Staff

	Ya-Fei Lin (piano) A native of Taiwan, began learning piano at the age of 7. She holds a Masters Degree in piano performance with a minor in the violin, and was the recipient of Etude Music Club Endowment and the Art Council Music Scholarship in Cal Sate University, Northridge. In the past few years she has performed as a soloist, accompanist, and in chamber concerts across the United States and in Asia. She is an excellent sight reader and a versatile performer and has taught music in many settings. Fluent in Mandarin. Member MTAC, Royal Conservatory
	Gary Blumer (piano, composition) www.myspace.com/garyblumerjazzpiano Holding a masters degree in Composition from Wayne State University, he's been performing at the piano for over 35 years in jazz, classical and pop genres. Band leader, freelance pianist, composer/arranger and educator - having taught at WSU for 13 years - are all areas in which Gary has many years of experience. Member MTAC
	Rosanna Marzaroli (piano) Received her Bachelor of Music from the University of Southern California and Masters of Music from Rice University. As a soloist, she has performed with the Los Angeles Bach Festival Orchestra, the Glendale Symphony Orchestra, California State University-Los Angeles Orchestra, and the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra. She has served on the faculty of the Music Academy of North Carolina and is in demand as a judge for music festivals and competitions throughout Southern California She was on the Board of Directors for the Music Teachers’ Association of California, Glendale Branch where she has served as Branch President. She currently prepares her students for the Certificate of Merit and other MTAC workshops and festivals, as well as the National Guild Piano Exam from the American College of Musicians.
	Jose Soto (piano) Jose De Jesus Soto is an educator who has taught and performed around the United States and Mexico. In and around Los Angeles, José has performed at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica, the University of Southern California, the California Institute for the Arts, the RedCat Theater, the Norton Simon Museum, Los Angeles City Hall, the Getty House, as well as other venues. Jose has received his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the University of Southern California and continues his studies pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree under the tutelage of professor Kevin Fitz-Gerald with minors in Conducting and Jazz. Jose is currently the chair of music for the California State Summer School for the Arts.
	Andrew Zador (piano) From a long line of music professors with Russian and Hungarian influence. He graduated from the Franz Liszt Conservatory in Hungary. As the winner of many competitions, he performed in many European countries during his childhood. He came to the United States as an International Scholarship Student and continued his education at the Boise State University. Andrew is a member of the Music Teacher’s Association of California. His repertoire includes the most difficult and feared masterpieces of the music history. He has been living and working in Los Angeles since 1999.
	Kristin Caliendo (flute, piano, voice, children's fundamentals) Earned her masters degree in flute performance from Arizona State University and has her Bachelors degree in flute performance from Grand Canyon University where she graduated Summa Cum Laude. The winner of the Bay View Music Festival concerto competition and two-time winner of the Maricopa Community College “Outstanding Performers Instrumental Competition,” Kristin is currently working towards earning her Doctorate of Musical Arts in flute performance with an emphasis in music education. Kristin strives to provide her students with instruction and experience that develop proficiency on the flute in an encouraging, positive, and enjoyable atmosphere.
	Lori Richardson (flute) Earned a Bachelor of Music degree with and emphasis in Performance from California State University Fresno. Lori also studied with Leone Buyse, Jim Walker, and attended Summer Master Class Seminars with the renowned master flutist and teacher, Frances Blaisdell. With over 20 years of performing and teaching experience Lori is passionate about passing on her love of music to her students through a nurturing environment that emphasizes tone production, technique building, ear training and artistry/musicianship. She believes the study of music enhances every aspect of a young persons development, creativity, sense of accomplishment and future success. Lori is a member of the MTAC and is currently serving as a board member of the Glendale Branch and is also a member of the National Flute Association.
	Pam Bennett (voice) Recently relocated to the Arcadia area from New Mexico. A native New Yorker, she resided in New Mexico for four years where she performed in the Santa Fe Women's Ensemble, Canticum Novum, the Abiquiu Chamber Music Series and Opera Southwest while teaching Choir and Musical Theatre in the Santa Fe Public Schools. She received her Bachelor's degree in Musical Theatre and her Master's in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy from Westminster Choir College. Pam has performed leading roles in Sweeney Todd, The Gondeliers and Die Fledermaus. She enjoys teaching young singers a variety of genres and musical styles.
	Jonathan Tran (voice) is a young lyric tenor. He received his Bachlors Degree from Azusa Pacific University and his Masters Degree from California Baptist University. Operatic Roles and Chorus work has been done at: Azusa Pacific University, California Baptist University, Fullerton College, Riverside Lyric Opera, Repertory Opera Company, Opera Santa Barbara.
	Perfecto De Castro (guitar) www.perfdecastro.com Perfecto is a multi-awarded guitarist proficient in Classical, Flamenco and Electric Rock Guitar Styles. He is an active performer, having given concerts and recitals in Southern California, SF Bay Area, Portland OR, Chicago, New Jersey, Connecticut and the Philippines. Highly in demand as a teacher, Perfecto’s instruction involves modern methods in music theory, ear training, positioning and proper muscular movement, tone production, and sound design and manipulation.
	Ken Nagatani (guitar) Received both a Master of Music and a Graduate Performance Diploma from the Peabody Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Manuel Barrueco, and completed the Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Southern California in 2006 as a student of William Kanengiser. While at USC, he was the recipient of the Mary Pickford Foundation Endowed Scholarship in Classical Guitar and the Jack Marshall Memorial Scholarship. Ken has been active as a teacher and performer in Los Angeles area for the past 17 years, and is currently an adjunct instructor at East Los Angeles College, Long Beach City College, and Glendale City College.
	Kenny Elliott (percussion, drumset) Kenny’s career as a professional drummer began at age 12 when he performed under the direction of the Red Saunders Orchestra at the Regal Theater. He was the staff drummer for Brunswick Records while teaching at the American Conservatory before moving to Los Angeles. Kenny toured with such greats as Lou Rawls, Aretha Franklin and Natalie Cole and performed with Ella Fitzgerald, Lucy Arnez, Diahann Caroll, Carol Channing, Ray Charles, Al Green, Eddie Harris, Al Jarreau, Chaka Kahn, Cheryl Lynn, Billy Preston, Helen Reddy, Dionne Warwick, and Stevie Wonder among others. He enjoys teaching and working with people.
	Peter Huerta (percussion, drumset) A charismatic teacher and performer, Peter has played on SNL, David Letterman, Good Morning America, Ellen Degeneres, Jimmy Kimmel Live, MTV TRL, Teen Choice Awards, and with Gwen Stefani. He has been the Toy Soldier in the Disneyland parade, and recently on America’s Got Talent finals with “All That.” Serving as a percussion instructor to various high schools throughout the southland, Peter brings a lot of personality, accomplishment, and care to the studios.
	Nate Kivett (percussion, drumset) Originally from St. Louis Missouri, Nate Kivett moved to California in pursuit of his passion for drumming. He studied at the Los Angeles Music Academy, under the instruction of department chairmen Joe Porcaro and Ralph Humphrey. Since graduating, Nate has maintained a busy life playing drums for various original and top 40’s bands in the Los Angeles area. For the past 5 years he has traveled the world aboard cruise ships playing drums for numerous guest singers, instrumentalists, and Vegas style shows. As a drum instructor, Nate prides himself on patiently encouraging and educating each student so that she or he may realize and expand their passion for drumming.
	Suzanne Inwood (violin) A USC music school graduate, Suzanne has taught for over 30 years. Accomplishments include performing in the Indiana University Symphony, South Bend Symphony, USC Symphony, among others and teaching at the South Bend Community Schools Summer Clinic, the Idylwild Summer Music School, the Irvine Conservatory of Music, the USC Community School of Performing Arts. She is a creative teacher committed to excellence, providing good fundamentals for the beginner and coaching advanced students as they prepare for auditions, performances, and contests.
	Miyuki Nakashima (violin, viola) Soloed in the premier of the critically acclaimed work of "Ta if" during the 20th Century Composers Festival with the New Century Chamber Orchestra. She appeared as soloist with The New Millenium Chamber Orchestra and the Lincoln Chamber. At the age of 17, she was invited on scholarship to at California Institute of the Arts and later attended the Henry Mancini Institute. She served as assistant conductor for all of Trace Elementary School's orchestras in Northern California, and is currently working on concerts to help raise awareness of chamber music and the arts in Santa Paula and Santa Clarita.
	I-Ting Huang (violin, viola, piano) I-Ting Huang is a passionate musician, the top winner of all instrumental concerto competition at the Taipei National University of the Arts and awarded second and first prize in National Viola and Chamber Competitions in Taiwan. I-Ting started the piano at age 3, the violin at age 9, the Er Hu (the Chinese two string instrument) at age 13, and majored at the piano performance until she switched to viola performance for her bachelors degree. As a full scholarship recipient, she earned her masters degree and professional studies diploma at Mannes College of Music and The New School University, New York. She is currently working on her doctorate in music from the University of Missouri, Kansas City. Her students have been selected to Hunter College-High School orchestra in New York. She has a long list of performances to her credit including being selected by the Chamber Music Society at the Lincoln Center, the Ukrainian Institute of America in New York, the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival touring concerts in Europe, and the Prague Spring opening concert in Smetana Hall.
	Jim Jedekein (saxophone, clarinet, flute) Received a Bachelors of Music from San Francisco State University in 1988. He played with the Royal Crown Revue, the Mambo Combo Latin Jazz Ensemble, the Johnny Crawford Orchestra, the Pasadena Jazz Orchestra, the Jonathan Stout Orchestra, the Hollywood Combo, and the Disneyland Band. Jim was a part of Bette Midler's Kiss My Brass Tour (2003-2005) of the U.S. and Australia and went to Dubai with Persian pop star Ebi Hamedi. He recently finished a U.S. tour with Star Wars in Concert. Jim taught privately for many years and has been the Artistic Director of the Pasadena Jazz Institute's Jazz Camp for Kids since 2005. He is a member of the Local 47 and Local 7, AFM.
	Michael Couper (saxophone, clarinet, flute) Hailed by the New York Times for his “sweet intensity” and “insinuating smoothness,” Michael Couper is a proponent of the advancement of saxophone repertoire to include new music, traditional music reinterpreted, and innovations in pop styles. He is a founding member of the critically-acclaimed Mimesis Ensemble, a group based in New York City that is dedicated to performing contemporary works. With the Mimesis Ensemble, he performs premieres in many venues across New York, including Symphony Space, Merkin Hall, and Carnegie Hall. He holds doctoral degrees from the University of Southern California, a masters degree from the New England Conservatory, and a bachelors degree from San Diego State University. He is a Conn-Selmer artist endorsing Yanagisawa saxophones.
	Louis Van Taylor (sax, flute, clarinet) A professional musician, Louis' instrumental voice can be heard on movie soundtracks such as "Hurricane", "Friday", "Coneheads" and the "Temptations Story". On CD's with such notables as Kool and the Gang, Ray Charles, Mariah Carey, The Temptations, Amanda Marshall, Donnie, Carl Anderson, and many, many others. Louis, a former staff member of the USC Jazz Studies Dept, currently provides instruction for the Dorothy Kirby Center for special education and is a clincian for the Los Angeles Jazz Society and the Theatre of the Hearts Youth First Program.
	Caster Teoh (trumpet, brass) Performed professionally with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira, and numerous other symphonic groups throughout the world. In addition, he has participated in the Campos do Jordão International Winter Festival in Brazil, the Chosen Vale International Trumpet Seminar in the US, the Domaine Forget Music Academy in Canada, the Kumamoto Youth Music Festival in Japan, and the International Festival Santa Fiora in Musica in Italy. A graduate from the University Of Iowa School Of Music. He completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the USC Thornton School of Music in 2012 and currently hold Adjunct Professor of Brass position at Grace Mission University and conducts of the Youth Symphony West Orchestraunder the Los Angeles Philharmonic umbrella.
	Aubrey Foard (tuba/low brass) Principal tubist with the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra and with the Albany Symphony Orchestra. He has held positions with the symphony orchestras of Canton and Youngstown and has performed as a substitute with The Cleveland Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. As a soloist, he has been heard on National Public Radio’s “Performance Today” as well as WQXR New York, KUHF Houston and KDB Santa Barbara. Mr. Foard holds a bachelor’s degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music and a master’s degree from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music. As a low brass teacher, he advocates an inspired and philosophical approach to music and has been teaching successfully as a private instructor for over two years.
	Carolyn Iga (CEO, piano) Board Member MTAC; National Federation of Music Clubs

Daniel Gee (cello)
Benjamin May (cello)