Our Teachers

Tony Divozzo

Tony teaches percussion & drumset, marching band, and bells. Tony’s experience drumming started very early! Born into a family of musicians, Tony’s home was filled with the sounds of Jazz, Big Band, R&B and even Rock ‘n Roll 24/7. Tony started drumming around 2 years old. Tony played all through school and he attended music camps and brought home 27 1st place medals before 9th grade! In 9th grade he attended Interlochen Camp where the best of the best from around the world would meet and play music. Tony played in the Jazz Band and Marching Bands all through high school. After high school Tony joined the Navy for 10 years. His primary responsibility was drumming in the prestigious Navy Band. The Navy Band is more than a marching band, they are also a concert band, jazz band, rock ‘n roll band, etc., so Tony was able to keep well versed in various styles – something he still does today.

Tony has been teaching private lessons non-stop since 1989, and much of that time has been here at Music Source. Tony has helped thousands of percussion students become accomplished and successful. Drummers, be sure to watch for Tony’s free drum clinics held here at Music Source. A family man, Tony loves to cook pasta and makes his own pasta sauce when at home. He loves Big Band Swing: 1940 to present, and is the author of “The Snare Drum Book, The Basic 26”. As busy as he is, Tony always finds time to play for his own enjoyment and plays weekly at his local Church and with his own band now: Stone Black/Stone Blue.

Susan Lundholm

Susan has been a professional voice instructor for over 34 years. She is an active opera, concert and oratorio singer throughout the United States and with such organizations as the Chicago Opera Theater, Fox River Valley Symphony, the Maine Opera Association and Florida’s Brevard Opera-in-concert. She received her masters degree in vocal performance at the Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois and her bachelor degree in Music Education at Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN. She has received several awards, including being a regional winner in the Metropolitan Opera National Auditions.

Susan is associated with several professional organizations such as the Musicians Club of Women in Chicago. She loves teaching voice students of all levels and has been an adjunct professor at several schools. Susan delights in helping her students master their talents.

Michelle McManus Welch

Michelle received a B.M and M.M from American Conservatory in Chicago. While in college, she played with Civic Orchestra of Chicago, as well as many other ensembles in the area. She continued to perform after college, and played in the Northwest Indiana symphony for a year, as she began to teach. Michelle has registered eight units of Suzuki training with the Suzuki association of the Americas, and has been teaching both traditional and Suzuki violin lessons to both children and adults for over twenty years.

Michelle feels a solid foundation in music reading and technique is important to the development of all violinists, and hopes to foster a love of music within each individual musician.

Tyler Hanson

Tyler has been playing guitar for over 17 years and has been teaching for over 9 years in Lake and McHenry Counties. He has been with Music Source for over 9 years now and teaches guitar, lap steel, and ukulele to all levels of students from beginner to advanced. While Tyler teaches all styles of music, he specializes in classical guitar playing and teaching such favorites as J.S. Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, Tarrega, and Fernando Sor, all arranged for the guitar by Tyler.

Kids love Tyler and adore having him as their teacher. They appreciate his patience and his belief in their abilities.

Jason McNeill

Jason is a professional musician who has perfected the art of teaching for all ages and levels. A classically-trained pianist who grew up in a professional musician’s household, Jason’s been playing for over 27 years and believes in starting kids young. While Blues and Jazz are personal favorites, Jason teaches all styles of piano including Gospel, Rock, Contemporary and New Age styles.

We’ve been very fortunate to have Jason teaching here at Music Source for the over 16 years. He consistently develops students beyond their expectations, whether they start off as beginners or come to Jason as advanced students wanting to broaden their skills.

Cyndi Salata

Cyndi specializes in both brass and woodwind instruments, teaches flute, trumpet, french horn and recorder. She offers instruction in basic technical and rhythmic skills with a focus on classical, jazz and commercial styles. Cyndi adheres to basics and fundamentals and has the solo awards and honors to attest to their value.

Cyndi has played several roles throughout her musical journey. She received a full scholarship to the Interlochen Arts Academy at age 16, graduated among the highest ranked chairs, and was one of the few freshman to get into both the premier wind ensemble and top jazz band at the University of Iowa. She was also a finalist for the Washington D.C. Navy band at just 20 years old. She also has several other local, nation and international solo awards on all three instruments.

Cyndi describes one of her most memorable “wow” moments as when she heard her flute and trumpet solos being aired over local radio in 2008!In 2012 Cyndi made her Carnegie Hall debut as the first place winner in the amateur division of an international flute solo competition. Not afraid to rise to a challenge, just one year later she competed again in a different international arena, earning a 2nd place and yet another opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall. Cyndi was not only the lone wind player to get above a 3rd place, but did it on flute, French horn, and trumpet while performing her own arrangement of the Carnival of Venice! Cyndi feels that if there isn’t a piece written for all three instruments to be performed by one person, why not write it yourself?

Todd Steffenhagen

Todd teaches bass and guitar, with a specialty in guitar. He is very successful with all age groups and is proficient in teaching Rock, Funk, Blues, Country and Reggae. Todd is a classically trained professional musician and learned all the basics at an early age. He’s been performing with live bands for 17 years, including gigs at U.S. Cellular Field and fun venues like Milwaukee County Fair, Lake County Fairgrounds, McHenry County and Southeastern Wisconsin festivals and fairs!

Todd has a real passion for songwriting and devotes time to that in addition to his own band NoOneSouldier which performs his original songs. NoOneSouldier has gigs lined up from Kenosha, Wisconsin to Lake County, Illinois, in addition, Todd also plays with Old Brown Shoes which is known for Blues and Soul music. When Todd isn’t playing, teaching or writing songs, Todd loves watching other live bands or curling up with a good set of headphones.

Dan Settle

Dan began learning how to play guitar when he was 10 years old with metal as an influence. After a while he began to broaden his skills by branching out to many genres like: Country, Rock, Classical, Jazz, and Funk. Dan is a veteran of Music Source and has been a part of the store for many years. He took guitar lessons here and played many recitals with his own compositions in his youth. Since then he has continued to expand his playing abilities and taught himself new instruments such as: banjo, bass, and the ukulele.

Dan has played in a few local bands (“Impressions” and “A Dying Ultimatum”). Dan also works on his own solo compositions and plays locally as a Country singer and guitar player. He began teaching privately in 2011, and then brought his teaching techniques to Music Source. His big brother bonding experience method of teaching allows his students to feel comfortable and enjoy music instead of making it a chore to practice. Dan is an all around great musician and a great teacher.