CYO Instructors

Roger Powell - Brass

Roger, an accomplished trombonist, received his Bachelor of Arts from Bob Jones University and holds a Master of Arts in Sacred Music from Pensacola Christian College, Pensacola, Florida. Since 2002, he has pastored the Tri-City Baptist Church in Huntersville.  He and his wife Joy, have six children, two of whom are students in the CYO.

Joy Powell - Piano

Joy Powell, an accomplished pianist and instructor, became the church organist at age ten and began teaching piano when she was thirteen. Joy served with her husband Roger in various church and Christian school music ministries for 26 years before God called Roger to pastor a church in 2001.  Mrs. Powell is currently the church pianist at Tri-City Baptist Church in Huntersville, NC, where she also enjoys the responsibilities of pastor's wife as well. Through the years Joy has had opportunity to impact many church music ministries by teaching hymn playing to their pianists. She is grateful to God for the privilege of having students who are serving the Lord both in local churches and around the world.  Joy has recorded an instrumental CD, May Jesus Christ Be Praised, available from soundamazing.com. 

Sandra Rosen - Cadet Strings and Associate Conductor

Sandi began violin studies as a Suzuki kid at the age of five. Her love of music led to summers at University of North Carolina at Greensboro and high school and a future college degree under Dr. Lynda M. Pickney, Ph.D., Ms. Kari Giles and Mr. David Russell who she worked very closely with at Hopewell High School and University of North Carolina at Charlotte where she still currently attends. Since she has always had such a desire to teach, Sandi began teaching private lessons out of her home during her sophomore year in high school. She has currently been teaching for seven years. During her studies she has had the honor of playing with fine musicians such as Karim Nagi and members of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, Lake Norman Orchestra, Charlotte Civic Orchestra and the Charlotte Philharmonic Orchestra.

Sandi has been free lancing with several other musicians and quartets for weddings and private house parties. She has studied various forms of violin playing being trained classically and developing skills and having some training in Irish/American Fiddle/Folk music as well as Rock-n-Roll/Country music.

Sandi is currently attending the University of North Carolina at Charlotte completing her B.M. in Music Education and she plans to further he education and receive a Masters degree in Instrumental Conducting as well as a DMA in Music Performance. She is currently training to be a certified Suzuki instructor. She plans to teach for many many years but her ultimate goal is to conduct Broadway and symphony orchestras

Jessica Phipps - Woodwinds

Jessica Phipps holds her BA in Clarinet Performance and an MA in Music Education from the Eastman School of Music.  Most recently, a freelance clarinetist in South Florida, Jessica’s engagements include the Florida Philharmonic, Naples Philharmonic, Miami City Ballet, Symphony of the Americas, Florida Sunshine Pops Orchestra, Florida Grand Opera, Palm Beach Opera, Wind Symphony of Florida, and The Klezmer Company. She is also the founding member and director of the Bel Canto Music Ensemble. In addition to her performing career, Jessica is a strong advocate for music education.  An elementary and middle school band director for eight years, Jessica received several grant awards including Chase Active Learning, Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, and the Broward Cultural Arts Grant which all focused on providing musical opportunities for disadvantaged and/or at-risk children.  She was also a panelist at the Music Educators National Conference in New York City in 1999 and was published in Audea (GIA Publications) with an article titled Bach, Beethoven and Me: Composition in the Band Room.  Jessica has also been an adjunct instructor in music education for Florida Atlantic University and Palm Beach Atlantic University