Meet our Instructors
We welcome resumes from qualified teachers of all instruments at any time. Send to info@wentzvillemusicandacademy.com
Karen Poore
Piano, Violin, Viola
Karen Poore has been teaching piano and violin/viola students in both individual and group settings for over 15 years. She graduated from Maranatha Baptist University with a B.S. in Education, a minor in Music Education, and an emphasis on string pedagogy. After finishing undergraduate education, she continued her musical education by studying with Dr. Jennifer Judd at East Central College in Union. Karen has taught general music classes and choir in elementary settings, upper elementary and middle school general education, and now works as a Title 1 Reading teacher in the School District of Washington. Karen specializes in using her background as a Reading Specialist and a general educator to individualize and tailor teaching for each student’s interests and needs using a variety of methods and materials. She believes in teaching practical music theory to aid in comprehension of music, and implements an understanding of learning styles (kinesthetic, auditory, and visual) to reinforce all aspects of playing a musical instrument. Karen encourages students to participate in various competitions and recitals, and will work with students to prepare for other extracurricular musical experiences such as school musicals, bands, or talent shows.
Tony Imperiale
Voice and Strings
Tony Imperiale
Tony Imperiale is a life long musician born and raised in St. Peters, MO. Having perfect pitch, Tony possessed a natural ear for music at an early age. For the first decade of his musical life, he self taught himself how to play 8 out of the 10 instruments he can play. His teachers saw his raw talent and encouraged him to pursue his degree in Music Education at Southeast Missouri State University.
Tony specializes in Stringed and Vocal Education with a primary focus on cello and voice. Although classically trained in Symphonic and Operatic literature, he has attained great experience in many diverse singing and playing styles. Such styles would include, but not limited to, barbershop, Broadway, bel Canto, american folk, Gospel, and good old rock and roll.
Joe Park
Guitar, Bass Guitar, Ukulele
Joe Park comes to us with a plethora of experience and a passion for teaching, sharing and mentoring. Joe has over 20 years of expertise in teaching music and providing individual guitar education tailored to the pupils needs.
Along with teaching, Joe is very active in the professional music scene in the St. Louis area and Illinois. He is currently a member of the Joe Park Trio: a jazz group that can be found playing around town including a weekly residency at Yaqui’s on Cherokee Street. Past performances include performing as a guest soloist with the Peoria Symphony Orchestra and performing at the Sheldon Concert Hall, as well as the Missouri Botanical Garden.
Joe brings vitality and life to the education experiences here at Wentzville Music and enjoys sharing his musical knowledge with our students.
Carol Gossett
Piano
Carol Gossett is a professional pianist and piano teacher with strong people skills and a sincere desire to share the ability to read notes and play the piano with others. She has enjoyed playing the piano since she first began taking lessons in the second grade and has played much for her own enjoyment, but also professionally as a church accompanist and musician, as well as for many weddings, some funerals, multiple corporate social functions, and school choir practice, performances, and music competitions. Carol has taught private piano lessons to students of all ages since 1988. She teaches and values note reading skills, music theory, sight reading, and basic composition, believing that if a student can learn good note-reading skills and basic music theory they are limited only by how much they are willing to work on a piece and can therefore learn to play anything they set their mind to. Equally important to offering students the opportunity to learn to play the piano is being able to positively impact her students’ lives through encouragement and relationship while building music skills, confidence, and self-esteem.
Emily Mosby
Violin, Voice
We are ecstatic to have our former student Emily teaching violin and voice! She has been playing violin for fourteen years and singing for as long as she can remember. As a lifelong choir kid, Emily decided to turn her passion for music into a career and is currently pursuing her undergraduate in Vocal Music Education at Lindenwood University where she performs in the University’s concert choir and string ensembles. She began her teaching career with us in 2018 and we couldn’t be more proud!
Nicole Sanders
Piano
Nicole has over twenty years of teaching experience. She is extremely passionate about teaching and loves the unique bonds developed between teacher and student that occur through private lessons. Over the years, Nicole has taught students of all ages with a variety of backgrounds and experience. As a classically trained pianist, her teaching style emphasizes performance, competition and theory. She has been involved in district and state competitions, along with local Sonatina Festivals and the Mid America Music Association. Her students have consistently brought home superior ratings at these events and several of her students have been asked to play in corresponding honor recitals. A few of her older students have gone on to become music majors in college. Though Nicole takes music very seriously, she feel that it should be fun and music education should be catered to each individual student’s needs and goals.
Zack Matthews
Piano, Guitar and Voice
