Redeemer Performing Arts
Founded in 1993, the Redeemer Performing Arts program offers private 30-minute lessons in piano, violin, voice and guitar to the Austin community. We are committed to quality music education for all of our students. The Music lessons are available for students 6 years old thru adult.
Why Start Young?
The study of music enhances verbal competency, motor and auditory abilities, reasoning, and problem solving -- essential skills that children take into adulthood. In addition to cognitive skills, study in the arts develops character traits such as discipline, perseverance, teamwork, patience, self-control, and empathy.
We Keep it Simple!
Redeemer Performing Arts students pre-register for twelve 30-minute private lessons each semester, which are given after school, and a Spring Showcase recital opportunity is scheduled toward the end of each school year.
Music Lessons
Please fill out the Interest Form to let us know that you’re interested in signing up for music lessons. Your information will be given to the music instructors who will reach out to you to finalize the details of the lessons. Once you are paired up with an instructor, complete the payment form.
Ready to Join Us?
Enrolling in the Performing Arts Program is a simple, 2-step process:
1. Sign up & specify your lesson preferences using our online interest form!
2. You’ll hear back from our Program Coordinator & teacher with available lesson times.
We look forward to growing with you!
Music lessons are available for students age 6 years old thru adult.
1. Sign up & specify your lesson preferences using our online interest form!
2. You’ll hear back from our Program Coordinator & teacher with available lesson times and you’ll be all set to pay for lessons
Lessons can be purchased in a twelve lesson package or individually.
Please confirm with your instructor how many lessons should be purchase.
Please email info@redeemer.net if you have any problems completing the forms.
Meet The Teachers
Denise Kotrla is a singer-songwriter and piano/voice instructor who currently lives in Austin, TX. She performs as a singer-songwriter under the name “denise the beast” because, let’s face it, who can spell Kotrla correctly? Ms. Kotrla completed a B.A. in Liberal Arts with a concentration in music and voice at Austin College in Sherman, TX. She also completed a Masters of Music Education with a concentration in vocal pedagogy and early childhood education at University of North Texas in Denton, TX. She has recorded one CD, an LP, “Heart of the Beast” which is available for purchase. “Heart of the Beast” contains 5 songs which were all written or co-written by Denise Kotrla. Ms. Kotrla is also currently writing new material which she hopes to record on another album soon. She has recorded vocals on two children’s educational albums as well with Twin Sisters Productions. Ms. Kotrla has also been teaching piano & voice lessons for 20+ years, since 1992, and has taught students of all ages, from 5 year olds to adults, and in the college/university environment as well. Since 2007, she has served as the Accompanist/Song Leader at United Christian Church in Austin for one of their services. She has been teaching at Redeemer School of Performing Arts since 2002.
Bryan Sunderman began his enthusiastic pursuit of guitar at the age of 13. By 15, he was coordinating a band, collaborating with other musicians, and performing in church. As a young adult, he was admitted to the prestigious Butler School of Music at the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied with Adam Holzman. He has performed his classical repertory in and around Austin and abroad in Cervo, Italy and Morelia, Mexico. Bryan has collaborated with many musicians in many styles from Country and Bluegrass to RnB and Jazz to Blues and Rock. He has dedicated much of his career to teaching and has a thriving studio of young musicians in Austin.
Yu-Hsin Teng is native of Taiwan and pianist who received her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Collaborative Piano at the Sarah and Ernest School of Music at The University of Texas at Austin as a student of Colette Valentine. She was awarded Butler Excellence Scholarship and Teaching Assistantship at the University of Texas at Austin. She received her Master degree in Collaborative Piano at Boston University. She was Teaching Assistant at Boston University. She served as rehearsal pianist and coach for William Lewis School of Opera’s production of Die Fledermaus and Bulter Opera Center’s productions of L’elisir d’amore and Carmen. Yu-Hsin had opportunities to perform as a collaborative pianist in the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, playing with young musicians between 3 years old to high school. She also performed as a collaborative pianist at Vandergrift High School Solo Competition, Lake Travis High School Solo and Ensemble and Vista Ridge High School Young Artist Competition. YuHsin won second prize in the Asia Music Competition in Seoul. She has held not only piano recitals but also the concerts and competitions of vocal and instruments collaboration in Taiwan, Italy, and the United State. In the summer of 2019 and 2022, she received a scholarship of Songfest Summer Festival. She is currently Assistant Professor at Texas Lutheran University.
Laura DeGraw is a native of Austin, Texas, and has been a violinist at Redeemer since 2000. Having grown up in the University of Texas String Project, Austin Youth Orchestras, and Austin Chamber Music Center, she studied Marketing, Music Education and Violin Performance at Texas State University in San Marcos, before returning to Austin for a career in the arts. Laura has enjoyed many years as a member of the Redeemer Celebration Orchestra, the Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Austin, the Gilman Light Opera Orchestra, and as a violin teacher in the Austin area. You can also find Laura singing with our worship team at Redeemer on Sunday mornings, and she is active in the a cappella communities of Sweet Adelines and the Barbershop Harmony Society, as a competitive vocalist and advocate for young singers. When she isn’t creating or teaching music, Laura can be found working on freelance projects in graphic design and digital marketing, or capturing life from behind the lens of her camera. Laura is thrilled to be part of the Redeemer Performing Arts family, and knows that music education will continue to enrich the lives of our students.