Ryan Cheung (violin, viola)
Wai Hei Cheung (Ryan) is a classical violinist, originally from Hong Kong. Cheung began studying piano at age five, and started taking violin lessons at age six. He has received the Recital Diploma of ‘Associate Trinity College London’ (ATCL) in violin with distinction, placed 2nd and 3rd in the Hong Kong School Music Festival, and actively participated in various ensembles, including string orchestra, symphony orchestra, and choral groups. While studying at Azusa Pacific University, Cheung was a member of the APU Symphony Orchestra, Studio Orchestra, University Choir and Orchestra, various chamber ensembles, and APU Chamber Singers; he was the bass section leader for Chamber Singers. Cheung holds bachelor degrees in Violin Performance and Music Education from Azusa Pacific University, where he studied with Dr. Alex Russell and participated in masterclasses with renown violinists including Nathan Cole, concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He has additionally had the privilege of studying with violin pedagogues Yuki Mori and Min Jung Park. Cheung is currently serving as a local violin, viola, and piano teacher, as well as a member of the Sterling Ensemble, an actively performing and recording choral ensemble. Fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese. Wednesday, Friday 1:30-5:30, upon request.
Marcelo Soares (violin, viola)
Marcelo Soares is a classically trained violinist from Brazil who has more than twenty years of coaching and performance experience. During his extensive orchestral career, Marcelo served as the concertmaster of the Riberiao Symphony Orchestra, and appeared as a soloist with them on numerous occasions. Additionally, he was a member of the Sao Paulo Symphony Orchestra, and was a Titular First Section Violin under the direction of Marin Alsop. As an international soloist, Marcelo has performed works including Romance by Antonin Dvorak, Karl Goldmark’s Concerto for Violin, and Violin Concerto no. 1 by H. Wieniawsky. In January of 2020, he won first prize in the 6th edition of the Shenzhen, China music competition. Beyond his orchestral career, Marcelo enjoys private teaching, as well as coaching students for competition; in 2009, he was invited as a guest teacher at The University of Sao Paulo. He is dedicated to helping students prepare for their auditions and develop a fervent passion for music. Fluent in Portuguese.
Monday thru Thursday 10am-9pm
recently completed his Master’s Degree in Cello Performance at Azusa Pacific University after completing both a Bachelor’s Degree in Cello Performance and Humanities degree in 2018. Prior to his time at Azusa, Jared studied with Seattle Symphony cellist Walter Gray, and had the opportunity to participate in masterclasses with both principal Chicago Symphony cellist Stephen Balderston and renown cello soloist Joshua Roman. Jared studied under Dr. Marek Szpakiewicz DMA, Professor Christopher Russell, Ingrid Chun and Suli Xue of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Karen Dryfus from USC, Glenn Dicterow, former New York Philharmonic concertmaster, and Dariusz Skoraczewski, the principal cellist for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Jared had the opportunity to travel to Zhengzhou, China with a small group of six instrumentalists from the Azusa Pacific University Symphony and Professor Russell. While in Zhengzhou, Jared and his colleagues rehearsed and performed with the Yellow River Symphony Orchestra, performing Aaron Copland’s Our Town, Johannes Brahms’s Concerto for Violin and Cello in A minor, and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 2 in C minor at the Henan Art Center. Additionally, while playing with the symphony, Jared had the opportunity to play for a televised choral competition that took place near Zhengzhou. Jared has additional performed as a cellist and choral ensemble member in both Hong Kong, Xian, and Beijing. In addition to his classical training, Jared has also had the privilege of working throughout Los Angeles as a performing and recording artist. See his YouTube
here.
Tuesday - Thursday 1:30pm-6:00pm, upon request
Yao Wang (cello) was born in Xinjiang, China, and began cello study at the age of five with his father. After attending Shanghai Conservatory in China from 2004- 2005, he completed his Performer’s Certificate at La Sierra University in Riverside, received a full scholarship to the Thornton School of Music, University of Southern California, and received his Master Degree in music performance from Azusa Pacific University. In 2000 Yao was awarded 2nd Prize in the National Competition and top prize in the Central Conservatory String Competition in China. In 2002 he received a full scholarship to the Itzhak Perlman Music Program, and performed with Perlman in that year. Also in 2002, Yao was featured soloist in a performance of the Elgar Cello Concerto with Xinjiang Philharmonic. Yao won 1st Prize in the American String Teachers' Association competition in Redlands Los Angeles, and received a full scholarship to the International Cello Master Program Gregor Piatigorshy Seminar that year. In 2008, he became one of winners in Sigma Alpha Iota Competition. Yao served as principal cellist of the Corona Symphony Orchestra from 2008-2010 and continues to solo in the Los Angeles area. Fluent in Mandarin.
Friday 4pm-6:30pm, available upon request
Leo Nobre (string bass, guitar) Leo has his bachelors degree in music from the University of Miami. A native Brazilian, Leo attended the American School of Rio de Janeiro, studying acoustic nylon guitar and string bass. As a high schooler he played with various Brazilian artists before being accepted to the University of Miami School of Music where he studied music theory, piano, arranging, and composition. He is a jazz musician, performing on and recording with many artists like Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, Dori Caymmi, Airto Moreira, Jill Scott, Sergio Mendes, Hubert Laws, Black Eyed Peas, Shakira and many others. Leo has been awarded two Latin Grammy awards for playing with Sergio Mendez. Fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian.
Monday-Thursday 4pm-8:30pm, available upon request
Gary Blumer (piano, composition)
Holds 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.
www.myspace.com/garyblumerjazzpiano Member MTAC
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 1:30pm-8:30pm, Saturday 9am-6pm;
Yafei Lin (piano)
is an experienced soloist and collaborative artist with performances in the United States, Taiwan, and on television. Most recently, Yafei worked as a collaborative pianist with numerous Los Angeles-based choirs, including SUUS Choir, Taiwanese Hai-Yun Choir, and Woodland Academy Choir. She serves as a staff accompanist at CSU Northridge, and regularly accompanies for student competitions and evaluations throughout the greater Los Angeles area. As an active member of the Music Teacher‘s Association of California (MTAC), Ms. Lin has developed a reputation as a music educator dedicated to excellence and student success, and her students have been recognized for their outstanding performances in the Certificate of Merit and ABRSM. A native of Taiwan, Yafei began studying piano at the age of seven and continued her education at Shih Chien University, where she studied piano and violin. She holds a Master’s Degree in piano performance from CSU Northridge, with piano studies under Dmitry Rachmanov, and was the recipient of the Etude Music Club Endowment and the Art Council Music Scholarship. Fluent in Mandarin. Advanced level only.
Member MTAC, Royal Conservatory
Wednesday 1:30-8:30pm, Saturdays, additional availability upon request.
Bilinda Lou (piano)
Started playing the piano at the age of five, Bilinda has studied piano, attending the Macao Conservatory in China as a piano performance pre-college student. She then went to Wright State University in Ohio where she received her Bachelors in Music in piano performance and then to the University of Colorado, Boulder where she finished her masters degree also in piano performance. Besides piano, Bilinda also studied orchestral percussion throughout college and has performed in Vienna, Salzburg, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan, and China. Bilinda enjoys teaching students from beginning to advanced level with musical training of technique, musicianship, theory, and sight-reading. Fluent in Cantonese and Mandarin.
Enjoy this amazing piano piece by one of our esteemed teachers Bilinda Lou performing Schumann Vienna Carnival, op 26 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lkD8uhpzKw&feature=youtu.beMember MTAC
Wednesday, Thursday 1:30-8:30, Friday 1:30-6pm, Saturday 10am-3pm, Sunday 1pm-4pm
Melody Xiang (piano)
Melody (Yongjin) Xiang, a pianist, comes from China. Fluent in Cantonese and Mandarin. She studied piano when she was 3 years old. She received a bachelor’s degree in Shenzhen University. During her time in university, she won the first Prize in Youth group in the sponsored by the Thailand Bangkok Opera Art Center of Southeast Asia Second Prize in 18th Hong Kong Aisa Piano Open Competition. In 2017, she went to Longy school of music of Bard college in Boston for advanced studies. During her time in Longy, she received the Graduate Fellowship Scholarship and worked with students who were non-piano majors to help pass the piano exam. In 2019, she received her M.M. in Piano Performance at Longy. Now she is an active member of the MTAC. Melody has gained much knowledge in piano technique, and can draw from a combination of these backgrounds in her own teaching. She feels a need to share this great and musical sensibility with students of all ages.
Member MTAC
Monday-Thursday 1:30pm-8:30pm, Friday 2:00pm-5:30pm, Saturday 9am-5pm, Sunday 9am-12pm
recently received third place in the We Are Musicale Bach Festival. Having started piano along with music theory studies at the age of five, Harry became extremely passionate about teaching. He had earned the ABRSM piano diploma, a “5” on the AP music theory exam, as well as a “distinction” mark on the ABRSM theory level 7 in his high school years. Harry has been teaching piano and music theory for 4 years. He had mastered the CM theory curriculum, the AP theory curriculum, and the ABRSM piano and theory curriculum. He prides himself as one who can turn complicated or dreadful concepts into interesting and simple analogies to help students understand and memorize better. He wants every student to find the music journey rewarding, successful, and, most importantly, enjoyable. Fluent in Mandarin.
Saturday 12p-4p, Sunday 10:00am-4:00pm, upon request
Jonathan Lacayo (voice, piano, children)
Jonathan, a lyric tenor and San Diego native, studied vocal performance (B.A.) under Dr. John Craig Johnson and vocal coach Ines Irawati at Point Loma Nazarene University. Before finishing his studies, Jonathan had become an accomplished teacher. At the age 18 he began directing his church choir and by the following year had become the Director of Worship Ministries (Centro Cristiano La Palabra.) In the middle of his junior year of college he had been offered a teaching position at the Recreational Music Center in San Diego. There he created a Vocal Arts Summer program and helped create school curriculums through their school site programs, establishing a vocal curriculum at the Saint Charles Borromeo Catholic Academy. Furthermore, Jonathan has sung with Diego Opera’s university partnership program Opera Exposed! and outreach program Opera on Track under the direction of Dr. Nicholas Reveles.
Jonathan has had the privilege of being invited to sing throughout the United States and internationally in Mexico. He made his U.S. Debut with Long Beach Opera, March 2016, in the role of “Wissam” in of Heather Raffo & Tobin Stokes’ Fallujah, an opera inspired by the story of U.S. Marine Christian Ellis in the Iraq War. He reprised the role in his debut with New York City Opera November 2016. Jonathan made his international debut with Opera de Tijuana in the role of “Joe” in Gershwin’s Blue Monday October 2015. Other roles include Long Beach Opera as “Man 1” in Robert Xavier’s west coast premier of Frida (2017); Opera Theatre of the Rockies: “Radames” in Verdi’s Aida (2017/scene), “Goro” in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly (2017/scene), “Pylade” in Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride (2017/scene); Lensky in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin (2015/Act 1), Don Jose in Bizet’s Carmen (2015/scene); San Diego Opera’s Opera on Track as “Don Ramiro” in Rossini’s Cenerentola 2016/Act 1); Point Loma Opera Theatre: “Parpignol” in Puccini’s La Boheme (2015), “Prince Charment” in Massenet’s Cendrillon (2014), “Beppe” in Donizetti’s Rita (2014), “Giuseppe” in Loesser’s Most Happy Fella (2013), “Aeneas” in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas (2012) understudy for “Camile” in Lehar’s Die Lustige Witwe (2012) and “Don Anchise” in Mozart’s La Finta Giardiniera (2011). Fluent in Spanish.
Monday-Wednesday 1:30pm-8:30pm, Friday 1:30-6:30, Saturday 9am-5pm
Kiana Bell (voice, piano, guitar, ukulele)
Hailed by the San Diego Union-Tribune as a “versatile wonder,” Kiana Bell is making her voice heard in the worlds of classical, musical theatre, and pop singing. While completing her B.A. in Music at Point Loma Nazarene University, she spent three years as part of San Diego Opera’s Educational Outreach and Apprenticeship program, Opera Exposed!, performing concerts in the Greater San Diego area, as well as on the main stage as one of the youngest members of the chorus. Favorite credits include Carousel (Utah Festival Opera), Ragtime (San Diego Musical Theatre), La Cenerentola (San Diego Opera on Track!) and American Rhythm (Lamb’s Players Theatre). Kiana has received prizes and recognition from the La Jolla Symphony and Chorus Young Artists Competition, the National Association of Teachers of Singing, and the Metropolitan Opera National Council. Kiana has recently taken a step into commercial music by becoming a Featured Singer and vocal captain for Royal Caribbean Cruises International, where she travels and performs anything from Musical Theatre revue shows to her own pop and soul sets. Kiana has been teaching private vocal lessons and vocal workshops since 2012. She makes it her aim to equip her students for any genre of singing by harnessing and cultivating classical-based technique.
Monday - Friday 6:30-9:00pm; Saturday 11am-6pm, Sunday 10am-5pm
Natalie Chan (voice, piano)
In 2014, Natalie completed her Bachelors of Music in Commercial Music Vocal Performance at Azusa Pacific University, followed by a Master of Music in Music Education with a Choral Emphasis. Natalie was born and raised in Hong Kong, and was involved with many local music groups including Show Choir Hong Kong, Opera Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts. Natalie was also a session singer for Hong Kong singer-songwriter Justin Lo’s (側田) single, “⼀粒糖,” and was a background vocalist at the Hong Kong Coliseum for G.E.M. (鄧紫棋) and Sally Yeh (葉蒨文). As a soloist, Natalie has performed at local fashion shows, charity events, and competitions, and received first place in Supernova Hong Kong 2011, “Best Singer” and “Best Original” in the Hong Kong Youth Artists Showcase, and second place in the “Brand New Star” competition hosted by Hummingbird Music Ltd. Additionally, she has more than 10 years of experience leading worship in church and school chapel settings. While at APU, Natalie won Final Cut, a singing competition judged by active music industry professionals. She also took part in various ensembles, including Chamber Singers, Gospel Choir, Commercial Styles, University Choir and Orchestra, Jazz Improvisation, and International Chapel Band. As a music educator, Natalie believes that all teachers and institutions should provide an inclusive, safe, fun, welcoming, and collaborative environment that promotes risk taking, as well as meaningful and joyful learning for all students so that they may experience the important values of music. She strives to create meaningful musical experiences for her students, inspiring them to become confident, independent musicians, as well as instilling in them a lifelong love of learning and music making.