Meet Our Instructors

** Lessons are $30 per half hour, no contracts **

Robert "Mr. Bob" VanGorder Began his fiddle career 38 years ago, after seeing the enjoyment his wife, champion fiddler & dedicated classical violist Louise VanGorder received from music.  Starting at home with Louise, Bob also began lessons with the incredibly talented Maranchi family of Western Mass. He joined the CT Bristol Old Tyme Fiddlers and entered contest throughout the Northeast, & eventually beyond. After years of competing Bob joined the North American Fiddle Judge Assn. as a contest judge, though he continued to use his skills as an accompanist on guitar, banjo & keyboard. He served as M.C. of the CBOTF for many years, taking his M.C. skills into the starting, with other friends & Louise, a show called the "Talent Roundup", showcasing local talent, which ran for 15 years. Bob & Louise then formed the Bristol String Orchestra, which ran for just over 13 years.

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Matthew Miskin:
    A versatile musician based in Bristol, Matthew has become known as a kind of musical chameleon, being able to transition between a multitude of different instruments and styles of music seamlessly.  He has a Bachelor of Music degree in Classical Guitar Performance from the Hartt School of Music.  Among Matthew's associated acts are local Connecticut bands Tablature and The Remnants, where he appears as an auxiliary member, playing keyboard, flute, and saxophone.  He is currently a guitarist in the local Bristol band Imbroglio, as well as with the Acoustic Jazz Trio, string group which performs frequently throughout Fairfield County.  Matthew holds a position as the Music Director at Terryville Congregational Church.  He teaches lessons on guitar, mandolin, banjo, ukulele, electric bass, violin, viola, cello, flute, saxophone, and piano.

Chris Massa-Pelletier:
   Bowed String & Wind Specialist.

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Sarah Cesarski:
   Violin, Music Theory Specialist.

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