Our Team
Erica Ogden
Erica Ogden is a 2007 graduate of Pensacola Christian College holding a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music with a Concentration in Piano Pedagogy. With over seventeen years of experience teaching music at the world premier Pensacola Christian Academy and her own private studio, she has taught piano, choir, and music theory. Upon moving to Avon, she built her own private piano studio. She is active in her community and is also a CDL licensed bus driver for Brownsburg Community School Corporation and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum.
Erica is a member of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), and President of the Indiana Music Teachers Association (IMTA).
Cindy Porzio
Cindy Porzio graduated with a Bachelors of Music in Vocal Performance from the D’Angelo School of Music at Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pennsylvania. She has over thirteen years experience teaching private voice lessons, as well as substantial performance experience.
Working with vocalists to expand their musical knowledge and help them develop their own unique voice is Cindy’s main goal during lessons.
When she is not singing or listening to music, she enjoys gardening, reading, and meeting new people. She is a member of The National Association of Teachers of Singing as well as a singer in the Threshold Choir of Hendricks County.
Jesse Bush
Jesse has been playing guitar, piano, and other stringed instruments for over fifteen years! Having studied music theory and composition at the University of Arkansas, Jesse is adept at composing and recording his own music. Growing up with an established musician, Jesse spent a lot of time in professional studios and theaters in Branson, Missouri and has also played in many bands around northwest Arkansas.
Jesse is passionate about growing the musical knowledge and physical skill of his students, helping them achieve their goals, and instilling in them a love for music. Whether it be learning a specific song, mastering guitar technique, or creating a deeper understanding of music theory, Jesse is ready and willing to help up and coming musicians realize their dreams!
Lisa DeHart
Lisa DeHart is an accomplished musician and performer who has been engaged with music from an early age. Her musical journey began in third grade with piano lessons and culminated in more than thirty years studying and using music in a variety of environments, including piano accompaniment and vocal performance, church worship, nursing home service, ensemble and solo performances. Lisa’s most recent musical exploration and study includes learning to play the guitar, ukulele and Reverie harp.
Lisa’s teaching experience includes providing individual and group piano lessons to children and adults, as well as teaching young children music in lively Music Funtime classes. She is an Indiana University graduate with a bachelor's degree in Psychology and a bachelor of science degree in Music Therapy. As a board-certified Music Therapist, Lisa provides home-based therapeutic services that assist children and adults in attaining non-musical goals through the use of music-based interventions.
Lisa is passionate about helping others pursue their musical goals and aspirations—and works hard to facilitate learning opportunities that inspire joy, creativity, skillfulness, and passion.
Cristina Bedoya
Born in Rezina, Moldova, Cristina Loscutova studied at the Republican Lyceum of Music “Ciprian Porumbescu” under professor Larisa Jar and has participated in numerous festivals and competitions throughout Europe and the U.S. In 2017, Cristina received third prize in the Osaka International Music Competition, Japan. She is the first prize winner of the NJMTA young artist competitions and has performed with the Moldova Philharmonic Orchestra and the National Symphony orchestra of Teleradio - Moldova. In 2018, Cristina received the Jacobs Music Company Steinway award and the W. Clarke Pfleeger Award for outstanding pianistic ability and musicianship. She holds a B.M. in Piano Performance from Rowan University, NJ and a M.M. in Piano Performance from Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University, GA.
Cristina has ten years of teaching experience as well as experience working as a collaborative pianist. She is a ballet pianist at Indiana University, and is extremely excited to be teaching as part of the Westside Music Academy team. She enjoys sharing her love for music with others.
Emily Waters
Born and raised in the Northern California Valley, Emily Waters found a love for music from an early age while listening to her dad play the guitar. She began her studies of violin as a teenager, and attended the University of the Pacific, Conservatory of Music. There she earned two B.M.’s in Music Performance, in violin and viola performance.
Emily is now the violist of the Evergreen String Quartet in Indianapolis, IN. She is also a regular auxiliary musician for Hendricks Symphony Orchestra. Her goal as an educator is to give her students the tools needed to express their hearts musically and to be inspired by the universal language of music.
Tyler Stoner
Tyler is a pianist-composer from Pittsburgh, PA. He graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a BFA in Music Composition and a minor in Drama. There he studied music composition under Nancy Galbraith. In high school, he studied piano performance with Luz Manriquez and Rodrigo Owed at CMU’s preparatory school. While at CMU, he wrote and premiered works for a variety of chamber groups, including performances by contemporary music group NAT 28 and the CMU Philharmonic. After graduating, he played keys around Pittsburgh with the band Little Gunpowder and recorded two albums with them.
He loves classical music, jazz, and rock and roll. Some of his favorite artists are Beethoven, The Beatles, and Jacob Collier. He hopes to instill in his students a love for making music while also giving them a strong sense of the fundamentals of piano playing.
Rachel Pierce
Rachel Pierce earned her Bachelors of Music Education from Indiana State University in 2006. She has been a teacher in the North Putnam School Corporation since 2008. While there, Rachel has been the Assistant Band Director, Band Director, Woodwind Tech, Private Lesson Instructor, and now teaches General Music at both elementary schools within the district. She has experience teaching students at the preschool, elementary school, middle school, high school, and adult levels.
While she is primarily a clarinet player, she has taught all woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments. In addition to teaching, Rachel is also the music director of the West Indy Winds community band and a performer with the Hendricks Symphony Orchestra.
Jill Shepard
Jill is our office coordinator here at Westside Music Academy. As a graduate of Indiana State University, Jill holds a degree in Mathematics and has a background in middle school education. She gained valuable experience working with children in a classroom setting. She brings her organizational skills and her passion for education to her role at WMA.
Jill also has a love for music. She played the oboe in concert band and pep band all through school. Jill is dedicated to helping our staff and students thrive in a positive atmosphere. She believes that a supportive atmosphere is key to helping everyone thrive!
Cordale Hankins
Cordale Hankins is a recent graduate from the University of Indianapolis with a Bachelor of Music in Music Education. While studying at UIndy, Cordale served as the president of the university’s chapter of the Collegiate National Association for Music Education (NAfME) in 2022. In 2023, he was awarded the Lamberson Memorial Award for Achievement in Keyboard Studies. Cordale has numerous years of performance experience throughout Indiana, and strives to provide quality music education to aspiring musicians.