Private lessons have taken place on-site at Forté Music for over 30 years. With 18 teachers on staff, we are able to facilitate over 400 lessons weekly and over 500,000 lessons since opening in 1976.

Each lesson is taught by a professional musician once a week, for 30 minutes, with a 1:1 teacher/student ratio. To enroll in lessons or if you have questions about lessons please call (717) 657-1400.

Pearl Bruker:
I began violin studies at age ten in elementary school. Throughout high school I took private lessons from a violin professor at Central Michigan University. During college, I continued studying violin at James Madison University for two years while being a music education major at Eastern Mennonite University. I decided to graduate with a BA in elementary education. After college, I played in the Midland (Michigan) Symphony Orchestra and then joined the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra for a number of years. Currently, I am a member of the Central Pennsylvania Symphony and an instructor of violin and viola at Forte Music.

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Wayne Clark:
I began studying guitar at Scotch Plains Music Center in New Jersey in the fall of 1980.In march of 1983, after just two and a half years of lessons with guitar phenom Ron Beagan, I was offered a fulltime teaching position there and continued to give private lessons on guitar and bass until the fall of 1993. During that time I continued my studies with the late great jazz guitar icon and Grammy winner Harry Leahey. Over the past 15 years I have continued to study and grow as a guitarist, bassist and teacher taking inspiration mostly from jazz and fusion luminaries like Frank Gambale, Alan Holdsworth and Jaco Pastorius (bass). I have played professionally in just about every genre of music on the New Jersey/ New York club scene: top 40/dance, straight ahead jazz, funk R&B, fusion, and blues, classic, heavy and alternative rock. I emigrated to central Pa from New Jersey in the fall of 2005 in search of a better life-and I found it!!! I love it here and I love being a fulltime instructor again!!! When I first started taking lessons, I didn't think I would turn out to be a pro musician. I just wanted to learn licks off of records. But my guitar teacher insisted on giving me a real musical education. Ron Beagan CHANGED MY LIFE by giving me the tools to develop the talents God gave me, and most of all taught me that in music as in life there are no shortcuts...

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Tony Cuicci:
Anthony Ciucci is a graduate of Esther Boyer College of Music and Temple University. He is the Music Director and Organist at the Church of the Good Shepard and the Music Teacher at the Good Shepard School, both located in Camp Hill. Among other accolades, Tony is also an active member of the American Guild of Organists and has served three consecutive terms as the Dean of the Harrisburg Chapter. At Forté Music, Tony teaches piano.

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Susan Drinks:
My name is Susan Drinks. I was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. I began taking piano lessons at the age of eight. During high school I learned how to play the organ and played at my church. I graduated from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, with a Bachelor of Science in Music Education. Upon graduating I taught elementary music in the public school for two years, where I coordinated and presented two major programs each year with all the students involved as well as several smaller programs. I began teaching piano during high school and have taught for about twenty years. I have taught all ages from young children to adults. I also enjoy accompanying singing for my church on keyboard or piano. It's a joy to help students to develop their musical ability, and I'm thankful to be teaching here at Forte Music.

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Jason Fanus:
I began playing guitar when I was sixteen years old, and started lessons soon after. I took three years of guitar lessons which one of them was Classical. In high school, I took three years of music theory. This empowered me to be able to understand how music is written and played. Since then I have played all over Harrisburg, and currently play keyboard for the band that I'm in now. I have also studied the mandolin, and currently take piano lessons here at Forte.

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Keiko Gulledge:
I was born in Japan in 1957 where I began to learn music at the age of four. After attending public schools for nine years, and continuing to practice music, I went to Uguisudani Music High School for three years where I learned Piano, Voice, Music Composition, Sight Reading, etc. These three years were the most strict and hardest time for me in which I will never forget! I then went Kunitachi Music College for four years where I received a degree for Music Teaching and Performance. While in college, I sang opera with the opera club in Japan and played many famous classical piano compositions. After this time, I moved to the USA in 1981. Since then I have been with Forté Music for almost 13 years. There I am teaching Voice and Piano.

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Erica Ickes:
My name is Erica Ickes. I grew up in a small town in Northern Wisconsin. I began taking piano lessons at the age of three from my mother who is also a music teacher. I have been teaching piano since 1996. In 2002, I graduated from Carroll College in Wisconsin with a bachelor’s degree in piano performance and piano pedagogy. I have accompanied many choirs and soloists throughout my playing career and I am currently doing so at the 29th Street United Methodist Church in Harrisburg. I am also a member of the National Music Teachers Association and a nationally certified teacher of music. Besides the piano, I also play the organ and clarinet. In my personal life, I enjoy taking my young son, John, to the park. Besides music, I enjoy running, swimming, and reading. I look forward to being your piano teacher!

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Laura Kaylor:
My name is Laura Kaylor and I am twenty-four years old. I was born in Harrisburg and have lived here for most of my life. I have a strong love for music which was sparked when I began studying seriously over ten years ago. I attended Central Dauphin High School and was part of the CD Singers select choir, the musicals "Guys and Dolls" and "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamboat" and took part in the outdoor color guard. I also took classes in music theory as well as voice and piano lessons outside of school. After High School I attended Lebanon Valley College, majoring in music education. There I studied voice, piano, and theory. I also received two scholarships for my accomplishments. In the fall of 2003, I student taught Elementary band and Middle School choir and General Music classes at the Elco School District. I received my Bachelors of Science Degree in Music Education in May of 2004 and my teaching certificate shortly thereafter. I have a strong passion for music and enjoy teaching those of all ages.

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Cheryl Martin:
Cheryl started playing the piano at the age of five and studied privately until attending Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) in 1976. She completed her course of studies at IUP with a Bachelor of Arts in Music. Cheryl has been teaching piano lessons on and off since the age of fifteen. After concentrating her efforts in the business world and focusing on her family from 1986 to 1998, she returned to her musical roots and resumed teaching piano lessons in 1998. Cheryl has taught at Forté Music since that time. Cheryl has a great love of music. In addition to piano teaching, she has also conducted various church choirs (adult, youth and children) and has assisted in worship at church. As a Christian, she primarily enjoys using her musical gifts within the church. At Forté Music Cheryl teaches piano and voice.

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Ron Miller:
Ron Miller is our woodwinds instructor. He has been teaching private lessons for 13 years (7 years with Forte). Ron has a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Lebanon Valley College in Annville PA. He studied under Tom Strohman who is a professor at the college and the lead saxophonist and keyboard player for Third Stream. Ron’s main instrument is saxophone but also has performance experience on clarinet and flute. Ron utilizes a teaching technique that involves having his students understand the theory of music, so as to empower them to eventually teach themselves. Ron teaches from both the classical and jazz approach depending on the needs of the student. Being a saxophone player he also specializes in preparing students for playing in jazz bands to include jazz theory and improvisation techniques.

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Janet Musser:
It was discovered that I could sing from the age of five and so I was encouraged to take piano and voice lessons while growing up. At the age of 20, I got involved in a local drama group and this birthed my passion for music and theatre. I studied acting in Philadelphia for one year and then left for New York City and studied musical theater at the American Musical Dramatic Academy for two years. After my studies I had an eight year musical theater career and a night club act in NYC for three years. I also did print work, wrote jingles, wrote comedy skits for my club act, recording studio work and I am now in the process of writing a romantic-comedy movie script. I have been teaching voice lessons to up-and-coming performers for the past two years and I love watching them “blossom” as they grow in their talents. It is certainly an extension of my love for music and performing.

This year, Janet entered the PA State Senior Idol Competition. There were 100 performers who auditioned throughout the state and she was blessed to become one of the 15 finalists to represent our beautiful state of Pennsylvania. She specializes in “song-staging”! She will teach you how to prepare for auditions with individual acting and movement techniques. She has been recognized for her God-given talents and would love to share them with you at Forte Music!

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Matthew Racey:
Matthew Racey has been a professional musician for 35 years, and has been teaching for nearly 30. Although he studied theory and instrumental music in college, his most important instruction came from John McCormack (Classical Guitarist) and Harold Jauss (Classical Violinist). Matthew has played for four years with the Harrisburg Symphony and is still studying classical piano seriously; but his real strength (and passion) lies in the improvisation of all types of music and the creation of songs (of which he has written hundreds). Though he plays musical instruments, he offers his students any combination or style of violin, guitar, bass, piano, mandolin, or song writing. From Delta Blues to Baroque, he pretty much loves, plays, and teaches it all.

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Dale Roat:
Hi, my name is Dale Roat. I’ve been teaching percussion at Forté Music for 27 years. My first inspiration in music was when I was three years old. I heard Gene Krupa playing drums with the Benny Goodman Orchestra, doing the song “Sing, Sing, Sing”. I was bouncing off the walls. When I was twelve years old, I got my first snare drum and started taking lessons over the summer at the Central Dauphin School District. My first teacher was a trumpet teacher who did not know anything about drums. He told me to quit, which was terrible. This made me mad and I was bound and determined to play the drums. So, in 7th grade I joined the CD East Jr. High Band. They stuck me on Bass Drum. The Drum was bigger than me! I began taking private lessons from a reputable teacher who taught me a lot. After playing in Junior and Senior High bands and at HACC, along with many local rock, jazz, and other bands I became pretty good. SO off to college I went to Indiana University of Pennsylvania to study for a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music. At Forté Music I love teaching rudimentary snare, classical snare with timpani and mallet keyboard percussion, along with Latin, African, Asian, Middle Eastern, and Indian classical percussion.

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Larry Sweger:
Larry Sweger has a Music Education Degree from Lebanon Valley College in Annville, PA and Graduate work at Penn State University. He spent 35 years teaching instrumental music in the Susquenita School District; where he directed the high school Marching, Concert, and Jazz Bands. During the last 7 years of his teaching career, he also taught the beginning instrumentalists in the Susquenita Elementary School. Larry has played Bassoon with the Harrisburg Symphony and Clarinet and Bassoon with the Harrisburg Concert Band. Throughout his public school teaching career, the biggest thrill came from teaching at the elementary school level. There he enjoyed seeing students who knew very little about music reading/performing develop the skills to actually perform a melody on their own. The world of music opened for them.

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