A CREATIVE SPACE TO FIND THE STAR IN EVERY CHILD! MUSIC, AERIAL ARTS, DANCE
VOCALS
Jaytel
Telford “Jaytel” Birmingham II is a Vocal Producer and Arranger who also specializes in Vocal Style Coaching. Jaytel’s vocal coaching technique focuses on enhancing the singer’s vocal style and character performance. He has worked with many talented singers that you may have heard and has been a part of Grammy, Dove, and Stellar award winning albums. Jaytel takes pride in developing singer’s ability to go above and beyond vocally with confidence. As he likes to say, “The sky is the foundation. There aren’t any limits.”
GUITAR
Corey
RENOWNED, VERSATILE GUITARIST Corey Stoot better known as "
Funkafangaz " Considered by other artists to be the rhythm master.
Corey perfected and helped to evolve the guitar as an indispensable
instrument for other artists seeking to compete with the best. Corey's
shows the amazing evolution and continued popularity of the guitar as a
lead solo instrument. Corey’s legacy is unique. He picked up his first
guitar at the age of twelve while living at home in Houston with his
parents and the seed for his interest in music was planted. Corey began
listening to his dad’s old albums; artists like, George Benson, Jimi
Hendrix, Carlos Santana. Corey’s guitar has not been out of arms reach
ever since! His father the late John Stoot, played with his band "John
Stoot and Jumpin Jivers" in the late 50’s and early 60’s. John also
played with legendary artist /cousin Rockin’ Sidney, who wrote the hit,
"Don’t mess with my Toot Toot". Determined to fulfill his dream of
following in his dad’s footsteps creating music and live performances
from 1991 until this day. Corey Stoot has worked in the studio and live
performances with Hip-hop ,Rap ,R&B, Rock, reggae and jazz artist.
Corey has been apart of the down south sounds of artiststry with his
signature guitar and bass riffs, to rap artists UGK (Bun B, and the late
Chad Butler) (aka) Pimp C, producer Manny Fresh, Big Tymer's, Hot
Boys (Juvenile, Lil' Wayne, B.G.,Turk), Method Man, Freeway, Swisha
House, Mike Jones, Pall Wall, Lil’Flip , Lil’ Keke, The Late DJ Srew,
Hawk, The Rapalot Family, The Ghetto Boys, Scarface, Devin Tha
Dude, Big Mello and Flava Flav. While staying true to his music,
Corey’s musical vibes began to get noticed when the single that he
recorded on "Wishing On A Star" off of Beonce Live At Wembley
album, received a Grammy Nomination. Corey always works on his
craft to find his unique sound to share with artists world wide. Corey
has performed with gospel songstress Karen Clark Sheard, Nikki Ross,
Michael McKay, Beverly Crawford, and Kim Burrell. And the Jazz
World (Jazz Artists) Joe Sample, Marion Medows, Kim Waters, Bobby
Humphrey, Marcus Johnson, Bob Baldwin, Onaje Allen Gumbs, Robert
Glasper, Norman Connors, Jackiem Joyner, Michael Ward, Kyle
Turner, flute artist, Athea Rene, Trombone player, The late Roy
Hargrove, Keith Anderson, Bobby Sparks, Glen Jones, Chante Moore,
Jaguar Wright, Michael Lington, Gerald Veasley, Gerald Albright, and
Peter White. Oscar winning actor/singer Jamie Foxx, Glen Lewis, Tony
Terry, the late Vesta Williams, Howard Hewitt, as well as the New
Orleans brass horn section "New Birth". Force MDs, Groove
Collection, Phil Perry,the late Sean Levert, Regina Belle, Destiny Child;
(Beyonce ,Kelly, Latoya, Latavia) Kelly Rowlands
(MusicDirector). Bobby Brown, Dwele, Carl Thomas, Morris Day and
Jerome (members of the group, The Time), The Family Stones, Roy
Ayers, the late Buddy Miles (Jimi Hendrix Band of Gypsies, The Buddy
Miles Express). ConFunkShun, Archie Bell ( of the Drells ), Jean Carn.
Also live performances LL Cool J and DJ Cut Creator, Live
performance on the “The Late Night Show with David Letterman” to
celebrate the shows 11 th Anniversary. And Live at the 2010 Super Bowl
celebration for CBS live South Beach Miami. The late Rocking n Roll
Inductee Oli Woodson and Glen Leonard (Formerly from the
Temptations), Gary Shider ,George Clinton & the P-Funk All Stars,
Melonie Fiona. World beat legendary Caribbean Anguilla Artist Bankie
Banx Roots and Herb, Jamaician Allstar legends Cat Core (Third
World), Tony Ruption (Third World), Benjy Maytaz, and producer
Steven Stanley (Tom Tom Club and Black Uhuru). Corey also toured 32
countries in europe with Reggae Royal Family Morgan Heritage 2012
Tour. Corey Stoot is out now on tour with disco legend Gloria Gaynor.
Corey is featured on 2019 Grammy 2x nominated Zydeco artist Sean
Ardoin project “Kreole Rock And Soul”.Corey's Smoove Jazz cd,
(Can’t Wait) on www.itunes.com/coreystootCorey Stoot is on top of the
world and doing what he loves - creating and sharing a divine vision of
his music and God's blessings to the hearts of fans along the
way. Contact
VIOLIN
Misty
🎻 Ms. Misty Dawn Elfer began her studies at age 3 as a Suzuki Violin Student of the Hurley School of Music in Shreveport, LA, an established Suzuki School. In high school, she was selected to play in the National Festival Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, as winning a paid section position at the age of 16 with a professional orchestra, the Rapides Symphony, and was awarded a local scholarship, allowing her to attend the prestigious Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan, where she studied with Julia Bushkova.
Ms. Elfer holds the following degrees and honors:
•Bachelor of Music at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music, with Professor Cornelia L. Heard, and Chamber Music Coaches such as John Kochanowski and Felix Wang, as well as Orchestral Studies with the Concertmaster of the Nashville Symphony, Mary-Katherine Van Osdale.
•Graduate Certificate in Performance from the University of South Carolina-Columbia, with William Terwilliger and Ryan Kho, holding a Graduate String Quartet Fellowship, as well as the Co-Concertmaster and Assistant Concertmaster titles, under the direction of Donald Portnoy, and performed for the Conducting String Quartet.
•Master of Music from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance with Benny Kim, also earning an honorary faculty nomination for the Pi Kappa Lambda Honor Society, and additional Violin studies under Elizabeth Suh-Lane, London Symphony Alumnus, and Founder of the Bach Aria Soloists.
🎼Teaching Bio:
Ms. Elfer has taught students from age 3 to Adult, Individual to Group lessons of twenty, at Institutions and School Districts across the US, finally settling in Houston TX, closer to family. She currently teaches Violin and Viola Private Lessons at Summer Creek High School/Woodcreek Middle School, and Cy-Fair Music and Arts Academy, Tomball ISD area, and at her Home Studio, and has previously taught for private lessons programs with Atascocita High School, Tomball ISD, Cy-Fair ISD, and served as a Guest Clinician and Solo/Ensemble Judge for Fort Bend ISD, Guest Clinician for Klein ISD's Fiddle Camp, as well as serving as a Full-Time Instructor for Kansas City Missouri School District's Early Childhood Suzuki Program, Adjunct Instructor for UMKC Community Music and Dance Academy (University's Pre-Collegiate Program), Instructor for Kansas City Strings, Graduate School Instructor for USC Community Music School, Orchestral Teaching Assistant for the Brevard Music Center, Intern for the Kansas City String Quartet Program, and has held a private studio for 19 years in Houston, Texas; Kansas City, Missouri; and Columbia, South Carolina.
Ms. Elfer is certified with the Suzuki Association of the Americas, and the Southwest Texas Suzuki Association, having completed her teacher training with Carol Smith in Nashville, TN and Beth Titterington in Kansas City, MO, as well as special trainings with Master Pedagogues Brian Lewis (UT Austin) at the Ottawa Institute, and Guest Artist Barbara Barber, in Houston.
🎻Performing Bio:
Ms. Elfer serves as a Section Player for the Victoria Symphony, Brazosport Symphony, Woodlands Symphony, Galveston Symphony, as well as a 12 year position as a Church Orchestra performer for Second Baptist's West Campus, frequently performing alongside Internationally revered Dr. Ed Young.
She has previously played for many professional orchestras around the US, winning a Principal Position with the Saint Joseph Symphony in Kansas, as well a Substitute Position as an Undergraduate Student with the highly revered Nashville Symphony Orchestra, and has additionally served in Principal Positions for the USC Symphony and USC Opera Orchestra.
Ms. Elfer has also performed with professional music groups such as Opera East Texas, under revered New York Opera Director Gerard Schwartz, St. Lawrence Chamber Orchestra, Houston Repertoire Ballet's The Nutcracker, Shreveport Summer Festival Orchestra, under Maestro Sydney Harth (Yale) and Kermit Poling (Shreveport Symphony), Contemporary Ensemble 'Musica Nova' (UMKC-World Premieres), Guest String Quartet appearance with the Kansas City Ballet, as well as other music groups, such as the Kansas City Civic Opera, Liberty Symphony, Wichita Symphony, Augusta Symphony, South Carolina Philharmonic, USC Symphony, USC Opera Orchestra, Charlotte Philharmonic, Long Bay Symphony, and the Coastal Chorale of Myrtle Beach, playing alongside of retired Metropolitan Opera Orchestra Violinist and Pedagogue, Gene Campione.
Ms. Elfer believes that Music is indeed a Universal Language, of Joy, of Healing, and an acquired skill that teaches children so many valuable life skills and lessons, as well as developing important parts of the human brain, and building confidence, perseverance, and self-esteem, from any age or level of learning.
CIRCUS ARTS
Caiya
Caiya has trained Classical Ballet since the age of 3 and began her circus training at the age of 16 with an emphasis on Contortion. During her early teen years she was involved in musical theatre and has performed for companies such as, TUTS (Theater Under The Stars), Applause Theater, CCT, The Players Theater company and many more. Coming from a dance background she has also performed with ReFine Arts and Haven Arts Theatre. Caiya’s circus training began with Contortion and that led into Aerial. She took Circus Arts very seriously which then brought her to Boston MA, and New York NY. She has trained under coaches such as Bayarma Parry, Danielle Artis, Emily McFarlane and Marci Diamond. Caiya has performed Circus Arts for The Texas Renaissance Festival After Dark, Dickens on The Strand, Lights All Night festival, Tall Ships Galveston, A-Kon Dallas, George R. Brown Convention Center, Discovery Green, and many more.
She has been coaching circus arts since age 18 and continues to hone her teaching techniques to this day with over 15 weekly private students under Cai Performance Company. Caiya is beyond excited to be organizing this Circus Program for Future Stars of Houston and cannot wait to create Circus Art with its students!
Kayla
Kayla Mason is a Houston native who received her bachelor degree in Performance and Production from the University of Texas (San Marcos). During her high school and early college years, she found a deep love for movement art and participated in dance recitals at Westfield High School. Her love for circus arts was sparked by her first Aerial jungle themed production of Jungle book at Lone Star Community College. Since then, Kayla has spent the past 4 years of her life training Aerial Silks, Lyra and Contortion at Axis Aerial Pole. She has taught at Cirque La Vie, and has been perfecting her skills with Cai Performance Company. Kayla is looking forward to creating a fun collaborative space with Future Stars of Houston.
Taylor
Taylar is a multitalented artist and one of the three founders of a houston based troupe called Cirkus ZIrkus. She grew up with a passion for the arts from visual to performance; always involved in visual artisitic practices such as illistration and painting as well as musical teatre performance. Taylar eventually found the same passion for physical fitness and the amazing things that human bodies can do. Now she combines both of her passions with the devotion to the world of circus arts and sharing this passion by coaching others from youth to adults. Taylar has performed for notorious events such as Texas Renaissance festival, Dickens on the strand, steampunk Novemeber, Tomball German Festival, etc. and as well as top night clubs in Houston such as RISE Rooftop. She is forever growing her talent and skills as a stilt walker, aerialist, inspiring whip cracker, clown and coach. Taylar's passion derives from a yearning to create moments of amazement, artistic fascination, and wanting to help others achieve and grow.
Skyler
Skyler started taking circus classes when she was 12 and is now a full time performer and coach! She coaches at Mekanix Houston, Cai Circus, and Crystal Yoga. After her first time on stage it sparked her desire to perform on some of the biggest stages in Texas such as the Texas Renaissance festival, River oaks country club, Dickens on the strand and much more! She teaches and performs Aerial Silks, Trapeze, Lyra, Hammock, Contortion, Hand Balancing, Acrobatics, and Hand to Hand.
Lindsay
Lindsay Maxfield has been coaching and performing across the US and Europe for 10 years. Specializing in dance trapeze and doubles work, she's excited to share her knowledge with you!
Angela
Angela’s love of all things Circus began with a random college job working as a birthday clown, juggler and singing telegramist for children’s and adult parties. Adulting and life put the kibosh on her dreams of joining the circus until eight years ago with her first aerial fabric lesson. From that point on Angela has had the opportunity to learn from many amazing aerial artists all over the United States and internationally. She has focused on skills-based techniques for breaking down and teaching aerial fabric and rope sequences, and is beyond thrilled to share that knowledge with her students at Future Stars of Houston!“
Edward
Edward began training in gymnastics in his home country of Venezuela at the age of 16. He attended El Parque Miranda Gymnastics School and also began dance training with the prestigious Musa School of Dance. In 2015, his love for movement eventually brought him to the circus, where he began studying circus arts at the Zirkus Zone Circus School. Upon moving to Houston in 2016, he began attending classes and performing with Cirque La Vie. Edward has performed at Memorial City Mall, Champion Forest Baptist Church, Texas Renaissance Festival and many more.
