Instructors

Musicology offers various types of music lessons and workshops taught by some of Tampa bay’s finest musicians and instructors.

Peter Mongaya Hogsholm, Guitarist

Guitar Instructor and Owner of Musicology

*

Mesmerized by the strange but uniquely beautiful sounds of Jimi Hendrix, Peter Mongaya Hogsholm picked up the guitar at the age of 14.

Peter is one of Tampa Bay’s most demand teachers and guitarists. As a native of Denmark, Peter attended Sankt Annae Gymnasium (a prominent fine arts and music high school in Copenhagen, Denmark). His musical palette was prepared for different styles of music such as funk, fusion, world music and jazz. Upon graduation Peter resided a half year in Manila, Philippines, where he played with Sony/BMI recording artists Kulay and jamming with South Border, a popular Philippine R&B group. Further studies include: Jazz Akademiet, Copenhagen and The Players School of Music, Clearwater.

Private studies with: Charlie Banacos, Ed Byrne, Mike Stern, Edward ‘Spanky’ Alford, Jeff Berlin, Tower of Power guitarist Jeff Tamelier, and Fareed Haque. Masterclasses with: Joe Pass, Steve Masakowski, Robben Ford, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Vic Juris, Randy Johnston, Pat Martino, Eddie Gomez, Ingrid Jensen, and Larry Coryell.

Peter has played guitar and toured with/for Rick Derringer,  Frank McComb, Chuck Loeb, Jeff Kashiwa (Rippingtons), Joe Piscopo (SNL),Walter Beasley, Alex Bugnon, Eric Darius, Four80 East, Shilts (Down To the Bone), Marcus Anderson, Jack Wilkins, Nils, Chuck Owen, Due Voci (The music of Dianne Warren on HSN), Mike MacArthur Group, Shawn Brown, Leonard Jones, CeCe Teneal, Gospel artists: Melinda Watts, Durwane Davis (Sunday’s Best, BET) and Bobby Roman. Currently, when Peter isn’t pickin’ and grinnin’, he is the head of the guitar department at world renowned bass virtuoso Jeff Berlin’s Players School of Music, and is the proud owner of Musicology, a music school which goal is to ‘empower the musician within‘.

Daryal Erdem, Guitarist

Guitar Instructor

Daryal Erdem is our newest guitar instructor, hailing from Turkey, and arrives with considerable accomplishments to his credit.

In 2006, Daryal graduated from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan with his Bachelor of Arts degree in Guitar Performance.  Prior to attending Aquinas College, Daryal studied guitar performance at Grand Valley State University, and Northwestern Michigan College, as well as attending the School of Jazz at the Istanbul Bilgi University in Turkey.

Daryal has been a recording artist for Ahmet Ozden Music with the band “Alidar,” as well as working as a studio musician for the musical director of Turkish Pop Idol,Ahmet Ozden. In 2005, Daryal recorded with Turkish Pop Idol winner Burcin Sen for her 2005 album release.  2006 was a busy year for Daryal, in which he composed and arranged eight compositions for a Turkish rock album, recorded 7 songs for Joy FM, and worked as a studio musician for Turkish diva Nukhet Duru. After 2006,Daryal has worked as a studio musician for recording artist Tarkan ve Ejder, producer Ahmet Ozden, producer Guner Metinkale, recorded an album with Turkish rapper “SIRHOT,” and currently performs around the Tampa Bay area as the guitarist for the band Men From Mars.

Daryal teaches students of all ages and skill levels, and brings a wealth of educational, recording and teaching experience to bear in his lessons.

Pat Close, Drums

Drum Instructor

Pat is a professional freelance drummer for both studio, and live. Starting at the age of 5 he is still at it 5 decades later. After 10 years of studying all phases of technique, and all styles of drumming he then began teaching. During that time he also became a studio session drummer. There he was able to work with producers, arrangers, and writers thereby mastering the art of playing ”for the music”, and reading charts while playing with tremendous feel. He has done numerous recordings, and television commercials. He has worked with Singer Glenn Leonard of the ”Temptations”, Singer/ dancer/ choreographer ‘’Darcel ‘’ from the famous television show ‘’ Solid Gold ‘’, pianist Manfredo Fest, and Jazz legend trumpeter Marcus Hampton.

Pat Close has been performing club dates, tours, live concerts, and Jazz Festivals with L.A. producer/ guitarist Paul Brown, Peter White, Allon Sams, Euge Groove, The Rippingtons, Ken Navarro, Richard Elliot, Rick Braun, Eric Darius, Greg Adams to name a few while staying busy in studio sessions as well. His work can be heard on the airwaves of Smooth Jazz radio stations nationwide, and abroad on compilation disks with keyboardist Allon Sams featuring guitarist Peter White, and vocalist Richard Jackson. Pat also had the honor of opening the 25th Anniversary of the world famous ”Clearwater Jazz Holiday”. In 2006 Pat was touring Europe that included Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, and Egypt performing shows for our U.S. military. As you listen to his promo CD, and or watch him on live DVD you can’t deny his great sense of groove, and feel for ”all the styles of music” that he is playing. He can be powerful yet subtle, and so musical, but dynamic at the same time.Musicology is proud to add drum instructor Pat Close to our already impressive faculty!

Warren “Honeyhead” Smith, Drums

Drum Instructor

Warren Smith better known as “Honeyhead” brings more than forty-two years of experience as a professional musician and 36 years of teaching experience.

Honeyhead has been pursuing music since early age.

As a teacher Honeyhead teaches his students flexibility, energy, and ability to practice and perform daily.

High degrees of self-motivation, and strong adherence to time for rehearsals and
performances.

Excellent ability to respond quickly to verbal directions and aural cues.

Unmatched ability to express self through music.

Professional skills include: drums, piano, percussion, all keyboards, composition,
arranging, vocals, production, sound engineering, and conducting both large
ensembles as well as smaller groups.
Enthusiasm for and ability in music and teaching.
Profound ability to communicate musical concepts and instructions clearly.

1973 – 1977

B.M., Bachelor of Music – Studio Music and Jazz

Minors in: communications, film, and American and Prussian history

University of Miami

Miami, FL

2009-present:

Currently pursuing Masters Degree in Music Education at USF
Honeyhead has performed with major musical artists: Pat Metheny, Jaco
Pastorius, Ron Miller, Ted Shumate, Sam Rivers, Siegfried and
Roy, Little Milton, LeRoy Cooper, Bill White, Bernie Lee, Eartha Kitt,
Howard Keel, Patrice Monsel, Charlie deChant, Terry Bozzio, and
Patrick O’Hearn
Staff musician for Walt Disney World for 15 years (still perform and
compose for the WDW Co.)
Musical director Blue Knights Drum and Bugle corps, Denver CO

Bill Vasilev, Pianist

Piano Instructor

Our newest addition to our piano faculty Bill Vasilev! Bill recently relocated

From New York City. Bill is equally adept in teaching classical music as well as jazz music and other contemporary music.

Bill Vasilev was born in New York in 1979. He started studying piano at the age of three and gave his first public performance at the age of six. Winner of the National competition of young composers (twice in 1993 and 1999 in Sofia,Bulgaria), International competition of young pianists “The Little Prince” (1994 in Gelendzhik, Russia), International competition of young composers in Rellingen, Germany (twice in 1995 and 1996), and other competitions, awards and scholarships. Performed in venues such as Kyiv, Donetsk and Sumy Philharmonics in Ukraine , Organ Music Hall in Kyiv, Central Artists House and the Moscow Jazz Club in Moscow , embassy of Ukraine in Washington DC etc . Appeared in several TV and radio shows in London and UK. Bill’s constant search for new expressive possibilities in composition led him to explore other instruments, notably the pipe organ and the harpsichord. After taking master-classes with prominent European and American organists and harpsichordists such as Julian Gembalski, Orest Koval, and Asako Hirabayashi, Bill performed several of his compositions for organ at the 3rd International Festival Bach-Fest in Sumy , Ukraine in 1998.

In 2001, Bill moved to the USA and was accepted with merit scholarships to the New School University of Jazz and Contemporary music , Mannes, . For the next two years he studied composition with Mark Wilson and piano performance with Santiago Rodriguez at the UMD, while participating in master-classes with renowned performers such as Andre Watts and picking up a few more awards and scholarships, notably the 2002 Homer Ulrich award in solo performance. All of his successes in classical music notwithstanding, Bill started becoming more and more interested in composition. He started by creating a jazz trio called SoundProof, which performed in various venues in the Washington DC area, recorded a CD, and featured some of Bill’s original compositions on New Sound, earning “Classical Track of the Week” award.  In 2005, he was accepted with a scholarship to the Julliard School of Music and subsequently moved to New York , where he now performs as a leader and sideman in various venues around the city. Bill graduated from the New School in December of 2006 with the degree of Masters of Fine Arts in Jazz and Contemporary Music.

Exposure to a wide variety of musical influences contributed to Bill Vasilev exceptional versatility as a musician. He is equally comfortable playing his eclectic and complex compositions , performing a thoughtful interpretation of music by Bach or Chopin at a classical recital, or leading a congregation to an inspired rendition of a traditional hymn. Regardless of style and setting, he always strives to create music that comes from the soul and speaks to the heart. From the early age, Bill has been perfecting his ability to improvise in a wide variety of distinct musical styles, from Bach, Mozart and Chopin to jazz and gospel. Improvisation on themes from the audience was a regular feature of his concerts in Berlin, Germany. Improvisation is particularly well suited to church music, where since the times of Bach organists inspired the congregation with improvised preludes, interludes, and postludes, often using thematic material from the appropriate hymns. Bill attempts to revive this tradition in his church work.

Dawn Cunningham, Violinist

Violin, Viola instructor

Musicology’s violin and viola teacher! Dawn is passionate about teaching.

She is on a mission to help people express themselves musically. Dawn currently plays with the Tampa Bay Symphony orchestra.

Education

Venice High School. Venice, FL. String Orchestra (violin, viola, composition). Graduated in 2000.

Florida West Coast Youth Orchestra. Principal violist 1998-2000. Sarasota, FL.

Rollins College Hamilton Holt School. Winter Park, FL. Bachelor of Arts (Music Major- Viola Performance)

Awarded multiple awards and scholarships. Graduated in 2006.

Principal’s List, Fall 2004

Outstanding String Performer Award at Rollins College 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005

Nelson Music Scholarship, Spring 2002

Muncey Music Scholarship, Fall 2004

Quantrell Music Scholarship, Spring 2004

Carlos Music Scholarship, Fall 2003

University of Central Florida. Orlando, FL. Community orchestra member and Principal violinist 2005-2006.

East Carolina University (ECU) Greenville, North Carolina. 2008-2009. Study: Suzuki Pedagogy (strings)

Phil Magallannes, Bassist

Bass instructor

Bassist and multi-instrumentalist Phil Magallanes has performed all over the world, touring and recording with many diverse artists, including Debbie Gibson, Blood Sweat & Tears, Engelbert Humperdinck, and Arturo Sandoval.

Phil was born in Manhattan (literally across the street from the Village Vanguard jazz club), and grew up in NY. He began playing piano at age three, and was considered by some to be a musical prodigy. Blessed with perfect pitch, he began teaching himself electric bass and guitar at six, and was soon playing all three instruments every Sunday at church.

Phil attended the University of North Texas on a full scholarship. He has also studied with Barry Harris, Hal Galper, and Jeff Andrews.

Since the mid-80′s, Phil has lived the life of the “jobbing” musician, playing in just about every kind of musical situation imaginable. These include countless gigs with wedding/top 40 bands, jazz combos, big bands, cruise ship show bands, chamber orchestras, classic rock, country, heavy metal, and praise & worship bands…to R&B, Latin, reggae, blues, and singer-songwriter gigs.

Phil’s varied career also includes co-writing and arranging a tune for Spyro Gyra (“Planet Joel” from In Modern Times), recording with various hip-hop/acid jazz artists, countless demo sessions, and working part-time as a product specialist for Korg keyboards. And of course, teaching music!

Phil’s passion for music extends to his teaching. His extensive knowledge and experience playing many different styles of music, combined with a unique and friendly approach, have been a source of inspiration for beginners and pros alike for over twenty-five years.

Phil relocated from NY to the Tampa Bay area in 2010, and is proud to be a part of the Musicology team. You can visit his website atwww.myspace.com/philmagallanes

Ben Plott, Guitar

Guitar Instructor

Benjamin D. Plott is a guitar instructor at Musicology in Clearwater, Fl. He was born in Santiago, Chile and grew up in Peoria, IL, where he started playing guitar at the age of 12. The first time he played at the Dunlap high school Battle of the Bands he was hooked, the band rehearsed for months prior to the show and then performed well! When Ben turned 18 he moved to Moscow, Idaho to study classical guitar at the University of Idaho. He was there from 2000 to 2002, after which he moved to Memphis TN with his band Undecided Jones. They were fairly successful in Memphis till the members of the band went in many different directions, and he decided to move to Florida. Upon arriving in Clearwater Ben has joined a number of local cover bands and formed my his original band The Trio! In 2005 he enrolled at the Players School of Music, and had his first introduction to jazz! He completed their 2 year certificate program in 2007, and has been playing and teaching full time ever since!

Michelle Sund, Voice

Voice Instructor

Michelle Smith-Sund has been singing and studying opera for over 15 years, currently studying with the amazing Stella Zambalis and having studied previously in New York City with Lorraine Nubar of the Julliard School and Pierre Valet of the Metropolitan Opera. Her operatic roles to date include, but are not limited to:

Musetta in Puccini’s La Boheme,

Inez in Verdi’s Il Trovatore,

Maddalena in Verdi’s Rigoletto

Angelina in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Trial by Jury

Gertrude in Humperdinck’s Hansel und Gretel

Brünnhilde in Wagner’s Die Valkyrie

Brünnhilde in Wagner’s Siegfried

Brünnhilde in Wagner’s Götterdämmerung

The Queen of the Night in Mozart’s The Magic Flute.

Michelle has also participated in numerous opera festivals, master classes and concert series in Central Florida, New York City as well as locally. Although Michelle’s background consists primarily of classical/operatic repertoire, she also performs locally singing country music, torch music and jazz.

Michelle’s teaching philosophy is that the basis of good singing, regardless of musical genre, is a consistent vocal technique. She especially loves working with beginning students to watch them to discover their love of singing while developing a solid vocal foundation.

OTHER TEACHERS BIOS COMING SOON!!

Piano:

John Richardson