Middle C Music

Jean Cioffi

Voice, Clarinet, Recorder, Flute, Piano

Days Available: Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays

B. Mus. Ed. , Masters, Vocal Performance. Former Director of Music Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Denver , founder/director of the Cioffi Singers and Cioffi Players. Private/Public School teaching, private teacher of: voice, piano, clarinet, recorder, and beginning flute. Performed Europe and U.S. 45+ years experience performing and teaching all ages.

Brock Holmes

Guitar, bass, piano

Days Available: Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays

Brock Holmes has performed and taught in the DC area for more than 30 years. In 2008, he was Music Director of the 2008 production of the British Embassy Players “Music Hall”, and of the Hexagon Club’s all-original musical comedy review, “Stars and Gripes Forever!” As a guitarist, he has performed solo and as an accompanist at a variety of venues, including with the Fairfax Symphony. Brock has released two CDs – one featuring his a cappella singing group “Brock and the Rockets,” and one of his own compositions based on polyrhythms, titled, “Rhythm Warrior.” He has taught guitar at all levels, and works with every student to find and keep in focus his or her particular love of music, whether it’s classical, jazz, folk, or none of the above.

Gary W. Joynes

Piano, Saxophone

Days Available: Mondays, Tuesdays, and Saturdays

Gary Joynes is a songwriter, composer, producer, keyboardist, saxophonist and educator based in Washington, D.C. Originally from Warrenton, Virginia, Gary grew up studying saxophone and piano. Upon high school graduation, Gary decided to focus on saxophone. He earned his Bachelors and Masters degrees from New England Conservatory in Jazz Studies, both with distinction. While still an undergraduate student, Gary was featured as a saxophonist in composer and bandleader George Russell's seminal recording "The African Game," which received two Grammy nominations. As time went by, Gary felt the need for a new direction. He fell in love with the art and craft of songwriting. He began to put his focus back on the piano and keyboards, started studying the great writers, began developing his own production style, and has not looked back since. Most recently, Gary received the Gold Award for his song, "Naked," in the R & B/Urban Category at the 25th Annual Mid-Atlantic Song Contest (MASC). He also was selected as a Finalist in the same category for his songs "Sensitive Man" and "Head Up Shoulders Back." He performed the winning song, "Naked" at the MASC awards ceremony January 11, 2009 at Jammin' Java in Vienna, Virginia.

Gjinovefa Sako

Piano, all levels

Days Available: Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays

 Gjinovefa Sako is both a distinguished pianist and experienced piano teacher. She has over 30 years of experience as a piano instructor, working with diverse populations in a professional teaching environment. Displaying a genuine interest in music and teaching piano concepts to people of all ages including children and adults with a superior command of music, she designs lessons with logical sequential content that allows for individual learning styles. She teaches piano lessons to students beginning through advanced and encourages student independence and creativity, while modeling a positive self-concept, and attitude. Gjinovefa is able to communicate effectively and courteously in English, Albanian, and Italian, and instruct both individuals and Chamber Music Coaching and accompanying faculty, as well as students. She prepares for and assists students at 3 to 4 formal recitals per year.
Mrs. Sako graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts, Tirana, Albania with the highest honors. In recognition of her excellent academic achievements, she was selected to perform for her diploma work, the Tchaikovsky concert N.1 for piano and orchestra and the Feim Ibrahim concert N.2 for piano and orchestra accompanied by the Albanian Orchestra of National Radio Television. Following this performance, Gjinovefa Sako was hired as a soloist performer for the Albanian Orchestra of National Radio Television. Between 1983-1989, she performed in numerous concerts for piano and orchestra where she has performed music from an array of composers that include Tchaikovsky, Saint-Sans concert N.2, Liszt concert N.2, Symphony Variations for piano and orchestra by Cesar Franck and Albanian composers Zadeja, Ibrahimi, Lara and many more. Furthermore, Mrs. Sako has recorded and her performances have been broadcasted in National Television; concerts have included music from composers such as Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Liszt, Chopin and Rachmaninoff. She has also recorded soundtrack music for renowned Albanian Movies and was a performer in the National Symphony Orchestra at the National Music Festivals. Gjinovefa Sako was awarded First Prize at the National Piano Contest in Tirana, Albania. Between 1989 and 1992, and 2000-2005, Mrs. Sako lived in Rome, Italy, following her husband who served in the Albanian Foreign Service as diplomat. During this time, she performed in numerous concerts in Rome, Italy at “Teatro Marcello,” “Salla Baldini,” “Palazzo della Cancelleria in Rome, “Teatro Flavio Vespasiano” in Rieti, Piacenza, Sengaia and many more across Italy. Furthermore, she has performed at the International Festivals “Valentino Bucchi” and “Anzio International Festival” in Italy. In 1992, Mrs. Sako was invited as a Jury Member for the International Contest entitled “Children and nature, Valentino Bucchi, for young pianists” in Rome, Italy. In 1995, sponsored by the “Tempus” program, she attended a specialization program at the Academy of Arts in Rome, Italy. Between 1993 and 2000, Mrs. Sako was a professor of piano at the Academy of Fine Arts in Tirana, Albania. In 2003 and 2004, she performed twice at the “Palazzo Barberini” in Rome in honor of the Albanian President and Italian high officials. Additionally, between 2003 and 2005 she was a collaboratore esterno to accompany students of violin class of professor Caramonta in “Santa Cecilia” Conservatorio, Rome, Italy. Since 2005, Mrs. Sako has lived in Washington, D.C following her husband, who was a diplomat in the Albanian Embassy, and has worked at Middle C Music as a Piano Instructor. She has also performed during official events organized by the Albanian Embassy and Kosovo Embassy in Washington, DC and New York City.

Lindsay Williams

Clarinet, Saxophone, Piano, and Flute

Days Available: Saturdays and Sundays

Originally from northern Virginia, Lindsay holds a Bachelor of Music in clarinet performance from the Eastman School of Music, and a Master of Arts in Performing Arts Administration from New York University. She has studied clarinet with Kenneth Lee, Peter Hadcock, Eli Eban, John Fullam, John Manasse, and Robert Dilutis. She has also studied flute, piano, guitar, voice, and is self-taught on the saxophone.

Lindsay’s students have consistently received Superior (I) and Excellent (II) ratings at Solo & Ensemble Festival in the spring. Since she began teaching in 2005, her clarinet and saxophone students have also consistently placed in the top five at All-District Band auditions, at both the middle and high school levels; she also sent a student to Virginia’s Governor’s School for the Performing Arts in 2010.

She has substituted on 2^nd and bass clarinet with the Erie Philharmonic in Erie, Pa, and was Principal and 2^nd clarinet with the Ash Lawn-Highland Summer Festival Orchestra for three summers. She is active as a freelance clarinetist and woodwind doubler, playing in symphonies and theatre pit orchestras in northern Virginia and Washington, DC. She maintains a private studio in northern Virginia, and is thrilled to be a part of the faculty at Middle C Music.

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Percussion, Piano, Guitar, Bass

Days Available: Sundays

Stephen studied music at Western Michigan University before moving to the DC area to pursue a career as a professional gigging musician. He plays piano, bass, guitar and drums with a number of local bands and has recently performed at Fort Reno Park, Iota, and the Black Cat, among others. He appreciates a variety of musical styles, including jazz, funk, rock, classical and pop. His enthusiasm for music is infinite- a quality that he looks forward to sharing with his students.