Our Staff at Lansdowne

Melissa Bartell is the Site Director at B2R Lansdowne. She has been playing classical piano since age 7 and completed her B.A. in Music Management at the Hartt School. She has experience booking nationally touring acts at clubs and universities as well as planning non-profit events and benefit concerts. Her favorite artists are Muse, Janis Joplin, RJD2, Adele and her musical inspiration is her dad.

Lauren Harding is the Assistant Site Director at B2R Lansdowne. She grew up in rural Pennsylvania with a passion for country music, singing and playing piano, and writing her own songs. As a teenage vocalist, she traveled to New York City on weekends to train with Grammy winning vocal coach, Badiene Magaziner. By 17, Lauren recorded her music in Nashville and later signed a production deal with Jes Fine Productions. This achievement allowed Lauren to work with Country Music Hall of Fame Producer and arranger, Ron Oates. After graduating high school in 2003, she got a job as a songwriter for Writers in House Music publishing company. In 2005, she signed as an independent recording artist with Ignition Records of Houston, TX. After gaining invaluable stage experience with the Ignition artists, Lauren attended music business school in Hollywood. In 2006, she graduated with a music business degree from Musician's Institute and obtained an internship at Universal Music Group. During her tenure with Universal, she promoted bands such as Rascal Flatts, Sugarland, Taylor Swift and many other up-and-coming artists. Lauren is now living in the northern Virginia area and is excited to share her knowledge, experience, and passion for music at Bach 2 Rock.

Faiza Alam is a Music Specialist at B2R Lansdowne. Faiza has been playing the guitar since the age of 12. She received a B.M. in Guitar Performance from George Mason University where she graduated with honors. Although most of her formal musical training has been in classical music, Faiza enjoys playing a variety of different genres and is currently working on writing her own music. Her musical influences include KT Tunstall, David Gray, Metric, Barrios, and many more.

Katie Berliner is a Music Specialist at B2R Lansdowne and an Administrative Assistant at B2R Herndon. Katie graduated cum laude from Berklee College of Music in Boston where she obtained her Bachelors Degree in Music Synthesis. She has been playing piano since the age of seven, being named a winner in several piano competitions throughout her career. She has also taught at Power Chord Academy in Jamaica, NY. Though she has played in various bands and ensembles, her first band that she ever played in was featured as an up and coming band in an issue of SPIN magazine.

Paul Foreman has been playing drums and percussion for 11 years and teaching lessons for 5 years, but really he has been hitting things to make rhythmic noise since he was a baby. He is a graduate of Pomona College in Southern California, where he played in jazz bands and West African percussion ensembles. Currently Paul teaches at B2R in Lansdowne, VA. He also works for the House of Musical Traditions, a folk music store in his home town of Takoma Park, MD. He is formally trained in written music, but he specializes in helping students jam with each other, learn by ear, improvise, and rock out in general. For Paul, the joy of two or more musicians inventing new music together is the most exciting part of playing, and the best way to have fun is to play music that students actually love to listen to. He has been known to jam with his students on bass, guitar, or keys during lessons. Paul continues to follow his life-long passion for music by writing and recording his own, and he hopes to share his love of rhythm with many more students.

Renee Garcia Renee Garcia is the Birthday Party Assistant at B2R Lansdowne. Renee happened to stumble upon her love for music when she started piano lessons at age 10. She also picked up the clarinet two years later. Renee currently plays clarinet in her high school concert band and has played piano in the jazz band. One summer she learned to play guitar at a camp and has continued to intern as a teacher’s assistant for guitar and piano. As Renee is still young, she plans to pick up the saxophone this summer. She will also continue to learn many more instruments, including drums, and to grow as an artist. Her musical inspirations include Yellowcard, Jason Mraz, OneRepublic and John Vesely (Secondhand Serenade).

Pedro Gonzalez-Fernandez is a piano and guitar specialist at B2R Lansdowne. His education was largely received through playing/composing in bands, however, he is fortunate to have one foot in the world of traditional instruction via twenty years of classical piano study and composition lessons. As a result, he has a very refined understanding of music cultivated from analyzing the work of bands like the Beatles with the same passion he would assume towards a Haydn sonata. Pedro earned a BA in Piano Performance from Shepherd University with honors in both piano and composition. He has received numerous awards (WVMTNA Collegiate Piano winner, BMI Foundation’s John Lennon Competition National Finalist) and has had the privilege of performing on many stages with a variety of ensembles; not many can claim to have rushed from a solo piano gig at the Russian Embassy to another as keyboardist for DC art-rock outfit Bellflur at the Black Cat! Pedro strives to make music fun for his students and adjusts his instructional approach to fit each student’s individual needs. Pedro’s musical influences are They Might Be Giants, Glenn Gould, Talking Heads, Bela Bartok, and many, many more.

Erica Hirt is a music specialist and early childhood class instructor at the B2R in Herndon and Lansdowne locations. A native of Northern Virginia, Erica played saxophone and tuba in her middle and high school bands before settling on bassoon. She completed her Bachelor of Music with a concentration in Music Education from James Madison University. While at college she was a regular member of several of JMU's exquisite performing ensembles and multiple chamber ensembles. She is currently a free lance instructor and performer in the northern Virginia area. She performs with both the Fairfax Wind Symphony and as a substitute bassoonist for the Manassas Symphony Orchestra.

Wendy McMahon is a Music Specialist at B2R Lansdowne, teaching Voice, Piano and Cello. Her passion for music developed as a young child (thanks to The Wombles!) and in addition to many years of orchestral playing, solo performing and recording, she graduated with a BA in Music from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, in Glasgow, Scotland. Since graduating, Wendy has pursued teaching with great interest, developing her own fun and dynamic teaching-style born from years of study and observation (as-well as learning from her own mistakes!). Her favorite artists range in style, from Jamiroquai and Lenny Kravitz to John Mayer and Corrine Bailey Rae. Classical favorites are too numerous to mention, but Lalo's Cello Concerto is one of her all-time faves!

Jimmy Nannariello is a Guitar and Bass Instructor, and Band Coach at B2R Herndon and Lansdowne. Growing up listening to a variety of classic rock and R&B music from an early age, Jimmy was inspired to pick up a guitar and learn to play. With over 10 years of experience, he has played in bands and with countless other musicians. He also has a BA degree in Music/Music Business from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After school, he sharpened his production and recording skills at an independent record label/studio. Currently, he releases music as a solo artist under the moniker of Jimmy NaNa. All of his songs are written, recorded and produced by him. His musical influences reach further than rock. He listens to everything from Classic R&B, Hip Hop, Pop, Blues, Metal and anything else he finds inspiring. Some of his favorite artists include 311, Elvis, Third Eye Blind, Marvin Gaye, Joe Bonamassa, Memphis May Fire, Jack Johnson, and hundreds more.

Wes Tucker began playing the bass guitar when he was 10 years old. He began classical training on the double bass when he was 12. While in High School, he played bass in the jazz band, both upright and electric. After high school, he was accepted into Berklee School of Music but decided to continue his classical training at West Virginia. There, he studied Double Bass with a minor in Theory/Composition. However, he did not finish his degree. After he left WVU, he focused mainly on playing guitar. He has played guitar in various gigging bands in the Fairfax area. Wes is highly influenced by heavy metal guitar players such as Dimebag Darrell (Pantera), Bill Kelliher, Brent Hinds(Mastodon), and Michael Romeo (Symphony X).

Ed Zigo is a Music Specialist and Administrative Assistant at B2R in Lansdowne. Born and raised in the Washington DC area he began playing drums and percussion at the age of 10 and has been gigging ever since with various local bands. After High School Ed temporarily shifted gears and received a BA in Political Science along with minors in History and Sociology from the University of Dayton in Ohio. However it wasn't long before the music bug caught up to him once again and would persuade him to put politics aside for the time being and pursue rock and roll. Ed joined his newest musical project "westmain" directly after college and has continued to record albums and play live shows all over the east coast and midwest. His influences consist of a wide range of artists including Keith Moon, Max Weinberg, Johnny Winter, Derek Trucks, and John Hiatt.

Holly Hoey is the Early Childhood and Private Voice teacher at B2R in Lansdowne. Ms. Hoey specializes in voice and flute but also dabbles in guitar as well as piano. She is a graduate of Shenandoah Conservatory (BMEd) with certifications in teaching Vocal, Instrumental and General Music Classrooms at all levels. While at Shenandoah she performed in their Cantus Women’s Ensemble, Shenandoah Chorus, Flute Choir, and Concert Band. She is currently a Music Specialist for Loudoun County Public Schools, teaching at the elementary level. Her biggest musical influences include Billie Holiday, Regina Spektor, Iron and Wine, The Horrorpops, and Tom Waits.