I absolutely love teaching at YMV! It’s an honor to be able to play a part in the kids lives, and I just pray I’m making a positive impact the way the staff did when I was attending YMV.
“G” Garlic, 2nd generation teacher
Teachers at Young Musicians of Virginia must have degrees in their area of application or have adequate experience and be able to demonstrate a level of excellence in that area. Several have Masters and PhD’s. Check out our professional music teachers below:
• Ed Boffman
(Private strings)
• Chris Card
(Private Brass)
• Aaron Cook
(Private Percussion)
Aaron holds a Master of Music Education from Old Dominion University and a Bachelor of Arts from Virginia Tech, where he graduated summa cum laude, majoring in music performance and music technology with minors in computer science and math. In addition to his work at YMV, he also teaches at other programs in the area, including drums at Regent University as an Adjunct Music Faculty member. Aaron is the Principal Percussionist for Symphonicity (the Symphony Orchestra of Virginia Beach), regularly plays with Tidewater Winds and many other local groups, and records drums and percussion with Shed Studios as a studio musician. In addition to his technical proficiency, Aaron brings a rich understanding of music’s role in opening one’s heart to the Lord with several years of experience as both a church worship leader and worship ministry leader. He is currently employed as the drummer at Tapestry Church and continues to regularly lead worship on guitar, piano, and drums with churches and ministries throughout the area.
• Mrs. Stephanie Councill
(Art)
B.A. Art Education with a Minor in Ceramics, Chowan University, North Carolina.
With degrees in both Early Childhood Education and Art Education, Mrs. Stephanie Councill has a long history of teaching art processes, techniques, and history to Kindergarten through High School students. After teaching in both public and private schools, she felt her heart being called to homeschool and switched her focus to co-op and home-based art classes. The Councill family has been a part of YMV since 2010 and Mrs. Councill has been in the classroom here since 2017. Mrs. Councill has been featured online globally as an “Inspiring Art Teacher” during teacher training seminars and has taught several award-winning art students. Her students’ works are regularly featured online and in our community as examples of excellence. She strives to expose her students to a variety of media and techniques every year. She enjoys planning exciting yearly and summer camp curriculua that will inspire her young artists to grow in their creative gifts and to express themselves in the unique way God has created them. Her motto is, “Every day is a good day for art!” and her favorite verse is Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
Mr. Don Davis
(Private Guitar & Ukulele; Ensembles for Guitar and Ukulele)
B.A. Religious Education & Lay Ministry, Mercyhurst College, Erie, PA; MS Education, Hunter College, NY
Mr. Davis has over 25 years as a guitar teacher for private lessons and groups as well as over 10 years experience as a worship leader.
• Mr. DJ Davis
(Private piano, guitar, bass guitar)
• Kinnie Dunnavant
(Private Voice)
• Ms. Grace Garner
(private piano)
Grace is a piano teacher, YMV alumnus, and the music director at St.Paul’s Lutheran Church in Hampton, VA. She enjoys running the choir and handbell choir throughout the year, as well as playing piano and organ for the church. She has played piano for 18 years, organ for 6, and has a bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance from Bridgewater College. She’s been performing for churches, theatre performances, events, and school choirs professionally for the last 13 years. She loves working with others to help them achieve their musical goals, whether in ensemble settings or teaching at the piano bench.
Mr. Tony Grizzel
(Beginning Band, Woodwind Private Lessons)
B.M.Ed Instrumental Music Education, East Tennessee State University; M.M. Clarinet Performance, NC School of the Arts
Mr. Grizzel has been at YMV since 2021 as a seasoned performer and instructor in both choral and instrumental ensembles. He is a retired member of the US Navy Fleet Bands and has over 40 years of experience in orchestra, wind, and chamber ensembles.
Mr. Davis Haymes
(Elementary, Middle School, and High School Theatre Arts)
Davis Haymes is a professional actor living out of Virginia Beach with his wife and son. Haymes has taken part in local professional and community theatre and has been involved with the stage since he was 11 years old. He has taught theatre for multiple years at multiple schools in the region. The current culture of Theatre can be quite worldly, so Haymes is pleased to show students how to use this artform to glorify Christ!
Mr. Ricky K. Micou
(Adv/Jazz Band, World Rhythm Ensemble, Music Technology, Private percussion)
B.M.Ed Mississippi Valley State University, M.M in Percussion Performance, Southern Illinois University.
Mr. Micou (Ricky) brings a wealth of experience as both an educator and performer. He currently serves as an adjunct professor at Norfolk State University, where he teaches Applied Percussion, Jazz Improvisation, and directs the Percussion Ensemble.
As a percussionist, Ricky is well known throughout the Hampton Roads area as a
percussionist. His professional career includes performing with the Navy Steel Drum Band, Navy Fleet Bands, Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Symphonicity, and the York River Symphony orchestra. He is also the drummer at London Bridge Baptist Church.
• Deena Mobley
(Elem Music, Elem Choir, Middle School Choir)
Mrs. Karla D. Robinson
(High School Concert Choir; Soli Deo Choir; Private Voice)
B.M., Vocal Performance, St. Olaf College
Music Director Larchmont United Methodist Church
Mrs. Robinson is a local performer, choral director, music director, and private vocal instructor and clinician. She attended St. Olaf College, singing and studying under the direction of Dr. Anton Armstrong. After graduating from St. Olaf with a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance, she sang with the Chicago Symphony Chorus, the Virginia Symphony Chorus, and served as a local soloist. She has taught private voice and choir for over 30 years and is a local musical director for many community theaters. She has been at YMV for over 20 years.
• Mrs. Allison Siff
(Beginning Strings, Intermediate Strings, Advanced Strings)
B.Fine Arts in Music Education, University of Kentucky
Mrs. Siff grew up playing the violin and singing in choirs in school and church as well as regional and state events for choir and orchestra. She taught orchestra in public school in Kentucky and was a section violinist in the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra. She has performed in several orchestras in the Southeast (Greenville Symphony, SC, Annapolis Symphony, MD, San Angelo Symphony, TX, South Carolina Philharmonic, Columbia, SC) and taught private lessons, as well as serving as church choir director and children’s choir director. She currently plays violin in her church orchestra and is a regular adjudicator for state-level music competitions for Old Dominion Assoc. of Church Schools. All four of her children have graduated from YMV and have gone on to college. She is delighted to facilitate music education for students in a Christ-centered environment. She loves walking the halls of YMV and hearing music everywhere!
• Mrs. Marcie Williams
(Private Piano)
B.A. Vocal Performance, Virginia Wesleyan University (Honor Graduate), majored in vocal performance and minored in piano.
Mrs. Williams has been a resident of Virginia her entire life. She has 27 years of teaching experience and loves sharing her God-given passon for music with her students. She has also served as minister of music, interim pianist, and keyboardist in local churches, and has been with YMV for 19 years in various teaching capacities.
Young Musicians of Virginia 