Staff



To contact individual teachers, please use the contact page

Barbara A. Walters, director, strings:Barbara A. Walters Barb has been teaching violin and other instruments since she was a teenager in college. Following her graduation from The University of Michigan School of Music, she played in professional and community orchestras in Massachusetts and Kentucky while maintaining her studio. She moved to Lebanon in 2001. Barb now plays in the Lafayette Symphony Orchestra and free-lances. With her family, they perform as Running River Strings entertaining at nursing homes, churches, libraries, schools and other locations and events. Barb has seven children and two grandchildren. She homeschools her three youngest children. Barb and her family worship at Grace Baptist Church in Lebanon where they participate in choir and the sanctuary orchestra.

Bethany Walters, violin, piano:Bethany Walters Bethany teaches piano and violin to beginning through intermediate students. She is a freshman at University of Indianapolis majoring in violin performance and English. Bethany has enjoyed touring Europe with the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp International Orchestra in 2007 and 2008. In 2009 she will attend the Univeristy of Indianapolis Chamber Music Institute. Bethany is an alumna of the New World Youth Symphony Orchestra in Indianapolis. Bethany sings in the choir at Grace Baptist Church. She also plays violin in the sanctuary orchestra.

Emily Walters, violin, piano, student teacher:Emily Walters Emily is a beginning teacher of piano. She is a freshman in high school and has played both violin and piano since she was five years old. Emily has been a member of the New World Youth Concert Orchestra in Indianapolis for three years. She attended Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in 2008 and will attend again later this summer. Emily sings in the choir at Grace Baptist Church. She also plays violin in the sanctuary orchestra.




Jonathan Walters:Jonathan Walters Jonathan designed Family Music Studio's website. As a computer science major at Purdue University he tutors writing and all levels of math. He sang with the Purdue Men's Glee Club for one semester and continues to enjoy singing. He also plays violin with Running River Strings. He works at National City Bank. Jonathan sings in the choir at Grace Baptist Church.




Melinda Hightower, piano: Melinda graduated from Cedarville University. She holds a Bachelor of Art in Music with an emphasis in Keyboard Pedagogy. She is a former student of FMS teacher Margaret Warburton. Melinda is an experienced teacher who is eager to bring students the experience of learning to play an instrument as well as enjoy a lifetime of music.

Grant Hodges, acoustic guitar:Grant Hodges Grant Hodges, guitarist, can be heard performing on guitar, bass, and trumpet at the Thorntown Bluegrass jam and in the services of Grace Baptist Church. Grant performs original compostions on acoustic guitar and plays with the Grace Praise Band on bass guitar. He also performs on trumpet with the Grace Sanctuary Orchestra. Grant conducted the Grace Sanctuary Choir for twelve years, was musical director for two touring groups, and producer on two recording projects.


Liz Knox, piano, voice, brass:Liz Knox Liz Knox is currently a student at the University of Indianapolis. Liz has taught privately for several years and has recently returned to school to complete her Bachelor of Music Performance. Her principal instrumental studies are in Tuba and Piano. She has also performed and instructed students in Trumpet, Trombone, and Euphonium.
     Liz enjoys her return to studies as an older student and feels that she has a renewed, more enlightened outlook on education and academics. After years of conducting her own music studio, she understands the importance of higher education and wishes to continue her own education so that she may continue to provide an excellent standard for her students. Liz enjoys continuing her education while having the support of her husband and two children. The obstacles of enjoying family life and education often serve as a tool to help her remain focused on her goals.
     Currently Liz performs with the University of Indianapolis Symphonic Wind Ensemble as well as previous performances in the Baroque Ensemble and the University Tuba Quartet. Off campus, she enjoys being a member and performing with the Grace Baptist Church Orchestra in Lebanon. She plans to join the Lebanon Community Band and is looking forward to performing in community events.
     Liz would like to extend her musical knowledge to enable her to teach lessons for all of the basic band instruments. Her future educational goals include receiving her Masters and Doctorate in Music while continuing to teach. Music Theory is her favorite subject and would someday like to teach Beginning and Intermediate Theory at the college level.
     She looks forward to her future in the Lebanon Community and hopes to be able to bring more music programs and opportunities to the area while sharing her love of music with her students.

Katie Neer, piano: Katie has always been enthralled with music. She loves how music can lift one’s spirits and evoke many strong memories. Katie began taking piano lessons when she was 8 years old from Mrs. Ellen Vitt in West Liberty, Ohio and she continued through graduation of high school. While in high school, Katie took on the role of pianist at Kings Creek Baptist Church in Urbana, Ohio.
     Katie has also played trombone from the time she was 9 years old. She was involved in many high school band organizations, including marching, concert, and pep band, the pit orchestra, County Jazz Ensemble, the Ohio Lions Club Band, and the All-Ohio State Fair Band. She has even been known to play her high school fight song on the trombone using her foot!
     Katie went on to attend Purdue University and played piano at the Purdue Baptist Student Foundation. She graduated from Purdue University in 2005 with a Bachelors of Science in Civil Engineering. She practiced as an engineer for the last few years and recently “retired” so that she could follow her passions of working as a nanny and teaching piano lessons. Katie currently attends New Hope Christian Church in Whitestown with her husband, and high school sweetheart, David. She is very eager to spread her love of music to others through piano lessons. She is also willing to hold lessons at her house or the homes of her students.


Catheryn Van Kley, piano, assistant teacher: Catheryn is a Senior in high school and has been home schooled her entire life. She has taken piano lessons for about nine years. During that time she has completed "Alfred's Basic Piano Library" and "Alfred's Technical Skill" series. Along with playing piano, she's been in four different choirs at church, in a handbell choir for three years, leads a youth band at church playing the acoustic guitar and singing, plays the electric guitar and sings with the church praise team. She has taken guitar lessons for a year and a half and started violin lessons. Catheryn is a Christian and attends New Hope Christian Church. She enjoys playing piano, guitar, violin, and knitting.

Margaret Warburton, piano: Margaret has taught piano lessons for many years. After studying piano pedagogy at Butler University she taught for ten years at Bethesda Christian School and also has maintained a private studio. Margaret has been a church pianist and organist for fifty years and continues this ministry at Grace Baptist Church in Lebanon.



Note: Family Music Studio abides by high standards of morality and safety. All FMS staff are required to submit references and complete a background check. Our conflict resolution policy is to follow Biblical principles: If you have a problem with someone, try first to straighten it out directly with that person. If it cannot be resolved, the FMS director (or Pastor Grant Hodges) will be available to come alongside to help. Gossip (saying something negative or critical about someone who is not present) will not be tolerated.