Dr. Dalaveris, 57, was born in Greece and grew up in Reading where he studied piano with Chester Wittell and later with Julia Shanaman Elmer at the Community School of Music and the Arts. He was a finalist in the Youth Auditions and performed with the Reading Symphony Orchestra.

After graduating from Reading High School, he graduated magna cum laude/Phi Beta Kappa from Columbia University where he majored in chemistry with an interest in German literature and continued tom play the piano. He then attended John Hopkins Medical School and completed a residency in ophthalmology. He did not play the piano during his medical training.

Dr. Dalaveris has participated in many amateur piano competitions, including those in Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Boston, Fort Worth and Washington, D.C. He advanced to the semifinal or final level in several competitions. In 2008 he participated in a Paris amateur music festival sponsored by Radio France. In November, he will perform in Budapest as part of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Franz Liszt.

He will play one of CSMA’s two restored Steinway Style B grand pianos.

CSMA was founded 55 years ago by Dr. Peter LaManna and co-founded by Werner von Trapp of the world renowned Trapp Family Singers of “The Sound of Music” fame. For more than a half-century, CSMA has offered instruction and inspiration in music, art and other disciplines to area residents regardless of age or educational background.

CSMA welcomes private and public donations to underwrite its many events and programs, as well as to help underwrite scholarships and tuition reimbursement for deserving students.

For more details on the June 12 recital and other CSMA news visit the CSMA website at www.berksmusicandart.org, e-mail info@berksmusicandarts.org or call 610-374-7167.

A 12-year student of Cedric N. Elmer, managing director of the school, every year since 2002, she has played a 10-piece memorized program for the National Guild Piano Auditions held in Reading. Because 2011 is her 10th year, she will receive the Paderewski Gold Medal from the National Guild, as well as her High Diploma in piano performance for playing a Guild pre-approved program.

Elmer said that very few piano students throughout the United States ever receive both honors in the same year. She has also written original music during her studies with Elmer.

In addition to her solo performance, on May 22, Ashley will play five selections with Elmer, including two that he arranged. One, “La Guachinanga” by Chester Wittell is a copyrighted collaboration between the composer and Elmer. Wittell lived in Reading for more than 50 years, founded the Yocom Institute of the Arts and had several of his works performed by the Reading Symphony Orchestra.

All music will be played on CSMA’s two restored Steinway Style B grand pianos.

CSMA was founded 55 years ago by Dr. Peter LaManna and co-founded by Werner von Trapp of the world renowned Trapp Family Singers of “The Sound of Music” fame. For more than a half-century, CSMA has offered instruction and inspiration in music, art and other disciplines to area residents regardless of age or educational background.

For more details on coming events and other news, visit the CSMA website at www.berksmusicandart.org, e-mail info@berksmusicandarts.org or csma1@juno.com or call 610-374-7167.

“Our programs are designed by a team of professionals from the disciplines that we offer and they work diligently to provide the most effective learning experience available for students and adults who enroll at CSMA,” said Cedric N. Elmer, managing director.

Art classes will be given at CSMA’s location at 345 Douglass Street in Reading’s Centre Park by Adry Eberhard in English and Spanish, a self-taught and classically trained artist who has been painting since the age of seven, and Diane Richards, who studied visual arts education for students in kindergarten through 12th grade at the University of Northern Colorado, also has a degree in philosophy and experience as a graphic designer.

Open enrollment classes in drawing, acrylic, watercolor, oil, pastel, pencil, charcoal, portraits and clay are held weekly either Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. There is a $10 enrollment fee for new students and a monthly charge of $60 or all students.

CSMA’s Music Department is offering six classes: Music Readiness for children ages four to six; Piano for ages 4 to adult; Music Through the Ages for age 13 through adult; Composers of Berks County for adults; Basic String Ensemble for pre-registered private CSMA violin and viola students; and Music Theory and Composition for ages 13 to adult.

Kathryn Uhler will teach the music classes; and Elmer will teach the composition and music theory classes.

Wanda Holdren-Vega and her assistant, Felix Mateo, will teach Salsa classes at the Douglass street location. They include four one-hour sessions for $45 or unlimited weekly lessons at $60 per month.

This summer, from May 31 through Aug. 9, CSMA offers a new series of music classes for children up to three years old on Tues. and Thurs. from 9 to 9:45 a.m. or 10:15 to 11 a.m. They will be taught by Rebecca Thompson at the GoggleWorks, 2nd and Washington streets, Reading, in Studio 558. The cost is $150 for a 10-week program. Parents can choose from either time slot on Tues. or Thurs. and the registration deadline is May 17.

CSMA was founded more than 50 years ago by Werner von Trapp of the world renowned Trapp Family Singers of “The Sound of Music” fame. For more than a half-century, CSMA has offered instruction and inspiration in music, art and other disciplines to area residents regardless of age or educational background.

Its mission is to operate as a non-profit educational teaching institution and making music and other fine arts known and celebrated throughout Reading, Berks County and elsewhere.

The school receives state arts funding through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, which is funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

CSMA welcomes private and public donations to underwrite its many events and programs, as well as to help underwrite scholarships and tuition reimbursement for deserving students.

For more details on coming events and other news, visit the CSMA website at www.berksmusicandart.org, e-mail info@berksmusicandarts.org or csma1@juno.com or call 610-374-7167.

According to CSMA Managing Director Cedric N. Elmer, private lessons are available from the school in addition to its normal spring, summer, fall and winter classes. The Community School of Music and the Arts has offices and studios at the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, 2nd and Washington streets, and its original locations, 345 Douglass Street, both in Reading.

Elmer said private instruction is offered in three-month semesters and includes certain ones in English and Spanish. Tuition varies with each instructor and is usually paid in advance by semester, monthly or per lesson. Further information is available on the school’s website (www.berksmusicandarts.org) or contact the school via e-mail at info@berksmusicandarts.org or by phone at 610-374-7167 to obtain a quote for private instruction.

CSMA faculty members include:

• Gary Beck: Drums and percussion
• Adry Eberhard: Art
• Julia Gottschall: Piano
• Robert Hassler: Guitar, ukulele and harmonica
• Wanda Holdren-Vega: Dance (English and Spanish)
• Felix Mateo: Dance (English and Spanish)
• Steven Holgate: Trumpet, French horn, trombone and tuba
• Christopher Hoster: Violin, piano, organ and voice
• Mary Beth Kern: Woodwinds
• Jonathan Myers: Drums and percussion
• Juan Palacios: Violin, guitar, piano and voice (English and Spanish)
• Diane Richards: Art
• Dail Richie: Voice
• Kenneth Rohrbach: Guitar and bass guitar
• Nicole Schroeder: Flute
• John Stoudt: Trumpet, French horn, trombone and tuba
• Todd Sullivan: Violin and viola
• Kathryn Uhler: Violin, viola, flute, clarinet, saxophone and piano
• Cedric Elmer: Piano, electronic keyboard, theory and music composition

CSMA was founded more than 50 years ago by Werner von Trapp of the world renowned Trapp Family Singers of “The Sound of Music” fame. For more than a half-century, CSMA has offered instruction and inspiration in music, art and other disciplines to area residents regardless of age or educational background.

Its mission is to operate as a non-profit educational teaching institution and making music and other fine arts known and celebrated throughout Reading, Berks County and elsewhere.

The school receives state arts funding through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, which is funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

CSMA welcomes private and public donations to underwrite its many events and programs, as well as to help underwrite scholarships and tuition reimbursement for deserving students.

For more details on coming events and other news, visit the CSMA website at www.berksmusicandart.org, e-mail info@berksmusicandarts.org or csma1@juno.com or call 610-374-7167.

CSMA was founded more than 50 years ago by Werner von Trapp of the world renowned Trapp Family Singers of “The Sound of Music” fame. For more than a half-century, CSMA has offered instruction and inspiration in music, art and other disciplines to area residents regardless of age or educational background.

Elmer is the son of the late Jasper Kemp Elmer, Yugoslavian-born architect, artist and teacher, and Julia Nagel (Shanaman) Elmer, Reading-born pianist and teacher. Elmer has earned several degrees in music, including a BA in music/piano performance, a BA in music education, both from the Philadelphia Musical Academy, and a master’s of music in composition from Combs College of Music.

Elmer taught music in the Reading School District for 26 years and, since 1976, has served as a piano adjudicator for the American College of Musicians. He is a member of the college’s Hall of Fame, elected in 1999.

He began teaching at CSMA in 1963 and served as its executive director from 1964 through 2002. He continues to teach piano, keyboard, theory, composition and instrumental music at the school.

As a composer of published music, Elmer is listed in the 4th Edition of the “Biographical Dictionary of the American Society of Composer, Authors and Publishers” (ASCAP) and in “Contemporary American Composers” (1982) by E. Ruth Anderson. His published books include “Musical Remembrances” (1976) that outlines the creative endeavors of Berks’ published composers, and “Musical Berks” (1995) co-authored with Wes Fisher, which illustrates outstanding musicians, performing organizations and local events.

Elmer is treasurer of the Music Club of Reading-Berks and is a member of the Music Educators’ National Conference (MENC), the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the Reading Music Teachers Association and ASCAP.

Officers of CSMA’s board of directors are President Bryan J. Bubnis, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney; Vice President Dail Richie, Berks Classical Children’s Chorus; Treasurer Chris Luppold, Reinsel Kuntz Lesher; Assistant Treasurer Bethany Kraycik, Reinsel Kuntz Lesher; and Secretary Patricia Frankel, Esquire.

Other board members are F. Alan Shirk, Shirk Communications; Angelina Spears, consultant; Turie Sotzin, First Priority Bank; Edward Terrell, executive director of ACOR; the Rev. Mary Wolfe, Hope Lutheran Church, Reading; and Laura Wright, The Drawing Board.

The Community School of Music and the Arts has offices and studios at the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, 2nd and Washington streets, and its original locations, 345 Douglass Street, both in Reading. The school has a quarterly show from 6:30 to 7 p.m. on Berks Community Television (BCTV) the fourth Tuesday of the month in February, May, August and November.

CSMA welcomes private and public donations to underwrite its many events and programs, as well as for scholarships and tuition reimbursement for deserving students.

For more details on coming events and other news, visit the CSMA website at www.berksmusicandart.org, e-mail info@berksmusicandarts.org or csma1@juno.com or call 610-374-7167.