Our Staff:

At Peak Music, our team is united by a shared passion for music, education, and community. Each of our instructors brings a wealth of experience as professional musicians and educators, along with a deep commitment to helping students discover their unique musical voices.

Whether you’re taking your first lesson, honing your skills, or exploring new creative outlets, our staff is here to guide, inspire, and support you every step of the way. With expertise across a wide range of instruments, styles, and programs, we’re proud to provide an inclusive and enriching environment for students of all ages and abilities.

Get to know the talented individuals who make Peak Music a place where creativity thrives and connections are made.


  • Founder & Music Director

    A multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer and educator, Pete is the fearless leader and creative force behind Peak Music. With 15 years of teaching music in various settings Pete is an expert facilitator and believer in the power that music has to bring people and communities together. He has experience teaching and administrating music education in various settings including public schools, summer camps, after school performance groups. On top of all that he has maintained a successful private teaching business for over a decade.

    Along with his track record as a music educator, Pete has played guitar and produced albums for original bands that have toured the USA and has had the opportunity to play alongside acts such as Steely Dan, Parliament, Alabama Shakes & the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. As a composer and producer Pete has seen his music placed in several TV shows and commercial spots including the series’ “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” and “American Pickers.”

    Check out his work @ petecornellmusic.com or get a taste of his teaching style by subscribing to his YOUTUBE channel.

    Pete’s CV

  • Guitar, Keyboard & Drums Instructor

    Dan is a multi-instrumentalist with focus on the guitar and piano. Dan has worked with children in many different environments, including; as a program director of an after school program in both South Burlington and Middlebury, Vermont, as an individual music teacher, and most currently running his own music based after school program in Underhill, Vermont where he lives.

    Dan plays and records music for fun out of his home. He is heavily inspired by a multitude of genres of music, and has a deep connection to the West African Blues genre after living in Mali, West Africa for 2 years working as a Peace Corps Volunteer.

    You can find Dan running our Foundations of Music Classes, helping out with Songwriting and teaching private lessons on guitar, drums & piano.

    Check out his music on his Bandcamp website here:

    https://dandifranco.bandcamp.com/

    His most recent album is titled Blue Room, which is a blues instrumental album inspired by both West African and American blues music:

    https://dandifranco.bandcamp.com/album/blue-room

  • Vocal and Keyboard Instructor

    Soprano Lillian Broderick has been praised for her "passionate lyricism and high notes" (Times Argus). A tenth-generation Vermonter, she has performed throughout the United States, as well as in Italy and Germany, most recently as Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro in Scharbeutz, DE. Recent local performances include Lieschen in Bach's Coffee Cantata, Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle, and an opera extravaganza at Unadilla this summer, where she appeared as Gilda in Rigoletto, Marzelline in Fidelio, and Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, all in one evening.

    Lillian's favorite roles include Adina in L'elisir d'Amore, Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Konstanze in Die Entfûhrung aus dem Serail ​and Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte. Noted for her ability to learn music quickly, Lillian has built a reputation as a jump in. She recently made her debut as the soprano soloist in Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 with under one hour's notice. In Handel's Messiah, Lillian has been praised for her "brilliant, and lyrical singing [that] proved ideal for Handel, and was most rewarding in the aria “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!” and the beautiful duet, “He shall feed His flock.” (Jim Lowe, Times Argus). Other favorite concert repertoire includes Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, Schubert's Mass in G, Handel's Messiah (all parts), Mozart's Coronation Mass, Exsultate Jubilate and Vesperae Solemnes de Confessore, La Betulita Liberata, Saint-Saéens Christmas Oratorio, Weber's Missa Sancta No. 2 in G "Jubelmesse," and Vivaldi's Gloria RV 589 .

    ​Lillian holds a Master of Music in Opera Performance from the University of Kentucky Opera Theatre (UKOT). Here, Ms. Broderick performed The Rose in Rachel Portman's The Little Prince as part of the Graduate Opera Workshop and La Prima Cercatrice in the main-stage production of Suor Angelica. As a cover, she prepared the role of Abigail Williams in Robert Ward's The Crucible, which was cancelled due to COVID-19.
    At UKOT, Lillian was a proud Getchell Scholar and the 2019 recipient of the UK School of Music Phyllis Jenness Vocal Scholarship.

    Lillian is also a alumna of the Ezio Pinza Council for American Singers of Opera (EPCASO). Attending for two years, she prepared Italian Bel Canto repertoire including Adina in L'elisir d'amore, Ilia in Idomeneo and Amina in La Sonnambula with Mo. Maurizio Arena, and the late soprano Claudia Pinza. She has been a long time student of bass Erik Kroncke.

    Lillian has appeared as many Gilbert & Sullivan heroines including Mabel (The Pirates of Penzance), the title role in Princess Ida, and Josephine (HMS Pinafore).

  • Woodwinds, Brass, Vocals & Keyboard Instructor

    Avery Cooper is our Swiss Army Knife. He is a versatile musician who can teach almost any instrument you think of.

    He grew up in Richmond, VT. As a child, Avery learned to play piano, saxophone, guitar, and sing. He attended the Hartt School of Music before finishing his degree in Jazz Performance at University of Vermont.

    Since then, Avery has performed and recorded in countless groups on alto, tenor, baritone and soprano saxophones, flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, and EWI (electronic wind instrument) and vocals. Avery is at home in the Burlington VT music community, playing as a sideman with various local bands. This includes, but is not limited to The Discussions, Satyrdagg, All Night Boogie Band, Chicken Fat Injection, The Good Parts, Strange Purple Jelly, The Reflexions, Into the Mystic (Van Morrison Tribute), Greg Rothwell Swungtet.

    In addition, Avery is a bandleader. His original project COOP (formally ACQ or Avery Cooper Quartet) is a funk/fusion band which Avery plays sax, EWI and sings. In Avery Cooper Trio, he plays jazz standards on sax, flute, clarinet and voice. The trio is accompanied by drums and piano. Finally, Avery is the bandleader of Nintendoods- a Nintendo soundtrack supergroup. Nintendoods is an 8 piece horn based band playing the themes from various Nintendo video games. You can even play gamecube while the band performs!

    He has taught music for almost a decade. Avery has worked in the school system for years, as a para-educator, a band teacher assistant, a lessons instructor, and a chorus and general music teacher. Outside of the classroom, he has experience teaching private lessons. From beginner to advanced saxophone and jazz improvisation lessons, to beginner to intermediate flute and clarinet lessons, to beginner drums, brass, bass and guitar lessons, Avery has skills to support your learning!


  • Studio Coordinator & Drum Instructor

    Meet our drum master and keeper of the schedule, Brandon. A world class drummer, skilled guitarist and pianist, Brandon has spent his life honing his craft and working as a touring musician and educator. He has managed several School of Rock locations in CT and NY, and knows how to make music education, engaging and fun for all involved.

    As a performer he has toured with Europe and the USA with the heavy metal band Fórn, and now has turned his focus to Jazz, playing throughout NYC with various ensembles including his own Brandon Terkzakis Trio. With such a diverse background playing hard rock and studying Jazz at the New School and Berklee, we are thrilled to have a skilled artist like Brandon on our side.

  • Guitar Instructor

    Will Downey is a seasoned guitar instructor with over 14 years of experience in both online and in-person teaching. Based in Burlington, VT, Will has cultivated a successful teaching practice, providing personalized lessons to students of all ages and skill levels. His teaching approach includes customized lesson plans, supplemental materials, and ongoing support to ensure each student’s success.

    Will has a unique ability to translate complex music theory into comprehensible and practical exercises, unlocking the fretboard for his students. He emphasizes understanding the notes and construction of chords over mere positioning and shapes, fostering a more organic and fluid approach to guitar playing. Will's flexibility and personalized pedagogy adapt to each student's pace, pushing them to the limits of their abilities and beyond.

    In addition to his teaching, Will is an in-demand session musician and composer, collaborating with various artists to enhance their recordings with his versatile guitar skills and compositional expertise. His live performance experience spans numerous tours across the United States, Europe, and Australia, showcasing his adaptability and proficiency in extreme metal and other genres.

    Will holds a degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and is proficient in several Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs), making him a well-rounded and knowledgeable instructor dedicated to helping his students achieve their musical goals.

  • Violin Instructor

    Annabel began piano at five years old and violin at seven. Her teacher, Romuald Tecco, used the Suzuki repertoire, along with his own French technique. As a teenager, she lived in Germany, where she studied the standard Central European violin repertoire, which Suzuki had chosen from as well. Her father is a pianist and conductor and provided her with a rich education concerning musicianship, ensemble playing, and an open mind to all kinds of music and musicians. She started a string quartet in ninth grade and has formed and played in many groups since then.


    The support and resources offered by the Suzuki Association, which are easily accessible despite the rural location, have been invaluable. She maintains connections with other violinists, teachers, fiddlers, camps and groups throughout the area,  to help the students be connected to their local community and the greater musical world. 


    She emphasizes musicality and technique from the first lesson. The students pursue what they wish with their music, while always continuing the Suzuki repertoire. She usually leads at least two groups per semester, one Suzuki group, and one Irish Traditional group. She helps her students with performances, on both electric and acoustic violins, if they want to do that. She strives to provide a well-rounded musical eduction to the students and their parents. 

  • Piano Instructor

    Randal Pierce is an educator, music director and composer with a degree in piano performance from McGill University's Schulich School of Music. His compositions for theater works have included "The Quarry" commissioned by Vermont Stage Company and produced at the Hyde Park Theater in Austin, Texas, "Orchestriska's Box" through In Tandem Arts and music for "Transitions" commissioned by the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts.  He has also written several scores for silent films and performed them at outdoor screenings and film festivals.  Internationally, Randal has performed and toured with Montreal's Segal Centre for the Performing Arts, represented the yiddish cultural festival KlezKanada at major North American music festivals and has toured with jazz, classical and Eastern-European folk ensembles around Canada and the U.S.  Locally, Randal has music directed for St. Michael's Playhouse (Always… Patsy Cline), BCA (Hans Krasa’s Brundibar), The University of Vermont (Spring Awakening, Shakespeare in Love 2020), The Flynn Center for The Performing Arts (Lucky Stiff, Transitions, Cabaret, Cry Baby) the Middlebury Actors Workshop (It’s a Wonderful Life), Theater Kavanaugh and VT Stage Company (The Quarry, Fun Home).

  • Vocals & Keyboard Instructor

    Rachel Ambaye is a jazz vocalist and singer-songwriter based in Burlington, VT. With over 17 years of music education, Rachel is well-versed and well-rounded. She has performed in various settings ranging from solo shows to big band orchestras. While voice is her primary instrument, Rachel has years of experience playing piano and alto saxophone. Within music, she is passionate about collaborative creation and improvisation. Rachel believes that music is an integral part of the human experience, one that has the power to communicate what is left unspoken and to build connections cross-culturally. 

  • Early Childhood Education

    A Master Teacher and Children’s Musician, Anna Adler leads classes and special events for young children, families, and intergenerational groups that are joyful and interactive, promoting music, movement, and literacy development.  Raised in a family of musicians and storytellers, Anna received formal training in piano, voice, guitar, and trumpet.   Anna brings her dynamic and popular programs to libraries, community centers and music centers in VT and MA.

    An educator for over 30 years, Anna has taught at every level, from childcare programs and elementary schools, to colleges and adult education classes. Anna’s professional training includes a Master’s of Science in Education from Bank Street College and a Bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College.  Anna is a trained Music Together Teacher.