Andrew Peters
Saxophone
Degree: D.M.A. at Cincinnati
Conservatory of Music (present)
Andrew Peters is a saxophonist from Troy, Michigan. His father, Kevin Peters, is a private saxophone teacher in the metro-Detroit area. Andrew attended Troy High School with director Brian Nutting, a program with long-standing traditions of excellence.
Andrew completed his Bachelor’s degree with Dan Graser at Grand Valley State University. After his undergraduate degree, he accepted a graduate teaching assistant position at the Cincinnati-College-Conservatory of Music, with James Bunte. Andrew is currently working on a DMA at CCM and is an active performer and educator.
Andrew has experience performing classical, contemporary, avant-garde, jazz and popular music. He is a promoter of musical versatility, experimentation, technical prowess and emotive intent. Andrew enjoys teaching and connecting with students at any skill level.
Gabe Bertolini is a freelance saxophonist, composer, and educator based in New York City. Originally from Curitiba, Brazil, he moved to the United States at age 12 and developed a love for jazz and the saxophone. Gabe has performed professionally in a wide variety of contexts including extensive jazz, pop, and musical theater work, cruise ship showbands, and off-broadway touring.
Gabe earned a Bachelor of Music Degree in Jazz Studies from the University of South Carolina, Summa Cum Laude. He earned his Master of Music Degree in Performance from Western Michigan University, where he also taught collegiate classes and private lessons as a graduate assistant. Gabe was recognized for outstanding performances during his studies in Downbeat Magazine as well as numerous Jazz festivals.
Gabe has rich experience teaching saxophone students of all levels, and enjoys teaching and playing a diverse range of music on the saxophone.
Aubrey Fineout
Violin & Viola
Degree: M.M. Texas Christian University
Fort Worth, TX
Aubrey Fineout-Watts is a violist and violinist from Texas and holds a B.M. (Magna Cum Laude) and a M.M. in Music Performance from Texas Christian University, as well as a B.A. in Creative Writing. As an undergraduate, Ms. Fineout-Watts was awarded the L.A. Nordan Fine Arts Endowed full tuition scholarship for music (one of two recipients) and was inducted into the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honors Society. As a graduate student, she served as the teaching assistant to the Chair of Strings at TCU, Dr. Misha Galaganov, coaching undergraduate ensembles and teaching private lessons.
Ms. Fineout-Watts is a founding member, music arranger, and violist of The Finestrung Duo–a genre fusion group created with her sister and violinist, Ashton Fineout. They perform regularly for both public and private events and are currently recording their first album. Ms. Fineout-Watts is also an active performer with both the Grammy nominated Dallas String Quartet and the Sapphire String Quartet, performing in a variety of styles from classical to fiddle to pop to rock on both acoustic and electric instruments.
Ms. Fineout-Watts has performed with touring artists Michael Bublé and 2Cellos and for high-profile clients such as the Bill Gates family, the Brunello Cucinelli family, and the George W. Bush family. She has also been featured in several albums as a studio artist, most recently in 2023 with Jon McReynolds and Anthony Evans Jr. In 2023, Ms. Fineout-Watts was invited to perform at the Academy of Country Music Awards (ACMAs) as part of an ensemble formed by the Dallas String Quartet, performing with Ashley McBryde, Luke Combs, and Ed Sheeran.
An active teacher as well as performer, Ms. Fineout-Watts has maintained a studio of private violin and viola students for over a decade and teaches at several locations around DFW, serving as an ensemble coach, orchestra sectional leader, and an All-State and All-Region clinician.
Ms. Fineout-Watts specializes in adapting her teaching approach to each student, creating a nurturing, educational environment that encourages growth and exploration, providing students with the skills and discipline to thrive beyond the classroom. Ms. Fineout-Watts employs the Suzuki curriculum in lessons, as well as other material she sources herself, depending on the student’s requirements for development. Ms. Fineout-Watts is passionate about teaching at all levels and has experience teaching students from the ages of 4-84. Her students have won collegiate concerto competitions, placed in All-Region and All-State orchestras, and are valuable members of youth orchestras around the DFW metroplex.