Rachel Common - Piano, Voice
Rachel Common knew she wanted to have a career in music after seeing a performance of "Into the Woods in 4th grade, and has been performing and teaching ever since. Rachel earned a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from the University of Michigan in 2008, where she studied with Rico Serbo. A versatile vocalist, Rachel has performed with Arbor Opera Theater, MUSKET Musical Theater Company, The Henry Ford Greenfield Village, and as a backup and session singer for The Afternoon Round. She was the soloist for Mozart's "Laudate Dominum" with Ypsilanti 1st United Methodist Church in 2008, and performed with the University of Michigan University Choir on the Grammy-winning Naxos recording of William Bolcom's "Songs of Innocence and Experience", conducted by Leonard Slatkin. Rachel is currently furthering her piano studies with Jani Parsons (DMA candidate, University of Michigan) and Woody Goss (jazz piano). A warm and encouraging teacher, Rachel loves sharing her passion for music with piano and voice students of all ages at Arts in Motion!

Tom Maples - Cello
Tom Maples is a graduate of the University of Kansas, where he received his bachelor’s degree in cello performance. During his time at KU, Tom was awarded the Raymond Cerf String Scholarship, the Alice C. Gallup Scholarship, the Baustian Orchestra Scholarship, and also held the position of principal cellist with the University of Kansas Symphony Orchestra from 2006-2008. Mr. Maples has studied with Ed Laut at the University of Kansas, and Anthony Elliott at the University of Michigan.

Tom’s performing career has been extensive, diverse, and well received. In addition to performing with the KU Symphony Orchestra, Tom appeared regularly with the KU Helianthus New Music Ensemble from 2006-2010. In 2008, Mr. Maples performed Missa Brevis with the University of Kansas Concert Choir, a piece for solo cello and choir written by Forrest Pierce. In 2007, he attended the Pierre Monteux School in Hancock, Me, a six week summer festival for conductors and orchestra musicians. Mr. Maples has participated in master classes with Mark Gibbs, Martin Storey, Steven Honigberg, Anthony Arnone, and the Alexander String Quartet. While often performing with various other ensembles, Tom has also contributed to an indie rock album, and has appeared live at the Kansas Lied Center with DJ Spooky, performing Terra Nova Sinfonia Antarctica.

Tom has been teaching students ages five to fifty for over 7 years. His passion for teaching and mentoring students of all ages began early, and he has since worked with the University of Kansas String Project as a conductor, with USD 497 Lawrence Public Schools and Ann Arbor Public Schools as a cello tutor, and Hume Music as a cello instructor.

Joseph D'Aleo - Saxophone
Joe D'Aleo has been playing the saxophone for 12 years. Recently, Joe completed his Bachelor's Degree in saxophone performance under the instruction of Professor Carrie Koffman at The Hartt School, University of Hartford. Following his graduation from The Hartt School in the spring of 2006, he was awarded a Full Tuition Graduate Fellowship to The University of Michigan to study with Professor Donald J. Sinta.

At 23 years old, Joe has experienced a tremendous variety of performance opportunities, both in the solo saxophone and chamber music settings. In 2007 he was the winner of the Connecticut Music Teacher's National Association Competition. In 2009 he was a winner of the 2009-2010 Paranov Concerto Competition and performed Ingolf Dahl's Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Ensemble with the Hartt Wind Ensemble. Shortly after, Joe was the youngest of 6 finalists chosen out of a pool of 60 saxophonists from all over North America to perform in the Biennial North American Saxophone Conference Competition in Athens, Georgia at The Univeristy of Georgia. Most recently Joe was a finalist in The University of Michigan's Graduate Level Concerto Competition, performing Claude Debussy's Rhapsodie for alto saxophone and orchestra.

As a chamber musician, Joe has played with the nationally acclaimed Preludio Saxophone Quartet, which had the privilege of being semi finalists in the sought after National Fischoff Chamber Music Competition in 2008, Northeast Regional 2nd place ensemble in the Music Teacher's National Association Competition in 2009, as well as performing in the Hartford, CT area in the 2009 Simsbury Chamber Music Festival and the University of Hartford's annual Community Day. One of the most life changing experiences Joe has ever had as a musician was his time at the Brevard Music Center in Brevard, North Carolina in the summer of 2009 with Michigan State University Professor Joseph Lulloff.

K. Marie Konsol - Voice, Piano

Marie holds both her Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree in Music with a concentration in vocal performance.  She has been a sought after performer with several opera companies in the US and Italy and has placed in various vocal competitions throughout the country.  Marie has been
teaching voice and piano for four years to students ranging in age from the preschoolers to grandparents.  She enjoys teaching piano students from
beginning to intermediate skill levels as well as voice students of all levels.  Marie is comfortably familiar with all styles of vocal music including jazz, all genres of popular music, Broadway, and opera/classical but approaches singing from a classical viewpoint as her goal is to give students
the healthiest technique as the foundation so they can sing well into their 80s and beyond.  Music should always bring joy to the performer and those who listen; this is a guiding goal Marie endeavors to instill in all her students.

Maria Bessmeltseva - Violin

Russian born violinist Dr. Maria Bessmeltseva has performed in the concert halls of Russia, Poland, Lithuania, Italy, Canada and the United States of America. She had appeared as a soloist with orchestras around United States and emerged on the celebrated stages of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C, Carnegie Hall.
Dr. Bessmeltseva earned her Bachelors degree from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, then completed her Masters at Bowling Green State University and her DMA at the University of Michigan School of Music.
Dr.Bessmeltseva teaches at Hebrew Day School of Ann Arbor, St.Francis of Assisi Catholic School andhas maintained a private studio in Ann Arbor since 2008.