Our Teaching Staff
Violin, Viola, Cello
Dixie Ortiz is a violinist and orchestra teacher with a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from the University of North Carolina Greensboro. She has been teaching violin and viola lessons for over 7 years to students ranging from elementary school, middle, high school, and adult learners. Her students have successfully entered All State, All County, and other district orchestras. Dixie has been playing violin for over 13 years and has played in the UNCG University Symphony, Imperial Symphony Orchestra, and served as concertmaster of the UNCG Sinfonia orchestra. In addition, she has won a concerto competition, placed as a finalist in several music competitions, won university music scholarships, and conducted undergraduate research in music education after winning three separate research grants. She was recently featured on Fox 8 news for her accomplishments with teaching and undergraduate research. She is passionate about teaching music and changing the lives of her students by bringing out the unique talents and work ethic that each of her students possess. Currently, she teaches middle school orchestra and maintains a private studio in Polk County, Florida.
Trumpet, Cornet, Baritone, Trombone, Clarinet, Oboe, Saxophone, Flute
Lee Dash is an accomplished music educator and band director. He received his NYS Permanent teaching certificate upon graduation with honors from C.W. Post, and holds many honors including C.W. Post Orchestra Concerto Competition Winner and Commencement Student Marshal. Involvement in many school organizations including Symphonic Band, Brass Choir, Wind Ensemble and Marching band are just a few of his many accomplishments. He is also a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Band, is the Vice Flotilla Commander, is a member of SCMEA (Suffolk County Music Educators Association), volunteers at Kent Animal Shelter and is a NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association) judge.
Guitar, Uke, Piano
Vinny Bautista is currently a student at Molloy College for music education. He has 12 years experience playing guitar from rock and metal to classical guitar. His love of music has led him to embark on a journey as an educator. Is hope is to teach middle to high school children, and says, "However there is no age limit on learning and I hope to pass along my passion and love of music to you".
Guitar, Drums, Uke, Piano, Bass guitar, Recording studio technology
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Chuck Schultz is an accomplished musician and sound engineer playing since the age of 7. Chuck is a musician, audio engineer, producer, recording, rehearsal, TV, video production, sound company owner who has worked with 1000's of professional musicians from coffee houses to big arena's both local and touring solo artists and bands over the last 45 years. Teaching for 40 years Chuck has taught over 100,000 lessons from beginners to professionals. Some of his students include: professional performing musicians, school music teachers, recording artists, and touring musicians. He has 3 students that have won the prestigious Maestro Award, Best at his Craft at the World Strides Competition. His style of teaching combining all aspects of music basics and advanced theory along with todays acoustic and electric music from all styles makes him a popular teacher at VMS for all age groups. He as been a judge of the Good Times music festival from its inception almost 20 years ago and has helped guide professional music and bands through a career in music. He has worked with members of Aerosmith, Da La Sol, the Isley brothers, and the list goes on. He started learning audio engineering at 14 and started his own sound company Shotgun Sound at 16, working for bands locally around Long Island New York area as well as taping for MTV when they started broadcasting. At 19 he opened and recording and rehearsal studio under the same name and the work increased. In the 1980's expanding into monthly rehearsal rooms in 4 studios in Amityville, Babylon, Copiague and Mastic 23 rooms in total. Continuing to do sound work for music festivals, night clubs and bars throughout the 1980's and 1990's working with a lot of the popular bands of the day Company "B", Taylor Dayne, Expose, Stevie Cochran, The Ronettes, Santo & Johnny, Dick Hyman Woody Alan's musical director, Johnny Maestro, The Drifters to name a few. In 2006 he started Inravio.com TV Network. Inravio was broadcasting live over the internet before there was equipment to do it with, or there was the term "streaming", he was able to put Inravio on the map and was the one who everyone else followed. He produced twenty seven 2 hour live TV shows broadcasted every week where guests could respond to the hosts instantly while they we're on-air, making it a 2 way conversation with the viewers which was never done before. At this time you could only watch a video as on Youtube, this made I possible to watch it, and talk to it, and have it talk back to you in real time. Today he is still keeping busy doing sound and video on Long Island as well as designing and building out audio and broadcast video installation projects in New York area. With the new world and the social distancing it seem that this field of audio and video are getting bigger and now's a great time to have new engineers coming up Chuck said, in a resent interview, we think he's right.
Teaching Style His style is a practical approach - one specially tailored to the student's own experience and potential. He take students of all ages and all backgrounds, and has worked with adults with physical disabilities and children with special needs. There is no one-size-fits-all method here - each student is unique, and therefore deserves their own curriculum. To supplement my teaching materials, he writes his own etudes and exercises. All students are trained in instrument technique, aural skills, and music theory. |
