Meet the Faculty


  • Founder & Artistic Director

    Ballet and Modern Dance

    Mrs. Theresa Kendall holds B.A. and M.Ed. degrees from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She has studied extensively with Dr. Jane Dakak, protégé of Alwin Nicholais and Murray Louis. 
    Mrs. Kendall has been a performer and choreographer of Modern Dance and Ballet for over 40 years.  She is actively involved in community collaborations with Dr. William Ciabattari of the Lycoming College Music Department, bringing live music and dance to the Community Arts Center for over a decade.   Substitute teachers are Rose Troisi, Trisha Patterson, and Kate Welch.


  • Ballet, Modern Dance & Combo III

    Mrs. Trisha Patterson, better known as “Chop” by the dancers and families, has been dancing at SOTA, under Miss Theresa’s instruction in Ballet and Modern for 25 years. She holds B.S. and M.S.Ed. degrees in Education, with dual certification in Elementary Education and Special Education, as well as a Supervisory Certificate in Special Education from Bloomsburg University. 

    Mrs. Patterson has over a decade of experience in Special Education, with specialization in the area of educating individuals with Autism and other developmental disabilities. She has experience with developing educational programming, adapting and modifying instruction, as well as utilizing a variety of AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) methods to support meaningful participation opportunities and inclusion of individuals with disabilities in a variety of educational and community settings. 

    She dances with her husband, Ryan, in Ballet IV and her daughter, Sabella, in Modern I. Substitute teacher is Theresa Kendall.  


  • Violin/Viola Suzuki & Kaleidoscopes instructor

    Celebrated for her intense artistry and joyful energy, violist Ashley English Tobin is highly sought-after as an ensemble member across the United States. She works frequently as a side/orchestral musician for featured artists and recordings. Driven, energetic, and possessing a natural ability to connect with audiences, Ms. Tobin is also an experienced section leader. As a performer, she has toured extensively in the western United States. She brings a wealth of experience to her teaching, relating to students of all ages with compassion and empathy.

    Assistant Principal Viola for the Commonwealth Pops since 2015 and Pennsylvania Centre Orchestra since 2018, Ms. Tobin beguiles audiences with indefatigably energetic performances from her position in these orchestras, as well as from the viola sections of the Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes and Williamsport Symphony Orchestra. Ashley has served as Principal Viola for the Grassroots Festival Orchestra in Ithaca, NY. In Los Angeles she performs as a member of the legendary daKah Hip Hop Orchestra, bringing live, progressive Hip Hop, funk, and jazz to multi-generational audiences. Keenly interested in early music, Ms. Tobin pursues Historically Informed Performance as an avid chamber musician.

    As a teacher, she has worked as an orchestral coach, mariachi coach, and class instructor for Harmony Project Los Angeles, one of the nation’s top 501(c)3 nonprofit orchestra programs. She has extensive training in traditional violin pedagogy and the Suzuki Method, and brings a unique program called Kaleidoscopes to young musicians in our region.

    Ms. Tobin completed her B.M. in Viola Performance with Paula Cho at Utah Valley University.


  • Advanced Violin/Viola

    John Paul Tobin teaches Viola, Baroque Violin & Baroque Viola, and serves as the director of the Lycoming College String Ensemble and “Young Artist Baroque Orchestra at Lycoming College.”  Tobin also serves as Assistant Director of the Williamsport Chamber Players, Assistant Conductor, Principal Violist, and Strings Coach with the Lycoming College Community Orchestra, and Violist/Violinist with the Lycoming College Faculty String Quartet.

    Now based in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, John Paul Tobin worked as a studio musician, soloist, chamber musician, conductor, and teacher in Los Angeles, California from 2004-2016, appearing regularly as a guest musician on television broadcasts such as "American Idol" and "The Voice."  As a conductor, he has worked extensively with young musicians from the elementary through collegiate levels in areas across the United States, and has served as Principal Conductor and Artistic Director for two youth orchestras within the Harmony Project Los Angeles system —one of the nation's largest and most effective 501(c)3 non-profit youth orchestra programs.

    Tobin is highly sought-after musician in our region’s finest ensembles.  He is Principal Violist of the Williamsport Symphony, among many other orchestras and performing groups in our area.

    An attendee of the Henry Mancini Institute in 2004, Tobin has regularly worked in popular genres both on television and as a side musician for popular artists such as Rihanna, Harry Connick Jr., Adam Levine, Broadway star Michael Cavanaugh, among others.  He is a member of the daKah Hip Hop Orchestra in Los Angeles.

    Tobin is married to violist Ashley English Tobin with whom he performs an expansive programme of late-Renaissance, pre-Baroque, and Transitional-period duo repertoire for a variety of historical violas and violins.

    Tobin received a B.A. in Musical Studies from The Pennsylvania State University and M.M. in Viola Performance from The California State University, Fullerton.


  • Piano/Organ

    Diane Havrilla graduated from Misericordia College with a Bachelor of Music in music therapy. She has her teaching certification from Lycoming College and a Master of Music degree from Mansfield University. 
    In the public school and group class setting, Diane has taught general music, music theory and music appreciation. Mrs. Havrilla has also directed choirs of multiple ages, including programs with elementary and junior high students. She has many years of teaching experience in both the classroom and with her growing lesson studio. Instruction in piano or organ at SOTA includes students of all abilities, ranging from preschoolers to retirees. 
    Mrs. Havrilla may also be heard weekly as the organist at First United Methodist Church in Williamsport, where she also works throughout the week with young children at First Nursery School.  


  • Guitar/ Bass Guitar

    Tim Breon studied the guitar with Ben Sher(NYC) and local guitar legend Dave Brumbaugh.  Mr. Breon is a graduate of the PA Governor's School for the Arts.Tim is the instructor of guitar and music technology at Lycoming College. He also teaches audio production at Susquehanna University, and is the personnel director/librarian, and Stage manager for the Williamsport Symphony Orchestra.Over the past few decades, Tim has shared the stage with many diverse artists-from the Monkees' Davy Jones, to American Idol's Clay Aiken. He's also played in orchestras backing people like: Olivia Newton-John, Buddy Rich, Chuck Mangione, and many others.As a studio musician, he has played on hundreds of recordings by local and regional artists, and been a guest on WVIA's "Homegrown Music" series many times.Currently, Tim plays, and subs with many of the area's jazz, rock, country, and classical groups. Recent highlights include: Opening for country stars "Big and Rich", and performing in Lycoming College "Closeup Concert Series" under the direction of Dr. William Ciabattari.Tim lives in Williamsport with his wife Crystal, and their three cats.

  • Woodwinds specialist

    Anthony Fortuna is a woodwinds specialist and orchestral director that resides in the Williamsport, PA area. Fortuna currently serves as the director of The Central Pennsylvania Youth Orchestra in addition to being the director of Orchestras for the Lewisburg Area School District. Fortuna possesses a bachelors of music in music education from Marywood University, a masters degree in woodwind performance/pedagogy from Ohio University, and doctoral work in woodwind performance, pedagogy, and literature at James Madison University. Fortuna has performed regionally on various woodwind and string instruments with several professional ensembles such as the Lycoming College Community Orchestra, Northern Tier Symphony, Wyoming Seminary Civic Orchestra, NEPA Lyric Opera, and the Northern Appalachian Wind Symphony. In his spare time, Fortuna enjoys playing video games, cooking, and spending time with his cat, Fledermaus.


  • Voice  Lessons

    Megan Louder received her B.S. in Music Education from Messiah University and is pursuing her M. Ed. at Florida State University. She is a choir director at Williamsport Area High School and is the Artistic Director of the Williamsport Youth Choir. Megan enjoys teaching choral ensembles, musical theater, and one-on-one vocal coaching.

  • Ballroom Dance

    Gary and Bonnie Glidewell  are well-known and respected in the local ballroom dance community. They are registered Social Dance Instructors with USA Dance (formerly US Amateur Ballroom Dance Association). Teaching venues have included East Lycoming School District, Tokishi Center in Wellsboro, and River Valley YMCA. They have performed demonstrations for nursing homes and non-profit organizations and have appeared numerous times on WVIA TV’s ballroom dancing show.