"My daughter has been taking clarinet lessons at Elefante for about two years. We are familiar with other programs but we chose Elefante because we wanted a school that was serious about music and musical education... We've been happy with the rental program and the lessons. Students can master the basics or go further in their musical education and it really depends upon the goal of the student. The place is always calm and organized and kids seem generally happy. Now, she's looking forward to possibly taking guitar lessons as well!" - Suzanne

Artie Bressler (Woodwinds) –

Artie Bressler, composer and saxophonist, has performed and recorded extensively throughout the United States and around the world. As a featured soloist with the United States Air Force Band, he traveled throughout Europe and North Africa for the State Department. Since his return, he has worked with major artists and producers including The O'Jays, Bruce Springsteen, Bonnie Raitt, John Hammond, Milt Jackson, The Four Tops and many others.

Artie's recent success as a composer came for the score of the new musical comedy, "Meester Amerika", which had its world premiere at the Becton Theatre at Fairleigh Dickinson University. The Newark Star Ledger gave Artie and his lyricist Michael Colby a "New Jersey" Tony for best score. In addition, Artie wrote the music for the Pulitzer prize-winning play Crimes of the Heart. In 1987, he was elected to be judge for the prestigious Cleo Awards because of his outstanding musical work for commercials.

Artie has been teaching both privately and in schools throughout his professional career. He was a founding faculty member of The New School of Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York. He has also taught at the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken N. J. and at Monmouth University in W. Long Branch N.J. Artie has a B.A. In Music from Thomas Edison College and has a substitute teacher's license from the state of New Jersey.

Artie lives in Ridgewood with his wife, Irene, and their two children, Sarah and David, who are his real inspiration.

Al Elefante (Woodwinds) –

Al attended Newark and New Providence public schools before graduating from New Providence High School. He went on to receive a B.A. from Kings College and study music performance at Manhattan School of Music. He studied clarinet with Charles Passhaus, Charles Russo, and Leon Russionolf. After a stint in the U.S. Army Band, he attended Dorn & Kirschner's repair school and worked as a musical instrument repair technician there until 1992.

After D. & K. closed in 1992, Al continued to repair instruments and teach private woodwind lessons on his own until opening Elefante Music in 1996.

Joe Elefante (Woodwinds/Piano) –

Joe Elefante has traveled 4 continents as a pianist, saxophonist, vocalist, composer, arranger, and bandleader. He has musically directed, conducted or played countless musical theater productions, including several at the Paper Mill Playhouse and Jersey Boys on Broadway and National Tour. Joe founded the Joe Elefante Big Band in 2001, which was the house band at Cecil's Jazz Club for three years, and was featured on ABC's Nightline and in The Wall Street Journal. Currently, Joe is a freelance composer/arranger/ performer, is very active as a school clinician and is Artistic Director of Elefante Music & School for the Performing Arts.

Laura George (Flute) –

The versatile career of flautist Laura George includes many appearances at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, and on Broadway.

Ms. George has performed with many orchestras, including the St. Louis Symphony, New Philharmonic of New Jersey, Papermill Playhouse, New Jersey Pops, and New Jersey Choral Society. Her ensembles have also performed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the French Embassy, Sony Plaza, and on Channel Thirteen. She has toured nationally for Columbia Artists and with the Gilbert and Sullivan Players.

Laura George was a student of Julius Baker, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Gerardo Levy, Gerald Carey, Jacob Berg, and Janet Scott. She holds a Certificat de Stage from L'Universite d'Ete in Nice, France. She holds an MA in Music from Western Illinois University and a BA in Music from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. She has been awarded recognition in Outstanding Young Women of America.

Ms. George is an extremely dedicated teacher who has many students go to All State bands on both flute and piccolo.

Steve Ujfalussy (Woodwinds/Piano) –

Steve is from a musically talented family in Ridgefield Park, NJ. While attending high school there he began his musical studies with saxophonist Frank Elmo (Joe Cocker, Julian Lennon) and was one of 55 NJ students selected for the NJPAC Jazz for Teens program, run by jazz legend Rufus Reid. Steve then attended New Jersey City University, double majoring in Jazz & Classical Saxophone. During this time he studied with many renowned saxophonists: Tim Ries (Rolling Stones, Maria Schneider Orch) Walt Weiskopf (Frank Sinatra, Steely Dan), Jim Snidero, Jane Ira Bloom, Dan Willis, Roger Rosenberg, and Allen Won. Steve has been teaching and performing throughtout the metro area since 2000. He taught woodwinds & piano at Ackerman's School of Music in Midland Park, NJ for 5 years. Steve joined Elefante Music in January of 2007.

Currently he is a member of New Arts NYC (www.newartsnyc.com) a group of artists & musicians hosting concerts in Central Park. Steve is also a member of NOLA Preservation Society, a non-profit charity organization dedicated to the cultural preservation and revitalization of the Gulf Coast region. Steve contributes time to their local programs as well as in New Orleans through musical performance, music therapy, and instruction.

Steve is a versatile musician who can perform and instruct a variety of instruments, including: all saxophones, Bb & Bass clarinets, flute, and piano. Steve has performed with: The Village Vanguard Orch, Paquito D'Rivera, Benny Golson, the New York Voices, Charles McPhearson, Byron Stripling, and Conrad Herwig.