Instructors

Founder of the Music Academy August 1998. She is a graduate of Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Vocal Performance where she studied voice with Richard Anderson, Richard Miller, Carol Webber; organ and piano. She is a certified Piano Teacher of the Mayron Cole Group Piano Method and a certified Kindermusik® Educator since 1998. She has sung with the Knoxville Opera Chorus and is an accomplished pianist specializing in accompanying. She has often been the guest pianist, vocalist and organist for area churches. She has been teaching privately for the past sixteen years and is a member of Music Teachers National Association, American Guild of Organists, The Choristers' Guild, and Music Educators' National Association. Her vision is to expand The Music Academy into a leading Community School of the Arts. She completed the AMICI (Arts Management in Community Institutions) training with the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts in June 2005. She has been the music educator at the Crossville Christian School and is presently the organist and Children's Choir Coordinator at Central Baptist Church. Mrs. Mitchell was privileged to sing a duet with Mr. Larnelle Harris in concert at Central Baptist Church in October 2006. Mrs. Mitchell's vocal students have been awarded vocal scholarships to private high schools, colleges and the Tennessee Governor's School of the Arts.

Mr. Francis Elliott, Principal Instructor of Violin

Mr. Francis Elliott is instructor of violin and viola at the Academy. He holds a Master's Degree from Colorado University and has been active for over four decades as a performer and teacher. He retired as the violin professor from Tennessee Tech University and was given the title of Professor Emeritus from the state of Tennessee for that institution. Before coming to Tennessee Tech in 1971, he was teaching at New Mexico Highlands University. He has been active as a performer and string educator throughout his career. He served on the administrative staff at the Aspen Music Festival 1971-1978. Besides teaching at the Academy, Mr. Elliott conducts string clinics in the schools of Tennessee and is scheduled to do a clinic and performance in Montreal, Canada and Boston in June of this year. His work has taken him to Canada, Mexico, and throughout the United States from North Dakota and throughout Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida. He has given presentations in New York, Indiana and Michigan. Mr. Elliott has served two terms as President of the Tennessee Chapter of the American String Teacher Association where he received a Certificate for Outstanding Service for the State of Tennessee for 50 years of string education. He has been elected for a third term which begins in 2008. Mr. Elliott often adjudicates orchestra competitions and festivals in Tennessee and surrounding states and is a frequent clinician at String workshops for both students and faculty. The Music Academy is very fortunate to have Mr. Elliott on faculty with his vast teaching background, experience and a lifelong dedication to young people.

Mrs. Annetta Brewster-Deck, Instructor of Piano

A graduate of University of New Mexico where she received her Master’s Degree in Piano Performance/Pedagogy, studied under Arlette Felberg, Rita Angel and Falko Steinbach. Mrs. Deck received her Bachelor’s Degree from Eastern New Mexico University where she studied with John Olsen and Paul Murphy. She served as secretary for the Albuquerque Music Teacher’s Association from 2002-2005 as well as serving as a judge for several piano performance competitions. She has served as an accompanist for various programs and events and enjoys teaching piano to people of all ages who are eager to learn and appreciate the art of piano performance.

Instructors

at The Music Academy

Mrs. Jacquie Mitchell, Executive Director and Principal Instructor of Voice and Kindermusik Educator

Mr. Francis Elliott, Principal Instructor of Violin