Koki Lortkipanidze
Piano | Composition
Konstantine (Koki) Lortkipanidze is a distinguished pianist and composer. Taking up piano as a young child, Koki’s passion for the piano ignited during his formative years. As a teenager, his fascination with composition flourished, laying the foundation for his accomplished career in music today. Koki earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Theory Pedagogy and Composition, and his Master’s Degree in Composition from the Tbilisi State Conservatory.
Koki has many years of private piano teaching experience, and has worked with a wide range of students, from four-year-olds to adults. He takes pride in providing musical opportunities for children with behavioral or developmental challenges, as well as those benefiting from music therapy. Konstantine’s teaching approach focuses on making lessons enjoyable and interactive for students, incorporating classical, pop, jazz, and other genres into his curriculum.
Additionally, Koki has worked as the resident composer, pianist, and music arranger at the Synetic Theater Company since 2007. These professional experiences not only enrich Koki’s understanding of music, but also imbue his teaching with real-world insights and practical expertise.
Daniel Clark
Piano | Guitar | Trumpet | Music Production
Ever since I was a child, I always wanted to be able to play music. I remember listening in awe every time my uncle played the piano. At age three, my parents put me into piano lessons, and to this day I am forever grateful. In elementary school I joined band and started playing trumpet, and at age 15 I began teaching myself guitar. I had also been interested in writing my own music since I was nine years old, and I started getting into beat making when I was 14. Eventually I received my Bachelor’s in Music Technology at Virginia Tech with emphases on composition and trumpet performance. I began teaching music in college as well and have since fallen in love with sharing my knowledge and passion with others. I like to emphasize mindful practice and make sure my students are always having fun. Aside from teaching, I run a company where I produce music and audio for short films and documentaries, and have received awards from the Poe Film Festival and Seattle Black Film Festival for artistic merit and best documentary respectively. Outside of music, I enjoy traveling, playing video games, hanging out with my significant other, and cuddling with my dog Freckles.
Victoria Mancuso
Voice | Beginner Piano
Victoria Mancuso is thrilled to be teaching at CG Music Academy with their wonderful students! Originally from Florida, Victoria has dreamed of living in the DC area for years, and is so happy that she finally made it happen. A recent graduate of Utah Valley University, she has performed in a variety of opera and musical theatre roles over the last few years. In the summer of 2021, she attended the Neil Semer Vocal Institute just outside of Salzburg, Austria and performed in several recitals. Victoria has a true passion for performing and helping others perform. Her recent roles include Cinderella in Cinderella Eats Rice and Beans, Sophie in Mamma Mia, Ms. Prism in Nicolas Giusti’s American premiere of the Opera La Importanza di Essere Onesto (The Importance of Being Earnest), and Mother Mary in Rob Gardner’s modern Oratorio Lamb of God. Victoria also loves classroom teaching and is currently a General Music teacher in Alexandria. When she’s not singing or teaching, she loves exploring the area or and completing DIY projects around her apartment.
Piano | Recorder
Leopoldo Angulo is a Frederick, MD based pianist and conductor.
He studied Piano at the National Conservatory of Music in Quito, Ecuador and Choral/Orchestral Conducting at the University of Arts (UNEARTE) in Caracas, Venezuela.
Teaching brings him great joy. He has taught piano, recorders, music theory, conducting, and has served as a vocal coach. He approaches each student with a carefully individual plan according to their interests and needs.
He has served as the Washington Recorder Society’s director and has performed as pianist, collaborative pianist, recorder player. Leopoldo has conducted vocal ensembles, chamber music ensembles and orchestras in Ecuador, Venezuela and United States.
Leopoldo Angulo
Noam Faingold
Piano | Guitar | Bass | Drums | Composition
For as long as I can remember, I have been making up and singing melodies to myself. When I was 12, I got my first guitar and started playing snare drum in middle school concert band. By senior year of high school I had been writing songs for a few years, playing guitar and bass in bands, drum set in my school’s jazz band, and taking AP Music Theory. In college I started my formal music composition studies, studied piano and played orchestral bass in the university orchestra. I played drums/percussion in musicals like Kiss Me Kate and The Fantasticks. A Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Graduate Fellowship took me to New York City and London for graduate school in music composition, where I continued working as a freelance performer. After receiving my PhD in Music from Kings College London, I came back to the US and started teaching music students of all ages how to write and perform music in many different styles. My teaching career has included teaching private students, directing a college preparatory after-school program, leading a high school and middle school orchestra program, teaching at a few universities, and supporting musicians through continuing education programs and workshops. I love using music to help my students discover joy, self-confidence and self-expression, and develop leadership and teamwork skills. When I am not teaching or making music, I love nerding out over SciFi comic books and movies, playing with my cats Mocha and Oscar, and reading novels.
Chris LaRosa
Composition | Arranging | Orchestration | Music Production |
Piano
I started playing piano when I was 6 years old, because my brother was taking lessons and I wanted to do everything he did. I quickly learned that I had a natural gift and love for the piano. When I was 8 years old, I played for my grandmother for the first time, and she asked me if I would write some music to her poetry. The thought of writing my own music had never crossed my young mind, but I went home and started composing music for the piano, and then eventually moved on to songs and other instruments. As I got older, I spent a lot (maybe too much!) of my practice time improvising. (Luckily, I am also good at scales!) I went to college for music, eventually getting my Doctorate of Music in composition from Indiana University. I have been teaching music for seventeen years—passing my musical knowledge and skills to students of all ages brings me great joy.
Although I am classically trained, I also love playing pop, jazz, and Broadway music. When not teaching music, I compose music for film, television, video games, and the concert hall. I served as a staff arranger for The United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own,” where my music and arrangements were regularly performed for sitting U.S. Presidents and world leaders at the White House, Arlington National Cemetery, and the Pentagon. I have prepared music for Hal Leonard’s John Williams Signature Series, and regularly arrange music for ensembles such as l’Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal and the Ottawa Choral Society. In my free time, I jam out to Elton John, ride my bicycle, read about space rockets, and play with my cat Rory-bel.
Lance Fisher
Voice | Piano
Lance Fisher is an avid singer, actor, performer, teacher, director, and arranger. He has a love for ensemble singing and currently performs with the Washington National Cathedral Choir, as well as the Washington National Opera, Maryland Lyric, and Annapolis Opera choruses. Additionally, he serves as a Vocal Mentor for the National Children's Chorus.
Lance grew up in choral ensembles, starting at age five, performing in school and church choirs through high school and college. He has been a member of the Barbershop Harmony Society for over seven years. He recently attained medalist honors as the tenor singer of Jefferson Plaid Tie in the Barbershop Harmony Society’s International Contest in Charlotte, and earned two chorus medals in Parkside Harmony and the Alexandria Harmonizers.
Lance has always felt compelled to lead by good example and share his artistic ideas. He became the director of his college’s a capella group Squawkapella and took on section leader, directing, and arranging responsibilities with several ensembles. He has also has maintained a consistent studio of voice and piano students, ranging from as young as six years old to adult students, focusing on promoting artistic expression and building musical intuition.
Lance has won several accolades as a solo singer in the NATS Student Auditions claiming state, regional, and national awards from 2017 to 2020. With repertoire ranging from opera and art song to contemporary musical theater, Lance aims for versatility in a variety of styles. This has translated into his performance studies, where he performed such roles as Jean Valjean (Les Miserables), Jesus (Jesus Christ Superstar), Eisenstein and Alfred (Die Fledermaus) and as the tenor soloist in Carmina Burana (Dying Swan). Lance is from Salisbury, Maryland, on the Eastern Shore and holds a Bachelor's Degree from Salisbury University, where he studied with John Wesley Wright. He recently graduated from the Peabody Institute with his Masters of Music under the tutelage of William Sharp.