Instructors

We take the hiring of instructors seriously.  We are delighted to introduce our group of teachers for fall 2024 lessons, all of whom are wonderful teachers and accomplished musicians in their own right.  Englewood is lucky to have so many musicians right here.

Miguel Espinoza

Miguel Espinoza is our guitar instructor. Together with the rest of his group, Miguel Espinoza Fusion, he performs around Colorado and across the country. His music twists jazz, flamenco, Cuban and classical Indian musical forms. A passionate teacher, he has inspired many students to embrace the full range of what can be created with a guitar.

Sarah Biber

Sarah Biber teaches our beginning and intermediate cello students. She has played the cello and viola da gamba across the United States, Australia, and China.  Sarah received her last degree, a Doctorate of Musical Arts in cello performance, at Stony Brook under renowned cellist Colin Carr. She received her pedagogical education at Oberlin Conservatory and College and at the Chicago, SAGWA, and PPSI Suzuki Institutes. She was previously an assistant professor of cello performance and pedagogy at Montana State University, teaching music theory and string pedagogy to future music educators and founded Second Strings, an orchestra of adult amateur string players coached by Sarah and other professional musicians

Jeannette Altenhofen

Jeannette Altenhofen is one of our piano teachers.  She has taught elementary music in both private and public schools for 27 years. She recently retired after teaching music in the Littleton Public Schools. She has been a pianist and organist in churches for over 25 years. She has had her own piano studio for many years and loves teaching private lessons.  Her own children started music in the Strings Attached program and have been very involved in music at ELA & EHS.

Siuzanna Iglidan

Siuzanna Iglidan is our newest piano teacher.  She received a master degree in performing arts as a bandura player and in orchestra conducting. She is also an accomplish composer, pianist, bandura player, and opera singer. She is an experience piano teacher and we are delighted to have her start teaching with us fall of 2022.

Joan Bertoluzzi

Joan Bertoluzzi is our violin teacher.  She performed as a professional violinist and has many years of experience teaching violin to all levels from young children to adults. She tailors each lesson to the student’s interests and strengths to make the experience challenging and pleasurable.

Dianne Betkowski

Dianne Betkowski teaches our intermediate and advanced cello students.  She has performed, toured and recorded with the St. Louis, Utah, Honolulu and Colorado Symphony Orchestras. She is also a composer whose works have been performed by the Rochester Philharmonic, and the National, St. Louis, Houston, Honolulu and Colorado Symphonies, among many other groups. Her book, How to Get To Carnegie Hall: A Weekly Music Practice Schedule, is in its second printing.  Dianne enjoys teaching cello, performing and coaching chamber music, and inspiring musicians of all levels