Dr. Alice Brook received her Doctorate in Piano Performance from the University of Missouri/Kansas City Conservatory. She has taught piano at UMKC and piano, theory and group piano at Millikin University and TCC. She is the pianist/organist and choir director at Joy Lutheran Church
Dr. Brook performed for numerous well-known musicians such as Frank Sinatra, who invited her to tour with him after hearing her perform, and was a personal friend of Ralph Blaine, who wrote “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”
Dr. Brook began playing piano at the age of two-and-a-half, mimicking her mother as she played pieces. Her first recital was held at the age of 5. She has also played the accordion, clarinet, oboe, flute, French horn, harpsichord, violin, and drums.
Dr. Brook’s dream was to have a place where students could take lessons in any instrument in one location. Her dream was realized in 1994 when Brook Fine Arts was begun.
Dr. Brook is the accompanist for Jenks High School Vocal Department and continues to accompany throughout the regional area. She is nationally certified in piano and is a member of MTNA, OMTA, TAMTA, and SAI.
Dr. Brook and her husband ride motorcycles and adopt large dogs. Her current entourage includes two Great Pyrenees (Pearl and Poochini), a St. Bernard (Ruby) and a golden retriever/pyr (Rosebud).
Beth has taught at Brook Fine Arts since its beginning in 1994. In 2013, she celebrated her 25th year of teaching piano. Beth loves to teach all ages, and has developed lesson books, theory books, and keyboard music to fit all ages and learning styles. She teaches classical piano and theory as well as popular music and Praise and Worship.
Beth has a Bachelor of Music degree from West Virginia University as well as some graduate school and a two-year diploma from Rhema Bible Training Center. She is a member of MTNA, OMTA, and TAMTA. Beth teaches full-time at Brook Fine Arts with over 50 students. In the summer, she also writes music for and directs keyboard ensemble groups.
Beth has over 25 pieces published with OGILVY music. Her compositions are becoming known around the country by keyboard ensemble teachers and have been performed at many different Clavinova Festivals.
Beth’s favorite hobbies are composing, reading, cooking, and taking care of her rescue cats, Muffin and Henry.
Meray has a Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Tulsa and a Master’s Degree from the University of Arizona. During her college summers, she studied opera and Italian in Italy. Meray has had numerous opportunities to perform solo at concerts, including leading roles in various operas in both Oklahoma and Arizona.
Meray is the winner of numerous competitions, including first place at the Oklahoma NATS Competition, the Hyechka Collegiate Vocal Scholarship, the Amelia Rieman Opera Competition, and the Southwest Regional NATS Competition where she was named “Most Promising Advanced Singer.”
Meray worked as a private voice and violin teacher in New York City and was a co-founder of the South Bronx Music Academy. She is an outstanding violinist as well as vocalist.
Emily graduated from Florida State University with a degree in General Music Education. She is a member of music organizations such as FMEA, GMEA, NHS and Southern Scholarship Foundation, from which she earned a scholarship. She has performed with the Tulsa community orchestra, various ensembles at Florida State and steel bands.
Emily has taught for 9 years at a number of different elementary schools in Florida, Georgia and Oklahoma, and has worked with children’s choirs, band, strings, orchestra, steel bands and jazz ensembles. In addition, Emily is certified in Orff-Schulwerk.
Emily is currently pursuing a nursing degree from TCC.
Josh is a native of Oklahoma and a graduate of Charles Page High School in Sand Springs. He was awarded a Music Scholarship at TU, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education. He is proficient in most instruments and was the 2013 BFA Teacher of the Year.
Josh was the section leader of the TU Marching Band drum line during his undergraduate years. He served as Band Director of Okmulgee Public Schools after graduation as well as Drumline Technician for Bartlesville High School Marching Band. Josh is experienced in everything from organizing lesson plans and large-scale performances to stage management and solo performances.
Josh plays many different instruments, including the tabla, other world percussion, the flute and the didgeridoo. He is currently performing classical/romantic piano at Blu and street performing in the Brady Arts District. Josh also enjoys drawing, painting, gardening, world music, astronomy and yoga.
Laura received both a Bachelor of Music Education degree and a Master’s degree in Vocal Pedagogy and Performance at Oklahoma State University. She taught choir, piano lab and AP Music Theory in the Union school district for 8 years. Her choirs consistently received superior ratings at district and state contests and were featured as an OMEA Honor Choir.
Laura was the vocal music director at Union High School until she retired to have a family and teach at Brook Fine Arts. Laura continues to serve as an adjunct vocal music instructor at TCC and is a member of OMEA and OCDA.
Laura teaches junior high and high school voice at Brook Fine Arts and was Teacher of the Year in 2008.
Karen has a Master’s and Bachelor’s Degree in voice from the University of Tulsa. She teaches voice at Brook Fine Arts to all ages.
Karen is the Choir Director/Cantor/Children’s Choir Director at St. Pius X Church. She teaches pre-school children at Boston Avenue Weekday School as well as music and directs musical productions. In addition, Karen taught voice classes and private voice at TCC.
Karen has prepared students for various competitions including OMTA, BAMTA, Tulsa Opera Chorus, Oklahoma Kids, Mayfest and Rooster Day in Broken Arrow.
Karen was a runner up for Miss Oklahoma in 1980 and Miss Tulsa State Fair Queen in 1979. She Is a member of numerous professional organizations including Sigma Alpha Iota, Oklahoma Music Teacher’s Association and Tulsa Opera Chorus.
Karen and her husband are realtors in the Tulsa area and have two children and one grandchild.
Rachel earned her Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Tulsa in Vocal Performance and Jazz. She was a member of the TU Jazz Singers, Cappella Chamber Singers, TU Chorale, and was a vocalist with the TU Big Band.
Rachel has performed on stage with artists such as Tim Ries (saxophonist for the Rolling Stones) and George Clinton (of Parliament Funkadelic fame).
In addition to her music degree, Rachel is working on becoming certified to teach in the state of Oklahoma through OAPP.
Rachel loves dogs and adopted her dog “Tiger” from the pound.
Pamela is a mom with four boys, and understands the active and creative energy that comes with children! Pamela has played the piano and sung throughout her elementary and high school years, soloing in school and church choirs. She is currently the church pianist at Grace Baptist Church.
Pamela is completing her Music Degree at the University of Tulsa, continuing her study in voice and piano and participation in musicals and performances.
Pamela teaches piano and voice and works well with very young students as well as older ones.
Jaron studied percussion at Cowley College, performing in the Cowley Concert and Jazz Bands, the Windfield Regional Symphony Orchestra, the Arkansas City Concert Band and his own rock band. He also attended percussion masterclasses at Berklee School of Music.
Jaron has studied Native American singing, drumming and drum making. He is currently a member of the NYC-based rock band, The Love Kills theory and performs locally on drums, percussion and guitar with various artists of all styles, including his own bluegrass group, The Bandit Brothers.
Jaron was in the marching band at Broken Arrow High School, and before teaching percussion and guitar, was a professional tennis instructor for seven years. His hobbies include tennis, rollerblading, baking and comic books.
Katie earned her Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of Tulsa as well as a minor in Spanish. While at TU, she participated in The Sophisticated Ladies Jazz vocal Soloists, Capella Chamber Singers, and the TU Chorale. She has played regularly throughout Tulsa and the surrounding areas at many venues and large events, covering a variety of styles including jazz, swing, latin, funk, and blues.
She was the lead vocalist and pianist in The Zuits Swingin’ Big Band and was a mandolin player in The Weathervanes Country Band. She has also performed in New York City at venues including Café Vivaldi and Rockwood Music Hall.
Katie teaches both classical and jazz styles of singing, as well as jazz piano, music theory, sight reading, sight singing, reading and writing jazz lead sheets and transcribing music by ear.
Tim Turner has a Master’s Degree in Communications from Regent University, emphasis in Theatre and Film and a Bachelor’s Degree from ORU in Television, Film and Theatre.
He was Dean at DeVry University and ORU. Tim has a varied history of performance experience including on stage and behind the scenes in theatre, film, television, and radio. On stage he has performed in a variety of venues including reviews, opera, dinner theatre, night club, theme parks and many musical/theatrical productions as well as the Tulsa Opera and Signature Symphony.
Tim teaches voice, theatre and speech at Brook Fine Arts and performs frequently in the regional area.
Matt is a co-founders of the bands “The Hero Factor” and founder of “Vandevander.” His music has received awards and nominations in the categories of “Band of the Year”, “Best Live Performance”, “Best Instrumental Act”, “Best Rock Act” and “Best Pop Act” at the Tulsa Music Awards.
Matt has opened for Alan Jackson, Vanilla Ice, Hanson, Phantom Planet, the Black Crowes and has performed with Jonny Lang.
Matt still maintains a busy performing and recording schedule. In the last 2 years, Matt has published 10 songs that have been licensed nationally for commercials, movies and programs on more than 140 networks and cable TV stations. Commercials include VW, Toyata, Jeep, WalMart, and ESPN. Some of his music has been featured on the Superbowl, American Idol, Inside the PGA Tour and Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations.
Matt was Brook Fine Arts Teacher of the Year in 2011, and continues as one of our most popular teachers. He also teaches guitar classes at Victory Bible College.
20 tracks are available at : reverbnation.com/vandevander, iTunes, Amazon, and more.
Eric is a native of Tulsa, an alumnus of Memorial High School where he was part of the Jazz band. He is a graduate of TCC with a degree in Broadcast Sound Engineering. Eric’s experience covers a wide range of music, film, photography, lighting, set design and audio. He has worked behind the scenes as lighting and sound technician as well as stage manager and set builder at Clark Community Theatre, Broken Arrow Community Playhouse, and Byrd Middle School. He also operated the studio camera and audio at KTUL News Channel 8 for 16 months.
Eric’s music experience includes performing with bands such as The Heat Circle, Miranda Jackson and the Wildfires, and Something Warm, performing both cover and original material. He plays blues, rock, jazz, R&B, country-rock, as well as traditional guitar. Eric also plays and teaches the ukulele, specifically to students whose hands may be too small to handle a guitar.
Eric has a cat named “Lyric.”
Jane is a Brook Fine Arts ALUM who recently graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in Musical Theatre, and now teaches voice, piano, dance for us. Jane also choreographs BFA’s summer musical theatre camps.
During high school, she was a member of the award-winning Trojanaires and played Gabriella at Jenks High School’s production of High School Musical.
Jane played “Laurey” in the National Home of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! Discoveryland, was a featured extra in the movie Rudderless with Selena Gomez, and played Linda in the production of Wedding Singer at Sooner Theater in Norman, Oklahoma.
Jane is with Comedy Radio Casting Agency and frequently does specials on the radio.