIANA ROSARIO BICALHO
Catiana Rosario Bicalho is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Lowell with a B.M. in Music Studies. There, she studied voice and music education. She is currently completing her M.M. in Music Education at UMass Lowell. Catiana teaches all levels of voice, beginner to intermediate piano, and beginner guitar and ukulele. She has experience across multiple musical styles including classical, musical theatre, jazz, rock, and pop. Some of her favorite performance credits include Éponine in Les Misérables and alto soloist in Handel’s Messiah.
VIOLIN
ABIGAIL SEGURA
Abigail Segura is a vibrant and passionate violin teacher who brings a unique blend of energy and compassion to her lessons. With a deep understanding of trauma-informed practices, she creates a safe and nurturing environment for her students to explore the world of music. Born and raised in the city of Odessa, Texas, Abigail grew up amidst the joyful chaos of a large family, consisting of four brothers and two sisters. Abigail's musical journey led her to Louisiana State University, where she earned her B.A. in Music under the guidance of Dr. Lin He.
Driven by a desire to make a positive impact, Abigail has actively engaged in community outreach and nonprofit work. In Baton Rouge, she dedicated her time and skills to three different nonprofits, collaborating on initiatives that brought music to underserved populations and instigated positive change through the power of the arts
Now, Abigail eagerly embraces the opportunity to serve the Middlesex community, where she hopes to cultivate a love for music among individuals of all backgrounds. With her infectious enthusiasm and empathetic teaching style, she is committed to nurturing the musical talents of her students and fostering a lifelong appreciation for the arts.
PIANO
WYLSNER BASTIEN
Wylsner Bastien is a musician, producer, engineer, arranger, poet, and artist. He has had the pleasure of teaching music theory at Bunker Hill Community College’s music club. While studying there, he shifted his life’s focus to music. After his departure from Bunker Hill, he went on to become the Jazz Ensemble Director for ensembles at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Music has been in his family for generations and is something he immerses himself in every day.
He has been in multiple bands, performed with many artists around Boston, and more. He has taught at places such as Guitar Center, Centre Music House, Lesson With You, The Advent School, and Fusion Academy. Wylsner is a music director and teaching artist and believes that music is something that can help us all grow, not only together but individually as well.
VIOLIN, VIOLA, & CELLO
TRAVIS LAUGHLIN
Travis Laughlin earned his BA in music from the University of Virginia, where he studied violin performance and chamber music. He has taught violin and viola for more than ten years in the Los Angeles area and is an experienced ensemble coach. Travis has performed with the New Hampshire Philharmonic, the Lakes Region Symphony Orchestra, and has organized ensemble activity at the Neighborhood Music School in Los Angeles for many years. As a teacher, Travis emphasizes note reading, musicality, self-reliance, and performance skills. Lessons prepare students to participate in a wide variety of musical activity: from solo performance, to chamber groups, to symphony orchestra. With long-term study, students can expect to internalize the habits and responsibilities of a professional musician.
VOICE
LINA MARCELA SARMISNTO TELLEZ
Lina Sarmiento is a Colombian artist with a passion for music, drawing, and theater. She pursued her music education at EAFIT University under the guidance of Professor Sandra Caicedo and further honed her vocal skills with sopranos Nuray Karabay-
Ammicht and Christine Wagner in Vienna, as well as with Professor Gretchen Windt from the University of Kentucky.
Lina has been a member of the Macondo Choir and the Cecilia Espinoza Chamber Choir in the international category. Her theatrical experience includes her time with the “Madriguera” theater group at EAFIT University, where she performed in various theaters across Medellín.
As a soprano, Lina has performed solo roles in sacred music, including Schumann's "Requiem für Mignon," Faure’s "Pie Jesu" from his Requiem, and solos in Rutter’s Requiem. She has also sung solo roles in operas and zarzuelas, such as Raquel in “La corte del faraón,” Coral in “La leyenda del beso,” Suor Dolcina and Suor Genovieffa in “Suor Angelica,” and Sandman in "Hänsel und Gretel." Additionally, she has showcased her talent in musicals like "Sondheim on Sondheim," performing songs originally sung by Leslie Kritzer. Lina expanded her expertise by performing as the stage manager for the opera "Elixir of Love" in Florida, further enhancing her experience both on and off the stage. She holds a master’s degree in Vocal Performance from the Longy School of Music of Bard College, where she studied under Professor Carol Mastrodomenico.
PIANO
AMANDA SATTERFIELD
Amanda is a recent graduate from the Boston University School of Music where she received her bachelor's degree in Music with a focus in Music Education. She is now starting her full-time music teaching career as a K-8 general music teacher in the Lowell Public Schools. Mainly a pianist, she has been teaching private piano lessons independently for the last six years to primarily elementary and early middle school aged students. She has also been active in the Greater Lowell Area teaching general music and modern band instruments through the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Lowell Music Clubhouse and at several 21st Century Community Learning Centers. From her teaching experiences, Amanda believes that music can be a place for all students and playing instruments should be grounded in joy. She's found that building students' foundational skills that fosters a life-long love of music inspires her "why she teaches". She includes theory, ear-training and technique among other things in her lessons; most importantly, however, she thinks including the musical interests of her students is key. Additionally, Amanda has been very active in the marching arts for the last decade as both a keyboardist and percussionist. She was a five-year member of the Boston University Marching Band and has travelled the country performing with the 7th Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps; she is a front ensemble technician for a local high school marching band.
GUITAR (ALL STYLES), UKULELE
CHRIS RUBEN WINTERS
Guitar and plucked strings instructor Chris Rubén Winters is a seasoned performer and teacher who helps students of all ages, stylistic preferences, and ability levels to discover their own musical voice. Drawing from his own background in jazz, salsa, and classical music, Chris emphasizes skills such as reading sheet music and tablature, effective practice, ear training, and basic music theory. Along the way, he helps students break down their goals into manageable, actionable steps. Chris sees his own music-making as an expression of his dual American and Salvadoran heritage and is excited to help his students express themselves through the music that is meaningful to them.
Highlights of Chris’ performance career include appearances alongside artists such as Latin jazz virtuosos JP Faúndez (Arturo Sandoval, Jesús Molina) and Rebecca Cline (Giovanni Hidalgo, Alex Alvear & Mango Blue), as well as Broadway star Allison Case (Hair revival). Venues and events include the Hatch Memorial Shell, the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, and the Lowell Hispanic & Latinx Festival. He can often be found performing as one half of the jazz duo The Winters Brothers, which features his brother David (Nat Reeves, Dan Gabel and The Abletones) on keyboard. Chris graduated in 2020 with his Bachelor's degree in Music Performance from UMass Lowell, where he spent four years under the tutelage of Boston guitar legend Jon Wheatley.
DRUMS & PERCUSSION
DANIEL HOFFMAN
Dan Hoffman is a drummer, mallet player, and hand percussionist originally from the greater Philadelphia area. During and after receiving his Batchelor's of Music in total percussion performance at Berklee College of Music, he became a very active performer around the New England area, and has toured across the United States and Canada multiple times. While very passionate about the underground arts, Dan is incredibly proficient at all styles of music and drumming, and very knowledgeable about music history. Dan has also performed with and opened up for many notable artists, including Ray Green of Tower of Power, Lucinda Williams, Victor Wooten, Children of Bodom, and many more. He also has an extensive work history in production. He has worked on shows for Warped Tour 2018, Taylor Swift, Megadeath, Pearl Jam, James Taylor, Zack Brown Band, and many more. Dan’s number one goal when teaching is to make the learning experience fun and enjoyable. He believes that the best way to learn something new is to understand the meaning of the culture and humanity behind the music. And once you have that, the sky's the limit. So if you're looking for a teacher with real “music world” experience, then Dan’s your man!
MUSICAL STYLES & VOICE
AMY SUZNOVICH
Soprano Amy Suznovich has been teaching voice and piano since 2009. As a performer she's sung the National Anthem/God Bless America for over a dozen professional sports teams such as the Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Cannons, Brooklyn Cyclones, and Venus Williams. She was the Soloist/Cantor at the King's Theater in Brooklyn, televised live on EWTN in October 2018, for the Silver Jubilee of the Magnificat with the Philharmonia Orchestra of New York and Magnificat Foundation. Amy is a magna cum laude graduate of Ithaca College School of Music with a Bachelor's of Music in Vocal Performance & Pedagogy and has completed additional training at the Contemporary Commercial Music Institute at Shenandoah University on Musical Theatre Styles, Working with Injured Singers, Vocal Health and Bridging Classical Singing to Contemporary Singing. She believes that singing is a full-body, sensation-based athletic endeavor and that the voice functions best when trained that way.
Amy is currently available for remote lessons only.
Lina Marcela Sarmiento Téllez