KATHARINA BAKER (Artistic Director Coole Music & Arts) – Violin, Viola, Orchestra, Chamber Music and Toddler Tunes
Katharina was born and raised in Lübeck , Germany, where she was surrounded by music at home, at church and in school throughout her childhood and youth. The violin became her main instrument and opened the gates to orchestras and chamber music. She later studied Violin, Pedagogy/Methodology and Ensemble Conducting at the Royal University College of Music in Stockholm, Sweden where from where she graduated with a MA MusEd in 2002. The same year she moved to Ireland where she started Coole Music & Arts 3 years later. Katharina also composes chamber and orchestral music (www.katbak.com) and is frequently lecturing within the field of string teaching and chamber music for young players in Ireland and abroad. She is the violist of OIKOS string quartet (Belgium) and enjoys playing with the Limerick Philharmonics.
BRYONIE HAWKINS – Violin, Viola, Cello, Theory, CMYO
Rozanne graduated in 2012 with an Honours Bachelors of Music Degree from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa. During her studies she specialized in violin performance. Rozanne has been teaching violin, theory and orchestral music for over 10 years being actively involved in community music outreach projects even during her studies. She is a keen orchestra musician and played for the KZN Philharmonic and DCO in South Africa. After her studies she taught privately and in two music departments in Durban before moving to Galway.
TOM MURPHY – Violin, Viola and Cello
Tom studied violin in the Academy of Music in Dublin. After doing his Leaving Cert, he did a music degree in UCC and studied violin with Una Kindlon (of the NSO) in the Cork school of Music. Since college he has taught music privately in Galway city and county and is currently teaching in both Coole Music and Athenry Music schools. He plays with the Corrib String Quartet and Luminosa String Orchestra.
TERESA TURNER – Double Bass, Piano, Accompanist
Teresa graduated in 2005 with an Honours Bachelor of Music Degree from the Cork School of Music. A keen orchestral musician, she started playing first with Wexford Sinfonia, and then went on to join the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland, among others. She has participated in many orchestra tours abroad including Germany, Holland, Denmark, and Finland. She is currently principal double bass of the Luminosa String Orchestra. Much sought-after as an accompanist, she has worked with various choirs, including the Tribal Chamber Choir and the Marine Singers in Galway, as well as regularly accompanying grade exams. Teresa has been teaching individual lessons in piano and double bass for over 15 years. In 2011 she completed a three year training to become a fully certified teacher of the Alexander Technique.
TIM MCCOY – Flute, Recorder, Theory
Tim holds a Graduate Diploma in Music Teaching, History, and Pedagogy. He Studied Flute at the Limerick School Of Music and attended classes in England with renowned teacher Geoffrey Gilbert, Trevor Wye, William Bennett and Peter Lucas Graf. Tim taught flute at the School Of Music at the GTI Galway (GRIT). He also currently teaches at Clare Music Makers, and has done since 2003. He has taught Flute and Theory at Coole Music in Gort since 2014. Tim’s students are consistently among the best and have been members of the Irish Youth Orchestra and National Wind Ensemble
DAVID MCENTEE – Piano
Born in Belfast but in Galway most of his life, David lives and breathes Piano. He has been teaching Piano and Music Theory for over 10 years and holds a BMus from the Cork School of Music (2009-2013) specialising in piano performance and pedagogy. He also holds a Diploma in Teaching and Performance (DipMus) from the Royal Irish Academy of Music (2007-2008). He has studied under Dearbhla Collins, Reammon Keary and RIAM director John O’Conor. In the Cork School of Music, David studied under Nicholas O’Halloran and the head of department, Gabriela Mayer, as well as gaining conducting experience from Alan Cutts.
David is an accomplished concert soloist, having performed most notably in the Mendelssohn Remise, Berlin in 2012, performing works by Beethoven and Liszt. He has won a number of Piano competitions around the country including Dublin, Sligo, Wicklow and Cork, and has performed in eight piano master classes with distinguished pianists including Barry Douglas and Pavel Nerssesi.
Emma Montonen – Violin
Emma Montonen began her training as a violinist at the East Helsinki Music Institute in Finland, from where she went on to study violin pedagogy at the Helsinki Conservatory of Music.
In the mid-nineties, Montonen was invited to join the faculty of Leeson Park School of Music in Dublin, after which she transitioned to run her own private studio. She has also taught at the Royal Irish Academy of Music.
Montonen relocated to County Clare in the summer of 2024, and is currently teaching in Coole Music, as well as in Ennis and Kildysart.
Jose Scolaro
Born in Ciudad Boliva, Venezuala, Jose holds degrees in Music and Pedagogical Education. He is a member of the world-renowned National System of Children’s, Youth Orchestras and Choirs of Venezuela, El Sistema. He is the founder of the Youth and Children’s Orchestra in Ciudad Boliva and was concertmaster from its inception in 1977 up until 1981. Some of Jose’s academic and violinist training took place in Caracas under the eminent Maestro violinist Jose Fransisco De Castillo
In 1982 Jose studied violin in France under violinist Erick Friedman. He also studied Chamber Music courses dictated by the famous Latin American Quartet, Master Hellmut Rilling. He was a founding member of the Chamber Orchestra of Venezuela and has participated in many international tours as 1st violinist with the “Simón Bolívar” Symphony Orchestra.
He is passionate about music education for young people and has been instrumental in leading workshops for Venezuela’s Education and Musical Training Program of Youth and Children’s Orchestras. He has also worked with UNESCO and OAS to help create youth and children’s orchestras in Latin America and the Caribbean. In 1999 Jose was involved in the foundation of the National Children’s Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela where he mentored talents such as the famous conductor Gustavo Dudamel, Diego Matheuz, Christian Vásquez, Domingo García, among others. With 37 years as a violinist and 26 years as a violin teacher Jose is a deeply committed teacher. 3 years ago Jose moved to Galway and continues to teach and inspire many young people.
Richard Pomfret
Bryonie has been teaching string instruments for nearly 30 years. After studying at the Queensland Conservatorium in Australia, doing extensive training as a Suzuki teacher, and teaching in Australia, she moved to Ireland. She plays in orchestras (the University Limerick Orchestra, Limerick Sinfonia, and the Limerick Choral Union – in all of which she has been section leader), numerous musical societies, quartets and solo concerts from Galway to Limerick. She plays and teaches violin, viola, and cello. She has developed a theory system for children aimed at teaching theory through games and activities in order to instil a love and enjoyment of theory from early learning. Bryonie finds great satisfaction in teaching and enjoys her daily interactions with her students and their families as she sees them grow in their experience of music learning and watches their music lead them to many varied places. Bryonie has had students find many different ways of enjoying their music, from students like Ray Chen who have gone on to performance and recording careers, to students who use their music experiences to encourage other young people to learn, to retired adults students who use music to enhance their enjoyment
of their later years.
ROZANNE BOTHA – Violin, Chamber Music, Accompanist, Crescendo and Junior Orchestras
Rozanne graduated in 2012 with an Honours Bachelors of Music Degree from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa. During her studies she specialized in violin performance. Rozanne has been teaching violin, theory and orchestral music for over 10 years being actively involved in community music outreach projects even during her studies. She is a keen orchestra musician and played for the KZN Philharmonic and DCO in South Africa. After her studies she taught privately and in two music departments in Durban before moving to Galway.
TOM MURPHY – Violin, Viola and Cello
Tom studied violin in the Academy of Music in Dublin. After doing his Leaving Cert, he did a music degree in UCC and studied violin with Una Kindlon (of the NSO) in the Cork school of Music. Since college he has taught music privately in Galway city and county and is currently teaching in both Coole Music and Athenry Music schools. He plays with the Corrib String Quartet and Luminosa String Orchestra.
TERESA TURNER – Double Bass, Piano, Accompanist
Teresa graduated in 2005 with an Honours Bachelor of Music Degree from the Cork School of Music. A keen orchestral musician, she started playing first with Wexford Sinfonia, and then went on to join the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland, among others. She has participated in many orchestra tours abroad including Germany, Holland, Denmark, and Finland. She is currently principal double bass of the Luminosa String Orchestra. Much sought-after as an accompanist, she has worked with various choirs, including the Tribal Chamber Choir and the Marine Singers in Galway, as well as regularly accompanying grade exams. Teresa has been teaching individual lessons in piano and double bass for over 15 years. In 2011 she completed a three year training to become a fully certified teacher of the Alexander Technique.
TIM MCCOY – Flute, Recorder, Theory
Tim holds a Graduate Diploma in Music Teaching, History, and Pedagogy. He Studied Flute at the Limerick School Of Music and attended classes in England with renowned teacher Geoffrey Gilbert, Trevor Wye, William Bennett and Peter Lucas Graf. Tim taught flute at the School Of Music at the GTI Galway (GRIT). He also currently teaches at Clare Music Makers, and has done since 2003. He has taught Flute and Theory at Coole Music in Gort since 2014. Tim’s students are consistently among the best and have been members of the Irish Youth Orchestra and National Wind Ensemble
DAVID MCENTEE – Piano
Born in Belfast but in Galway most of his life, David lives and breathes Piano. He has been teaching Piano and Music Theory for over 10 years and holds a BMus from the Cork School of Music (2009-2013) specialising in piano performance and pedagogy. He also holds a Diploma in Teaching and Performance (DipMus) from the Royal Irish Academy of Music (2007-2008). He has studied under Dearbhla Collins, Reammon Keary and RIAM director John O’Conor. In the Cork School of Music, David studied under Nicholas O’Halloran and the head of department, Gabriela Mayer, as well as gaining conducting experience from Alan Cutts.
David is an accomplished concert soloist, having performed most notably in the Mendelssohn Remise, Berlin in 2012, performing works by Beethoven and Liszt. He has won a number of Piano competitions around the country including Dublin, Sligo, Wicklow and Cork, and has performed in eight piano master classes with distinguished pianists including Barry Douglas and Pavel Nerssesi.
Emma Montonen – Violin
Emma Montonen began her training as a violinist at the East Helsinki Music Institute in Finland, from where she went on to study violin pedagogy at the Helsinki Conservatory of Music.
In the mid-nineties, Montonen was invited to join the faculty of Leeson Park School of Music in Dublin, after which she transitioned to run her own private studio. She has also taught at the Royal Irish Academy of Music.
Montonen relocated to County Clare in the summer of 2024, and is currently teaching in Coole Music, as well as in Ennis and Kildysart.
Jose Scolaro
Born in Ciudad Boliva, Venezuala, Jose holds degrees in Music and Pedagogical Education. He is a member of the world-renowned National System of Children’s, Youth Orchestras and Choirs of Venezuela, El Sistema. He is the founder of the Youth and Children’s Orchestra in Ciudad Boliva and was concertmaster from its inception in 1977 up until 1981. Some of Jose’s academic and violinist training took place in Caracas under the eminent Maestro violinist Jose Fransisco De Castillo
In 1982 Jose studied violin in France under violinist Erick Friedman. He also studied Chamber Music courses dictated by the famous Latin American Quartet, Master Hellmut Rilling. He was a founding member of the Chamber Orchestra of Venezuela and has participated in many international tours as 1st violinist with the “Simón Bolívar” Symphony Orchestra.
He is passionate about music education for young people and has been instrumental in leading workshops for Venezuela’s Education and Musical Training Program of Youth and Children’s Orchestras. He has also worked with UNESCO and OAS to help create youth and children’s orchestras in Latin America and the Caribbean. In 1999 Jose was involved in the foundation of the National Children’s Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela where he mentored talents such as the famous conductor Gustavo Dudamel, Diego Matheuz, Christian Vásquez, Domingo García, among others. With 37 years as a violinist and 26 years as a violin teacher Jose is a deeply committed teacher. 3 years ago Jose moved to Galway and continues to teach and inspire many young people.
Richard Pomfret