Voice Teachers
Karen Cantor
Voice • Acting
Karen Cantor
Voice • Acting
Karen earned a degree in Music at Bucknell University. She is the Director of Performing Arts at Elefante, and is the creative force overseeing the many performing arts classes at Elefante. She served for over a decade as the Camp Director of Elefante’s Musical Theater Camp.
Karen has served as the director and/or musical director of Elefante’s many fully staged musical productions. She is particularly proud of the success of her students, many of whom have been cast on Broadway, National Tours, television, film, music video, top New York cabaret venues, professional regional theaters, local community theaters, and their school plays and musicals.
As a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association, Karen’s professional credits include leading roles in many musicals performed in venues such as the Goodspeed Opera House, the Miami Opera, and National Tours. She has starred opposite several Tony and Drama Desk Award winners.
Jonathon Dawson
Piano • Voice
Jonathon Dawson
Piano • Voice
Jonathon is a graduate of Rutgers University with a B.M. in Music Performance from the Mason Gross School of the Arts. As a student, Jonathon studied classical voice as his primary instrument. He performed in both the Kirkpatrick Choir, the select choir that has a yearly performance in Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, and in the Rutgers University Glee Club, a men’s choir that recently toured Sweden, Finland, and Estonia. He also has experience performing musical theater, participating in shows throughout both high school and college. Jonathon has also studied piano since he was 7 years old. He has focused both on classical performance and jazz piano, which has helped him develop a unique musical ear. Jonathon has several years experience teaching private voice and piano lessons in South Plainfield, NJ. Jonathon is currently a Master’s student at Montclair State University, pursuing a Master of Arts in Teaching Music (MAT) with additional certification for working with students with disabilities. Jonathon’s wide range of musical experience enables him to meet the needs of any students.
Suzanne Delonas
Voice • Piano • Flute • Clarinet • Saxophone
Suzanne Delonas
Voice • Piano • Flute • Clarinet • Saxophone
Suzanne Delonas is a licensed K-12 music educator with over a decade of experience teaching music in New Jersey’s public schools and as a private lessons teacher. Suzanne studied flute and voice at Kean University and has expertise in teaching vocal and instrumental music to diverse student populations including students with special needs. Beyond her teaching role at Elefante, Suzanne connects with learners and music educators globally through her online music classes and Magic of Music Ed business where she blogs about music education and designs digital music lessons and resources for music teachers and classrooms around the world.
VIDEO: Suzanne Delonas intro
Eddie Guttman
Voice • Piano
VIRTUAL ONLY
Eddie Guttman
Voice • Piano
VIRTUAL ONLY
Eddie studied at Binghamton University and New York University, where he earned his Master’s in Composition. He has over 25 years of teaching experience, including at the New School/The Actors’ Studio and NYU. He studied with world renowned pianist Walter Ponce. Past performances include appearances at the Papermill Playhouse, Off Broadway, and CBGB’s. He served for 10+ years as the pianist for the Meet The Artist Series at Lincoln Center. Eddie composed “Equilibrium”, written for and performed by then NYC Ballet principal dancer Peter Boal. Eddie received the honor of being named “Favorite Piano Accompanist” by the readers of the national publication Back Stage. He gave tutelage to Mary Illes (Phantom of the Opera, Music Man), Ta’Rea Campbell (Aida, Hamilton), Eric Scott Kincaid (Newsies, Cats), Adrienne Moore (Orange is the New Black), Doug Plaut (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Kathy Brier (Hairspray), Bashira Cresswell (Lion King) and Joel Robertson (Les Miserables).
Caitlyn Huetz
Voice
Caitlyn Huetz
Voice
Caitlyn is a performer and educator from New Jersey with a B.M. in Vocal Performance from Mason Gross School of the Arts where she had a prolific performance career both as a soloist, and with the Rutgers Kirkpatrick Choir and Opera Theater Rutgers. Caitlyn grew up playing the violin and piano, singing in school choirs, and performing in musical theater and has always lived surrounded by the arts. She performs regularly throughout the state with professional choral ensembles and as a soloist, and made her professional regional theater debut in 2023. Her teaching style blends creativity and strong technical foundations, with a focus on vocal health, cross-genre training, and helping students to develop their individual sound and identity. When she is not teaching at Elefante she is serving as the Director of Children’s Music for the Presbyterian Church of Chatham Township, or can be found hanging out with her cats, friends and family.
Diane Smith Kirsh
Voice • Piano
Diane Smith Kirsh
Voice • Piano
Diane has been a professional singer with over 25 years experience in the music business. She has sung radio and television commercials (jingles) for top brands such as Diet Coke, My Little Pony, Chevrolet: including singing a solo for a Clio Award winning Max Factor Ad. As a recording session singer for records she has recorded with Michael Bolton, Marc Cohn, Patty Austin and Bebe and CeCe Winans. Diane has also shown her talents as a producer of the “Broadway Kids” and “Broadway Kids Sing Christmas” albums featuring Kathy Lee Gifford. She has performed in Off Broadway musicals and is a member of SAG-AFTRA and AEA. Diane teaches Vocal Technique and Performance Coaching Privately and at Elefante Music School. She continues to perform at festivals and fundraisers with her band “Kings Road” and is lead singer in her Church Praise Band.
Stefanie Santoro-Buesing
Voice • Flute • Piano
Stefanie Santoro-Buesing
Voice • Flute • Piano
Flautist Stefanie Santoro-Buesing is a graduate of the John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair State University. Stefanie holds her Bachelor of Music in Flute Performance. Stefanie studied under Dr. Susan Palma-Nidel, Tanya Witek and Judith Mendenhall. Other instructors include Gary Schocker, Keith Underwood, Paula Robinson, and Robert Dick.
Stefanie is part of the East Brunswick Symphony Orchestra and performs in various chamber ensembles along with solo performances across New York and New Jersey. Stefanie also plays
in a Brazilian flute and guitar duo performing classic Pixinguinha Choros. Stefanie’s performances have brought her to some of the most prestigious venues in the world including Carnegie Hall.
Stefanie is the director of the Kean University Flute ensemble and has been working closely with Dr. Lynann Schraer-Joiner at Kean University. Stefanie presents master classes at Kean and performs with the University’s Chamber Winds Ensemble along with their Flute Ensemble.
Stefanie is an instructor of flute, piano and voice at Elefante Music and School for the Performing Arts. At Elefante Music, Stefanie created their advanced flute ensemble program and music for preschoolers program. Stefanie is also an instructor for Elefante’s theater department.
Stefanie connects with her students on a different level as she truly cares about them and their success. When Stefanie teaches it goes far beyond the lesson, creating a safe space for her students to open up musically and personally. Stefanie considers herself to be an inspiration and mentor to her students. She ensures confidence grows with their skills, and she encourages her students to pursue their passions. Stefanie’s lessons are very effective and her students progress and improve quickly. Stefanie’s students have won competitions and placed in Region and All State Band as well as the New Jersey Youth Symphony and Princeton Youth Symphony. Many of Stefanie’s students have gone on to study music in college.
VIDEO: Stefanie Santoro Introduction