Instructors

Members of our teaching staff hold degrees from prestigious nationally and internationally acclaimed institutions. They continue to perform as principal players or concert soloists in orchestral ensembles such as the Nevada Chamber Symphony and the Las Vegas Philharmonic. Many of their students have won scholarships and have gone on to careers in music, becoming the next generation of professionals and music educators. Others have attained fulfilling, musically-enriched lives, which ensures the future support of the arts.

Ray Pancarowicz

Violin & Viola Teacher

Raymond Pancarowicz, an Eastman School of Music graduate, was Instrumental Music Department Chairman (1987-2007) for the Virginia Governor’s School for the Arts. He has performed with numerous ensembles including the Richmond Symphony, Nova Trio, and the Virginia Symphony, where he was assistant concertmaster. A former string and harp instructor with the Hampton and Norfolk Public Schools, Mr. Pancarowicz is the composer and arranger of numerous published works for orchestra (MSB Publications) and is also active as a guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator. He studied violin and conducting in the Netherlands with Mr. Sydney Harth (former concertmaster of the New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestras) after being awarded the prestigious SURDNA Foundation Arts Teacher Fellowship. After moving to Las Vegas, he continued his music career by teaching privately and performing in various productions such as “Phantom, the Las Vegas Spectacular!” A member of the Las Vegas Philharmonic, Mr. Pancarowicz has years of teaching experience and enjoys working with students of all levels.

Carlene San-Filippo

Violin & Viola Teacher

Bio coming soon

Barbara Gurley

Cello Teacher

As a resident of Las Vegas for 33 years, Barbara Gurley has been happily teaching at Violin Outlet for over 20 years. She holds a Bachelors of Music Degree from the University of East Carolina, at Greenville, N.C. Prior to her present principal cello position with the Nevada Chamber Symphony she played with orchestras across three continents. Ms. Gurley has also worked with nearly every major entertainment celebrity appearing in Las Vegas since 1977.

Elena Kapustina

Cello Teacher

Elena Kapustina graduated from the Belarus State Conservatory with a Masters in music pedagogy and cello performance, winning numerous awards during her studies. In 1990 she was invited to audition in Bulgaria for the National Opera, Plovdiv, where she performed for 13 years in the position of assistant principal. During these years, she performed in many European and Asian countries, such South Korea, Holland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Belgium and Denmark, and taught cello in her private studio in Bulgaria. In 2003, she moved to the United States. Currently, she is a member of the Las Vegas Philharmonic Orchestra and teaches cello to aspiring students.

Paul Firak

Bass Teacher

Originally from Chicago,Paul has been a member of the Las Vegas Philharmonic since 2000. Paul is also an active freelance musician who’s credits include among others The Phantom of the Opera,Andrea Bocelli, Placido Domingo, Mama Mia, Spamalot, Avenue Q and a Canadian tour of Miss Saigon.
In addition to performing Paul is also an educator. He is the Adjunct Professor of Double Bass at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas as well a double bass coach with the Clark County School District,working with both the middle and high school levels. Paul also maintains a private teaching studio at Violin Outlet.
Paul received a Bachelor of Music degree in Performance from the University of Northern Colorado(Greeley) where he studied double bass with James Vaughn. Other teachers include Christopher Hanulik (Los Angeles Philharmonic) and Thomas Lederer (Dallas Symphony).