Our Staff

Meet Our Staff

Our Staff come from all sorts of backgrounds, but they’re united by a common passion: Sharing music with children and families in Vineland. 

All teachers continue to strive for excellence as they collaborate and share ideas.  Our sales staff is comprised of professional musicians who understand the needs of our community.  . We keep our skills fresh through workshops and advanced training.

 

photo Jim Marone

Jim was a business management major at Philadelphia College of Textile and Science which is now Jefferson University.  He has been managing the store for over 30 years. During this time, he has brought in a rental program, added brand names consumers have requested, enlarged the repair center, and expanded class lessons. The store's mission is to provide products and services to customers, something a box store cannot provide.

     
photo Lucia Marone

Lucia Marone has dedicated over 31 years to public education as a general music teacher and is an accomplished harpist. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Music from Immaculata University, with certifications in Music Education and Music Therapy, and holds a Master’s in Educational Instruction and Curriculum from The University of Scranton.

Currently, Lucia serves as the director of the Music Together® program at M&M Music in Vineland, New Jersey. Her teaching excellence has earned her recognition as “Teacher of the Year” in Vineland and a “State Employee Award” for her Music Therapy services at the Woodbine Developmental Center.

In addition to her extensive teaching background, Lucia has recently joined Rowan University as an adjunct faculty member, supervising student teachers in music education. She is also the founder and director of the Biccari Music Festival in Southern Italy, which offers adults a unique blend of musical and cultural immersion experiences.

     
photo Vlada Kazub
 

Vlada began playing the violin as a young child and pursued her passion by studying as a performance major in college in Ukraine. She has been sharing her love of classical music with students at M&M Music for over 20 years.

With a strong classical background, Vlada has performed with local orchestras in Europe. In addition to her classical expertise, she enjoys playing pop and jazz, showcasing her versatility as a musician. Vlada also freelances for weddings, private parties, and church events and performs regularly in concerts.

     
photo RIck Malatesta

Rick began playing the bass in 1966 with Frank Marone, founder of M & M Music.  He is one accomplished musician who has performed with groups like Jade, Carl Granieri Orchestra, and The Big EL Show in Las Vegas. He formed with the Dovells recording hits like "The Bristol Stomp.  Rick managed the music store in the 1880s and has returned to work the floor 2 days per week.  Come to visit Rick on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  

     
photo Ed Zatzariny

Ed is an accomplished percussionist who performs professionally.  He currently teaches drums at our store.  He also teaches band at Memorial School in Vineland New Jersey.  Visit the Bash to find out more about his Steel Band Group.

     
photo David Gardner

David Gardner has recently joined our percussion staff. David is a professional drummer playing with various bands.

     
photo Yomara Andujar Ruiz

Yomara is our woodwind specialist as well as a vocalist.  She teaches flute, saxophone, and clarinet.  She is also active at her church and performs regularly for them.  In addition, she speaks Spanish.

     
photo Bob Gant

Bob began playing drums at age 10 when he received his first drum set, quickly learning beats by listening to songs and teaching himself. As a teenager, he and his brother formed their first band, performing at local parties and school dances. A pivotal moment came when his parents took him to a Kiss concert, where he became captivated by drummer Peter Criss. In high school, Bob expanded his skills by playing a variety of musical styles with a wedding band, gaining valuable experience that led him to work with many bands over the years. During a period living in California, he toured extensively with a national act, further honing his craft. Today, Bob enjoys teaching drum lessons and has helped develop many young drummers in the South Jersey area.

     
photo Sarina Marone

 Sarina began playing the harp at age 6 with her mother and continues to perform in the Philadelphia and Jersey Shore areas.  She won the junior harp division competition for the Philadelphia Harp Society in 2013.  She performed with Rowan Youth Orchestra and the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra. Sarina currently teaches piano lessons and ukulele classes at M & M Music.  She enjoys freelancing as a harpist and has recently completed her Music Together training.

     
photo Mike Fairhurst

Mike is a professional lead guitarist and works full-time as a musician.  He has performed for a number of bands.  Mike can teach you all you need to know to play lead or just learn guitar basics.  

     
photo Elaina Kagdina

Elaina has been teaching at our store for over 5 years.  However, she has been instructing students on the piano for over 30 years.  Elaina grew up in the Ukraine where she attended a music college as a performance major.  She understands how to teach students at many levels and is classically trained to help students prepere those who need help with college music auditions. 

     
  John Workman

John began playing the guitar with Mark Sutton as a child.  John freelances and also enjoys writing music. He began working on the store floor in high school and even taught guitar for many years.   He attended ----- in and today works full-time servicing guitars.  He is a certified Taylor and fender repairman. 

     
photo Jay

Jay has recently returned to M & M Music to assist on the floor.  He is a guitarist who has played in a number of local bands including X-Dream, Full Circle, and Today Jr.   If you need help selecting an instrument, come visit Jay on Saturdays.  He is extremely patient and will help you set up a guitar to try out and play. 

     
photo John Witherspoon

John is a well-rounded musician.  He has been playing the piano since age 4 and has been teaching piano and marching band since 2000. He also is a freelance pianist.  He plays at various churches and performs with local rock bands.  John loves teaching students of all ages.