About Us

Inspiring a love of music

Our goal is to pass on musicianship in an engaging way, using a variety of methods and materials. We teach from a classical approach. This doesn’t mean we teach only classical music, but we place a high emphasis on technique, music theory, and literacy of music notation. We aim to create independent learners. Regardless of how long a student studies with us, it is our hope that he or she will be equipped with the knowledge and curiosity to teach themselves pieces at or below their current level.

We strive to make our lessons fun and engaging. Learning is its own reward, yes, but sometimes an extra incentive is helpful for our young learners. We use an assortment of prizes and small competitions throughout the year. Participation is optional – but the principle is simply that we want to inspire each student to do his or her best work.

Meet our staff

Elizabeth Hasbrouk
Piano & Group Piano

Elizabeth (Noonan) Hasbrouck holds a M.M. in piano performance from the University of Southern Maine, where she studied with Laura Kargul. Elizabeth also earned a B.Mus. degree in piano performance with pedagogy emphasis from USM, studying piano with Laura Kargul and Annie Antonacos, and piano pedagogy with Christine Kissack. Prior to USM, she studied for two years at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, majoring in sacred music with a piano emphasis. Elizabeth has over eighteen years of teaching experience, fourteen of which have been in Cumberland.

Elizabeth is also on faculty at the University of Southern Maine as artist faculty, teaching class piano to music majors. She is a member of the Maine Music Teachers Association and the Music Teachers National Association, completing the requirements for NCTM certification in piano teaching through the MTNA in 2013. She has accompanied numerous recitals, vocal competitions (NATs), and served as accompanist for church services.

Elizabeth was a winner of the Anne Gannett Scholarship from the Maine Federation of Music Clubs (2005), was the recipient of the A. H. Chatfield, Jr. Piano Prize through Bay Chamber Concerts (2006), and was awarded a prize in the Rossini Club’s Wright scholarship competition (2006). In 2008, she received the MTNA StAR Studio Teacher Fellowship Award and was inducted into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi.

Elizabeth resides in Cumberland Center with her husband and their three children and a menagerie of animals. Her side passion is working with the elderly, particularly those with dementia, and she has worked in the medical field as a CNA and CRMA. She can often be heard singing to and with residents, finding that often when the memory fails to remember words, melodies remain. 

Lois Hasbrouk
Piano

Lois Hasbrouck holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Composition from Cairn University in Langhorne, PA. She began piano lessons at the age of six and continued them into high school, as well as some of her college years. After graduation, she began teaching piano lessons and music classes in Portland and Gorham.

Marriage took Lois to southern New Hampshire for 15 years, then the family moved to Maine in 2001. She has taught piano for about 30 of these years, while also raising and homeschooling her now-grown children. She misses the days of singing and playing together, but is happy that each one of her five children maintains a love for music.

Lois’ musical involvement has included choral singing and conducting, accompanying choirs, vocalists, and instrumentalists, some composing and arranging, and being a church director of music and worship. She resides in Gorham with her husband, and enjoys bird-watching and growing flowers.

Julie
Piano & Group Piano
Julie Love Sherman received her Bachelor’s degree in music education from Northland International University located in a small town in Northern Wisconsin. With piano as her primary instrument, she studied under Dr. Jon Ensminger and Dr. Dana Everson. Her teaching background includes general elementary music classes, chorus, band, handchime ensemble, theater, and public speaking; she’s also taught private instruction in piano, voice, and beginning violin. Her varied teaching experience has given her the chance to work with students of all ages, backgrounds, interests, and abilities – with the goal of introducing students to a life-long relationship with music.

With a desire to be a lifelong learning herself, Julie has continued her own personal musical training through singing in community choirs and ensembles, studying violin and voice with local instructors, working toward completing her Master’s degree in music education, and even attempting to learn new instruments (currently the ukulele and the kalimba). In the fall of 2023, she will also be teaching music at Sebago Elementary School, and she has also taught in Hawaii, Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, and Michigan prior to moving to Maine.

Carmen Buckley
Flute & Piano

Carmen Buckley received a BA in flute performance from the University of Maine at Orono in 1992. She has attended masterclasses with Paula Robison, Robert Dick, Kay Gardner, Chris Norman and Paige Dashner Long.

Carmen has taught flute, recorder and music theory in Waldorf schools, local studios, and freelanced throughout New England for the past thirty years. In New Hampshire she has performed with the Keene Chamber Orchestra, Monadnock Flutes and the Keene State College Flute Ensemble.

In addition to teaching and performing, she continues to study and practice the low flutes of the flute family, the alto and bass, traditional wooden flute and bansuri.

Brynn Lewallen
Piano & Voice
Brynn Lewallen is a performer and teaching artist based in Portland. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance from Denison University, and a Master of Music in Music Performance from Arizona State University. In addition to teaching piano and voice for over fifteen years, Brynn has also served as a collaborative pianist, church pianist, music director and arranger. Brynn credits Robin McNeil, her middle- and high school piano teacher, with fostering her love of piano music and music theory/music history.

As a pianist and singer, Brynn has performed across the country in regional theaters and on national tour; her most recent favorite performance contract was in Alaska, where she sang and played piano near Denali National Park. Brynn has received top awards from organizations including the National Association of Teachers of Singing and the Classical Singer Competition.

In addition to music, Brynn is active as a theater teacher with STAGES Youth Theater (Portland) and The Theater Project (Brunswick). When she’s not teaching or performing, you can usually find Brynn in the outdoors– favorite activities include hiking, rock climbing, cross-country skiing, and practicing her earsplitting whistle!

Violin, Let's Play Music, & Administrative Assistant
Melissa Ruiz holds a Master of Music in Performance from the University of Maine, where she studied under Dr. Anatole Wieck, and a Bachelor of Music from Universidad Veracruzana in Mexico. As a performer, Melissa has enjoyed an international performance life, participating in a wide range of ensembles and festivals, including the Dirigo Quartet, Winter Harbor Music Festival, Downeast Chamber Orchestra, Orquesta Filarmónica Duchesne Cuzán, Ensamble Tempus at the Instituto Superior de las Artes de la Habana, Monteux Music Festival, and Festival Internacional de Música Naolinco. In addition to her performance work, Melissa is an experienced and passionate educator. She is committed to using music as a platform for positive change, creating an inclusive space where everyone can feel heard and valued.
Violin

Katie Nestor is currently pursuing degrees in both Violin Performance and K–12 Music Education at the Osher School of Music at the University of Southern Maine. Her teachers include Betsy Kobayashi, Rebecca Chung, and Robert Lehmann. Katie currently serves as assistant concertmaster of the Southern Maine Symphony Orchestra and is an alumna of both the Portland Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Mid-Maine Youth Orchestra, where she held the role of concertmaster

As a performer, Katie appeared as a soloist at Webster University in St. Louis in 2022 and has performed with the Portland Symphony Orchestra. Recently, she was named a winner of the 48th Annual Honors Recital at the Osher School of Music. Katie has extensive chamber music experience, performing as first violinist in the Osher String Quintet and in various small ensembles. She is also an active freelance musician, playing for events and performances throughout central and southern Maine. She is a member of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) and an active vocalist in the Osher Chorale.

Katie has several years of teaching experience, working with students from preschool through adulthood. She teaches private violin lessons and provides instruction in childcare settings, fostering a nurturing and engaging environment for learners of all ages. Katie is passionate about helping students grow in confidence, creativity, and musical expression.

Outside of her musical pursuits, Katie is also a dedicated dance instructor, a passionate tennis player, and an enthusiastic traveler who enjoys experiencing new cultures and environments.

Jennifer Eaton
Admin & Billing
Jennifer Eaton raised her family in Maine and now lives in Virginia, where she works as a standardized patient, runs an Airbnb and leads a ministry for 20 Somethings+. Reach out to her any time you have questions or concerns about billing, at billing@stonecoastmusic.com.

Our daughter has improved so much since she has been working with Liz, the owner of Hasbrouck Piano studio. She shows interest in playing and has gained confidence which for a 13 year old is a good thing. Thank you Liz!

– Vicky F.

Start Learning

Private music lessons
Private Lessons
group music lessons
Group Lessons
Email us
Contact Us