TEACHER BIOS

 
 
Phillip Anderson | Piano
 
Phillip is a Christian young man from the desert of Southern California now living in the beautiful state of Tennessee. He began learning piano in 2010, starting with Baroque and Classical repertoire and music theory, and eventually progressing to Romantic-era and Ragtime music. His music education continued as he attended The Master’s University with a music scholarship, studying piano under Dr. Kenneth Mays. Phillip finished his college education as a Biblical Studies major, but he still enjoyed multiple semesters of private piano instruction, music theory, handbell ensemble, piano ensemble, university choir, aural skills, and even private composition lessons. Since graduation, he has continued to take piano lessons, performed in student recitals, and even premiered his piano compositions or duet arrangements. Looking back over a decade of joy in music, he is glad his mom encouraged him to not give up those many years ago. Phillip’s goal for his students is the same as that of his own teachers: to help them grow to play and love the piano better. If he is not at the piano, or at his customer service job, you might find him enjoying a game with his family or watching the many birds that visit his back porch.
 
 

Bonnie Bruce | Intro to Acting

Bonnie Bruce has a Masters in Early Childhood Education from UT and taught Kindergarten and First grade in a public school for 6 years. While there, she directed two, full length theater productions. Once her children were born, she stayed home with them but continued to teach a theater class or two at a co-op her kids were involved in. Currently, she still homeschools her 2 boys- Ayden 16, and Dylan 14, and volunteers with the theater group they are a part of. Her family joined Grace in 2019 and they are thrilled to be involved with GPAC. She is most excited about the opportunity to combine her love of Jesus with her love of theater! 

 

Caleb Chesney | Guitar

Caleb is a Texas native, graduate of Texas A&M University, and is currently earning his PhD in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Tennessee. Caleb learned acoustic guitar from his father in middle school, and soon started playing bass and electric guitar for the Worship Team at his church. From there he developed a passion for worship music and after learning the basics of music theory, has been involved in leading praise and worship singing and playing acoustic, electric, and bass guitar. His favorite thing about guitar is being able to use it to praise the Lord and see the beauty of creation through music.
 
 
 
Tyler Harrison | Piano
 
Tyler Harrison is a member at Grace Baptist Church and serves in the Grace College Ministry Worship Band. He began playing piano at a young age and competed in solo competitions through high school. As he studied piano, Tyler also found a love for composition and songwriting. He believes composition and songwriting can be helpful tools in becoming a well-rounded pianist. In addition to classical training, Tyler has played in a worship band from 9th grade to the present. He believes that learning to worship God with an instrument helps teach students to worship God in all areas of life.
 
 
 
Jayne Kretzmann | Piano

Jayne Kretzmann was born and raised in Minnesota. After years of lessons, she studied advanced piano at the University of Minnesota where she also received a B.A. in Psychology. Jayne welcomes students of all ages and stages of learning, establishing a non-threatening rapport with those she teaches. Her resume includes years of private lesson instruction, as well as classroom teaching in the public school system, a charter school, a Christian cooperative, in music stores, and in private home settings. She has played and sung professionally in many venues, has accompanied church and college choirs and the Metropolitan Male Chorus of Minnesota, and has served for may year in various aspects of church music ministry.
 
 
Nicole Langford | Piano
 
Nicole Langford has taught private piano lessons to students of all ages and abilities since 1982.  She received her bachelor’s degree in music from Illinois State University in 1984 and was formerly an instructor at the Music Center of the North Shore in Winnetka, Illinois.  Later, she became a teaching assistant at the local high school and continued to teach privately at home.  Nicole also instructed piano through Heartland Homeschool workshops in Illinois.  Through the years, Nicole has served on several praise teams and has recorded vocals for Willow Creek’s Promise Land curriculum.  She has also coached the junior praise team at her former church and homeschool group.
 
Rachel Lowe | Intro to Acting
 
Rachel Lowe is a lifelong Grace member who grew up with a love for all things singing and acting. An avid participant in children’s choir productions and school plays, she’s always had a love for the stage and drama. She took theater classes in high school and college and always cherished her roles in different productions and looks forward to sharing her experience with the students of GPAC. She is a wife and mother to three boys and spends her free time baking cookies and writing.
 
 
Corey Merida | Guitar
 
Corey has been raised here in Knoxville since the age of 2 years old. He attended Grace Christian academy and currently is enrolled at the University of Tennessee. While attending Grace Christian Academy he served in the school’s worship band as well as the student ministry band, and he now serves with the college ministry’s worship band. Before he picked up a guitar Corey always sang in choirs throughout his years at GCA. This inspired him in his high school years to try learning an instrument. That’s when he picked up a bass guitar and fell in love with music. He soaked up as much as he could about various genres, compositions, and playing styles amongst other things. He was able to quickly learn a lot about music due to the mentors surrounding him as well as his dedication to daily practice. This inspired him to begin playing acoustic and electric guitar, which he fell in love with. Corey believes that having a broad understanding of various instrumentation is vitally important to be a musician. More importantly, Corey loves being able to worship the Lord through music, and it is what fuels him to continue to work at his musicianship.
 
 

Holly Oestreicher | Piano

Holly is a member of Grace Baptist Church and serves in the worship ministry. Piano has always been her passion. She started studying piano at the age of 8 and continued through college. She graduated from Tennessee Temple University with a minor in piano and has taught both children and adults for the past 14 years. Holly has been serving through the GPAC ministry since 2019.  
 
 
 
 
 
Kristina Patton | Ballroom Dance

Kristina has taught ballroom dance for 18 years in Knoxville since moving here in 2000 from Nashville, TN where she grew up. She has taught students of all ages for a variety of purposes. Most students want to learn for social occasions, some for their first dance at their wedding and others even go on to enjoy performance and competition. One thing she has always loved is to make learning dance both easy and fun and to watch her students grow in confidence through each phase of learning. She has been honored and blessed to receive a majority of her training across the years from a variety of some of the top professional coaches in the country. In 2016, she was honored to be one of the professional instructors training a student for the Dancing with the Knoxville Stars. After taking a few years off from dance to become a mom of multiples, she is so excited to be not only back on the dance floor but even more so to be allowed the privilege of sharing her love of dance with the students of GPAC!
 
 
 
Amy Polahar | Ballet
 
Amy Polahar started ballet in 2nd grade at Jackson School of Dance in Blountville, TN. It was a small studio but afforded many opportunities to dance and demonstrate in other classes. In high school, she branched out to dance at Bristol Ballet Company in Bristol, VA, Kingsport Guild of Ballet (now Kingsport Ballet) in Kingsport, TN and Highland Ballet in Abingdon, VA. After high school, Amy moved to Knoxville to attend the University of Tennessee, where she continued to dance through classes offered by the university. Recently, Amy has reignited her love of ballet through adult ballet classes and dancing as a party parent in the Oak Ridge Civic Ballet Association’s production of The Nutcracker. Amy is also certified in Progressive Ballet Technique Level 1. Amy is happily married to Drew Polahar. They have 2 children, Rachel and Michael, who attend Grace Christian Academy. She and her family attend Grace Baptist Church. She is excited to share her love of ballet with you.
 
 
Susan Potter | Tap and Jazz

Susan started dancing with the Ann Hodge School of Dance in Johnson City, TN. She studied the discipline of Pointe under the direction of Melita Brock-Warner, tap under the direction of Debbie Weems-Corpening, and Jazz Acrobatics under the direction of Kristi Hodge. After relocating in 1999 to Cleveland, TN she was Assistant Studio Manager and Instructor of Pre-Ballet, Ballet, Tap, and Jazz for Paula Duff School of Dance. As a member of Westwood Baptist Church, she implemented a dance fitness program for the elderly as well as started a children’s creative movement program. In 2000, she worked for the Knox County School System Magnet Dance Program as a dance Instructor/Assistant and also contracted with: Knoxville Arts and Fine Crafts Center, Circle Modern Dance Company, Excel Sports, and the YMCA. In 2005, Susan was asked to assist in the startup of a new studio in Morristown, TN called Lakeway School of Ballet and Dance where she was the Business Manager and Assistant Artistic Director/Instructor. While there, she choreographed for regional competitions and was afforded the opportunity to attend classes instructed by Brian Lohoff (Tap), Tyce Diorio (Theatre/Jazz), and Barry Youngblood (Hip Hop). Finally, in 2007, she contracted with Bristol Ballet Arts Academy/Theatre of Ballet Arts as an Instructor of Jazz Fusion and Tap. She has been an active member of the Tennessee Association of Dance (T.A.D.) and NDEO (National Dance Educators Organization) since 1999. Susan is thrilled to be able to share her love of dance with GPAC!
 
 
Tracy Rodgers | Piano and Voice
 
Mrs. Tracy Rodgers is a college prep instructor for piano and voice where she has taught private/group lessons for 38 years. She received her bachelor’s degree in Music (piano and vocal pedagogy), from Carson Newman University. Tracy is beginning her 21st year as GCA’s Lower School Music Instructor where she directs K-5th Christmas Musicals, Veterans Day Program, Junior Musical and assists with the Upper School vocals for Music Theatre.  Students from her studio have received superior ratings from the National Guild of Piano Teachers and the National Federation of Music Clubs. Tracy has served as a NGPT piano adjudicator and was inducted into the “American College of Musicians”, Hall of Fame in Austin, Texas. Her students have reached the finals and have received 1st place in the Ace Awards for Vocal Competition and continue to receive partial and full piano/vocal scholarships to various colleges and universities. Tracy’s desire is to help students to discover the life they were created for and to teach them how to serve God with their musical talent.
 

Li Ting Sankey | Piano
 
Li Ting has over 20 years teaching experience from elementary schools to universities; she has been given many awards and compliments from parents and staff on her teaching ability and her ability to motivate and encourage students to reach their full potential. Her reaching out to the community, honesty, cheerfulness, and strong sense of responsibility has helped her and allowed her to be a great role model for her students. She is highly motivated, organized, loves helping people, and is always thinking about others. Overall, her most important belief is that the only path to salvation is to be faithful to Jesus Christ and accept Him as her personal Lord and Savior. She has let Jesus into her heart and soul, and she believes by doing so it can change everyone’s life for the better. You can read more about Li Ting HERE. 
 
 
 
 
Savanna Thompson | Ballet and Hip-Hop Assistant
 
Savanna started ballet and tap at Angela Floyd School of Dance at age 3.  She immediately fell in love with the grace and beauty of the art.  When she was a little older, she also had the privilege of training at Ballet Gloria Dance Company.  She later discovered her love of hip hop and lyrical at Premier Athletics Dance where she danced with the Cookie Sharks. One of Savanna’s lifelong dreams was pointe shoes.  She still loves to work at the ballet barre en pointe, but now Savanna’s dream is to share her love of the art of movement with the next generation of dancers.
 
 
 
 
Audrey Wall | Voice
 
Since Kindergarten, Audrey hasn’t stopped performing. Past experiences include the Knoxville Children’s Show Choir, three operas with the Knoxville Opera Company, ensemble choir in middle and high school, peer tutoring in men’s and women’s choirs, as well as being a former member of her college ensemble. Through these choral opportunities she has had the privilege to perform in multiple venues and to sing alongside the band “Foreigner” when they toured in New York City and South America. Audrey has also been a part of a professional band as a vocalist, several musical theater productions, and performed as a soloist. She studied Vocal Performance at Pellissippi State Community College and has been a private voice teacher since October of 2018. Audrey is a member of Norwood Baptist Church, where she sings on the praise team. She is also the proud small business owner of “Princess For A Day” where she performs as several different princesses for children’s parties, events, and fundraisers. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering at Children’s Bible Ministries in Townsend, TN. “My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises with all my heart!” Psalm 108:1
 
 
 
Jenna Wall | Violin
 
Jenna Wall has played the violin for 19 years and has taught private lessons for the past 4 of those. She has spent summers studying under Instructors and professors at Juilliard, CIM, and Oberlin Conservatory as well as participating in various music festivals at other colleges and performing in Carnegie Hall. Music has always been her passion and she completed her Suzuki training certification during her Freshman year of college at the University of Tennessee. She enjoys playing various styles of music and currently serves on the worship team at Grace alongside her husband. Jenna is married to Mathew Wall, who serves at GBC as the worship associate. Together they have a precious baby girl, Annie Elise.