About Us!

This ensemble will be led by the ARIS Band Team! All three of the band directors will alternate weeks this summer and the Summer Music Academy could not be more excited! 

🎵Carrie Lansberry has been an integral part of the ARIS Instrumental Music Department since 2004. Ms. Lansberry has a B.M. in Music Education from The College of New Jersey and a M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from Rider University. She began her teaching career as an Elementary General Music Specialist for Brick Township and has taught all levels grades K - 12 including Instrumental, Choral and General Music. Ms. Lansberry performs professionally with the Eastern Wind Symphony and has a private studio of high achieving middle and high school students. She also enjoys editing music for dance and skating competitions. 

🎵 Bryan Cook graduated from The College of New Jersey in 2021 with a bachelor's in music education. Mr. Cook joined the Hillsborough team in 2022 to teach Band at Auten Road Intermediate School. He is also involved with the Hillsborough High School Marching Band and Brass Ensemble. When not teaching, Mr. Cook actively plays trumpet for community groups and musicals. Other hobbies include playing golf, playing video games, and watching the New Jersey Devils.

🎵Jayden Fusco graduated from The College of New Jersey in 2023 with a Bachelor's in Music Education where he studied saxophone, an instrument he has loved since starting it in fifth grade. Prior to joining the Hillsborough team in 2025 to teach Band at Auten Road Intermediate School, Mr. Fusco has been a band director at Point Pleasant High School and Clara Parker Intermediate School. Mr. Fusco has also served as the New Jersey Manager for all-state ensembles through the New Jersey Music Educators Association and enjoys performing for numerous musicals throughout the state. Mr. Fusco also has marching band experience, working as both a visual tech for John P. Stevens High school and as the woodwind correspondent and visual director for Brick Memorial High School. His other hobbies include teaching marching band and woodwind ensembles,  playing video games, and loving all things Disney-related. 

🎵 Nancy Petrucelli is a retired NJ music educator with an impressive 25-year legacy at the Hillsborough String program. Among her many accomplishments throughout her career is being honored with the Governor’s Teacher Award for excellence in teaching. Additionally, she is a professional musician and an active freelance performer in the tri-state area. Mrs. Petrucelli is also the Director and Lead Trombonist with the Silver Starlite Orchestra. She is excited to share her wealth of experience and foster a vibrant, fun and educational environment for her students at the Summer Music Academy this season!

Mrs. Nancy Ciacciarelli has spent almost her entire teaching career as a Hillsborough Band Director.  She has conducted 5th through 8th grade bands and HMS Jazz Bands. She currently is on the Hillsborough Township School District substitute list and specializes in music instruction. She is a recipient of the Governor’s Teacher Award, earned a place in Who’s Who Among American Women, and has served twice as an NJMEA Clinician. Additionally, she is a professional AF of M (American Federation of Musicians) french hornist and enjoys an active free-lance performance career throughout the tri-state area. She is a member of the Capital Philharmonic of NJ, The State Opera of New Jersey, St. Peter’s Orchestra by the Sea, the New Brunswick Chamber Orchestra, to name a few. While she is retired from the Hillsborough School District, she still loves teaching! She has been the Summer Music Academy Program Director since 2018 and enjoys working collaboratively with the amazing Summer Music Academy students and staff. In her free time, she enjoys working out, shopping, dining out with friends and walking her German Shepherd, the lovely Miss Ava Gabor! Mrs. Ciacciarelli is looking forward to another amazing season and to working with the talented HMS and HHS students who join us this season! 

The Advanced Orchestra ensemble class will be led by Ms. Jennifer Downs, Ms. Ann Marie Pocklembo and Mr. Huy-An Nguyen. The combined talents and experience of these instructors will inspire all 8 and up string students!

🎵Jennifer Downs graduated from Montclair State University in 2019 with a bachelor's degree in music education. She began her career in Hamilton Township teaching beginner strings in grades three through five. In 2021, Miss Downs received her master's degree in curriculum and instruction from Western Governors University. When not teaching, Miss Downs can be found creating music, reading, spending time with her family and cats, and enjoying all things Disney! 

🎵Ms. Ann Marie Pocklembo: Ann Marie Pocklembo has been teaching high school orchestra for the past 33 years, 30 of which have been in Hamilton Township, where she is the district orchestra director. She is also an adjunct faculty member at Mercer County Community College and has served on the music ed faculty at New Jersey City University. In the summertime, Ann Marie teaches and performs in Prague, at festivals such as Ameropa and I-AME.  As a violinist, Ann Marie is in great demand, playing with ensembles throughout the tri-state area, as well as in Italy, China, Russia, and the Czech Republic. Versatile in many styles, she has appeared with classical artists such as Daniel Barenboim and Itzhak Perlman, to R&B great Aretha Franklin, and the progressive rock band Kansas. She serves on the board of directors of the Marian Anderson Society in Philadelphia, a role which she is quite passionate about, because preserving our nation's history is so important. 

🎵 Huyan Nguyen started taking violin lessons at the age of six years old. By age nine, he joined the Bravura Youth Orchestra in East Brunswick and became the concertmaster of the Bravura youth string ensemble after two years with the guidance of conductors Patty Gonsky and Chiu-Tze Lin. Huy-An  has earned  top chairs for NJMEA and CJMEA orchestras after a rigorous audition process and competed against a large group of other talented violinists to earn top placement in these ensembles.  Besides performing in prestigious concert halls such as Carnegie Hall, Huy-An enjoys performing for assisted living homes, senior centers, weddings, as well as fundraising concerts, such as the American Cancer Society. He was a student of both the Juilliard and Manhattan School of Music Precollege Programs. Additionally, Huy-An has won the St. Peter's Orchestra by the Sea Cecilia Foundation Scholarship 4 consecutive years in a row and went on tour with the orchestra as a featured soloist, touring all over New Jersey and New York. Under the direction of conductor Father Alphonse Stevenson, Huy-An has become a regular member of the orchestra and has most recently been featured as a guest conductor. He is currently attending the Mason Gross Music School of the Arts at Rutgers University and will be entering his senior year as a music performance major this fall. He is very excited to share his knowledge and passion for music with the Advanced Orchestra students this season at the Summer Music Academy. 

Mrs. Nancy Ciacciarelli has spent almost her entire teaching career as a Hillsborough Band Director.  She has conducted 5th through 8th grade bands and HMS Jazz Bands. She currently is on the Hillsborough Township School District substitute list and specializes in music instruction. She is a recipient of the Governor’s Teacher Award, earned a place in Who’s Who Among American Women, and has served twice as an NJMEA Clinician. Additionally, she is a professional AF of M (American Federation of Musicians) french hornist and enjoys an active free-lance performance career throughout the tri-state area. She is a member of the Capital Philharmonic of NJ, The State Opera of New Jersey, St. Peter’s Orchestra by the Sea, the New Brunswick Chamber Orchestra, to name a few. While she is retired from the Hillsborough School District, she still loves teaching! She has been the Summer Music Academy Program Director since 2018 and enjoys working collaboratively with the amazing Summer Music Academy students and staff. In her free time, she enjoys working out, shopping, dining out with friends and walking her German Shepherd, the lovely Miss Ava Gabor! Mrs. Ciacciarelli is looking forward to another amazing season and to working with the talented HMS and HHS students who join us this season! 

🎵Jennifer Downs graduated from Montclair State University in 2019 with a bachelor's degree in music education. She began her career in Hamilton Township teaching beginner strings in grades three through five. In 2021, Miss Downs received her master's degree in curriculum and instruction from Western Governors University. When not teaching, Miss Downs can be found creating music, reading, spending time with her family and cats, and enjoying all things Disney! 

This session has been revised by and will be led by Ms. Jennifer Ketrow. Her impressive credentials include vocal and guitar studies at Berklee College of Music. She also earned a Master’s in Music Technology from Southern Utah University. Currently, she teaches 5th grade general music at Auten Road Intermediate School and is an Adjunct Professor of Music Technology at Raritan Valley Community College. She believes that music education should be fun, engaging and meaningful and will be bringing that energy to the Summer Academy every day!

All students will also have the opportunity each morning to work with two dynamic instructors during a playing/vocal rest break. Miss Shannon Leff and Ms. Christine Bice are both talented music educators and will provide students with engaging activities designed to strengthen music skills in a fun setting!

🎵 Miss Shannon Leff is currently the ARIS choir director and teaches 6th grade music classes at ARIS. Miss Leff graduated from Montclair State University in 2024 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education. She completed her student teaching in the Bridgewater-Raritan School District, working with fifth and sixth-grade students in general music and chorus. In 2025, she went on to earn her Master of Arts in Teaching, also from Montclair State University. She joined the Hillsborough music team in 2025 and continues to enjoy sharing her passion for music with her students and school community. She is looking forward to a meaningful summer of music and fun! 

🎵 Christine Bice graduated with her bachelor’s degree in elementary education and music from The College of New Jersey and earned a master’s degree in special education from Georgian Court University. She currently teaches 5th and 6th grade band at the Lower Middle School in Montgomery, New Jersey. With over 20 years of teaching experience across multiple school districts in New Jersey, she has taught general music, instrumental music, and vocal music, and has been a valued member of the Montgomery music program since 2012. Mrs. Bice’s primary instrument is the flute, but she enjoys playing a wide variety of wind and percussion instruments. She is passionate about helping students grow as musicians and creating a fun, engaging environment for all learners. In her free time, she enjoys walking her dog, cooking, and playing pickleball. 

Mrs. Nancy Ciacciarelli has spent almost her entire teaching career as a Hillsborough Band Director.  She has conducted 5th through 8th grade bands and HMS Jazz Bands. She currently is on the Hillsborough Township School District substitute list and specializes in music instruction. She is a recipient of the Governor’s Teacher Award, earned a place in Who’s Who Among American Women, and has served twice as an NJMEA Clinician. Additionally, she is a professional AF of M (American Federation of Musicians) french hornist and enjoys an active free-lance performance career throughout the tri-state area. She is a member of the Capital Philharmonic of NJ, The State Opera of New Jersey, St. Peter’s Orchestra by the Sea, the New Brunswick Chamber Orchestra, to name a few. While she is retired from the Hillsborough School District, she still loves teaching! She has been the Summer Music Academy Program Director since 2018 and enjoys working collaboratively with the amazing Summer Music Academy students and staff. In her free time, she enjoys working out, shopping, dining out with friends and walking her German Shepherd, the lovely Miss Ava Gabor! Mrs. Ciacciarelli is looking forward to another amazing season and to working with the talented HMS and HHS students who join us this season! 

The Summer Music Academy staff is EXTREMELY fortunate to have a very talented staff of experienced teachers to substitute if needed. Read about them below:

🎵 Mrs. Ciji Coates: After earning her BA in Music Education from The College of New Jersey, Mrs. Coates started her teaching career in Hillsborough teaching elementary music. Currently, she is one of the band directors at the middle school and has been teaching 7th and 8th-grade band, jazz ensemble, and the high school pit orchestra since 2006. Most recently, Mrs. Coates earned her Masters Degree in Educational Leadership: Instruction at The College of New Jersey in 2017. Mrs. Coates enjoys participating in many other musical endeavors both in and outside of school, including performing in The Eastern Wind Symphony, performing in various musicals, and staying active on the state level through the Central Jersey Music Educators Association where she organizes the Elementary Honors Band Day with over 400 elementary band students. 

🎵Mr. Tom Coates: More information coming soon!

Mrs. Nancy Ciacciarelli has spent almost her entire teaching career as a Hillsborough Band Director.  She has conducted 5th through 8th grade bands and HMS Jazz Bands. She currently is on the Hillsborough Township School District substitute list and specializes in music instruction. She is a recipient of the Governor’s Teacher Award, earned a place in Who’s Who Among American Women, and has served twice as an NJMEA Clinician. Additionally, she is a professional AF of M (American Federation of Musicians) french hornist and enjoys an active free-lance performance career throughout the tri-state area. She is a member of the Capital Philharmonic of NJ, The State Opera of New Jersey, St. Peter’s Orchestra by the Sea, the New Brunswick Chamber Orchestra, to name a few. While she is retired from the Hillsborough School District, she still loves teaching! She has been the Summer Music Academy Program Director since 2018 and enjoys working collaboratively with the amazing Summer Music Academy students and staff. In her free time, she enjoys working out, shopping, dining out with friends and walking her German Shepherd, the lovely Miss Ava Gabor! Mrs. Ciacciarelli is looking forward to another amazing season and to working with the talented HMS and HHS students who join us this season! 

Contact Nancy Ciacciarelli with ANY questions that you may have about the program: summermusicacademy08844@gmail.com