Strings Faculty
Benjamin Adams
Cello
Ben is available Tuesdays 2-8pm.
Fun Fact: Ben's first teacher was NCMS' very own Lauren Mann Chaney!
Benjamin Adams is an American cellist and composer born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. Along with performing, Ben is also an active cello teacher and composer. He has been a member of the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, where he performed with them in halls across Europe and the United States such as the Philharmonie Berlin, the Concertgebouw, Boston’s Symphony Hall, and Carnegie Hall. He has also played with the Royal College of Music Opera, Boston University Symphony Orchestra, Boston University Chamber Orchestra, Times Arrow New Music Ensemble, the New England Film Orchestra, Symphony Pro Musica, and the Mercury Orchestra.
Adams studied cello at the New England Conservatory Preparatory School before receiving his B.M. in Cello Performance & Music Theory (Summa Cum Laude) from Boston University, which included a semester abroad at the Royal College of Music in London. He is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Cello degree at the Cleveland Institute of Music.
Ben has participated in a number of invitational summer music programs, including Greenwood Music Festival, Blue Mountain Music Festival, Taconic Chamber Music Festival, and Easton Music Festival.
Brittany Stockwell
Violin & Viola
Brittany teaches in person lessons on Tuesdays 2-7:30pm and Wednesdays 3-8pm.
Brittany Stockwell, MAT is an Artist, Musician, Teacher, Healer, & Creative Entrepreneur working at the intersection of music, arts, and wellness. She joined the NCMS Strings Faculty in 2025, where she brings her heart-centered, whole musician approach to teaching violin and viola - helping students of all ages and abilities build solid technique while exploring creativity, confidence, and personal growth.
Brittany’s formal Suzuki classical training began when she was 4 years old. An accomplished musician by high school, Brittany has performed everywhere from Symphony Hall and the House of Blues in Boston to the banks of the Bayou in Louisiana as well as internationally. She became a full-time musician - performing and teaching - in 2016 while pursuing her Masters in Teaching from Simmons University in Boston.
She has played everything from Vivaldi to the Dropkick Murphys and loves to teach all genres of music, teaching both acoustic and electric. One of her bandmates in high school dubbed her The Purple Violinist - because of her love of the color and her bright purple electric violin - and that branding stuck.
With over 20 years of experience performing and over 10+ years teaching and mentoring all ages, Brittany combines formal pedagogical training with a holistic lens, drawing from her background in educational psychology, growth mindset, yoga, mindfulness, and Reiki certifications and trainings. Her teaching methods support the whole human, nurturing both artistry and well-being in a welcoming, student-centered space.
In addition to teaching at NCMS, Brittany serves as the school’s Marketing Coordinator and continues to perform and collaborate with other Creatives guided by the belief that staying in tune with your true self, your artistry, and your community helps you live your best life and your dreams.
Peter Paetkau
Violin & Viola
Peter teaches in-person lessons on Mondays from 2-5:45pm (thru Dec ‘26) and Wednesdays 2-8pm.
Peter Paetkau, violinist, is a founding member of the Boston-based chamber music collective Analog By Choice and a graduate of the Longy School of Music. As an orchestral, chamber, and solo musician, he has performed in a variety of venues across Canada, USA, Peru, and in Europe. He has performed professionally with ensembles including the Odyssey Opera Company, Fermata Chamber Soloists, Cape Ann Symphony, as well as Orchestra Without Borders and the Du Bois Orchestra where he holds principal positions. Paetkau has also taught lessons both for groups and individuals over a wide range of abilities and ages and currently holds teaching positions at Nashua Community Music School, and the New School of Music. Paetkau’s teachers have included Anna Williams of the Neave Trio, Bruce Coppock, Solomia Soroka, Rosalyn Trianno, and Jameson Cooper of the Euclid Quartet among others.
Through his work with Analog By Choice, Paetkau has curated and performed in concerts highlighting often overlooked composers using alphabet-themed programming. His interest in giving audiences tools for actively listening to chamber music has translated into partnerships with storytellers, artists, videographers, and other creative mediums who provide the audience with entry points into the complexities of classical music. ABC, now in its second season, has performed across the greater Boston area at venues including the Arlington Street Church, Allen Hall, and First Church in Cambridge. In addition to their regularly scheduled season, ABC focuses on education and has developed highly acclaimed performances for youth that are interactive and engaging.
Lauren Mann Chaney
Violin,Viola, & Cello
Currently on leave. Please try one of my awesome colleagues!
Lauren Mann Chaney has been teaching in Southern New Hampshire and Northern Massachusetts for over 30 years. Her passion is teaching instrumental music to students of all ages and abilities. While her first love is the accordion, Lauren has an extensive career teaching Violin and Viola privately and in public and private schools. She founded and directed the Strings Program at Hollis Upper Elementary School in Hollis, New Hampshire. Lauren was the Director of Strings at Notre Dame Academy in Tyngsboro, Massachusetts for 11 years where she taught private lessons on violin, viola, cello, and bass and conducted the student orchestra. Lauren also founded the Lowell Philharmonic Youth Orchestra in Lowell, Massachusetts where she was a conductor for 15 years.
Lauren has been a devoted member of the Hollis Town Band since 1998.
When she is not teaching music, she is playing with her grandchildren and taking care of her pig, Candy Violet.