Seward Music Teachers
Meet Marble Music’s amazing teachers!
All of our instructors are dedicated to providing high quality teaching and a positive learning environment for all of their students. Each teacher comes to lessons prepared to teach, listen, encourage, and guide each student in their abilities both as a musician and as an individual. They strive to be creative and are willing to try a variety of learning strategies to meet their student’s needs. As highly trained musicians and performers themselves, Marble Music teachers are always expanding both their own ability as well as their personal teaching pedagogies in the studio.

Lucy Collins
Violin & Viola Instructor
Krista Lawrence, MM
Voice Instructor
Krista Lawrence is a soprano who has been teaching voice for over 15 years. Originally from Laramie, WY, she came to Lincoln for graduate school. She holds a Masters of Music in Vocal Performance from UNL, as well as a Bachelors of Music from the University of Wyoming. She has performed as a soloist with Opera Omaha, has been a Young Artist at multiple programs, and has competed both the international and national level. Favorite past roles include “Amalia Balash” from SHE LOVES ME, “the Queen of the Night” from Mozart’s the Magic Flute, and Cinderella in “Into the Woods.”
Krista’s favorite thing about teaching voice is working with different styles. She enjoys operatic, musical theatre, and contemporary styles. Krista believes that each singer should find their own sincere sound, and learn the tools to help them communicate with others in a healthy and effective way.


Malachi Million, DMA
Guitar & Ukulele Instructor
Malachi graduated with honors from Friends University where he earned a Bachelor Degree in Guitar Performance. At Friends, he studied jazz guitar under Randy Zellers and classical under Howard Glanton. Malachi attended Graduate School at the University of Arkansas and earned a Master of Music Performance in guitar studying under Benjamin Harris and Jake Hertzog.
He earned his Doctorate of Musical Arts in Jazz Studies Performance under Dr. Peter Bouffard at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Paul Zeller, DMA
Piano Instructor
Paul Zeller, D.M.A., leads an active career as performer, teacher, and scholar in his field. Paul’s solo and collaborative work is highlighted by performances in recital and concert halls across the country, including Carnegie Hall, Minnesota’s Orchestra Hall, and the Lied Center. An avid chamber musician, Paul is a founding member of the Trace Chamber Society and Trio 402. Paul holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano performance from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he studied with Mark Clinton. His past teachers include Roger McVey, Jay Hershberger, and Julian Martin.
An active pedagogue, Paul teaches students of all ages and levels in both group and individual settings. Many of Paul’s private students have been recognized in local and regional competitions, and he is a respected chamber music coach. In addition to cultivating young musical minds, Paul focuses on growing community engagement in the Arts. This work includes his roles as Assistant Coordinator and Instructor with the Lincoln Community Piano Experience program, which offers beginner and intermediate adult group classes. Paul also volunteers with the Abendmusik concert series, serving on their funds and finance committee and special event task force.
Paul’s academic interests revolve around expression and music signification, a field to which he was introduced by Esti Sheinberg. His current research explores different methods that create a singing-style at the piano, a topic on which Paul has been accepted to present at the 15th International Congress on Musical Signification in Barcelona, ES.


Šárka Stehnová, DMA
Piano Instructor
Jackson Stull
Guitar and Ukulele Instructor
Jackson Stull is a Lincoln-based guitarist pursuing a BA degree in Music and German. He is currently studying at the Glenn Korff School of Music with Peter Bouffard and Tetsuya Nishiyama.
Jackson has been playing guitar since he was a child, beginning with rock/blues and eventually taking interest in jazz, classical, and flamenco. He frequently performs his classical and flamenco repertoire as a soloist, and has also performed with many groups through his school including the UNL Big Band, UNL Jazz Combos and UNL Early Music Group.
He has been teaching for two years and specializes in classical and electric guitar. His teaching philosophy combines general music knowledge with repertoire appropriate to each individual’s skill level, all the while maintaining a fun and encouraging atmosphere.


Olivia Reininger
Piano Instructor
Olivia Reininger is originally from Los Angeles, California where she started her music training. Saturday morning “Looney Tunes” inspired her to start playing the piano by ear, at age three. Her first exposure to formal lessons was the Suzuki Method taught by an instructor from The Colburn School of Music, in Los Angeles. Piano naturally transitioned into singing. She remained a piano student through middle school and beyond.
Olivia continued to play with an orchestra in high school, and completed her high school years at The Putney School, in Vermont. She continued her piano instruction and sang in the chamber ensemble and the Blanche Moyse Chorale. She participated in special summer programs including Interlochen Center for the Arts.
While she attended Gustavus Adolphus College, in St. Peter, Minnesota, she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance. During her years at Gustavus, she sang in college choirs and continued studying voice.
Recently, Olivia worked in the Lincoln Public Schools district as an accompanist. She taught piano and mentored vocal students as well. She is now working with Dr. Wataru Niimori, (Jazz Pianist) and Jackie Allen (Jazz Vocalist) to study a new genre after years of classical training. She has been with Marble Music Studios since 2020.
Olivia is thrilled to pass along the gift of music to her students!
Jessica Steinke
Piano Instructor
Jessica began taking piano lessons at the age of seven years old and has continued playing and learning about music since. She obtained a Bachelor of Mathematics at the University of Nebraska at Omaha where she worked as a TA and tutored high school students. Her passion for educating led her to accept a position at a childcare center where she developed the skills and methods specific to teaching young children. These experiences influence her in her work today as an active piano teacher focused on the whole child’s development. Her primary interest as a piano instructor is introducing young children to the fundamentals of piano playing and the mathematical concepts underlying the music (such as patterns and fractions) in a developmentally appropriate and engaging way. Seeing her students grow both as pianists and critical thinkers is the most rewarding part of teaching for Jessica.


Season Cowley, DMA
Piano and Clarinet Instructor
Sam Stanley
Cello and Piano Instructor
Sam Stanley has a Bachelor of Music Degree in Cello Performance and a


Anna Royuk
Violin Instructor
Abby Van Velson
Violin Instructor
Abby Van Velson is from Seward, Nebraska. She began violin lessons at the age of six with Julia Marble. Abby played in the Lincoln Homeschool Orchestra for five years, and has been playing with the Concordia University Chamber Orchestra for the past five years and is the concertmaster.
Abby believes that music is one of the most important ways we can communicate. Music can express what words often fail to express. Music lessons should be a safe space for students to grow as musicians, but also as people.
While violin is her primary instrument, Abby is also involved in the A Capella Choir at Concordia University. She is also currently studying Psychology with a minor in music. Abby also enjoys writing, spending time with friends and family, and drinking coffee.
Abby began teaching with Marble Music in August of 2021.


Makenna Clovis
Piano Instructor
Makenna Clovis is a piano teacher and music student and is originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico. She has taken piano lessons since the age of nine and has one year of teaching experience. She also has six years of experience playing the piano and organ for worship servicesand currently pursues organ at the collegiate level.
Makenna is in her senior year at Concordia University, Nebraska, where she studies to completeher Bachelor of Music in Church music. At Concordia she has served as a tutor in music theory and pianist for the chamber orchestra, and she has performed in the Honor Recital – an auditioned and distinguished recital – four times. Though her love lies in piano, she currently plays in the Concordia Handbell Choir and sings with the University A Cappella Choir in which she serves as a section leader. Upon graduation, Makenna plans to pursue a Master of Music in Piano Pedagogy to grow as a pianist and piano teacher and to be better equipped to pass the skill and art of piano to her students.

Maddee Hall
Viola, Violin & Piano Instructor
Madee Hall is from Spring, Texas, a part of the Greater Houston Metropolitan area. She began playing viola in her middle school’s orchestra at the age of nine, and continued playing in school orchestras throughout junior high and high school. She began to take piano lessons, along with viola lessons, at the age of twelve at Resurrection Lutheran Church School of Performing Arts (RLC SPA). In 2018, she was hired by RLC SPA to teach violin, viola, and piano, and in the summer of 2021 she began substituting for beginner guitar.
Madee started with Marble Music Studios in the Spring of 2021. In the summer, when she is home in Texas, she continues to work for RLC SPA. She is a Music Therapy major at Concordia University, Seward, and plays viola in the university orchestra and handbells in the handbell choir.

Alex Lavake
Voice Instructor
Register
We accept new students all year round! Click the link below to register online and we will contact you to schedule an intro lesson.