About The Academy
Welcome to Charlotte Academy of the Arts, a place where curious beginners, dedicated students, and lifelong artists all find a home. Our programs run deep, from private instrument and voice lessons to music theory, musical theatre productions, acting and dance classes, and performing arts workshops. What truly sets CAA apart is our commitment to developing the whole artist, building excellence alongside character, fostering leadership rooted in kindness, and creating a community where every student knows they belong.
We see the star in every student who walks through our doors. We warmly invite you to begin, or continue, your artistic journey with us.
Our story
The story of Charlotte Academy of the Arts didn’t begin with a building or a business plan. It began in a first-grade classroom in Upstate South Carolina. There, a remarkable teacher named Terri Jeter taught every subject through music, directed the children’s choir, and even wrote an original musical for her class to perform. One of those first graders was our founder, Regina Ziliani, and she’ll tell you plainly: there might never have been a Charlotte Academy of the Arts without Mrs. Jeter.
Her influence didn’t end in first grade. She continued encouraging Regina through years of recitals and performances, embodying the kind of teacher who truly knows her students, believes in them, and celebrates every milestone. That is the spirit CAA strives to carry forward today.
Inspired by teachers who believed in her, Regina spent her childhood immersed in piano, ballet, tap, jazz, choir, community theatre, and violin. Those experiences planted a belief she has carried ever since: the arts do more than train performers, they shape people.
Regina taught her first piano student while still in high school and never stopped. After leading successful studios in South Carolina and California, she and her husband, Jeff, moved to Charlotte. Her home studio in Mint Hill quickly grew to more than 80 students, and in 2008, that vision became Charlotte Academy of Music, now Charlotte Academy of the Arts. Today, our name reflects what we have always believed: every child deserves the opportunity to discover, grow, and thrive through music, theatre, dance, and the visual arts.
CAA is proudly family-owned and operated. Regina still teaches piano and serves as producer, and often costumer, for our musical theatre productions. And just as there may be no CAA without Mrs. Jeter, that definitely holds true for Regina’s husband Jeff who oversees the accounting for CAA and provides endless encouragement to Regina. Their son Evan is also a part of the CAA family, a drummer who is also active in our musical theatre productions. When we say your family becomes part of ours, we mean it, because ours is here too.
Today, CAA is home to 12 soundproof teaching studios, a dedicated performance space, and a faculty of more than 20 passionate teachers. We offer music, dance, musical theatre, PopArts Nights, and SPLASH! Summer Camps. We are honored to help students pursue excellence in the arts.
Through every stage of our growth, one thing has remained constant: a commitment, grounded in faith and a belief that we are called to serve, to develop not only skilled artists but exceptional people. We believe in shaping character, cultivating leadership, and creating a community where every student is known, encouraged, and inspired. Every student who steps onto our stage carries a brilliance all their own, and it is our privilege to help them shine.
Our admin team
Our teachers
Our students
CAA is home to students of all ages, all backgrounds, and all ambitions. From our youngest students discovering music, drama, and dance for the first time to our advanced, seasoned performers preparing for their next big opportunity, our community is wonderfully diverse. Curious minds and creative hearts from schools and neighborhoods across Mecklenburg, Union, and Cabarrus counties all call CAA home.
No matter where you are in your journey, there is a place for you here. We would love to welcome you to the CAA family.
Arts with Heart
At CAA, giving back is not something we do occasionally — it is part of who we are. We believe we are called to serve, and that belief shows up in everything from coat drives and food drives to school supply collections and handmaking valentines for nursing home residents. These moments of giving shape not just our community, but the character of every student who takes part. After all, the greatest performance is the one that makes someone else’s life a little brighter.
Affiliations, partnerships, & certifications
CAA is proudly rooted in the arts community locally, regionally, and nationally. Our partnerships with leading organizations in arts education and community development keep our faculty connected to the latest research and best teaching practices, and open doors for our students that extend far beyond our studios and stage.
- Music Teachers National Association
- Royal Conservatory of Music
- North Carolina Music Teachers Association
- National Federation of Music Clubs
- Charlotte Piano Teachers Forum
- National Association of Teachers of Singing
- American College of Musicians/National Guild of Piano Teachers
- American String Teachers Association
- Music Educators National Conference
- North Carolina Music Educators Association