Meet Our Instructors

Kate DeSisto
Private Instructor: Voice & Piano
Kate DeSisto is an enthusiastic music educator offering lessons in voice to students of all ages. With classical training and a rock and roll heart, she firmly believes in establishing the knowledge, good habits, and passion for musical exploration that will help her students find lifelong joy in music-making. With over a decade of teaching experience, she loves getting to know her students and helping them develop not only as musicians, but as human beings.
Kate was born and raised on the North Shore of Massachusetts. Her love for all music, particularly musical theater, has been evident since she could stand on her toy box and belt out a tune. After receiving her Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Syracuse University, she began her music teaching career in the North Andover and Marblehead school districts, while owning and operating her own music studio. She then moved to the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania in 2012, where she taught music at Seven Generations Charter School and the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts, and was President of the Concord Chamber Singers.
Currently, you can find Kate on the road touring nationally and internationally with the Talking Heads tribute band, Start Making Sense. When not making music, Kate is most likely teaching yoga and/or paddle boarding, or hiking with her daughter, dog, and partner.

Scot Gelzinis
Private Instructor: Guitar
Scot Gelzinis is a veteran guitar instructor with over 17 years of experience. He utilizes a hands-on, practical approach to teaching music that builds fundamentals and advanced techniques. Scot encourages his students to establish their own musical interests and identity by illustrating how their favorite music is structured and performed. This method has been proven to produce great results with guitarists of all ages and skill levels. Scot specializes in current and classic genres, from Hard Rock to Country.

Laura Smith
Private Instructor: Piano
Laura Smith is a Colorado native who has taught in Asia for the past eleven years. She holds a degree in Music Education from Colorado Christian University where she focused on general music with an emphasis in piano. Laura’s early piano training at a private academy focused on healthy hand techniques and being a well-rounded musician, both of these practices she has carried into her private piano instruction for the past fourteen years. Laura strives to meet the goals of each individual she teaches while also giving foundational instruction in music theory and introducing students to new genres.

Jen Solomon
Classes: Showstoppers!
Jen has performed in numerous musicals throughout NH for the last 30 years, taking a slight break to focus on raising her two girls…one of which is now performing herself on stage at the Rochester Opera House! Jen’s favorite roles have been Lucy in Jekyll and Hyde, Cinderella in Into the Woods, and Belle in Beauty and the Beast.

Jenry Towle
Private Instructor: Voice, Audition Prep, RPAC Conservatory, Youth Mainstage, Teen Workshop
Jenry Towle (she/they) is a theatermaker based in Kittery, ME. Holding degrees in Music, Theater Performance, & Technical Theater & Design, she has taught voice and acting to students of every age in 46 of the 50 states!
Jenry believes in a full-body, comprehensive approach to finding your strongest voice – body, voice, and imagination need to work simultaneously together to build confidence and projection.
Directions & Contact Information

Rochester Opera House
31 Wakefield Street Rochester, NH 03867 (located in City Hall)
+Directions
Business: (603) 332-2211
Email: boxoffice@rochesteroperahouse.org
Tickets: (603) 335-1992
Contact the Opera House
Will call tickets available 2 hours before each performance.
Rochester Performance & Arts Center
32 North Main Street Rochester, NH 03867
Business: (603) 948-1099
Email: rpac@rochesteroperahouse.org
Hours: Open Mon and Tue 2PM - 5:15PM
We are open on weekends for special events and performances.

Stage Door Tickets and More
1 Wakefield St
Rochester, NH 03867
Business: (603) 335-1992
Email: rpac@rochesteroperahouse.org
Hours: Wed thru Sat, 12Noon - 6 PM
Support Rochester Opera House
Your support helps us share the power of arts and music through unforgettable performances, education programs, and the cultivation of new artists. Please help us continue to connect with thousands of people on our stages, both online and in the community each year.