Team 1 — The Conservatory

Faculty

Maia Cook, Director

Cellist Maia Cook performs regularly as a soloist, orchestral, and chamber musician. She began her studies at the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts where she studied with professor emeritus Olive Shaw and Ifan Williams. Summers were spent studying under Pinchas Zukerman, Patinka Kopec, Amanda Forsyth, Hans Jorgen Jensen, and Margaret Munro Tobolowska at the National Arts Center of Canada. She continued her education in cello performance at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah and Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Maia has a passion for teaching music to children both young and old. She has studied string pedagogy and the Suzuki Method extensively with David Evenchick, Pam Devenport, and Wan Tsai Chen. In recent years she has worked to develop a Suzuki cello program at the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts as well as the Scotia Suzuki School of Music. Since moving to Midland she has started her own studio, the West Texas Suzuki Society, while touring all over Canada, the United States, and Mexico as a performer, Suzuki clinician, and university teacher and lecturer. Maia performed as a section cellist in the Midland-Odessa Symphony and Choral for their 2019-2020 season.

Gabriella St. James, Music School Faculty, Violin

For the past 15 years, Gabriella St. James has taught Suzuki violin. She has taught several Suzuki schools including the State College Suzuki program, Ithaca Talent Education, and the Music Settlement. She currently teaches at Milam Elementary where she teaches Suzuki Pedagogy from Kindergarten to 5th grade and at the West Texas Conservatory. Gabriella is also a principle member of the West Texas Symphony and the Permian Basin String quartet, as their principle of 2nd violin.

Performing with orchestra’s, Mrs. St. James was a member of several orchestras including Newark Symphony, Williamsport Symphony, Altoona Symphony, Binghamton Symphony, Firelands Symphony and Mansfield Symphony where she also was the principle of 2nd violin.

Mrs. St. James has toured throughout the United States and abroad, performing in several well-known locations and dignitaries including 400th Anniversary of Jamestown with President Bush attending, President Donald Trumps home in Mar-a-Lago for his butterfly ball, Carnegie Hall, the Lincoln Center and also in Columbia performing in Columbia ‘jewel of architecture’, the Salt Cathedral.

Mrs. St. James holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Delaware where she studied with Xiang Gao. She also holds two Masters; the first from Pennsylvania State University, majoring in music performance, and studied under Max Zorin and James Lyon, and the second masters at Ithaca College, with a double concentration in Suzuki Pedagogy and music performance under Carrie Reuning-Hummel and Calvin Wiersma.

In Mrs. St. James spare time, she loves cooking and trying out new recipes, hiking, reading, spending time with her family and traveling. She currently has a toddler who keeps her very busy, and one day excited for him to learn how to play the violin.

Alex Reiff, Music School Faculty, Violin

Alex Reiff is a violinist and music educator who grew up in Abilene, Texas. She attended Hardin-Simmons University and received the Bachelor of Arts degree in Music and Business. Alex started her professional career with Abilene ISD at Clack Middle School where she served as the Head Orchestra Director and Fine Arts Chair. As an international performance artist, she has played with groups such as Barrage, Kansas, the Tokens Radio Show (on NPR), The Gettys, and Revolution Strings, touring here in the USA as well as China. Her major work credits include musicals and operas such as Parade (2012), Bonnie and Clyde (2014), Sweeny Todd (2014), Quilters (2016), Cosi fan Tutte (2018), Big Fish (2019) and Oklahoma (2020). She also regularly plays for many local churches. In 2020, Alex and her husband, moved to Midland, Texas where they currently reside with their daughter and their three dogs. Alex believes in the pursuit of excellence, and she has a passion for teaching students, middle-schoolers especially. She believes that everyone has unrealized potential and can benefit from the discipline that the pursuit of excellence in music demands.

Cheyanne Flores, Dance School Faculty, Ballet Instructor

Cheyanne is originally from Woodsboro, TX. She began creatively moving at the age of 7 in Refugio, TX. Once 9, Cheyanne began dedicating more time in the ballet studios. She started taking classes with Munro Ballet Studios under Cristina Munro and Alexandra Trevino for an entire semester before auditioning for Corpus Christi Ballet Company as a part of the pre-professional company.

Once Cheyanne was 13 she moved to Midland, TX. She spent that summer attending her first summer intensive with Midland Festival Ballet under Susan Clark. She quickly auditioned and became a part of their pre-professional company. She studied and performed with them from 2016-2020. Some of her favorite performances here include Giselle, Cinderella, and The Nutcracker. In between seasons with the company, Cheyanne attended summer intensives with Ballet Austin, Oklahoma City Ballet, and Milwaukee Ballet. During her time with the company, she also found her love for teaching as she began to help assist younger classes.

The summer of 2020, Cheyanne virtually attended Oklahoma City Ballet for their summer intensive. During this time, she was offered a trainee position with their professional company. She accepted and danced with the company until 2022. During those two seasons she trained under both Robert Mills and Ryan Jolicouer-Nye. Some of her favorite performances include The Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker.

Cheyanne then accepted a trainee position with BalletMet in Columbus, OH for the 2022-23 season. While preparing for the move, she got engaged. She and her husband got married ten days before moving across country!

Quickly after moving, Cheyanne realized her heart was to no longer take ballet, but rather teach it. She stepped away from the trainee program and moved back to Midland. She has resided here since 2023.

Cheyanne is certified to teach the Cecchetti Method here at The Conservatory and will continue to study and take exams to help her students deepen their knowledge and love for ballet.

Casey Cooper, Music School Faculty, Cello

Casey started Suzuki cello lessons in 2nd grade at Parker Elementary in her hometown of Houston, Texas. During her childhood she participated in many Suzuki Institutes and school-hosted workshops. In middle and high school she had the opportunity to solo with her school orchestras, and made All-State orchestra all four years of high school. After graduating from The High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, she continued her studies at the University of Texas with the late Phyllis Young, where she received her BA in Cello Performance.

After moving to New Orleans with her husband, Casey gained her Suzuki Certification and taught for the New Orleans String Project. In 2008, she and her husband moved to Midland and began their family. Shortly thereafter, Casey’s children joined West Texas Suzuki Society under the direction of Maia Cook, and she became a Suzuki mom. In 2018, she began teaching weekly music classes at Midland Classical Academy. Casey’s love for music, talent for teaching, and knowledge as a Suzuki parent has propelled her to join West Texas Conservatory’s School of Music.

Emily Baker

Music School Faculty, Voice & Piano

Emily grew up in Azle, TX and received her B.M. in Music Education from the University of Texas at Arlington. Emily taught general music and choir full time for five years before resigning to become a stay-at-home mom in 2009. Her vocal claims to fame include performing with the Grammy award-winning gospel group “God’s Property,” and beating pop superstar Kelly Clarkson in All-State Choir auditions while they were in high school.

While working as a singing waitress during college, Emily convinced Eric to work alongside her as a singing waiter. The couple realized how much they loved performing together and have been singing together ever since. In early 2014, in response to a challenge from a friend, Emily and Eric recorded a video of themselves singing “Love is an Open Door” from Disney’s Frozen. To date, that video has received over 1.6 million views on YouTube. This video has convinced Emily’s three girls Piper, Keller, and Harper that she is in fact “cool” and she plans on enjoying the perks until they figure out otherwise. Emily teaches music at Midland Classical Academy, directs the West Texas Symphony Voices of the Permian Basin Children’s choir, and performs regularly with Current Nine, a local, highly sought-after rock cover band.

Kristina Daigle, Visual Arts, Teacher

Kristina Daigle, a native West Texas, graduated from the University of Texas of the Permian Basin in 2014 with a Bachelor’s of Art with an emphasis in Art History. She held an internship at the Museum of the Southwest where she acquired skills and knowledge of museum operations, exhibit set up, and care for museum collections. Born in Fort Stockton, Texas, Kristina has not always called west Texas home, but seems to find her way back. As a child, Kristina’s father served in the United States Army. Her father took an opportunity to take his young family to see the world, and lived in Wiesbaden, Germany. During this time, Kristina was able to learn about the German culture. This began Kristina’s love for cultural experiences and traveling. Kristina graduated high school and began her college career in Orlando, and graduated from University of Texas in the Permian Basin. Kristina and her husband have four children and reside in Odessa where they have lived for nearly 12 years.

Courtnee Simonds, Music School Faculty, Voice

Courtnee Simonds is a vocal instructor with over a decade of experience in music education and performance. A graduate of Midland Lee High School and a 2007 TMEA All-State Choir member, she earned her Associate’s Degree in Music from Odessa College and a Bachelor’s Degree in EC–12 Music Education from UTPB, where she was recognized with Outstanding Student Performance of the Year for her senior recital.

With more than 13 years of teaching experience across West Texas including Ira ISD, Rankin ISD, Compass Academy Charter School, and Nimitz Middle School. Courtnee has worked with students from early childhood through high school, building strong, confident musicians at every stage of development.

Known for her engaging, supportive, and high-energy teaching style, Courtnee is passionate about helping students develop healthy vocal technique, musical independence, and genuine confidence in performance. She believes music education should be both disciplined and joyful, and strives to create a space where every student feels empowered to grow, take risks, and find their voice.

In addition to teaching, Courtnee remains actively involved in the local performing arts community and is passionate about fostering a vibrant, supportive environment for young artists.

Jen Waller, School of Music Faculty, Piano

Jen spent her childhood years playing piano from age 5 through high school. While she attended Baylor University she continued to play whenever she had the chance, whether there was a need to fill or an open piano nearby. After teaching lessons for a short time Matt and Jen moved to Midland and her season of life shifted from teaching piano to raising their six children. During those years, music remained part of her home as she played for her family and nurtured a love for music in each of her children, all of whom have taken lessons in various instruments and voice. Jen has also spent the last several years attending trainings in trauma informed care as they opened their home to several foster children. Matt and Jen have gone on to teach several parenting classes and trauma training classes in the Midland area. Jen is grateful for the opportunity to bring together her love for music, her experience with teaching and her heart for children.

Sybella Underwood, Music School Faculty, Violin & Baby Classes

Sybella began training in the Suzuki Piano Method at five years old. After seven years of piano training, she found the violin. Sybella has been studying at West Texas Conservatory under Alex Reiff and Gabriella St. James for the past several years. Through teaching baby music classes at the Conservatory and playing with the UTPB orchestra, she has found a desire to help others on their path to music. Sybella is a member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas. Sybella completed Suzuki Book 1 Teacher Certification, and is a student at Midland College pursuing a Music Degree.

Nick Pascucci

Music School Faculty, Cello

A native of Oyster Bay, NY, Nicholas Pascucci began cello at age 6 and made his solo debut at 15 with the Island Symphony Orchestra. He studied with André Emelianoff at Juilliard Pre-College before earning a B.A. in Economics with a secondary in Music from Harvard College, where he performed with the Harvard Radcliffe Orchestra. He went on to receive his Master of Music in Cello Performance and a Graduate Performance Diploma from the Peabody Institute, studying with Amit Peled and serving as principal cellist of the Peabody Symphony Orchestra, Peabody Concert Orchestra, and Peabody Opera Theater.

Nicholas is principal cellist of the West Texas Symphony and the Amarillo Symphony, and cellist of the Permian Basin String Quartet in Midland-Odessa, TX. He previously held principal positions with the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra and the Washington Opera Society. Each summer, he serves as assistant principal cellist of the New American Sinfonietta at the Hamptons Festival of Music.

A dedicated philanthropist, Nicholas has organized benefit recitals raising over $50,000 for causes including Education Through Music, the North Shore Soup Kitchen, and Catholic Relief Services. He performs on an English cello made by Thomas Kennedy, ca. 1820.