Our Founder & Faculty
We are pleased that we are able to offer training taught by the most qualified and experienced instructors in the area.

FOUNDER An appreciation and love for music began very early for our founder, Janis Palmore Afotey. For her, there is no greater joy than to see the pride of accomplishment on a beginning student’s face when they have learned their first song or performed in their first recital. She began formal piano lessons at the age of eight and continued with voice lessons in high school. Attending the first performance arts high school in the country and discovering a passion for the classical arts encouraged her to continue studies at New England Conservatory of Music and Boston University School of Fine Arts. After a number of years of performing as a concert soloist, she has returned to her love of teaching.

INSTRUCTOR DeVonté Taylor has been playing the piano since the age of seven. Initially encourged to play by his mother, his love and passion for it grew quickly. DeVonte's love for teaching began in 2013 with the company Skilled Musician. It was then, that a newfound passion for teaching music was discovered. Starting off as a teacher helper in 2013, he is now Lead Teacher for in-person learning at Skilled Musician. DeVonté strives to become one of the best there is; not only when it comes to teaching piano, but also when it comes to building the relationships needed to help people achieve their goal of learning to play the piano.

INSTRUCTOR Kate Warner has been playing piano since the age of six, and stringed instruments since the age of eleven. Through her early music education, she placed with superiors in many Gwinnett County piano evaluation programs, and was accepted into Kendall and GCYS honors orchestra throughout her middle and high school career. Kate studied Piano Performance at Georgia Southern University with a keyboard scholarship, and focuses on world music history, pedagogy, and expression. Kate has worked with students across all ages, and loves helping them work towards their personal goals in both music and life.