Since earning her BMued in 1986, Kathryn Kalmansson has taught private violin and viola lessons and ukulele classes, taught classroom music and school orchestras, conducted children’s choruses, assisted as section coach with the Youth Ensemble of New England, and directs the popular local group Rose, Thorn & Fiddle, of which she is founder and sole music arranger. Many of her students have participated in the MMEA District and All-State orchestras and have earned substantial college orchestra scholarships. Kathryn recently  completed her Master's in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. Kathryn joined Thayer Conservatory’s music faculty in 1992.

 

Fun Fact: She enjoys braiding rugs from thrifted wool and adding to her home library with frequent trips to the book sections of all the local Goodwill stores. 

Bronwyn Pappas-Byers is a second generation music teacher and has studied music and music pedagogy in a wide variety of settings, beginning in their childhood home and branching out to Berklee College of Music, the Rivers Youth Orchestra programs, and numerous orchestra and jazz festivals in their youth. At Vassar College, Bronwyn participated in the college orchestra as co-principal cellist, was very active in Vassar’s chamber music community, and was an original member of Vassar’s only traditional music ensemble. They have studied cello with Ariana Falk, Yves Dharamraj, Sophie Shao, Patrice Jackson-Tilghman, and Jenny Fan; piano with Jenny Griffin Gaul; double bass with Mark Poniatowsky; and have received instruction from their parents in piano, voice, arranging, music pedagogy, and contemporary music theory.

 

Bronwyn freelances and teaches in the Worcester and Greater Boston areas, and hold teaching positions at Marlborough and Waltham Public Schools, the Joy of Music Program, Thayer Conservatory, and Worcester Chamber Music’s Neighborhood Strings Program, in addition to their private studio. They have performed with the Seven Hills Symphony and the Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra in Worcester and are currently co-principal cellist in the Rivers Symphony Orchestra under conductor Chris Memoli.