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Dr. Gayla Turk, Executive Director, Conductor and Instructor of Voice and Piano
Education: B.M. Westminster Choir College
M.M. in Voice Performance University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Ph.D. in Music Education University of Kansas
Dr. Turk began her career in music touring as a soloist with the Westminster Choir traveling across the U.S. and performing in the Spoleto Music Festival in Spoleto, Italy. Over the years her work has included teaching all levels from preschool to college. For twelve years, she served as Director of Music Education at Barton College in Wilson, North Carolina. She has served numerous churches as organist/director and has been active in state and national music education associations. While teaching, she has continued to perform as a guest soloist, art song recitalist and a choral/orchestral conductor. Dr. Turk is the founder and Executive Director of the ProMusic Conservatory.
turkgc@promusicconservatory.org
 Stephen Combs, Instructor of Percussion
Education: B.M. - Percussion Performance - East Carolina University
Percussionist Stephen Combs enjoys performing on the marimba as well as teaching all percussion (including drumset). He currently serves as Pastor of Worship and Youth at the Wilson Community Church. In addition to his work with the youth, Stephen is responsible for planning worship, including the music, for which he leads a band. If you haven’t heard him play the marimba, you have missed a real treat!
Vonda Darr, Instructor of Harp
Education: BA in Harp Performance - Geneva College
 Harpist Vonda Darr has been the principal harpist for the Augusta Symphony in Augusta, GA, since 1993, and the Augusta Opera since 1998. She also performs with the North Carolina Symphony and the Greenville (SC) Symphony. She began studying the harp at age six with Gladys Hubner in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and played with the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies through childhood. She studied with Gretchen Van Hoesen while studying at Geneva College. She has been a soloist with the Florence Symphony, the Augusta Symphony String Quartet, the University of South Carolina Chamber Orchestra, the Etherredge Center Orchestra, and the Harry Jacobs Chamber Orchestra. Ms. Darr appeared in the PBS Christmas special, “Home for the Holidays,” with opera singer Jessye Norman, recorded in 1998 in Augusta. Ms. Darr performs regularly throughout North Carolina, Georgia, and South Carolina, and has recorded a compact disc of solo harp music.
Dr. Milen Parashkevov, Instructor of Guitar
Education: BMA - Guitar Performance - Mozarteum, Salzburg, Austria
MMA and DMA - Guitar Performance - Texas Tech University
 Guitarist Milen Parashkevov has won national and international recognition including: 2005 - Winner of the Falletta International Guitar Composition Competition; 2003 - First Prize at the Tezas International Guitar Performance Competition; 2002 - Second Prize at the Appalachian Guitar Competition (Boone, NC); Second Prize at the Lachine Guitar Competition (Montreal, Canada); 1996 - Fellowship for student honors at the Mozarteum (Salzburg, Austria); 1995 - Second Prize at Plovdiv International Guitar Concerto Competition (Plovdiv, Bulgaria). His goal is to “broaden the scope of guitar students by encouraging them to improvise, compose, arrange for guitar and work with other musicians.” Dr. Parashkevov would like to build a significant guitar program and organize a guitar festival. He currently is an Instructor of Guitar at Campbell University and is an active performer.
Dee Braxton-Pellegrino, Instructor of Strings and Accordian
Education: B.M. - M.M.
Violinist Dee Braxton-Pellegrino is well-known in North Carolina as a performer and instructor. Her string students have won county and state recognition performing in regional and state honors ensembles. She is also an active composer and arranger for which she has won national recognition. She is proficient in and enjoys many different styles of music from classical and folk to classic pop. These interests led her to the accordian as a wonderful instrument of enjoyment. She is now ready to help you learn to play and enjoy this instrument.
Instructors of Brass and Woodwinds to be announced
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