Mr. Neil Casey has over 30 years experience teaching violin and viola.  In 1997, as the violinist in the Excelsior Trio, finished 3rd in the country at the National Finals of the MTNA Collegiate Chamber Music Competition.  He has been a concertmaster with the South Carolina Philharmonic, Augusta Symphony, Augusta Opera, Savannah Sinfonietta, and the Piccolo Spoleto Festival Orchestra (where his solos received a positive New York Times review).  Neil has been soloist numerous times with USC Symphony and Chamber Orchestras, Piccolo Spoleto Festival Orchestra, and the Augusta Symphony.

His past students have been principal violist of All-State Orchestra, as well as Concertmaster and featured soloist (concerto competition winner).  They have gone on to Oberlin, Peabody, Duquesne, Rice, USC, Yale, MIT and many others.  He is very excited to be back in South Carolina after a year away teaching in Virginia.  Mr. Casey is now the string teacher at St. Joseph’s Catholic School and the Music Director of the Greenville County Youth Orchestras.

Born and raised in Roebuck, SC, Adriana Stamile is a passionate violinist, vocalist, and educator in the Upstate. Having recently finished her master’s degree in Violin Performance with a Distinction in Performance from Converse University, Adriana spent the summer playing string quartets in Burlington, Vermont at Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival and completing the first levels of Suzuki training, so as to be able to have a new set of skills to offer her students. She previously received her undergraduate degrees in Violin Performance and Vocal Performance from Converse University. She was concertmaster of Converse Symphony Orchestra for the 2024-2025 season, and performed the Barber Violin Concerto as a winner of the Young Artist Competition. Singing has always been a big part of Adriana’s life (not to mention a highly contributing factor to her violinistic journey). She has sung with Spartanburg Master Chorale, Spartanburg Repertory Opera, Converse Opera Theatre, and Converse Chorale. She has played with Converse Symphony Orchestra, Converse Opera Theatre, Piedmont Chamber Orchestra, Spartanburg Philharmonic, Masterworks Festival, Eastern Music Festival (as Assistant Concertmaster and Principal Second), and Festwoche in Germany. In addition to performing, Adriana cares deeply about nurturing her students and helping them to grow in their musicality, technique, and knowledge of music. She sees it as a unique privilege to be someone’s private music teacher and views it as an opportunity to both educate in the knowledge of the instrument itself and also to nurture and be a positive influence in the life of a young person. Adriana has taught for Lawson Academy of the Arts since 2021. When she is not making music or teaching, you can often find her hiking, reading, making coffee, exploring antique stores, and spending time with her family and precocious cat, Frodo.

Hello Parents! I am so excited to be joining the other wonderful teachers this year who work one

one-on-one with your students to achieve their goals on their instruments! My name is Robin Hague Els, and I grew up in Spartanburg. I began playing professionally at the age of 16 and have been performing with orchestras in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia for the past 45 years. I also conduct sectionals in different schools and maintain a private studio in my home, where my kitty Lovebug loves to join in with lessons!

Please reach out to discuss any questions you may have, and I’m looking forward to working with your child this year! Thank you!

As a Spartanburg native, Mr. Miller started his musical journey in Spartanburg District 6. During this time, he studied privately with Jennifer Diehn and Kathleen Foster through middle school and high school. He attended the University of South Carolina and studied Music Education with Dr. Gail Barnes and studied cello with Dr. Robert Jesselson and Professor Claire Bryant. After college, he went to Virginia to teach middle school and high school orchestra for 3 years. Last year, Mr. Miller came back to Spartanburg and is entering his 5th year of teaching at Fairforest Middle School.

Easley, SC native Jacob Bradford, is a great example of how South Carolina's public school music programs can take students far!  His own string education journey began in Pickens County Schools.  He is a proud alumnus of Easley High School's Orchestra program and was a member of the Carolina Youth Symphony. Jacob attended North Greenville University where he studied with double bassist Brian Gencarelli and electric bassist  Mark Eshenbaugh. An active professional musician on both double bass and electric bass today, he performs regularly with regional orchestras, ensembles and churches throughout the Upstate.  In addition to his performance work, Jacob maintains a thriving private teaching studio for double bass and electric bass students.