Our Teachers
Christian Schenk
Music Teacher / Director (Watertown)
Christian Schenk holds a Bachelor’s degree in music from the Berklee College of Music and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from Southern New Hampshire University. Prior to joining the United States Army as a Bass player and Audio Engineer, Chris taught piano, guitar, bass, and drum lessons in Rochester for several years. Now retired from the military, Chris is back to teaching at our Watertown location with plans to develop a robust community music program and bring more adaptive/special education services to the North Country.
Sean Conlon
Music Teacher (Rochester)
Sean Conlon holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam with a concentration in tuba. Sean is an active bass player in the Rochester area, performing regularly with The Uptown Groove and Silver Arrow Band. Sean has taught piano, guitar, bass, drum, voice, and brass lessons for MEC since 2009.
Mary Dawn Burdette
Music Teacher (Watertown)
Mary Dawn Burdette received her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education and her Masters in Music Education from Ithaca College. Miss Burdette has also received Permanent Certification to teach Music from NYSED for Kindergarten through 12th grades. Miss Burdette worked at LaFargeville Central School as their Director of Bands and Instrumental Instructor for 33 years. While teaching, Miss Burdette had three or four different concert bands annually, a marching band and a community jazz band. Miss Burdette also taught general music classes including high school theory, music history and music styles and composers. Miss Burdette helped students achieve goals such as acceptance to select groups like Bi County’s, Area All State and Conference All State groups. She also has prepared students for college and military band auditions and taught students who have become professional musicians and educators. COVID pushed Miss Burdette into early retirement and she is currently accepting private students who wish to play just about anything (flute, clarinet, saxophone, French horn, trumpet, trombone, baritone, percussion drum set, mallets, marching percussion, violin, viola, classical beginning guitar and beginning piano). Miss Burdette is also accepting members to play in MEC’s jazz ensemble and string ensemble. Miss Burdette has taught for MEC in Watertown since 2021.
Janine Johnson
Music Teacher (Watertown)
Janine Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree in Music from SUNY Oswego and a master’s degree in Suzuki Piano Pedagogy from Ithaca College. Over 28 years of teaching, her students have earned the highest ratings at NYSSMA festivals, been selected as the Jefferson-Lewis Bi-County Senior Soloist and won awards in national and international piano competitions. Thirty or more of her students have established careers as concert pianists, music educators, and opera singers while many others have developed skills just to enjoy playing the piano. One of Janine’s former students accompanied Emanne Beasha (America’s Got Talent), and another former student performed as a backup singer for Billie Eilish at the 2020 Grammy Awards. Janine has taught piano lessons for MEC in Watertown since 2021.
Joseph Foy
Music Teacher (Watertown)
Joseph Foy holds a Bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Bard College, with additional coursework in music theory and participation in college-level ensembles. Joe plays bass, guitar, piano, and sings in several groups in the Watertown area including the rock group, Oceans Below, and the jazz/rock group, Segue. Joe has been teaching and assisting with community program development for MEC in Watertown since 2022.
Ben Sharrin
Music Teacher (Watertown)
Ben Sharrin holds degrees in Music Education from Ithaca College (BA) and SUNY Potsdam (MA). Ben has been an active music teacher since 2009. He has held the position of 6th Grade String Director at Indian River Central School District, Cello and Low String Instructor at Trillium Strings, and 7/8th Grade Director at North Rockland Middle School. Ben specializes in cello, violin, viola, and upright bass. He is also a music producer who mixes, masters, arranges, and composes under the pseudonym CelloBearMusic. Ben has taught string lessons for MEC in Watertown since 2022.
Joey Collins
Music Teacher (Watertown)
Joey Collins is educated in music theory and performance. He has taught private guitar lessons for several years and plays in local bands including the local rock band Oceans Below, jazz band Rajah, and his personal project Joey Collins & The Creatives. Joey has taught guitar lessons and rock band for MEC in Watertown since 2022.
Ian Goins
Music Teacher (Watertown)
Ian Goins has been studying drums and percussion for six years. He is a student of Mary Dawn Burdette and also has a background in music theory and performance. He can play and teach a variety of percussion instruments and styles. Ian has taken advantage of many musical programs; NYSSMA solo festival, bi-county concerts and made second chair for Area All-state last year. Ian is currently in his junior year at Lafargeville Central and hopes to continue his studies at SUNY Fredonia in pursuit of a Music Education degree and minor in Music Industry. Ian has taught percussion lessons and ensembles for MEC in Watertown since 2022.
Sophia Fellenz
Music Teacher (Rochester)
Sophia Fellenz holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Nazareth College, where she was a recipient of the Instrumental Band Conducting Award in 2021. Prior to returning to Nazareth to pursue a Master’s degree in Music Education, Sophia taught elementary/middle school band at Roberto Clemente School #8 and elementary general music at World of Inquiry School #58 in the Rochester City School District. Sophia has taught guitar, piano, and woodwinds for MEC in Rochester since March 2023.
Dana Osterling
Music Teacher (Rochester)
Dana Osterling is a board-certified music therapist with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Therapy from Berklee College of Music and an MBA in Healthcare Administration from the University of Massachusetts. Prior to moving back to the Rochester area, Dana was a music therapist at Boston Children’s Hospital, Baystate Home Health, and Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Massachusetts. She continues to provide program support to The Foundation for Art & Healing. Additionally, Dana taught after-school music classes for The Children’s Aid Society in Manhattan for two years and has taught private music lessons for over 10 years. Dana has taught voice and piano for MEC in Rochester since April 2023.