Private Lesson Faculty

Flute

Ms. Amy Suggs comes to the Liberty Hill High School Private Lesson staff after serving as a band director for 10 years. Ms. Suggs taught at Tom Glenn HS in LISD as a founding staff member and director from 2016-2022. Prior to Glenn, Ms. Suggs completed five years in the Austin Independent School District, teaching at James Bowie High School.

Ms. Suggs holds a Bachelors of Music Education Degree from Texas Christian University. While at TCU Ms. Suggs was a member of the Horned Frog Marching Band, Symphonic Ensemble and Wind Ensemble. She’s performed at venues including Carnegie Hall, the USS Midway, the Rose Bowl and the 2011 Super Bowl.

Ms. Suggs has been playing flute for over 20 years and has been developing flute players in her respective band programs and feeder middle schools for the last 12 years. Ms. Suggs has had multiple All-State flute players in her programs and studio. Ms. Suggs’ ensembles and students have received superior ratings at UIL Marching Contest, UIL Concert & Sightreading Contest, and the Texas State Solo and Ensemble Contest.

Under her direction, her programs have been UIL State Marching Band Contest Finalists, Bands of America Regional, Super Regional, and Grand National Finalists, and a recipient of the John Philip Sousa Foundation’s Sudler Shield in 2013.

Ms. Suggs holds professional affiliations with the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, and Tau Beta Sigma.

Oboe

Dr. Suzanne Segredo-Kundler - suzannesegredokundler@gmail.com

Suzanne Segredo’s musical career can be surmised in one word: diverse. From working with celebrated and renown oboists, to being an active member of the Oboe Chicago Company, Suzanne’s musicianship has crafted an exciting and unique career across the Midwest and Southeast.

Originally from Darien, Illinois, Suzanne has worked extensively in Chicago and the surrounding Midwest, having performed with the Quad City Symphony, Heartland Festival Orchestra, Millikin Decatur Symphony, Urbana Pops Orchestra, Danville Symphony Orchestra, and the Sinfonia da Camera on both oboe and English horn. While in the Midwest, Suzanne received her B.M. in Oboe Performance from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign studying with John Dee, and her M.M. in Oboe Performance and Literature from Northwestern University studying with Michael Henoch, Robert Morgan, and Scott Hostetler.

Following her studies in Illinois, Suzanne received a Post-Graduate Certification in Performance Teaching from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. While in London, Suzanne studied with Gordon Hunt and Allison Teale. As a freelancer overseas, Suzanne performed as the principal oboist with the Lewisham Concert Band, received a spot on the substitute players list for the London production of The Phantom of the Opera, and performed in historic sites such as Cadogan Hall.

As a performer, Suzanne has worked with the Austin and Round Rock Symphonies, and Universal Studios. Driven by a passion for education, Suzanne maintains a private studio throughout the Austin and Chicagoland areas. Her studio consists of beginner to advanced students of all ages. Her goal for her students is to find their voice as a performer, musician, and artist.

An advocate for new and diverse music, Suzanne has worked with and performed the music of Stephen Taylor, Paul Novak, Jose Flores, Brandon Stanley, Vinko Globokar, and Augusta Read Thomas. While in the Midwest, Suzanne’s passion for Rock music led to her arranging and performing the music of Alice Cooper, Hole,Tina Turner, Suzi Quatro, and Creedence Clear Water Revival.

Suzanne continues to push for community engagement with the Oboe through Oboe Chicago and performance events. She travels throughout the country to promote and educate the oboe and promote accessibility to all at conferences and university led double reed days.

Dr. Segredo-Kundler earned her Doctorate from the University of Illinois in Performance and Literature, and a cognate in Music Education. Her Dissertation topic focuses on the importance of Music Performance Anxiety Management.

Clarinet

Sarah McMillian- sarahmcmillianclarinet@gmail.com

Sarah Elisabeth McMillian is an Austin-based clarinetist and teacher. She began her musical studies at the age of 9, and has been playing the clarinet for 15 years. Ms. McMillian attended the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, a prestigious residential high school with pre-professional training in the arts.

She received her Bachelor of Music Performance degree from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in 2020, where she studied under James Campbell and Luis Rossi. While attending, she performed in many ensembles and was the principal clarinetist of the Concert Band. She continued her studies at the University of South Carolina, earning a Masters in Performance in 2022 under Joe Eller. There, she held principal positions with the USC Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra.

Ms. McMillian has performed with many groups throughout the United States, including the Aiken Symphony Orchestra, Southern Indiana Wind Ensemble, and the Atlanta Pops Orchestra.

Apart from the clarinet, Ms. McMillian stays immersed in the arts through music production, field recording, and photography.

Bassoon

Shelby Avants - shelbyiyone@gmail.com

With over six years of teaching experience in Central Texas and Austin, Shelby Avants shares her passion for music while considering her students' goals and individual learning styles.

In 2019, Shelby earned her Associate of Arts in music at Temple College. In December 2021, Shelby earned her Bachelor of Music in Bassoon Performance at Southwestern University. Currently, she is working on her Master's Degree in Performance and Pedagogy at Texas State University.

Shelby customizes every student's learning experience to their goals, interests, and learning styles. She loves teaching classical, jazz, and pop while incorporating history, theory, and ear training.

Shelby's personal goal for her students is to balance reading sheet music with learning music by ear to empower her students to be adaptable in any given musical situation.

Saxophone

Dr. Crystal Alexander-Duckett - crystal@crystalalexanderduckett.com

Crystal has been teaching applied saxophone since 2002. A native of central Texas, Crystal has given performances and masterclasses internationally. She is an active member of Texas Music Educators Association and the North American Saxophone Alliance.

Crystal teaches a select studio of middle school and high school students in the Austin area. Many of these students have earned first division ratings at the Texas State Solo and Ensemble Festival, chairs in the TMEA All-State Band and have performed in the Houston Underground International Chamber Music competition.

Crystal has a Music Education degree from Texas State University and a Doctorate of Musical Arts from The University of Kansas. Crystal and husband Chris have a small pack of rescued pets Jaco, BeBe, Miles, and Kyoshi.

Trumpet

Warren Ealy - warrenealy@gmail.com

Warren Ealy is a graduate of Classical Music Performance with a Bachelor's in Music degree from The University of Texas at Austin (2000) and Masters degree in Music Performance from The University of Southern California (2004). He was fortunate enough to study under the late New York recording artist, Ray Crisara, and Ray Sasaki at UT in Austin, as well as Barry Hopper at Baylor in Waco, Bernie Nero with the Austin Symphony, Jay Saunders (lead trumpeter with big bands) — notably the Stan Kenton Orchestra (early seventies), Boyde Hood at USC in LA, and Wayne Bergeron, a Los Angeles recording artist.

Warren performed "Taps" for the 100th episode of The West Wing during his time at USC. He also performed in the John Stamos short film, "I Am Stamos." In the Austin area, he has performed in more than 10 musicals, including The Producers “traveling Broadway show”, Les Miserables, Ain’t MisBehavin’, Evita, Annie Get Your Gun, Sophisticated Ladies, White Christmas, The King and I, and Love (Janis Joplin)to name a few.

Mr. Ealy performs and has performed in Austin cover bands and Big Bands, such as Third Language (15 yrs), Monster Big Band (11yrs), Newsboyz, Caboose, Memphis Train Review, Matchmaker, Elvis Tribute band, London Calling, Jumpstart, Siringo Pass, and Duck Soup. He had also been a member of the Austin Jazz Band for two years. He has been honored to perform with the Disney Collegiate Band of 1999 (DisneyLand), The Austin Symphony, The Austin Symphony Jazz Band, Corpus Christi Symphony, The Temptations, and Wynton Marsalis.

Warren has been a trumpet teacher for over 30 years. In 2002 he was the teaching assistant (TA) at UT Austin and from 2002-2004 he was the teaching assistant for Boyd Hood at USC. He has been invited to teach masterclasses at USC, OSU, and many Austin area high schools.

Horn

Shaun Murray - smurray.horn@gmail.com

Shaun Murray is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University School of Music and teaches horn in Austin, TX. He has worked with students in Del Valle, Liberty Hill, Leander, Georgetown, and Lago Vista.

A native of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, Shaun studied with Gregory Miller of the Empire Brass at Lynn University Conservatory of Music in Boca Raton, FL. During his undergraduate years, Shaun attended Eastern Music Festival in Greensboro, NC, for three summers studying with Andrew McAffe, Kevin Reid, and Kelly Hofman.

After graduating from Lynn University in 2018, Shaun began studying with William Caballero, principal horn of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA. In the Summer of 2019, he attended the National Orchestral Institute, playing principal on Mahler Symphony No. 5, coached by Gregory Miller, Gail Williams, and William VerMuelen.

Shaun graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with his Master’s degree in Horn Performance in 2020 and his Advanced Musical Studies Certificate in 2021.

Trombone

Luke Berringer - studio.berringer@gmail.com

Luke Thomas Berringer is a Conductor, Trombonist, and Educator from Austin, Texas. As a conductor, he has directed community and student ensembles, and served as an assistant conductor for professional and festival ensembles in the United States, Canada and Germany. Upcoming conducting engagements include the SMART Orchestra in San Marcos, Texas, where he is a candidate for Artistic Director.

He is currently playing trombone in the Temple Symphony Orchestra, Density512- Austin's New Music Ensemble, and many other ensembles in Central Texas. An Avid teacher, he maintains a studio of approximately 40 students from beginners to adults. Luke Studied at the University of Texas at Austin majoring in Music Performance and German.

Additional Studies include the Julius-Maximilians-Universität, in Würzburg, Germany. He speaks English and German fluently. Luke lives in his hometown of Austin, moonlights as a tour guide of downtown Austin/ Texas State Capitol, enjoys cooking, and reading in his spare time.

Euphonium/Tuba

David Hummel - davidhummel21@gmail.com

After finishing his undergraduate degrees in Music Performance and Education from Texas Tech University in 2009, David Hummel completed his Master's degree in Bloomington, Indiana at Indiana University, studying tuba performance.

He has since been teaching low brass privately in the Round Rock, Leander, Georgetown and Austin Independent School Districts as well as playing freelance and with the Central Texas Philharmonic. During his time at Texas Tech, he was the principal tubist with the Amarillo Symphony for two years as well as a substitute with the Big Spring Symphony Orchestra.

He has competed in several regional and international competitions, most recently being in the semi-final round of the International Tuba and Euphonium Conference's Tuba-Euphonium Quartet Competition and the final round of the Mock Band Audition. He has been lucky enough to study with such notable teachers as Dan Perantoni and Kevin Wass.

Percussion

JJ Pereira - jjpereira@rochester.rr.com

Jonathan Pereira is an Austin-based percussionist and educator. As a classically trained percussionist, he feels equally at home performing classical, jazz, or popular music. Mr. Pereira holds degrees in music education and percussion performance from Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY (BM 2013, MM 2016).

He spent several years teaching instrumental music in New York State public schools and private percussion lessons before relocating to Austin in 2018. He has extensive performance experience in wind ensembles, orchestras, and pit orchestras for musical theatre productions, and currently performs with Flechaus, an indie folk band based in Austin.