Instructors
Keys to Life instructors are enthusiastic about music and sharing this passion with others. In part because of them, KTL is one of the best Portland music schools!
All of our teachers go through a nationwide background check through the Oregon Criminal Registry in addition to a thorough reference check! All Keys to Life Instructors perform on their instruments at the interview.
Vivian Chiang
Piano, French Horn
Music has been a central part of Vivian’s life since she began studying piano at the age of three. Coming from a musical family and with over 20 years of piano experience, she brings both deep knowledge and genuine passion to her teaching. In addition to piano, Vivian is an accomplished French horn player and enjoys helping students develop strong musicianship across all areas of music.
Education and Experience:
Vivian earned a Master of Music degree from Boston University. Her BFA is in French horn and her minor is in piano.
She has extensive experience teaching private piano lessons both in the states and in Taiwan, helping students develop technique, music theory, sight-reading, performance skills, and confidence at the keyboard.
Vivian has successfully prepared students for Yamaha and RCM examinations, recitals, concerts, and competitions, guiding many students toward outstanding achievements and certifications.
She has taught in a variety of settings, including private studios, after-school programs, music schools, summer camps, and one-on-one instruction, working with students of diverse ages, abilities, and learning styles.
Vivian is a professional French horn player. She has won awards for composition, piano, and french horn performance too!
Laima Meurer
Piano, OMTA Syllabus Program
Laima Meurer is an accomplished pianist originally from Lithuania. She takes a creative approach to motivating and inspiring her students during piano lessons. She also plays the accordion and ukulele.
Education and Experience:
B.A. in Music Education from the Music Academy of Lithuanian and an M.A. in from the Academy of Physical Culture.
Decades of experience teaching music in a classroom setting and private piano lessons.
Taught music at the Community Center in Oakland, CA; Iron Horse Middle School in San Ramon, CA; and Golden Key Piano in Berkeley, CA.
Part of OMTA and is able to send her students through their Syllabus program if they’re interested.
Cecille Elliott
Violin, Viola, Voice
Cecille Elliott is a versatile music educator and performer who specializes in violin, viola, and voice. She is passionate about helping students build strong technical foundations while fostering creativity, confidence, and a lifelong love of music. Cecille enjoys working with students of all ages and backgrounds, tailoring lessons to each student's goals, interests, and learning style.
Education and Experience:
Cecille earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music with a focus on Voice Studies from Western Michigan University.
She brings more than a decade of teaching experience, including work as a violin and viola instructor, teaching artist, and educational leader with Bravo Youth Orchestras and Kennedy Violins. In fact, both her parents are professional string players and she began teaching violin for her mother’s studio when she was in middle school!
Cecille is an active professional vocalist and instrumentalist who performs regularly throughout the Portland area and beyond, appearing with ensembles, orchestras, recording projects, and live events.
She currently sings with Lyyra, an internationally touring professional vocal ensemble, and is also a featured artist with Resonance Ensemble.
As both a teacher and performer, Cecille draws from a wide range of musical experiences to help students develop musicianship, artistic expression, and confidence both on and off the stage.
Lena Lucarelli
Voice, Production
Lena Lucarelli is a warm, thoughtful voice teacher who is passionate about helping students discover their unique sound and build confidence in their singing. She enjoys working with singers of all ages and experience levels, creating lessons that are supportive, engaging, and tailored to each student's goals. Lena especially loves the problem-solving side of teaching—finding the right approach for each student and helping them overcome challenges so they can experience real growth and success.
Philosophy and Experience:
Lena studied Music and Communications at Adrian College, where she received classical training in voice and performed in a variety of musical ensembles.
She has taught private voice lessons for students of varying ages, skill levels, and musical interests, helping singers develop healthy technique, confidence, and artistic expression.
While classically trained, Lena's personal performance experience is rooted primarily in contemporary styles including pop, R&B, and rock, allowing her to teach a wide range of genres.
In addition to voice instruction, Lena can help students develop basic piano and self-accompaniment skills using chords, lead sheets, and sheet music.
Lena is an active performing and recording artist who released her first full-length album in 2026, bringing current real-world performance experience into her teaching.
Charles Rose
Piano, Guitar, Drums
Charles Rose is a dedicated music teacher who enjoys helping students build confidence, creativity, and strong musical foundations through personalized instruction. He teaches piano, guitar, and drums to students of all ages and experience levels, adapting lessons to each student’s learning style, interests, and goals. Charles strives to create a supportive and encouraging environment where students can grow musically while developing inner discipline, curiosity, and a lifelong enjoyment of music.
Education and Experience:
Charles earned a Master’s degree in Music from Portland State University as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Sonic Arts and Music Production.
He has taught private music lessons since 2022, creating individualized lesson plans for students with a wide range of ages, abilities, and musical interests.
Charles also taught early childhood music classes at The Musikry, leading large group classes for kids and their parents.
As a Graduate Teaching Assistant at PSU, Charles developed and executed lesson plans, led tutoring sessions, and supported students in both group and one-on-one educational settings.
In addition to teaching, Charles has experience in composition, music production, recording technology, and live sound.
Asher Witkin
Voice, Piano, Guitar
Asher Witkin is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Berkeley, California. He started performing when he was 4 years old and since then he’s sung with Coldplay, Daveed Diggs, The Stone Foxes, and recorded for Kehlani among others. His newest project, bandcalledbeach, is signed to Duchess Box Records.
Since 2013 Asher has been teaching private music lessons. His philosophy is simple: people learn best when they're playing music that interests them. Whether it’s helping a singer find their voice, or giving a student the tools to learn their favorite song, Asher believes a good teacher doesn’t just provide instruction, they help students fall in love with music. His approach- which includes a solid foundation in theory and technique- enables students of all ages to strengthen their musicianship, overcome challenges, and unlock their potential.
Education and Experience:
Asher holds a Bachelors of Music Degree with a concentration in Contemporary Composition and Performance from Columbia College Chicago.
He studied Vocal Performance at Oakland School for the Arts in highschool .
After college he studied Pop Songwriting at Popakademie in Mannheim, Germany.
Thomas Higgins
Piano, Guitar, Drums, Bass
Tommy is a multi-instrumentalist specializing in piano, guitar and drum kit. He is also an engineer and producer with a home studio where he regularly records music with a breadth of influences from rock to jazz to techno, and everything in between.
Education and Experience:
Tommy studied music at Lewis & Clark College, where he studied guitar under Dan Balmer and drums under Charlie Doggett. He also played drums in the school’s small jazz combos.
Tommy has been playing piano for 18 years, guitar for 10, drums for 5, bass for 4, and congas for 3 years. He also sings and recently purchased an accordion.
He has about 4 years of experience teaching one-on-one private music lessons, levying his lifetime of experience across a wide array of instruments and musical disciplines to deliver a well-rounded musical education to all his students.
Dylan McGown
Drums & Percussion
Dylan grew up in a musical family that prized the performing arts. He explored musical theater and played multiple instruments before settling on drums, which he studied intensely starting in junior high. In high school, he involved himself in marching, concert, jazz, and pep bands. He also traveled to Europe with his high school band with the national ambassador of music program.
Education and Experience:
Dylan’s taught private drum lessons for 10+ years, all ages.
Graduated with an Associate of Arts from the Musicians Institute LA in 2011 in drums/percussion.
Extensive touring and opening for major acts, headlining local shows 2005-2015.
Specializes in teaching reading/writing drum music and overall drum set comprehension.
Passionate about teaching a good understanding of rhythms and how to conceptualize technique/patterns into to real world drumming.
Bethany Martin
Executive Administrator, Former Voice and Piano Teacher
Bethany grew up in a musical family where singing was part of everyday life and choir was a must every Sunday. She was the first one in her family to take formal lessons and studied the clarinet from junior high through university. She began her vocal studies with some jazz lessons and then transitioned to Keys to Life in 2017 where she studied with Bronwyn for 3 years. She initially taught herself the piano with adult method books so she could help her children practice and found that she loved the instrument. Her experience as a classroom teacher and her love of learning make her an ideal teacher.
Education and Experience:
B.A. in English from the University of Idaho and Masters in Teaching English from PSU.
Homeschooled her two children from 3+ years, exceeding all state requirements.
Taught ESL in Japan to people of all ages for several years.
Applies her experience with Pilates to help voice students deepen their body awareness and breath control.
Ayla Stabile
Piano, Guitar, Composition
Ayla combines a high level of musical ability and creativity with a passion for teaching. They learned the piano and guitar as a child and added composition, drums, and production along the way. After college they worked as a live sound mixer and piano teacher plus they interned at Funnybone Records. They moved to Portland in 2022 and are enjoying performing their original music around the city in addition to teaching again.
Education and Philosophy:
Bachelor of Music in Electronic Media & the Arts (music emphasis) at Bard College, Massachusetts.
Ayla has perfect pitch and enjoys learning by ear in addition to using notation.
A caring teacher, Ayla loves helping students develop their creative side through improvisation.
Colin Rubelle
Piano, Guitar, Ukulele
Colin is a multi-instrumentalist with years of teaching experience and a love classical, jazz, blues, and rock music. When he’s not singing to his baby, or working as a technician in a hospital ER, he’s working on original songs in his punk/dad rock band. While getting his degree in music education and studying classical guitar, he learned to inspire his students, track and record their progress, and manage small and large groups of all ages in an educational setting.
Education and Experience:
Bachelor of Music Education from University of Portland. Graduated on the Deans list!
Taught at Ethos for 4 years and taught in his own private studio for 5 years.
Sight sings music in Solfege; enjoys digital audio recording and editing.
Plays the accordion and loves singing!
Sofía Nava
Guitar, Beginning Piano, Beginning Voice, Cello
Sofía is a Venezuelan musician, singer, and songwriter. She was born in 2004 in Maracaibo, Venezuela, and her passion has led her to pursue a career in the music industry, getting different awards and scholarships, and participating through mentorships and projects with different artists and organizations in the United States and Latin America.
Sofía was accepted at the advanced music school "Fundación Niño Zuliano" in her hometown, Maracaibo. A school that belongs to "El Sistema", a recognized Venezuelan organization for having trained great musicians and conductors such as Gustavo Dudamel. Right there, Sofía studied for 5 years, getting involved in guitar, cuatro, cello, and participating in youth and children's choirs and orchestras.
Education and Experience:
Two time consecutive winner of song-writing contest in Maracaibo, Venezuela, 2018-2019.
Taught lessons and classes at BackBeat Music Academy the summer of 2023.
Winner of the award and scholarship "Beaverton Youth Arts Award 2023" in performing arts, offered by the City of Beaverton, Oregon.
Currently attending PCC studying music and sonic arts with the plan to attend a 4-year college for music.
Selected as one of the 5 "Leading Ladies Connect TogetHER 2023" mentees: a mentorship sponsored by the Latin Recording Academy. Sofía is also a Latin Grammy Associate Member.
Studied Private Lesson Practicum with KTL Founder Sara Duncan, fall 2023.
You can read her full bio and credits here.
Rebecca DiPaola
Voice, guitar, and beginner piano
Rebecca is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, performer and instructor with 5+ years experience teaching private lessons. When she’s not writing, producing and mixing songs in her home studio, you can find her accompanying other artists and performing around town. She also loves hiking with her two pups, rock climbing, biking and skiing!
Education and Experience
Rebecca graduated from Berklee College of Music with a dual degree in Music Production/Engineering and Songwriting.
She tailors lessons to each individual student by meeting them where they are and having specific goals to keep lessons focused.
She also incorporates healthy technique, ear training, sight- reading and individual song choices into lesson plans in order to have a well- rounded approach to all different aspects and genre’s of music!
Hana Chwe
Piano, Voice
Hana Chwe is a pianist, vocalist, and educator who believes music should be accessible, creative, and fun for everyone. She teaches piano and voice lessons for students of all ages and backgrounds, encouraging each student to explore their unique voice and musical interests.
Education and Experience
Hana earned her B.A. in Music with a minor in Gender Studies from Lewis & Clark College and her M.A. in Music Education (Autism Concentration) from Berklee College of Music.
Since 2020 she has taught early childhood, K-12, and adult learners in both private and classroom settings, including at the Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts Education, Boston Music Project, Stratford School in Los Angeles, and Warren-Prescott School in Boston.
Her students can expect lessons that are supportive, engaging, and tailored to their goals, whether they want to build strong fundamentals, perform with confidence, or simply enjoy making music.
Monica Robles
Beginning Piano, Ukulele, Seeds of Harmony
Monica is a music educator who combines a warm, playful teaching style with a strong multi-instrument background. She began piano as a child and studied flute and cello in middle school before discovering her love for guitar, ukulele, and singing in early adulthood. She moved to Portland in 2020 and enjoys inspiring students of all ages to find confidence and joy through music. She has also taught with the Ukulele Project under the guidance of Jeff Kerestes.
Education and Experience
Monica has her Associates in Arts and Humanities from City College of San Francisco and a B.S. in Business Technology & Analytics from PSU.
She was a Music Leader at Royal Family Kids Camp (Wilsonville, OR, 2024) and Camp Victory (Ocean Park, WA, 2025).
Monica co-led pop and worship music for Younglife a program for teens and young adults with special needs. She also led singalongs with the Children’s Evangelism Fellowship Afterschool program.
Monica believes learning is most sustainable when it is fun and engaging. She incorporates games, creativity, and improvisation into her lessons to help students feel empowered and excited about their musical growth.
Sienna Stribling
Piano
Sienna Stribling is an organist, pianist, and educator originally from Kentucky. She started piano lessons at age five, continuing through high school before adding in and focusing more on the organ. Since her time as a high schooler at the Interlochen Arts Camp Sienna has taught lessons and classes off and on. Her lessons are warm, encouraging, and tailored to each student’s individual goals, with an emphasis on curiosity, skill-building, and joy in learning.
Education and Experience
Sienna received her Bachelor of Music in Organ Performance at McGill University, where she also took collaborative piano and minored in Theory. She later earned her Master of Sacred Music in Organ from the University of Notre Dame.
Sienna has served as Organ Scholar in Residence at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Portland, where she accompanied services and worked closely with Trinity’s Choir School of 6th and 7th graders, teaching music literacy, Solfege, and singing through games and hands-on learning. While at Notre Dame, she coached campus ministry choirs, led sectionals, and helped students develop cantoring and ensemble skills.
Her passion for teaching grew during her year at Trinity when she taught numerous private piano lessons. She found great joy in encouraging students, especially those who were shy, to gain confidence and creativity at the keyboard. Sienna loves witnessing the spark that happens when students connect with music for the first time, and she believes music-making supports both artistic and cognitive growth.
The KTL Faculty band is a fun way for KTL teachers to perform for the community and get to know one another better. It also sets a good example for the students and showcases the teachers’ talents in a way that helps the families appreciate and enjoy their skills even more.
Performances
At formal recitals, the Faculty Band generally performs upbeat standards and pop hits. The KTL Faculty band also performs outside of KTL events at local fundraisers, farmers markets, and beyond. Some of their past repertoire includes:
“Happy,” by Pharell
“The Stranger” by Billy Joel
“What’s so Funny About Peace Love and Understanding?” by Elvis Costello
“Natural Woman” by Aretha Franklin
“The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac
“Bei Mir Bist du Schoen,” by the Andrews Sisters
“In My Life,” by the Beatles
“Why Does the Sun Shine?” by They Might Be Giants