Instructor Bios

Instructor

Biographies

Amanda Gunter

Amanda Gunter (Voice) holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education and a Master of Music degree in Church Music.  She is a certified educator through the South Carolina Department of Education and the Association of Christian Schools International. With over 20 years experience as a musician, director, actor and teacher, Amanda has a wealth of experience in the Arts.  

She has directed award-winning choirs and ensembles, has successfully coached several high school students through college scholarship auditions, has appeared in several roles at Foothills Playhouse, where she is also a member of the Theatre Board and assisted with music for numerous school and theatre productions. Amanda also sings in the choir at Brushy Creek Baptist Church in Easley. Amanda is the wife of Dr. Larry Gunter, and has two teenage children, Caleb and Hannah.

Anna DeVault

Anna DeVault (Speech, Debate/Theatre) has a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing/Education with a minor in Theatre Arts, and a Masters degree in Nursing/Education.   Certified by the South Carolina Department of Education and the Association of Christian Schools International, Anna has over 20 years experience as a teacher, actor, and director.  

Anna has taught award-winning students in acting, dramatic interpretation, debate and improvisation, successfully coached high school students through theatre scholarship auditions and has directed several award-winning plays.   Anna is a frequent director at Foothills Playhouse and is a member of the Theatre Board.  Anna is the wife of Dr. Bill DeVault and has two adult children, Jonathan and Elizabeth.

Sonja Condit Coppenbarger

Sonja Condit Copperbarger (Oboe/Bassoon/Creative Writing) is the principal bassoon of the Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra and Greater Anderson Musical Arts Consortium. She teaches at the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities and at North Greenville University. Some of her short fiction has appeared in spillinginkreview.com, outwardlink.net, weirdyear.com, etopia-press.net, and The Instrumentalist. 

With her husband, Dr. Brent Coppenbarger, she wrote and performed on the CD Reeding Time, available on cdbaby.com. A student in the MFA in Creative Writing program at Converse College, she lives and works in Greenville, South Carolina. She received the 2011 Kullman Prize for creative work from the University of Mississippi.

 Aaron Acord

Aaron Acord (trumpet) is from Beckley, West Virginia and is a current student at Anderson University.  Due to graduate in December of 2011, Aaron is currently student teaching at Walhalla High School.  While at Anderson University, Aaron was the principal trumpet in the AU wind Symphony and Brass Quintet.  Aaron was also a winner of the Anderson Symphony Orchestra Concerto Aria Contest.

Steven M. Schultz

Steven M. Schultz (Theatre) graduated cum laude from the University of Richmond with a double major of Rhetoric and Sociology, and was inducted into Alpha Psi Omega, the Dramatic honorary, and Omicron Delta Kappa, the Leadership honorary.  He then went on to pursue a career in Arts Management and Acting at TheatreVirginia, a LORT-D Equity House Theatre, where he served as House Manager, Box Office Manager, and Actor.  

He moved to the Historic Barksdale Theatre in Richmond, VA, where he served as Development Director, House Manager, Box Office Manager and Actor, and wrote several plays for their new play festival.  He also taught Corporate Improv and Corporate Communication workshops at Circuit City, Capital One, and dozens of local business in Richmond, VA.  After a successful career in Radio Broadcasting, Steve moved to the Upstate of South Carolina, where he holds a State Public School Teaching Certificate.  

He has taught at the South Carolina Children's Theatre, Easley Foothills Playhouse, Clemson Little Theatre and the Warehouse Theatre of Greenville, where he was also a Journeyman Resident Actor.  While there, Steven helped write and direct under the funding of the National Endowment for the Arts, Shakespeare in American Communities program.  More recently, Steve has directed nearly a dozen productions locally, acted in dozens more, and has traveled the state teaching Shakespeare to Middle Schools and High Schools.  He was also a founding member of Distracted Globe at Warehouse Theatre, and Easley Amused at Easley Foothills Playhouse.

Danielle Wuthrich (Piano) is rising as a successful professional and versatile musician. Continually sought after as a performer, pedagogue, and chamber musician, she has performed in New England and throughout the Southeastern United States. She has won top prizes in the Music Teachers National Association Young Artist State Competition (SC), the Bob Jones University Commencement Contest (SC), and first prize in the Ruth Kern Young Artist Competition in Atlanta.  Ms. Wüthrich is active as an artistic leader and continues to expand her presence to enrich the musical community and beyond. 

This past year she is served as acting Vice-President of the MTNA chapter at the University of South Carolina, where she also taught in the Community Music School and privately throughout Columbia, SC. She has participated as both a violinist and a percussionist in multiple collegiate and professional ensembles. Ms. Wüthrich is heavily involved in collaborative work, including frequent performances with both vocal and instrumental musicians.  As a young student, Ms. Wüthrich studied with Dr. Peter Warsaw of Philip’s Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. She received her B.S. in Music Education from Bob Jones University and has completed her M.M. in Piano Performance from the University of South Carolina.   

She has studied professionally with artist teachers such as Daniel Herskovich, Andrew Cooperstock, and Nelita True, and her principle teachers include Dr. Kenon Renfrow, Dr. Joseph Rackers, and Dr. Marina Lomazov.  Ms. Wüthrich made her orchestral debut in May 2011 with the Atlanta Community Symphony Orchestra and performed this past July at the Burgos International Music Festival in Spain.

Nathan G. Day (Drums) has been an avid drummer/percussionist for almost ten years. Beginning his percussion journey at age eleven, he played timpani for his school wind ensemble and played swing jazz with musicians such as Stockton Helbing (studio drummer/recording artist) and Doug Norwine (saxophone player for Lisa Simpson on "The Simpsons"). He writes music, and has recorded for jazz/big band, as well as played live with countless churches and a number of self-developed progressive rock jam bands.

Trey Lundquist (Drums/Marimba) is a Percussionist from Pickens, South Carolina.  He has been playing for 10 years, starting at Pickens Middle School. He played throughout his time at Pickens High School, in the Marching Band, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble and Jazz Band, while also being in All-County band, All-Region band, and receiving Superiors at Solo and Ensemble all 4 years. 


He played in the Carolina Youth Symphony for 4 years, becoming principal percussionist of the upper orchestra for his last 2 years. He also played in Trifecta Indoor Percussion Ensemble out of Easley High School, and was the Front Ensemble Captain. After High School, he attended North Greenville University, Studying Music Education. He has been a member of Palmetto Percussion for 2 years, winning 1st place in the Independent Open Class of Winter Guard International in 2010, and 13th in World Class for the 2011 season. 


Trey now teaches as the Front Ensemble Captionhead at the award winning Boiling Spings High School Marching Band and is in talks to become an Epic Records recording artist. 

Grayson Heichel (guitar) is currently pursuing a degree in Classical Guitar Performance at Furman University under the instruction of Dr. Steven Walter.

Though Grayson specializes in classical repertoire, he has received training in all popular styles, is currently an active participant in Furman’s Jazz program and performs regularly throughout the Upstate with a professional Celtic music group. 

David Katilius (bass guitar) is currently the Front Ensemble Instructor/Arranger at Laurens District 55 High School, and is a freelance musician, composer/arranger, adjudicator, educator, and clinician around the Carolinas and surrounding areas. He is a 2007 graduate of J.L. Mann High School and the Greenville Fine Arts Center. He studied percussion performance with Dr. Scott Herring at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC, where he was a part of the USC Drumline, percussion ensemble, wind ensemble, concert band, symphony orchestra, and the Palmetto Pans Steel Band. He has taught at and/or composed for many schools including Laurens HS, Chesnee HS, Wren HS, Belton-Honea Path HS, York HS, Easley HS, Chapman HS, J.L. Mann HS, Mauldin Middle School, David W. Butler HS (Matthews, NC), Coosa HS (Rome, GA), Armuchee HS (Rome, GA), and Bloomington South HS (Bloomington, IN).

David was a part of the WGI independent indoor percussion group Palmetto Percussion from 2009 to 2011, playing bass guitar in 2009 and 2010, and marimba in 2011. The group was named Independent Open Class Champion at the 2010 WGI World Championships and was promoted to Independent World Class for the 2011 season, where they placed 13th overall.

In his spare time, David currently records and performs in the bands Resistant Continuum, Prohibitive Beets, and the Mason Raines Trio along with fellow FACE instructor Trey Lundquist. He also performs with the band Lost Angel out of Gastonia, NC. David is a self-published composer licensed under ASCAP, and several of his works have been premiered in South Carolina. His professional affiliations include the Percussive Arts Society, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity, and the American Society of Composers and Publishers (ASCAP). David is an endorsed artist of Ernie Ball Strings and Accessories.

Leslie D. Smith (guitar) is a singer-songwriter, acoustic guitar and uke player who first began teaching as assistant to her own teacher, Paul Barker. Her approach is practical and supportive, with the goal of helping students quickly learn to play music they love- the music that made them want to play in the first place.

Genres include pop, acoustic rock, indie, folk, Americana, contemporary Christian, praise & worship, and country. Lessons are based on chords and rhythm rather than lead playing. Students are taught to read tablature and chord diagrams. They learn essential chords, strum patterns and fingerpick patterns that will let them make real music quickly, providing they put in the practice time and approach their work with discipline.

Focus is on rhythm and fingerstyle guitar as accompaniment to vocals- great for singers who'd like to accompany themselves on guitar, folks who want to make music with friends or those who want to play in worship settings. Students are asked to bring a list of favorite recording artists to their first lesson to give the instructor a sense of their musical goals and preferences. 

Kelly Ward (Piano/Bass Guitar) holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Piano Performance and a Minor in Psychology.  She is also a member of the Metropolitan Art Council. Kelly has had a diverse experience in the Arts with over 10 years experience as a musician, composer, and teacher.

She has performed as a solo artist as well as in piano and chamber ensembles.  Her teaching experience includes group, semi-private, private and arts integration in the public schools.  Kelly has composed two full length CDs available on iTunes and Amazon and has performed her original compositions in the Greenville and Asheville areas.

Don Foster (guitar, fiddle/violin, banjo, mandolin and bass) is an accomplished live performer, recording artist, song writer and music teacher who lives in Easley, SC. Picking up his first instrument at age 3, he grew passionate about playing music, especially his first love - the guitar - and has been playing for more than 40 years.  Don has been sharing his musical knowledge and experience with others since 1987, when he began teaching. He currently offers lessons in guitar, fiddle/violin, banjo, mandolin and bass.

Under his stage name, D. Logan Foster, Don help start his first rock band Excalibur while attending Crescent High School in Iva, SC. Over the years, he has held the reins as lead guitarist in rock and blues bands including Zagstrom, First Offense, the Switch Band, Outta Da Bleu, Identity Crisis and the Leftovers. With axe (or other instrument) in hand, he had performed all over the country. He currently plays with the Alley Cats - and embarks on various bluegrass adventures.

BILL LESTER (Watercolor)   As a child growing up in upstate New York, my early cherished memories are of happy hours passed making marks, and drawing. Later, I studied Advertising, Design, and Production, at Mohawk Valley Community College, in Utica, NY, and Display Design, and Packaging, at Rochester Institute of Technology, in Rochester, NY. After school I moved into a long satisfying career in package engineering, and display design, which allowed my creative side to flourish. I also continued to find great satisfaction in other visual arts mediums, where my focus shifted mostly to transparent watercolor, and water media painting.