Meet the Staff

Adam Walsh

Voice, Musical Theatre Studio Sessions

Adam Walsh is a musician, composer, and teacher with a unique ability to connect with kids of all ages. With a strong desire to instill a love of music in his students, Adam sets out to create a learning environment parents will appreciate and kids will love. As a former children’s pastor, Adam has trained young musicians in the worship arts, taught songwriting, and recorded three albums of Bible memory verses. He’s written and edited curriculum for Group Publishing in Loveland, Colorado, along with writing and editing curriculum for Orange (252, K5Plus, Pre-Teen).

He has performed in or musically directed countless shows, and with his wife Courtney, is the co-owner of The Studio. Adam has a B.S. in Music from Bradley University, is a father of three insanely entertaining kids, and loves games and puzzles of all kinds. 

Mariah Kramer

Administrator/Social Media 

Mariah comes to The Studio with an eclectic and impressive array of experience – from teaching classes for 5-7 year olds to performing on stage, from directing full scale musicals to compiling media on social networking platforms. A graduate of Moody Bible College, Mariah is putting her skills in photography, management, and editing to good use handling all of The Studio’s admin and social media duties!

Olivia Martinez-Sturges

Voice

Born and raised in the musical islands of the Philippines, Olivia’s life has been dedicated to music. Holding multiple degrees from the prestigious University of the Philippines where she majored in Voice and Music Education, Olivia spent years teaching at the private studio of one of Asia’s most legendary composer.

She was also pioneering member of her country’s first professional master chorale. Though she was classically trained in singing, with her versatility, she can also sing other genres of music. She performed in different parts of Asia such as China, Thailand and Vietnam where she and her band gained a great reputation. For the last two years, Olivia has been spreading her love of music here in the United States through teaching students, involvement in multiple local choirs, as well as performances of all types right here in the Rockford area.

Olivia is a teacher at heart and has been teaching singing since 1998. She nurtures her students according to their musical ability and motivates them to maximize their musical and artistic potentials. Above all, she makes sure that her students are having fun making music.

Amy Sanderson

Piano

Amy Sanderson has over 25 years of experience teaching private piano lessons to all ages. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Sacred Music from Lincoln Christian University. Her experience also includes accompanying soloists, groups, musical theater and church worship services. She is currently taking new piano students at The Studio, where she’s excited to share her love of music!

Deborah Krug

Piano

Deborah has been in and around music since she was 5, bumping her brothers off the piano stool and trying to play their songs. A pastor’s kid, she sang and played at churches while accompanying choirs in high school. She majored in Special Education at Western Illinois, where she met her future husband – and they promptly moved out to Santa Fe, where they both finished their studies at the University of New Mexico.

She has four kids who are all involved in music in some way, and simply adores teaching. . .and also Starbucks.

Rachel Blugrind

Voice

Rachel grew up in Southern California before deciding to move to Rockford, Illinois to pursue a degree in the arts. She is a 2023 graduate from Rockford University where she earned a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre.

She has been teaching voice lessons with The Studio since the fall of 2022 and has been blessed with the opportunity to meet and work with so many talented students! During the summers, Rachel can be seen performing on stage with The Studio (previously she played Ethel Toffelmier in The Music Man (2023), and Tiggi in Girls of Summer (2024)). Other roles that she is particularly proud of include Little Sally (Urinetown). Little Red Riding Hood (Into the Woods), and Pearl Payne (These Shining Lives).

Domenic DiCello

Piano

Besides composing, Domenic has performed professionally full-time for a number of years, a music-competition first place winner, a studio musician, MIDI sequencer and Sound effects expert for post production audio—along with holding a certification in video production. 

An accomplished musician, he’s been seen all over the Stateline area, performing with numerous professional groups.

Domenic also has over 60 piano works available for streaming and on YouTube. His Full Albums are, “Out of Castles,” “DiCello ” “Affinity, ” “All Visceral,” and 2020’s “From Ash, From Dust” is a melodic, sometimes calm, sometimes melancholy, fiery, often expressive collection of seven piano and string pieces.

Hannah Strmic

Piano

Hannah has been singing, listening to, and making music her whole life. Her father’s side of the family has always been very musical—and when she was eight, her grandmother gifted her a Story & Clark upright piano and she started piano lessons right away. Her teachers were strict, but also fun, teaching her the importance of ear training and reading notated music. As she grew in her understanding of piano she started to play special music for her home church. At the age of 13 she joined the church band and learned how to play using just the key signatures and chords.

She attended Trinity International University in Deerfield, IL, majoring in piano pedagogy. She has been teaching piano for 24 years and loving every minute of it! She has played for weddings, funerals, parties, and more. She has been in a band, Road to Roam, for many years. Hannah is also currently the pianist and lead soloist at her church in Kirkland, IL.

Gloria Kaluhiokalani

Voice

Gloria is excited to begin working her first year here at The Studio! She most recently moved from Wisconsin where she taught voice lessons, in addition to dance and performing arts classes at Birder Studio. Over the past many years, she has taught and worked with youth theatre in a variety of capacities. She loves working with her students and has a passion for helping them grow and develop confidence, as she remembers being exactly in their shoes at the beginning of her performing arts journey!

Her education and training consist of an AFA in Musical Theatre from Western Wyoming Community College, and a BFA in Modern Dance from the University of Utah. Additionally, she has received vocal training from Dean Kaelin, Ginger Bess, Nicole Owen, Lauren Klumpp, among others. She has participated in vocal workshops such as The Performance Voice Conference held in Salt Lake City, Utah. This fall she is also beginning training to become an accredited teacher through IVTOM (International Voice Teachers of Mix)!

Julia Baker

Voice

Julia received her Bachelor’s degree in vocal performance with a minor in musical theatre from Drake University in May of 2024, and has been teaching private voice lessons with The Studio since June of 2024. She’s been participating in theater productions in the Rockford area since 2009, and she’s been doing shows with The Studio since 2017. Some of her favorite musical theater roles have included Mo (Girls of Summer), Kala (Tarzan), and Penny (Hairspray).

When she’s not teaching lessons or making music of her own, Julia enjoys being outside, reading, and photography!

Want to Join the Team?

Want to join our team? The Studio is always on the look out to hire Voice, Piano & Guitar instructors.
Email either adam@thestudiorockford.com or courtney@thestudiorockford.com to submit your resume or find out more!