Our Teachers

We are very proud to offer some of the best music
instructors in Southern Indiana. The esteemed
School of Music at Indiana University produces
truly world-class performers every year. We pick
and choose among these fantastic musicians to find
those who also make great teachers.
Piano
Christopher Stafford
Piano

Chris is the founder and owner of the Stafford Music
Academy. With an undergraduate degree in Music
Composition, and Graduate Degrees in Music
Theory and Film Composition, he brings a breadth
of musical understanding to his students. He began
studying Suzuki piano when he was four years old,
and has also studied trumpet, euphonium, and tuba.

Currently, Chris p
lays and sings with a number of
community musical groups, and works as a
composer/arranger. In addition, he serves on the
board of the Southern Indiana Wind Ensemble, as
the Website Coordinator for Friday Musicale, and on
the Music Advisory Committee for the Bloomington
Community Band.
Meryl Krieger
Piano, Clarinet

Meryl has just finished her Ph.D. in
Ethnomusicology, and also has degrees in
Piano Performance and Pedagogy, Music
Theory, Communications, and
Anthropology. Having taught piano for
almost fifteen years, she brings an
incredible amount of experience to the
Stafford Music Academy, where she has
been teaching since January of 2006.

Meryl is also very active a
s a director
and performer with local theater groups
Cynthia Hrabak
Piano

Cynthia has been teaching piano for over
thirty years, and is an expert in the field of
young children's music programs. She
received Kindermusik training under the
program's writer and founder Lorna Heyge.
She is also trained and certified in the
Yamaha Music Education System. Cindy is
the music director at McDoel Baptist
Church, and sings soprano in the
Bloomington Chamber Singers.

Cindy has been teaching for the Stafford
Music Academy since March of 2006.
Alex Peh
Piano

Alex Peh received his Bachelor's and Master's degrees
in Piano Performance from Northwestern University.
He is currently pursuing his Doctoral degree, also in
Piano Performance, at Indiana University, where he is
also an Associate Instructor of Piano for the Jacobs
School of Music.

Alex has won several prestigious awards, including
Third Prize at the Kingsville International Piano
Competition, and First Prize in the Indiana University
Mozart Concerto Competition.

Alex has been teaching privately for 8 years, and for
Stafford Music Academy since August of 2007.
Joel Thoreson
Violin/Piano

Joel received his undergraduate and graduate degrees in Violin
Performance from Central Washington University. In addition
to serving as concertmaster of the Central Washington
University Symphony Orchestra, the multi-talented Joel also
taught music theory, violin, voice, and piano, and is a published
composer of choral music. The breadth of his education and
the diversity of his musical experiences make Joel a valuable
addition to the Stafford Music Academy!

Currently Joel works as a professional piano accompanist for
students at IU's Jacobs School of Music, and sings tenor in the
Bloomington Chamber Singers.


Stafford Music Academy, Inc.
-Our Teachers-
General
Information
Stafford Music
Academy
2676 E. 2nd Street
Bloomington, IN
(812) 339-2505