Our Staff at Lansdowne

Mark Rathbun is the Site Director of B2R Lansdowne. Mark joined the B2R family in December of 2007 and has been an integral part ever since. Mark has extensive operations, marketing, PR, and managing experience from working in the Land Development field. Mark plays the guitar and his favorite artists include 311, Dave Matthews Band, Incubus and Frank Sinatra.

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!

Matt Bickert is a Music specialist at B2R Lansdowne and South Riding who teaches Drums/Percussion. He has over 16 years of experience with drum set and percussion. He got his start playing drums in a youth group band at his church at the age of eleven. Matt has taught private lesson for the past seven years from drum set, snare rudiments, high school marching drum lines, to piano. He is also the Drum set and Percussion teacher at the British School of Washington located in Georgetown. He received his Bachelors degree in Music from Radford University where he studied percussion under Al Wojtera. While he was in college he performed with several musical ensembles including jazz band, pep band, concert band, and percussion ensemble. Many of these groups toured the Southwest Virginia/North Carolina region. His musical influences are the Beatles, Buddy Rich, Bruce Springsteen, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Northern Mississippi All-stars, Zac Brown Band, and Earth, Wind, and Fire.

Matt Cummings is a professional musician who has attended Berklee College of Music, toured the East Coast, performed in hundreds of venues, and has produced music with numerous major label recording acts. With a number 2 single on the national college radio charts, and years of performing, recording, and teaching experience, Matt has gained a vast knowledge of rock, jazz, blues, funk and hip hop music and specializes in guitar, bass, piano and vocals. Matt's musical inspiration comes from Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix, Dave Matthews Band, and Soulive.

Meredith Eaton-Bartlett teaches Early Childhood classes and voice at B2R South Riding. Music has always been an integral part of Meredith’s life. Throughout childhood, she performed in various show choirs, community theater productions, and was a member of an award-winning a cappella group, “10 Again.” Meredith received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music and English at the University of Tampa, and studied voice under Dr. Yvonne Dechance for four years. Along with performing extensively on campus, she placed in the NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) district adjudications in the Musical Theater division for three years, and had the opportunity to compete at the regional level. Her professional life has revolved around music education, including the roles of Early Childhood Education Intern at Guilford College United Methodist Church, and Kid's Camp Intern at the Eastern Music Festival. Meredith loves all genres of music, and some of her favorite bands/artists include: Relient K, No Doubt, the Goo Goo Dolls, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Elton John. She has a great passion for teaching and music, and loves to help children in their personal growth of confidence, skill, and overall love and appreciation of music.

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).

Lauren Giere is a Lyric Coloratura, soprano who holds her Bachelor's in Vocal Performance from Virginia Commonwealth University, where she trained in Classical Voice. She studied with Michelle Harman-Gulick, Melanie Kohn Day, Jim Smith Parham, and Dr. John Guthmiller. She was a 9 semseter member of VCU's Commonwealth Singers, as well as various other small vocal groups. An intragal member of VCU's Opera Theatre, Lauren could be found performing roles such as Baby Doe, Mabel, Norina, and Lakme. While Opera is her delight, Lauren has a heavy background in Musical Theatre, Maria being one her favorite roles. She enjoys country music (Carrie Underwood, Trisha Yearwood, Reba McEntire, Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline) as well as Celine Dion, Madonna, Amy Grant, Norah Jones, and local bands. She believes that with good technique, you can sing anything.

Cheryl Pearson is Music Specialist at B2R Lansdowne, currently teaching voice, keyboard, and violin. She is a professional violinist who found her love for music at a very young age when she began to study classical music through her elementary school orchestra program. Cherrie has participated competitively in regional and state orchestras throughout high school, and has also performed with prestigious young orchestra groups throughout southern Virginia. She pursued her passion for music through George Mason University where she completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance on violin. Cherrie has been recognized as a soloist on several occasions, performing for events through Chrysler Hall with exclusive southern VA orchestra groups, and with the GMU Symphony and Chamber Orchestras at the GMU Concert Hall and Kennedy Center Millennium Stage. Through her 16 years of study on classical violin, she has had the privilege to work privately with members of the Virginia and National Symphony Orchestras. She continues to perform for local events throughout NoVA and MD areas as a solo violinist. Cherrie has served as a music educator through NoVA private schools’ orchestra and band programs teaching a variety of instruments, and she has also provided private music instruction to students of all skills and ages for the past several years. Cherrie is excited to be a part of the teaching team at B2R Lansdowne, sharing her passion and knowledge in music.

Sarah Pramstaller is a graduate of James Madison University and holds a degree in Music Education. A proud member of Actor's Equity, her notable credits include Broadway tours of both SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER and The Who's TOMMY. Sarah has won a Downbeat Music Award for outstanding jazz vocals, as well entertained the NYC party scene with her 80's cover band, MR. PINK. Most recently, she was the vocal instructor and show director at The Paul Green School of Rock in Manhattan. After 10 years in New York, Sarah is thrilled to be back in Virginia and a part of the teaching team at B2R. Her absolute favorite role, however, is as new mother to her very own little rock star, Jack.

Danielle Sirinsky is a graduate of the University of Michigan in Ann
Arbor and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre. She hails originally from Chicago, where she performed professionally in a variety of theatre and musical theatre venues. Some of her favorite performances include A CHORUS LINE (Bebe), WEST SIDE STORY (Margarita), THE LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO (Lala), and JOSEPH... DREAMCOAT (Narrator). She has taught, directed, and choreographed throughout the Chicagoland and Allentown, PA areas, including three years as a faculty member at the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Performing Arts. She has taught dance and musical theatre for ages 3-adult, and is also a certified Zumba instructor. Danielle is thrilled to be a part of the B2R team, where teaching has become her true passion.

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).