Meet Our Teachers
Lisa Sinibaldi
Lisa is the founder and owner of Sinibaldi Music. She has been teaching and performing in the Hampton Roads area for more than 20 years. Since earning her Bachelor of Music from Old Dominion University, she has taught all levels of band, chorus, and general music in schools, as well as private and group lessons. Lisa served 8 years in the 380th Army Reserve Band where she performed regularly on woodwinds and as a vocal soloist. She has performed in Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center and Madison Square Garden with the ODU Wind Ensemble and Pep Band. When Lisa is not teaching lessons, find her leading worship at Great Bridge UMC or teaching music to little ones at Broad Bay Manor School.
Rock School, Woodwinds, Voice, Piano
Erik Mathesius
Erik has been playing trumpet for 30 years and guitar and harmonica for 20 years. He is a Navy veteran and acoustic analyst originally from Pittsburgh who traveled around the world with the Navy and ended up in Hampton Roads. Erik has played with several local bands and is currently the trumpet and harmonica player for The James Henry Morgan Gang, a local band that records and performs mostly original music. When he’s not playing with them, you might catch him on bass, trumpet, or guitar in a local church or band.
Rock School, Trumpet, Guitar, Bass
John Presto
Piano, Low Brass, Strings
John Presto started studying music with piano lessons at the age of 5. He later joined his middle school band playing the alto sax. In high school, he was selected to District Band in 1991, earning 2nd tenor sax. He was also selected to perform with the Armed Forces Eastern Band Clinic under the baton of composer James Barnes. For 3 summers, he studied jazz with such notable instructors as Dr. Steven Ambrose and Roy Muth. Also in attendance at those summer jazz camps were pop stars Pharell Williams and Chad Hugo.
In the Fall of 1991, he studied music at East Carolina University on a partial scholarship majoring in music performance. From 1997-2011, he mostly served with the United States Navy Band with 7 of those years overseas in Naples, Italy under Commander 6th Fleet (now Commander Naval Forces Europe). Upon leaving the Navy, he decided to finish his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Old Dominion University in Music Education.
Michael Malinowski
Michael Malinowski is a freelance drummer and percussionist who has performed with artists such as Blue Man Group and Sheila E. He has had the privilege of performing at some of the biggest venues in Los Angeles, including the Hollywood Bowl, Ford Amphitheatre, and Microsoft Theater. Michael graduated from the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music, at California State University, Long Beach, with a degree in Percussion Performance. There, he studied classical, jazz, and world music.
Michael’s passion for music, whether performing or educating, is instantly apparent upon meeting him. Michael recently moved to Virginia Beach, Virginia, where he is focused on playing, teaching, and recording locally, as well as touring nationally.
Rock School, Drums, Piano
Josh McDonald
Josh McDonald is a trumpeter, educator, and composer. He previously served as Coordinator of Jazz Ensembles at Boston University, directing the BU Big Band, jazz combos, and the Jazz Chamber Lab, and teaching jazz history courses focused on race and the #BAM movement. He is a member of NAfME, KKPsi, and Music Performance and Education, Inc.
He has performed at venues including Somethin’ Jazz Club (NYC), Fenway Park, House of Blues Boston, and the Institute of Contemporary Art. His compositions have been performed by ensembles including the Boston University Big Band, Fresno City College Big Band, College of the Holy Cross Big Band, Old Dominion University Big Band, and Nipomo High School Big Band, and he has shared the stage with such artists as Christian McBride, John Patitucci, Wayne Bergeron, Bobby Shew, Conrad Herwig, and Ed Shaughnessy.
More at joshmcdonaldmusic.com
Trumpet