American Music Institute is proud to introduce our NEW Music Faculty Members: Maddy Soldan, Olga Kossovich, Ola Rafalo, Lisa Buhelos, Eric Manley, Louise Brodie, and Gregory Comonal. Our faculty members are available for lessons on campus and in-home. AMI Campuses are located in Clarendon Hills, Downers Grove, Geneva, and St. Charles, IL. Scheduling a trial lesson today with an Award Winning AMI Faculty Member… [email protected] - 630-850-850 - www.amimusic.org.

Maddy Soldan — Winds/Piano - Available for lessons Tuesdays & Thursdays in Clarendon Hills, Downers Grove, and in-home

Madelyn Soldan earned her bachelor’s degree in PreK-12 Music Education from Elmhurst University. She studied the flute with Dr. Jennie Oh Brown and Marie Bennett. Madelyn performed in the Elmhurst University Wind Ensemble as a co-principal musician on flute and piccolo. She has performed in the Midwest Philharmonic Orchestra, Women’s Chorus, and substitutes occassionally for the Southwest Symphony. During her time at Elmhurst, she served as the President of the Illinois Collegiate Chapter of Music Education, Band Manager, head of the Music Library, and graduated as an Honors Program Global Scholar. 

Madelyn is the band teacher ar Clarendon Hills Middle School, where she has lots of experience with teaching music to kids of all ages and on various instruments, as well as conducting and presenting research on ways to acommodate students’ needs in the music classroom.

Meet AMI’s other New Faculty Members! 

Olga Kossovich - Violin/Viola - Available Tues & Thur at AMI’s Clarendon Hills & Downers Grove Campuses

Olga Kossovich received her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Violin Performance from Northwestern University, studying under Professor Gerardo Ribeiro. She started her music education and violin lessons in preparatory classes at Central Music School in Moscow at the age of 4, and was accepted to the Central Music School in 2002. While studying at the Central Music School, she has performed multiple concerts across Russia and abroad. During her studies at the Central Music School, she participated in several competitions, including the UFAM Concours de Musique, Paris, France, in 2005 and 2006 where she won the 1st prize. She has won many national and international prizes, such as winner of the third prize in the Demidov International Youth Violin Competition DeMYuKS-V in Yekaterinburg, Russia (2009) and the XVII Togliatti International Competition for Musicians (2012). In 2013, she graduated from the Central Music School and entered the Tchaikovsky Moscow Conservatory. During this time, she participated in the III Savely Orlov International Music Competition Festival (Samara, Russia, 2015, II prize) and the First Rudolf Gummert International Young Performers Competition (Kazan, Russia, 2017, II prize). While a student in the United States, she obtained prizes in the GGFSO Young Artist Concerto Competition (Grand Forks, ND, 2019, I prize), the BSO Young Artist Competition (Bismarck, ND, 2019, I prize) and the Thursday Musical Young Artist Scholarship Competition (St. Louis Park, MN, 2021, I prize).

Ola Rafalo - Voice/Piano - Available Mon & Sat at AMI’s Clarendon Hills & Downers Grove Campuses

Ola Rafalo received her Master in Music in Vocal Performance from Roosevelt University, and Young Artist Programs at Opera Tampa, Sarasota Opera, and Palm Beach Opera. Ms. Rafalo is dramatic mezzosoprano, has been called a “Vocal Powerhouse” , and “the next Cossotto”. She has earned critical acclaim in a variety of roles and venues. In the Verdi repertory: Azucena in Il Trovatore, Maddalena in Rigoletto, Fenena in Nabucco, and Ulrica in Un Ballo in Maschera. Her most celebrated role thus far is Carmen, which she has sung with Syracuse Opera, the Lyric Orchestra, Gulfshore Opera, New Jersey Verismo Opera, and highlights with the Pacific Symphony. Other roles performed include Charlotte in Werther, The Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Fricka in Die Walküre, Brangäne in Tristan und Isolde, and Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana. She made her debut at Carnegie Hall, singing the Vivaldi Gloria, and the Kennedy Center singing a Verdi Gala. She has performed with the Springfield Symphony, Orlando Opera, Baltimore Lyric, Opera Carolina, Teatro Curci di Barletta, Paderewski Symphony, Eugene Symphony, Evanston Symphony, Opera Festival of Chicago, Columbus Opera Project, Florentine Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, and more. Ola received an award from UNESCO for her performance as Alkmene in the Olympic Torch, by P.Karousos. She has also been a featured recitalist for the Wagner Society of America.Ola is the Maria Callas prize winner of the Giulio Fregosi competition 2020.

Lisa Buhelos - Voice/Piano - Available Tues & Thur at Clarendon Hills & Downers Grove Campuses

Lisa Buhelos received her Master in Music in Vocal Performance at University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana where she received her master’s in vocal performance, piano and literature. Buhelos has participated as a Festival Artist at Opera Saratoga, where she portrayed Quiteria in Don Quixote at Camacho’s Wedding, covered the role of Aldonza in Man of La Mancha, and was featured in the Knight at the Opera and Quixotic Opera concerts. With Lyric Theatre @ Illinois, she has also been seen in their productions of The Adventures of Little Sharp-Ears as Sharp-Ears and Ordinary Days as Deb. Other performances include Fun Home (Allison/Middle Allison Cover), Crazy For You (Margie/Polly Cover), La bohème (Ensemble), Pirates of Penzance (Ensemble), and the workshop of Take Flight (Brenda). She has participated in the American Institute of Music in Graz, where she was a soloist for the AIMs Festival Orchestra and Operetta Concerts. As a crossover performer in both opera and musical theatre, Buhelos has performed in both operas and musicals and hopes to teach students to become proficient in multiple styles. She believes in creating a lesson plan that will allow for student to sing the genres they are interested in while also providing a strong foundation.

Eric Manley - Guitar/Piano - Available Monday at AMI’s St Charles & Geneva Campuses

Eric Manley received his Bachelors in Music from North Central College. He has been involved in music from a young age and has been teaching for over a decade. His primary instrument is guitar which he has played for years as well as other related string instruments. Eric has shared stages with the likes of Corky Siegel, Howard Levy, Zach Brock and played alongside five time grammy awarded bassist Victor Wooten. While at North Central College Eric studied under the tutelage of Jazz guitarist John Mclean and Pianist Susan Chou.

Louise Brodie - Violin/Viola - Available Wednesday at AMI’s Clarendon Hills & Downers Campuses

Louise Brodie performs and teaches jazz improvisation and Irish fiddling as well as classical music. She works as a classical violinist and as a jazz ensemble member. Louise had a working Celtic trio for a decade and has performed on many CDs, including her own, “Uneven Bridge.” She has a deep love for all music and her burning passion is seeing her students bloom in the style of music that they love best.

Rooted in the tradition of classical training, all students in her studio receive methodical training in scales, etudes and solos with special emphasis on the Rolland Technique of creating a “whole” violinist/violist.

Greg Comonal – Guitar/Piano/Drums - Available Wednesday at AMI’s Clarendon Hills & Downers Campuses

Greg Comonal received his Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Studies from Northern Illinois University under the guidance of legendary guitarist Bobby Broom. He has also performed under the direction of Professors Reggie Thomas and Rodrigo Villanueva as a member of the NIU Jazz Ensemble. Most recently, he received the Ron Modell Jazz Scholarship at NIU. As an educator, Greg firmly believes in developing a strong sense of fundamentals on the guitar, as well as using repertoire and popular recordings to further develop those skills.