Our Teachers
Julie Clarke
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JULIE CLARKE is a licensed Kindermusik Educator and has a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Kentucky. She was an operatic artist with UK and has performed in amphitheaters and concert halls all over the world. We are thrilled she landed in Maysville where she perviously taught private voice lessons at the Downing Academy. Julie serves as Director of Children’s Ministry at Trinity United Methodist Church. She lives in our historic downtown with husband, Charlie and sons James and Matthew
NICHOLAS DENHAM teaches guitar, ukulele, and just about any instrument a student brings to him at the Academy. He earned his Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Music degrees from Morehead State University. He also received an Orff Schulwerk certification from the University of Kentucky. Nick is currently Mason County Intermediate School's music instructor and can often be found sharing his musical talents with the community, be it with the guitar, harmonica, or bagpipes!
Nicholas Denham
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Charlie Hunter
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Kortney Carver Mills
Paul Taylor
CHARLIE HUNTER is our string teacher at the Academy and is also the Orchestra Director for Mason County Schools. The string program there begins with second grade students and provides orchestra experience throughout high school. In addition, Charlie teaches High School Concert Choir, Music Theory, and AP Music Theory. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education from Asbury University and a Masters of Music degree from Morehead State University. Charlie is the current District 8 Choral Chair for the KY Music Educator's Association.
KORTNEY CARVER MILLS is a music educator, performer, and Maysville native. She is a 2018 graduate of Northern Kentucky University with a Music Education degree. While at NKU, she studied voice with Dr. Kimberly Gelbwasser, viola with Dr. Holly Attar, and performed with the university's Chamber Choir, Women's Choir, and Northern Chorale. Kortney also tutored for the music department in music theory and aural skills. Kortney is the music teacher at Mason County Intermediate School and coaches the girls' high school volley ball team. She and her husband Caleb welcomed their first child, Lincoln Isaiah, in January 2021.
DR. PAUL TAYLOR is the Academy's piano instructor and has been on our faculty since 2002. Dr. Taylor retired from Morehead State University in 2020 where he served as Associate Professor of Piano. He is also a teacher at the Cincinnati School of Rock. Paul appears regularly at the Heidelberg Contemporary Music Festival and with the Heidelberg Symphony Orchestra. As an accompanist and chamber musician, Dr. Taylor has worked with the Rome Opera, Joffrey Ballet, and Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra.