About the Founder
The founder, Michele Kennedy, is a pianist and piano teacher who opened her studio in 2019. She moved to Denver from St. Louis, Missouri in 2017. She studied Piano Performance, Music Theory and Pedagogy at Missouri State University. While raising her twin sons, she taught, accompanied theater productions, composed music and performed in a seven-piece band for ten years.
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Michele is the author of "Name the Note Workbook", a tool to help students remember where notes are located on the grand staff. By writing in the names of over 7000 notes in random, but sequential order. The workbook has proven to speed up the process of learning to read music.
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Michele is a member of the National Music Teachers' Association and the Colorado Music Teachers' Association. She creates much of her students' curriculum and arrangements of music for her students and she is also in the process of developing a program for teaching piano to 4-6 year old students.
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​The school mascot is her dog Luther, a 2 year old Golden Doodle who greets students and then naps all day. When she isn't teaching, managing the academy or creating lesson plans, Michele most enjoys spending time with her 6 year old granddaughter and her 4 year old and 14 month old grandsons.
Drum Instructor | Rich Carlson
Rich Carlson has been teaching drums since 1993. He is the author of a book for drum students called “Twisted Drums -A Dynamic Approach to Drumming Independence”. He has played in several successful bands over the years, performing 5 nights a week, and he has even opened for acts including Pat Benatar, Blue Oyster Cult, Great White and Bret Michaels of Poison.
Rich’s approach to teaching is non-intimidating and his objective is for each student to have fun while learning and improving their skills. Rich joined Denver Academy of Musical Arts in July 2024.
Violin Instructor | Anna Schultz
Anna began taking violin lessons when she was six years old in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After moving to Colorado, she began studying at Denver School of the Arts as an orchestra major. She later earned a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from the University of Colorado Boulder, where she studied with Professor Charles Wetherbee. Anna currently performs with Stratus Chamber Orchestra, and she has also performed with Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra and Boulder Symphony Orchestra. Anna is an experienced violin teacher and has completed teacher training for Suzuki Unit 1.
Piano/Vocal Instructor | Molly Drewry
Molly Drewry is currently an elementary school music teacher here in Denver. Molly has a BA in Music Theory and Composition, as well as a background in classical piano and voice performance. She has been teaching piano and voice lessons since 2021, and emphasizes creative expression in her teaching. Molly believes that music should be accessible to everyone, and loves finding new ways to tailor her lessons to her students' goals and interests. Her favorite thing to teach is songwriting, and she is in the process of creating her own album. When she is not playing or teaching music, Molly loves spending time outdoors with her dog Shadow.
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Piano Instructor | Vanessa Perry
Vanessa Perry began her piano training at age 5 when she discovered she has "perfect" or Absolute Pitch. Vanessa studied with Jazz musician Jon Barnes during her teens and entered the Redlands School of Music after high school. Vanessa graduated college with a Bachelor of Music degree and has taught extensively throughout Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada. This is her first time teaching music in Colorado and she is very happy to be a part of the Denver Academy of Musical Arts.
Piano Instructor | Erin Portress
Erin has been playing piano since the age of six and has been singing as long as she can remember. She joined her church choir at age eight and became her church’s musician at sixteen. In 2019, she went to Colorado Christian University for music composition and studied with composer Charles Denler. Erin has been teaching piano and voice since 2024 and is delighted to join Denver Academy of Musical Arts.
Guitar Instructor | Owen Levy
Owen has been playing guitar since the age of 7 and performing live in bands since he was 13. With over 20 years of experience as a guitarist, Owen has played across a wide range of genres and currently plays lead guitar in a country and western swing band here in Denver. His biggest musical influences include Genesis, Rush, and Steely Dan — a mix that speaks to his love of technical musicianship, adventurous songwriting, and jazz-influenced harmony.
Owen teaches guitar, bass, ukulele, and beginner to intermediate drums, working with students of all ages and skill levels. His teaching style centers on improvisation, playing by ear, and helping students find their own musical voice — while building a strong foundation in technique, theory, and rhythm along the way. In his time teaching, he has worked with nearly 50 students and loves nothing more than watching a student go from their first chord to performing on a real stage.
When he's not teaching or playing, Owen can usually be found skiing the Colorado mountains, out on a backpacking trip, or spending time with friends and family.
Vocal Instructor | Susan Kullman
Susan Olson Kullman hails from Chicago, IL, where she received her Undergraduate degree in Music Education from DePaul University in 2001. In 2002, Susan moved to Denver, Colorado and taught Vocal Music and Drama for three years at Bruce Randolph Middle School. From 2005 to 2013, Susan was the Director of Choral Activities at Boulder High School, and in 2010 received her Master’s Degree from the University of Colorado in Choral Conducting and Music Education. Most recently, she has worked as the Director of Music at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church and School and at George Washington High School as the Theater Director and Choral Director. In addition to her musical career, Susan lived in Mexico for a year where she taught English to high school and middle school children. Susan has two beautiful children, Joshua (14) and Leah (10) and an amazing and loving partner, Daniel. In her free time, Susan loves to hike, bike, run, and do anything active in this great state of Colorado. Susan is absolutely thrilled to be a part of the Children’s Choir this year as she embarks on her new adventure as the music teacher and art teacher at Beach Court Elementary.
Studio Coordinator | Santos Noriega
Santos is a sophomore student at the Berklee College of Music, where he is earning a Bachelor’s degree in Electronic Music Production and Sound Design. He aspires to become a studio owner and music producer. His background includes working for the USDA Forest Service apart of the People and Cultural Transformation Team. He is excited to join the Denver Academy of Musical Arts as the new Studio Coordinator.