Renaissance Performing Arts Academy

Alice-Margaret Byerts -- Director, Piano, Voice

Alice-Margaret started playing the piano at age 5 under the initial instruction of her mother but quickly moved on to Julie Bishop, her teacher for the next 12 years. As a student of Mrs. Bishop, Alice-Margaret began to win awards for her playing and began to play for her school chorus. During this time she also began to teach her own students beginning at the tender age of 15 with Mrs. Bishop as her mentor.

Alice-Margaret went on to complete her BME degree at Stetson University where she studied voice with Dr. Lloyd Linney and piano with Dr. Michael Rickman after studying piano with Mrs. Nancy Hartman for 2 years. One of her favorite memories of the opera program was singing the role of the "Aunt" in Slow Dusk with her roommate (Dr. Kandie Kearly) playing the role of Sadie.

Over the years Alice-Margaret has taught over literally hundreds of students to enjoy not only the piano but music in general. She has also been a church pianist for nearly 30 years including a 20 year stint at First Baptist Church in Longwood.  While playing at church, Alice-Margaret has also been instrumental in developing both vocal ensemble groups and praise bands/teams.

Alice-Margaret considers herself to be a life-long learner and is always on the lookout for new and exciting ideas to bring to the music school. She uses her love for learning to educate herself on "bare spots" in her own education... such as learning more about jazz piano and theory. Alice-Margaret brings that love learning to the studio where her students not only study theory but also ear training, improvisation and composition.

Alice-Margaret is a member of FMEA, MTNA, NATS, Piano Guild which allows her students many opportunities for healthy competition and adjudication.

Alice-Margaret is married to Dean and has 2 daughters, Mindy and Ginny. During her spare time she likes to bake, cook, travel, camp and spend time with her dog, Roxie.

Melinda Byerts (Mindy) – Clarinet, Piano

Mindy started playing piano at a very early age with her mother as her teacher yet quickly knew that she wanted to play something that her mother did not “teach” or play, so she choose the clarinet after listening to clarinet students her mother accompanied.

Mindy’s teachers have included Veronica Lopez, Dr. Ann Adams and most recently and longest, Dr. Lynn Musco from Stetson University. Dr. Musco has been Mindy’s inspiration and it is because of her enthusiasm that Mindy is a teacher today. Mindy has her AA degree from Seminole Community College as she contemplates the direction of her music.

Mindy was a member of the premier youth symphony in Florida, FSYO, in both its Philharmonic and Symphonic Orchestras and has played with the Orlando Philharmonic and North Carolina Symphony. She has also been a member of the Florida All-State Band and All-County band of Seminole where she remembers her tongue bleeding because they were practicing all day on several fast dances and she was playing Eb clarinet.

Mindy’s students have consistently received superior ratings at solo/ensemble festivals and she thoroughly enjoys working with young students so she can see the progress they make both on the piano and clarinet.

Mindy is a member of FMEA and International Clarinet Association. She enjoys traveling and listening to movie scores while reading during her spare time.

Virginia Byerts (Ginny) – Oboe, Flute, Piano

Virginia began picking out songs on the piano when she was just 2 and her love for music was quite apparent even then. She taught herself flute and in 2^nd grade started formal flute lessons with Anastasia Bakidis before picking up the oboe in 5^th grade. At age 10 she made history at Stetson when was the youngest participant ever in the Stetson University Double Reed Workshop. Dr. Ann Adams has been her one and only oboe teacher since 5^th grade and recruited Ginny to come to Stetson to study. Ginny is about to complete her Oboe Performance degree from Stetson and is looking to get her Masters in Performance.

Ginny was a member of the prestigious Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra for 5 years where she completed her last two years as Principal Oboe/English Horn Soloist in the Symphonic Orchestra. She was also a member of the Florida All-State Band and Orchestra as principal oboe/English Horn soloist as well as a member of the Seminole County All-County Band as principal oboe/English Horn soloist. She has also performed with the Orlando Philharmonic and the North Carolina Symphony. Ginny is a well-respected teacher and performer of oboe music and has been in demand as a soloist all over the Southeast. She has been a finalist in several concerto competitions in the area including a prize winner finalist in the Ocala Symphony Concerto Competition.

Ginny loves cats and movies and in her spare time enjoys traveling, watching movies and analyzing movie scores.

Ginny is a member of FMEA and the International Double Reed Society.

Thomas James (TJ) Cople -- Saxophone

TJ was one of the first students of Mindy Byerts when he was in 6^th grade as a beginning clarinet student. When he was allowed to move to the saxophone, TJ began lessons with Jeremy Williamson with whom he is still studying. Even though TJ is still in high school, he is earning his “teaching wings” under the mentorship of Alice-Margaret Byerts and his own private instructor. He has been a member of the Florida All-State Band and Seminole County All-County bands (one of the most prestigious in the state). He is proficient on Alto, Tenor and Baritone Saxophones as he has played all three in various bands and Jazz Bands. He is continuing his study on Saxophone not only in the classical vein but is doing private study in Jazz Sax. TJ takes pride in making sure his students get a strong foundation in classical study so that they can make the change to jazz with ease or choose to stay on the classical line.