Meet Our Team
Amy Villacorta - CEO & Instructor
Amy was born in Boulder, Colorado and raised in Bozeman, Montana. She has a deep love for mountains, music, and all things cello. Amy studied cello with Chandra Lind (Bozeman, MT), Dr. Robert Tueller (Rexburg, ID) and Silver Ainomäe (Minneapolis, MN). Amy holds a Bachelor of Music Education with an Orchestral Emphasis from Brigham Young University Idaho and currently studies as a graduate student at the University of Minnesota with Matt Haimovitz. Amy played for two seasons with the Idaho Falls Symphony and previously worked as adjunct faculty in the Brigham Young University Idaho Department of Music teaching cello, conducting the university string orchestra, and teaching music education classes. Amy has performed on stage with renowned artists Joshua Roman, Time For Three, Brian Stokes Mitchell, William Hagen, Jenny Oaks Baker, Frederica von Stade, Holly Mulcahy, and Idaho chamber choir, Anam Cara. In the 2024/2025 NFL season, she could be seen with her cello in the pre-game showtime sequences for the Minnesota Vikings home games. As chief executive officer and founder of the Rocky Mountain Cello Festival, Amy dedicates her time to providing musical opportunities to cellists of all ages and ability levels. She is a firm believer and advocate for music and the arts in communities and schools and lives by the philosophy that music not only brings joy, but also provides opportunities to share culture, build connections between individuals, and find peace in trying times. 
Jaquell graduated with her Bachelor's in Music Education from BYU-Idaho in 2024 and is currently teaching private students in Utah. Jaquell is married to her wonderful husband Zach and will be hitting a year of marriage in September. They love living life together, watching movies and going hiking.
Jaquell Hubner - COO & Instructor
KatieRae Walker - CMO & Instructor
KatieRae Walker is a sucker for cello pieces in G minor. If it strikes her heart, chances are—it’s in G minor. Every. Time. She’s been playing for 8 years and has a deep love for teaching, especially beginners. KatieRae believes learning cello is advanced—those early stages are no joke. She approaches teaching like detective work, helping students work with their bodies, not against them. That “click” moment? Her favorite part. After earning her Bachelor of Musical Arts, KatieRae moved from Idaho to Texas, where she’s unpacking, rebuilding her studio, and prepping for West Texas Symphony auditions. She keeps coming back to Rocky Mountain Cello for the tight-knit, joyful community she helped build. As head of marketing and design, she blends her love of cello with a passion for visual art and storytelling. In a parallel universe, she’s designing book covers and teaching cello on the moon—because less gravity means better posture, right?
Camila Paloma Hernandez - Administrative Assistant & Instructor
Camila was born in Las Vegas, Nevada. She loves cooking, cello, and crocheting. Camila studied cello with Dr. Robert Tueller and Andrés Díaz. Camila holds a Bachelor of Music with a Cello Emphasis from Brigham Young University Idaho and currently studies as a graduate student at the Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.
Camila has performed on stage with renowned artists such as William Hagen, Laura Bretan, and Yoshika Masuda. She is prepping to audition for the McKinney Symphony and Richardson Symphony this coming season. She hopes to play with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra in the future.
Camila strives to bring her love for cello into everything she does! She loves teaching and wants to help others grow into what they can become. She is excited to see where life takes her and hopes to continue growing along the way!
Tessa Schuster - Regional Instructor
Tessa grew up in Idaho Falls and is proud to call South East Idaho her home. She started cello at age 7 and studied with Dr. Rebecca Lyman in High School. Tessa received her Bachelors in Cello Performance from Brigham Young University, under the direction of Dr. Michelle Kesler, in 2019.
Tessa’s passion is teaching cello! She has taught for over 14 years, and enjoys working with all levels and ages. She loves all styles of music including classical, folk, rock and pop. Tessa’s teaching style is adaptable to fit the unique needs of each individual student, but most importantly, to help her students find joy in the process of learning music.
Tessa has been involved in many symphonies, including the BYU Philharmonic, the Utah Symphony, and currently plays in the Idaho Falls Symphony. Tessa also loves playing for weddings, parties, and anywhere else she can!
James Jordan - Regional Instructor
James Jordan, originally from East Texas, is a third year Music and Math double major at Montana State University. When he isn’t playing cello or studying, he loves to teach, read, cook, work with horses, and fly fish. James teaches cello lessons and tutors many academic subjects (especially Writing, Literature, and Mathematics). For all inquiries, call or text (903)262-4738! James thanks Archie Jones, Steven Soldi, Dr. Robert Lee, Prof Evgeni Raychev, Prof Jihye Sung, Prof Wonki Lee, and Prof Julia Slovarp for their mentorship. He plays a 2023 cello by Wayne Burak and Associates.