Meet our talented team of instructors! We are proud to partner with some of the most talented, caring, and professional people in Orlando. Our instructors are actively involved in performing, recording, and vocal producing in the Orlando area and hold various degrees in music, as well as years of performance/teaching experience and are members of different music associations. Commitment and relationships are important to us…most (if not all) of our team has been a part of our studio for at least 2 years or more! We are not only instructors, but a team of music ‘mentors’ who are dedicated to musical growth, building character & self confidence, igniting passion, and encouraging a guided discipline to practice! Each of our instructors have been carefully selected & undergo a thorough background check.
Elizabeth Chaves | Voice, Piano, & Owner
Vocal instructor and Founder of The Music Box, Elizabeth fell in love with music at a very young age, and has been singing ever since! Her formal training began at age 14 under the instruction of Eleanor Tracey and continued throughout her college career.
A lead singer and recording artist of the former girl group R.E.A.L, Elizabeth has had the opportunity to perform at local venues such as Hard Rock Live, Universal Studios, House of Blues, and the Amway Arena to name a few. R.E.A.L’s success led to a national tour with the HealthSouth GoForIt! Roadshow, in which the group performed for thousands of people on a weekly basis. They headlined their own Pop Sensational Show at Walt Disney World, Orlando and sang at the Grand Opening of Epcot’s Test Track, and The Groove Night Club at Universal’s City Walk. Additionally, they opened for bands such as LFO, Earth, Wind and Fire, and The Spinners.
After many years of performing in church, school, girl groups (you name it!) and being classically trained in college (under the tutelage of Leah Pace-Berkley, Dr. Rebecca Brown-Bedell, University of Mississippi, and Dr. Michael Battruccio of The Boston Pops), graduating from the University of Central Florida, Elizabeth decided to begin teaching.
Recognizing the need for a more relevant style of musical training, Elizabeth began mixing her backgrounds of both pop/contemporary and classical training & performing to achieve a training style that students could relate to, get excited about and grow from!
She adores her students and loves the many relationships she’s had the privilege of building while teaching private voice since 2006. Elizabeth encourages and assists her team of instructors to keep their finger on the pulse of new musical developments and research, and recently completed Estill Vocal Training (a world renowned vocal training method) courses 1 & 2 at the University of Central Florida, along with other members of the Music Box team!
In addition to teaching at and co-owning The Music Box with her husband, Louis, Elizabeth leads worship at Grace Church, and is a mommy to Isaiah, Ana and Lily. She and her family reside in Tuscawilla.
Alex Pandolph | Guitar, Piano, & Drums
Alex was born and raised in Miami, Florida and began his musical journey at 4 years old with the piano as his first instrument. At age 9, he continued to take piano lessons at Florida Christian College’s Community Music School. At 11 years old, Alex decided to play the drums, and he received a drum set that Christmas with lessons that were soon to follow. Throughout high school, he took both piano and drum lessons from professional musicians and teachers; Lisa Schonauer (piano) & Paul Parker (percussion). Because he was homeschooled, there was more time and opportunity to practice, so Alex took full advantage and excelled quickly. Playing for multiple churches in the area, he had a solid foundation in practicing and performing as a part of a group, and being exposed to other musical styles such as jazz, rock, and latin. Through these experiences, he became well rounded as a musician, and as a lover of music.
In addition, Alex played the drums for a jazz-styled worship team led by world-class jazz guitarist Terry Bradds, who became an important mentor in Alex’s musical development. In his senior year of high school, he dual enrolled at Valencia Community College and Florida Christian College, where he began taking college-level music courses, while also being able to take piano at a college level. Alex discovered that not only did he love learning and playing music, but he also had a passion for teaching. He began teaching drums and piano privately to a few students, and after graduating, he continued his love for teaching students through the Stetson Community Music School. Alex attended Stetson University as a music major and studied piano under Dr. Michael Rickman. More recently, Alex has become excited about sound engineering and is currently in school to further his education in this area. Alex has been an integral part of the Music Box team since 2012!
Rebekah Sandiford | Piano & Flute
Rebekah’s love and appreciation for music started at an early age and she always knew she wanted to share her love of music through teaching. Beginning piano lessons at the age of 6, and flute lessons at age 9, Rebekah has a solid music foundation to support her desire to teach. Since 2003, Rebekah has had the opportunity to teach students from the age of 4 to 52! Over the years she has had many opportunities to use her talents for the Lord teaching at a Christian academy, as a church pianist, choir and solo accompanist, and orchestra and ensemble member. Additionally, she taught as a music instructor/accompanist for a children’s music club and performance choir. Rebekah joined the team of instructors at The Music Box in 2015! Currently, Rebekah accompanies at Grace Bible Church in Winter Springs, and is excited to further her education with the Royal Conservatory of Music, in which she will be pursuing a certification in music education, with a focus in piano.
Rebekah loves being a member of The Music Box team and looks forward with joy to each lesson with her students!
Addison Horner | Piano, Voice, & Guitar
Addison has been playing piano since he was four years old, but it wasn’t until college that he considered becoming a teacher. He was trained classically until high school, when he started playing and writing pop and rock music. He studied Music Production & Recording Arts at Elon University in North Carolina, where he focused on pop songwriting, a cappella arranging, and eventually piano pedagogy. He was the music director for the a cappella group Smooth Progressions for three years in college, and he arranged for several high school and collegiate groups across the United States. For his undergraduate Honors thesis, Addison created a ten-month introductory piano curriculum entirely based on 15-second Instagram videos. After graduating in May 2016, he spent the summer presenting his research at national and international conferences and touring Italy with the Elon Jazz Ambassadors as a keyboardist. He moved to Oviedo in August 2016, where he teaches music and works as a freelance composer and arranger. Addison worked as the director of music for Tuskawilla Presbyterian Preschool, and currently leads worship at City Awakening Church. Addison has been a part of the Music Box team since 2016 and recently completed Estill Vocal Training (a world renowned vocal training method) courses 1 & 2 at the University of Central Florida, along with other members of the Music Box team!
Natasha Dealecio | Voice & Piano
Natasha holds a vocal performance degree from the University of Central Florida and has been teaching voice and beginner/ intermediate piano for almost 10 years now.
Her emphasis on healthy singing and preserving the integrity of the natural voice has helped many of her clients achieve their musical goals. Natasha specializes in Artist Development for vocal artists who are serious in taking their craft of singing and songwriting to the next level. Two of her success stories include clients landing a recording and publishing deal with Atlantic Records. Her experiences include songwriting and vocal producing alongside the writers, musicians and producers of The Black Eyed Peas, Demi Lovato, Beyoncé, Fergie, Meghan Trainor and Usher. Natasha is also active in the Orlando music scene and sings in two local bands, Natural Instinct, and Spayed Koolie Band. She’s had the pleasure of opening up for artists such as Charlie Daniels, Pat Benatar, Scooter Brown Band, Colt Ford and Chris Janson. Natasha has been a part of the Music Box team since 2017, and recently completed Estill Vocal Training (a world renowned vocal training method) courses 1 & 2 at the University of Central Florida, along with other members of The Music Box team!
Nick Pandolph | Guitar (Acoustic, Electric, Bass) & Ukulele
Nick was born in Miami, Florida where he began his music career with private piano lessons by career musician and scholar, Dr. Revis Ann Massey. After moving to Kissimmee, Florida in 2003, Nick continued piano lessons with several instructors at Florida Christian College’s Community Music School. Nick was homeschooled by his parents from second grade to ninth grade and always maintained a level of excellence in his studies. At ten years old, Nick started learning the guitar and was accepted as a student by World-Class Jazz Guitarist, Terry Bradds. An expert in music theory, Bradds taught Nick the skills and practice habits that would make him an accomplished musician on not only the guitar, but on his original instrument, piano and bass guitar, as well. Nick played in worship bands on Sunday Mornings starting at the age of twelve. For his high school years, Nick attended Astronaut High School in Titusville, Florida where he played piano and guitar in the school’s jazz band under the direction of David Ammerman for the remainder of his high school career. Nick is currently is a full-time student at Seminole State University studying Mechanical Engineering and on staff with C3 Church playing guitar and piano on Sunday mornings. Nick started his teaching career in 2011 and has been a part of The Music Box team since 2014.
Josh Albert | Percussion & Piano
Josh completed his Master’s at University of Central Florida under the direction of Dr. Thad Anderson, Dean Jeffrey Moore, and Professor Kirk Gay. Josh also attended Stetson University, studying with Dr. Marja Kerney, Dr. Noel Painter, and Dr. Manuel De Murga for Composition and Percussion. He currently teaches Applied Percussion at Seminole State College along with individual lessons. Josh also freelances with Space Coast Symphony Orchestra and The Villages Philharmonic as well as teaching theory and percussion at multiple music schools in Central Florida. While playing drums has always been his greatest passion, Josh spends much of his time playing piano and experimenting with music technology and sound engineering.
In his spare time, Josh jet skis and composes music for IOS video games and Indie Movies. Josh also owns CustomMalletCreations.com, a custom marimba mallet company focusing on customizable mallets that can compete with the quality of the larger companies.
Hanna Wilson | Voice & Piano
Hanna has been singing and performing her entire life. Growing up, she performed in various shows and worship teams at her church. After high school, she attained a BA in Voice with a minor in dance from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Since then, she has worked in and around the theme parks in stage shows and various offerings. Her theme park credits include Universal Studios, Sea World, Disney, and Legoland. Hanna’s passion is to instill confidence in her students and help them grow to their highest performing potential.”
Megan Stoffer | Studio Manager
Megan, our studio manager, has been with us here at the Music Box for over 4 years! Although she does not consider herself to be musically inclined, she truly excels in all things that keep our studio sane. From scheduling to recitals, you can find her behind the scenes working on ideas for us to better serve our families and community.
Prior to her joining our team, Megan received her Bachelors degree in Early Childhood Development & Education from UCF. She spent many years working with children in a variety of settings including the public school system and volunteering at Arnold Palmer Hospital. Currently, Megan enjoys spending her free time with her husband and daughter making memories and enjoying the FL sunshine!
Karly Knipe | Front Desk Coordinator
Music has been a significant part of Karly’s life ever since she was a toddler. Growing up singing, acting, and dancing, the performance world is not unfamiliar to her. Along with singing, she plays guitar, ukulele, and piano. Having taken lessons herself at The Music Box as a child, she has been a part of the tight-knit Music Box community since 2013! She graduated from high school in 2021 and currently attends the University of Central Florida, majoring in Marketing with a minor in English.
When she is not at The Music Box, she is worshipping Jesus with her church community, studying in college, reading a good book, or spending time with her family and friends.
