Brookline Music School Faculty Listings

VOICE
Laura Bewig Chritton
Brad Fugate
Aubrey Johnson

2009-2010 Department Coordinators
Guitar: Brendan Burns
Piano: Amy Bowles
Winds: Chris Veilleux
Percussion: Scott Pittman
Suzuki: Amy Poliakoff
Jazz Ensemble: John Purcell

Faculty Biographies

WON-HEE AN Piano. BA, Manhattan School of Music; MM, Julliard; Doctorate, BU. Chamber musician, accompanist, vocal coach, teacher and church musician. Worked as principal rehearsal pianist for the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Tanglewood Festival Chorus. Performed at NEC’s Jordan Hall, Boston’s Hatch Shell, Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center and the Juilliard theatre. Honored participant in the Brevard Music Center and the International Institute of Music at the Bayerische Musickakademie. Lecturer at Northeastern University.

EMILIAN BADEA Accordion; Bassoon. MM and DM, Boston University. Member, International Double Reed Society, American Accordionists' Association, Accordion Teachers Association of Massachusetts. Freelance musician, has performed with Boston Ballet, Boston Lyric Opera, Boston Classical Players, Boston Academy of Music, New Hampshire Symphony, Rhode Island Philharmonic. Faculty, University of Massachusetts, Boston.

KARINE BAGDASARIAN Piano. B.M.and M.M.degrees from Yerevan's Tchaikovsky Music School and Komitas Conservatory; Postgraduate and Artist Diplomas from St.Peterburg Conservatory(Russia). Until 1995 taught as Associate Professor of Piano Performance Faculty at Yerevan State Conservatory. Participated in numerous festivals, frequent live performances on National TV of Armenia. In 2006 was initiated into Phi Beta Delta Honor Society. Most recent performances included solo recitals in Finland, Austria,Colorado, California and Illinois.

GILAD BARKAN Piano. BM, Berklee College of Music; MS, University of Massachusetts, Boston, Family Therapy. Additional studies, Rimon School of Jazz, and Contemporary Music, Israel. Performs with Issi Rozen, Sergio Brandao and under his own name.

RUTH BLACKBURN Piano. BA, University of Pennsylvania; MM and Dalcroze Certificate, Longy School of Music. Additional studies in piano, theory, composition, and improvisation, both privately and at New England Conservatory. Teachers include Lisa Parker, Ran Blake, Paul Brust, and Joyce Kouffman. Former member (pianist) of the Motion Collective, an improvisational dance company based in Maine. Faculty: Spring Hill Montessori School.

AMY BOWLES Piano; Piano Dept. Coordinator. MM, Piano Performance, University of North Carolina at Greensboro; BA, Piano Performance, Roanoke College, 1996. Studied with Cedar Walton, John Salmon, Jon Metzger. Toured the U.S., Europe, England and Virgin Islands as jazz pianist, accompanist, organist and multi-keyboardist. Plays regularly with nationally acclaimed/BMG recording artists Sam Kininger Band. Local appearances with Bruce Bartlett Band, Brian Thomas Group, Last Monday Band. Faculty at Milton Academy in Milton, MA.

BRENDAN BURNS Guitar; Guitar Dept. Coordinator. BM, Professional Music, Berklee. Taught private lessons to gifted high schoolers as part of the Music Mentoring Program at Berklee. Developed and taught guitar classes for Newton's Community Education Program and is former Faculty for Newton Music Academy. Also teaches at Tune Foolery, an artistic collective of musicians with psychiatric disabilities. Teaches private lessons, ensembles, and performs regularly as a Solo Guitarist in the greater Boston area.

SASHA CALLAHAN Violin; Viola. BM, Violin Performance, Rice University; MM, Boston University. Founding member - Lunaire String Quartet and Kalistos Chamber Orchestra. Performed with Lunaire and Corigliano Quartets, Corbett Duo and featured in recitals at Mozarteum (Austria), Leopold Auer Academy (Hungary) and American Academy of Arts and Letters (NYC). Attended Tanglewood Music Center (2002) as Edward G. Shufro fellow. Performs with Portland Symphony, Rhode Island Philharmonic, Boston Pops, BMOP, and at New Hampshire Music Festival. Principal teachers: Lucia Lin, Sergiu Luca, Denes Zsigmondy, and Carol Sindell.

MARIO CERRA Saxophone; clarinet; flute. Summa Cum Laude, Berklee College of Music; Joe Viola Award 1999. Mario has worked as a recording artist and Musical Director for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, recording several works in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He has performed with internationally acclaimed artists including Greg Hopkins, Joe Lovano, and Maria Schneider, and currently with some of the finest musicians in the Boston Area.

SARA CHEN Piano. BME, National Tainan Teachers’ College.Taiwan; MM, Piano Performance, Longy School of Music; additional studies, Vienna School of Music, Austria. Piano studies with Hugh Hinton, Sally Pinkas, Anne Franciose Perrault, I-Tao Kuo, Tzu-yu Kuo, Peter Ritzen and Tsui-Pi Huang. Recitals in Taiwan, England, Austria and U.S.

LAURA BEWIG CHRITTON Voice. BA, UMASS at Amherst; MA in Opera Performance, NEC. Performed operatic and oratorio roles professionally around the United States and in Europe. She is equally at home on the concert stage, performing numerous recitals of lieder, song and cabaret in the Boston area. Upcoming performances include a solo recital tour and a performance of Kurt Weill’s Broadway music with the Bostonians Opera Group.

JOE CONLEY Guitar & Bass; BM from Berklee College of Music in Performance and Jazz Composition. MM from Boston Conservatory & Berklee College of Music in Jazz Performance. Studied with Larry Baione, George Garzone,Bret Willmott, and Charles Chapman. Performances and recordings include: The Boston Jazz Trio, Molecule, Ben Bogart Jazz Collective, Third Nipple, Chris Opperman's Random Factor, as well as many other projects throughout New England. Guitar Session ensemble instructor at Berklee College of Music as well as an Instructor at Donn Carr's Drum Studio.

MARGARET DENTON Piano; Director of Education. BM, MM, Rice University, student of John Perry; DM, Indiana University, Piano Performance with minor in Music Education. Fulbright Grant recipient, Hochschule für Musik, Freiburg, Germany. Faculty, Former faculty and teaching positions, Rice University, Indiana University, South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities. Faculty, Longy School of Music. Solo, collaborative and concerto appearances across the U.S., Canada and Europe.

WILL DICK Guitar (acoustic, electric, bass). AB, Harvard University; Senior Diploma and Teacher’s Certificate, Longy School of Music. Faculty positions have included Dedham Country Day School, Pine Manor College, St. Paul’s School and Winsor School. Has recorded classical, popular and original music for guitar and vocals, and performed extensively throughout eastern U.S.

JENNIFER DOUVILLE Piano. BM, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; MM, Cleveland Institute of Music. Teachers include Richard Raymond, Sara Laimon, Stephan Sylvestre, Daniel Shapiro. First Prize winner of the Darius Milhaud Performance Prize 2007. Solo work: Marc-Andree Hamelin, Jean-Michel Damase, Joseph Kalichstein, Jean-David Coen, Tom Beghin. Chamber coachings: Kyoko Hashimoto, Paul Kantor, Peter Salaff, Ian Simons, Michael McMahon, Cavani Quartet.

SHUFANG DU Violin; Piano. BM, National Taiwan Normal University; MM, Boston Conservatory, Violin Performance; MM candidate, Boston Conservatory, Piano Performance; Doctorate , Boston University, Violin Performance. Appeared as a soloist with Boston Classical Orchestra, Boston University Orchestra, and The Boston Conservatory Orchestra. As a pianist at the Boston Conservatory, she was a concerto competition winner and is a staff accompanist at the school. Co-founder of Parnassus String Quartet.

LEO EGUCHI Cello. Bachelor’s degrees with honors in Physics and Cello Performance from University of Michigan; Masters degree from Boston University. Founding and active member of Kalistos Chamber Orchestra, principal cellist of New Bedford Symphony and member of Portland Symphony. Cellist for Lunaire String Quartet and Arioso Chamber Players. Frequently appears with contemporary music groups such as Brave New Works, Boston Modern Orchestra Project and ALEA III. Studies with George Neikrug, Anthony Elliott, Louis Potter, Jr., Eva Ell. Faculty, Emery Arts Center and University of Maine.

NIVA FRIED Piano. Undergraduate Diploma, Rubin Academy, Tel Aviv; MM, doctoral studies, Boston University. Studies with Leonard Shure, Maria Clodes, Gabriel Chodos. Winner of awards for excellence in performance, including Aaron Richmond and Harvard Music Association Distinction. Active member, MMTA, and Chair of Materials Committee, NEPTA. Faculty, Indian Hill Music Center.

BRAD FUGATE Classical Voice. Dr. Brad Fugate (classical and musical theatre) hails originally from North Carolina, where he recently completed his D.M.A. degree in Vocal Performance. An avid performer in both classical and musical theatre realms, Dr. Fugate performs both as a lyric baritone and falsettist. Most recently, he portrayed the role of Opec in The Abduction of Figaro (Schikle) with the Western New York Chamber Orchestra as well as two roles in a Gilbert and Sullivan production with the New England Light Opera Company. Other major roles include Jesus in Godspell, Man 1 in Lucky Stiff, Nilakhanta in Lakmé, Melchior in Amahl and the Night Visitors, and Sir Andrew Aguecheek in the world premiere of Joel Feigin's rendition of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.

SCOTT GOULDING Drums; Percussion. Berklee College Music, 1993. Studies with Ian Froman, Joe Hunt, John Ramsay, and Hal Crook. International Jazz performer, recording artist, and educator. Appeared on over 30 CD releases on labels in U.S., Europe and Japan. Experience in Jazz, Latin, Brazilian, Afro-Cuban, Funk, Rock, and Concert Classical styles. Performed with Sheila Jordan, George Garzone, Larry Grenadier, Jerry Bergonzi. Endorser for Paiste Cymbals and Canopus Drums.

NICK GRONDIN Guitar. BA, Macalester College; MM, New England Conservatory in Jazz Studies: Composition; additional studies at the CIM and EDIM Schools of Modern Music in Paris, France. Performs actively on guitar in jazz and rock groups, and leads the Nick Grondin Group, an original jazz group which performs regularly in the Boston area. Winner of awards from ASCAP and Down Beat Magazine for his compositions, Nick also leads his own big band, which will be releasing their first CD of original pieces in the summer of 2009. www.nickgrondin.com

TOM HALTER Trumpet. BM, Music Performance, University of Nevada at Las Vegas. Studies with Ralph Towner, Paul McCandless, Ran Blake, George Russell, Jerry Bergonzi, Joe Manieri. Founding member, Grammy-nominated Either Orchestra. Music Director, Mariachi Mexamerica. Co-founder/leader, Grupo Panamericano. Member, Orchestra Morphine (U.S. and European performances). Faculty, Blackstone Milville Regional Schools, Braintree Public Schools.

MEGAN HENDERSON is a graduate of the New England Conservatory, where she received her degree in piano performance. She has been the staff accompanist and served on the piano faculties of the All Newton Music School, Powers Music School, New England Conservatory Day Camp and Emerson College. She has been a collaborative pianist in the Boston area for many years and is currently the pianist and director of the Winsor Music Outreach Program.

KYOKO HIDA-BATTAGLIA Oboe; Recorder. BM Tokyo College of Music; MM New England Conservatory. Regular player with the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, Gardner Museum Orchestra and Nashua Symphony, and often performs with the Boston Symphony, Boston Pops, Boston Ballet and Boston Lyric Opera. Assistant principal with the New Haven Symphony and the Colorado Music Festival. Faculty member at Boston Conservatory, New England Conservatory Community Collaboration, Rivers School Conservatory and Powers Music School.

ANNE HOWARTH French Horn. Studied at Hochschule für Musik, Munich; BA and BM from Oberlin College, Oberlin College Conservatory; MM, New England Conservatory. Founding member, Radius Ensemble. Performances with Boston Symphony, Vermont Symphony, Rhode Island Philharmonic, Plymouth Philharmonic. Faculty, Tufts University, UMASS Boston, UMASS Dartmouth.

LUIS ANTONIO IBÁÑEZ Violin. Studied at Conservatorio Nacional de Musica, La Paz, Boliva; BM, Performance, University of Southern Maine; MM, Manhattan School of Music. Performances with Boston Classical Orchestra, Boston Festival Orchestra, New Hampshire Symphony Orchestra, Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra, Vermont Symphony Orchestra, Portland Symphony Orchestra, “Duo Ibáñez.” Faculty, Lexington School of Music.

TOMOKO IWAMOTO Viola; Violin; Suzuki and Traditional. BS, Keio University, Tokyo; BA, Berklee College of Music. Studied jazz composition and arranging with Herb Pomeroy, jazz performance with Matt Glaser, classical violin with Sharon Leventhal and Jun Ishii. Suzuki training with Donald Becker. Member of Underground Jazz String Quartet.

PAUL JACOBS Piano. Artist Diploma, Piano Performance, Longy School of Music; MM, Michigan State University; BM, Hope College. Piano with Randall Hodgkinson, Deborah Moriarty; Chamber music with Wayman Chin, Victor Rosenbaum; Master classes with Pacifica Quartet, Frederic Chiu and Sergey Schepkin. Former faculty member at Komitas Music School, Friends Music Camp, OH. Winner of Hope College concerto competition and Musical Showcase, Longy Honors Concert. Performances with Longitude New Music Ensemble.

RUSSELL JEWELL Trombone; Trumpet; Tuba; Baritone/Euphonium. University of Illinois. BM, Berklee College of Music. Studies with Tim Meyers (St Louis Symphony), Dr. Richard Monaco, Don Sanders (Boston Ballet, Boston Pops). Jazz studies with Jerry Bergonzi, Herb Pomeroy, Phil Wilson. Toured and recorded with Grammy-nominated Either Orchestra and Mighty Sam McClain. Co-founder, leader of Pan-American chamber group, Brass Roots.

AUBREY JOHNSON Voice. BM, Jazz Performance, Western Michigan University; MM, New England Conservatory. Winner of Best Jazz Vocalist and Outstanding Performance in Downbeat Magazine’s Collegiate Student Music Awards. Performances at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. Recorded and/or performed with industry icons, Bobby McFerrin, Janis Siegel, Fred Hersch, Darmon Meader, and Jimmy Cobb.

DOUG JOHNSON Piano. MM, New England Conservatory. performed and or recorded with Terry-Lynne Carrington, Lisa Thorson, Luciana Souza, Mili Bermejo, Esperanza Spalding, Hal Crook, Jerry Bergonzi, Alex Alvear, Mango Rosa. Performed at the Followind Jazz Festivals: Detroit, Tanglewood, Beantown. Kennedy Center, Mary Lou Williams, Oberlin, Tromso Norway First Light Festival, Birdland in Vienna. He will release a new CD in Austria in 2008. Faculty at Berklee College of Music and Wellelsey College.

JULIANNE JOHNSTON Flute; Suzuk. Flute Performance: BM, New England Conservatory, Augusta State University; MM, University of South Carolina. Studies with Lois Schaeffer, William Bennett, Geoffrey Gilbert. Studied at Talent Education Institute, Matsumoto, Japan, with Toshio Takahashi.

ATSUKO JOZAKI Piano. BA, Elisabeth University, Japan; Real Conservatorio Superior de Madrid, Spain; MM, Stanford University; DMA, Piano, Boston University. Performances in Japan, Spain, and U.S. Former faculty, Elisabeth University. Faculty, All Newton Music School.

LENNIE KIM Suzuki Piano. BA, Cum Laude, Piano Performance, Eastman School of Music, Rochester, NY. BS, Magna Cum Laude, Computer Science, the University at Buffalo. Studies with Rebecca Penneys and Douglas Humphreys. Certified Suzuki teacher. Received Suzuki scholarship. Suzuki training with Yasuko Joichi, Gail Lange, and Mary Cay Neal. Taught at Buffalo Suzuki Strings, Buffalo, NY. Performances with members of The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Houston Symphony Orchestra.

VEDA KOGAN Piano. MM, Summa Cum Laude, Piano Performance, Pedagogy and Accompanying, Baku State Conservatory, Russia. Performed extensively as soloist and with ensembles in Russia, Michigan, New Jersey; and Boston area. Performed on WGBH Radio Classical Performance Program. Former faculty, Rider University, Westminster Choir College Conservatory. Faculty, Powers Music School.

TOM KRUSINSKI Creative Movement/Dance; Harmonica. BA, Psychology, minor, Elementary Education. Trained in New York and Boston at Jacob’s Pillow, Harvard Summer Dance and Naropa Institute. Many years performing in modern dance and interdisciplinary events with architects, sound sculptors and visual artists. Teaches at nursery and elementary schools throughout Massachusetts. Guest teacher and speaker at colleges, PTO, and teacher training events.

DEAN JAMES LAABS Trumpet. BM, Lawrence University; MM, Third Stream Studies, New England Conservatory. Studies with Charles Schlueter, Abby Rabinovitz, Rodney Rogers, Allen Gimble, Fred Sturm. Performed with Jeff Song & Lowbrow, Phantom Arts Ensemble, Boston’s Asian American Jazz Festival. Collaborated with Jeff Song on “Invisible Maniac” CD. Faculty, New York State Summer School for the Arts.

RICK LANDWEHR Drums; Percussion. Graduate of Berklee College of Music (Magna Cum Laude). Studied with Casey Scheuerell, Gerald Cleaver, Gary Chaffee and Jim Chapin. Performances and recordings include: The Boston Jazz Trio, Cirkestra , Lemonpeeler, Ben Bogart Jazz Collective, Ape 7, Darkon (film soundtrack) and others. Drum faculty member of National Guitar Workshop. Instructor at Cambridge Center for Adult Education.

COREY LAREAU Saxophone; Clarinet; Recorder; Flute. University of Kentucky, Jazz Performance, Music Education, Philosophy. Performed at Notre Dame, Elmhurst Jazz Festivals, IAJE Conventions. Member, Grammy-nominated sax quartet UK Mega Sax. Finalist, Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. Performed with Kentucky jamband Green Genes. Toured with Glenn Miller Orchestra. Recorded CDs “Nick Hilscher Sings” and “On The Air”. Performed with Ray Charles, Michael Brecker, Tom Harrell, Conrad Herwig, Columbus Symphony Orchestra.

FRANCO LEON Piano. BM, Magna Cum Laude, Piano Performance, Boston Conservatory; MM, Piano Performance, Boston Conservatory. Studies with Jonathan Bass, Max Levinson, Janice Weber, Lynn Chang and Jung-Ja Kim. Recipient of H. Wilfred Churchill and Ricardo and Hans Lewitus scholarships. Winner, Chamber Honors Competition, Boston Conservatory, and Bela Bartok Latin American Piano competition at age 8. Performances in Europe, North, and South America. Live broadcasts in Lima’s ‘Filarmonia’ radio 102.7. Founder and Artistic director of “Escucha!” music festival. Faculty, Boston Piano Academy.

OLGA LITVINTSOVA Violin; Viola. MM S. Prokoviev Conservatory, Ukraine. GPD, Boston Conservatory. Performed with Donetsk Philharmonic Orchestra, Ukraine, Kiev National Opera Company, Ukraine. Currently performs with Cape Symphony Orchestra and Phymouth Philharmonic Orchestra, MA. Winner of 4th International Prokofiev Competition, Ukraine and 11th International Tchaikovsky Competition, Moscow. Faculty: Newton Music Academy.

MARINA MAGAZINNIK Piano. BM, MM, Ph.D., Tchaikovsky Conservatory, Moscow, conducted lectures on piano performance styles. Solo and chamber performances in Russia, recorded for Moscow radio and television. Performs throughout New England including solo and chamber music concerts for Graubart-Irving Concert Fund, Longy School of Music, New England Conservatory, Martha’s Vineyard Chamber Music Society. Performances with violinists Tamara Smirnova and Janet Packer. Former accompanist for Professor James Buswell and Marylou Churchill. Faculty, Northeastern University.

FUMI MASUGATA Piano. B.M. degree from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music (Japan), M.M. and Graduate Performance Diploma from Longy School of Music. Studied with Reiko Uchida, Michiko Ohno, Victor Rosenbaum, Jonathan Cohler, Roger Tapping, Noel Flores, and Christoph Lieske. Won the first prize at the Chamber Music Society of New England at the International Chamber Music Competition 2006. Performed in the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Symphony Hall in Boston, and Bösendorfer Saal in Vienna. Teaches, and performs solo, chamber music and accompanying across the US and Japan.

JOHN MARTIN Flute; Executive Director. BM, University of Montevallo; MM Florida State University, student of Charles DeLaney. Former faculty at University of Wisconsin, University of Alabama, and Michigan State University. Former director of Wausau Conservatory of Music, Michigan State University Community Music School, and Jefferson County Schools, Florida, Fine Arts Program.

JUSTIN MEYER Double Bass; Bass Guitar. BA, Philosophy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Additional coursework, Berklee College of Music. Studies with John Lockwood, Dave Clark, Oscar Stegnaro. Many years experience playing in jazz, blues, rock and funk bands. Performed with Jon Damien, Toni Lynn Washington, Ray Santisi, Jeff Stout, Dick Johnson, Barry Ries. Faculty, Indian Hill Music Center, Lawrence Academy.

YOKO MIWA Piano. Diploma, Professional Music, Berklee College of Music; Koyo Conservatory in Japan and Osaka College of Music. Composer, Jazz and Classical pianist. Former student of Minoru Ozone. Performance and recording credits include Slide Hampton, Arturo Sandoval, George Garzone, Jon Faddis, Jerry Bergonzi, and Kevin Mahogany. Featured performer in D.C. at Kennedy Center’s "Mary Lou William's Women in Jazz Festival". Has released four CDs on major labels in Japan.

KARINE NOWICK Violin; Suzuki. BA, MM, Boston University. Studies with Roman Totenberg, Raphael Druian, Peter Zazofsky. Soloist with The New England String Ensemble, Pythagorean Festival Orchestra. Former concertmaster and soloist with Indian Hill Symphony. Freelances with Boston Landmarks Orchestra, Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, Boston Ballet. Member, Boston Lyric Opera. Semifinalist, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra auditions. Faculty, Phillips Academy.

MIYUKI OTANI Piano. MM, Boston Conservatory. Studies with Jonathan Bass. Winner of Boston Conservatory Concerto Competition. Orchestra solo appearance with Boston Conservatory, Cape Ann Symphony, Melrose Symphony, Quincy Symphony. Performed on Myra Hess Memorial Concert Series in Chicago, live-broadcasted on WFMT. Newest CD "Reflections" was released in 2006. Guest Soloist, Merlose Symphony 2009.

SCOTT PITTMAN Drums; Music Technology; Guitar; Mallet Percussion; Bass; Banjo; Ukulele; Percussion Dept. Coordinator. BA, Percussion Performance, UMASS Lowell. Studied with Neil Grover, Fred Buda, and Alan Dawson. Many 'Best Drummer' awards. Toured with The Bosstones; accompanied blues legend, 'Honeyboy' Edwards; many tours and albums with The Shods, and Delmark's Frank Morey; and enthusiastically teaching for 15 years. Currently recording a solo album using Garageband and working on a series of instruction books.

BARBARA POESCHL-EDRICH Harp. University Mozarteum, Salzburg; DMA, Boston University. Performed with Boston Classical Orchestra, New England String Ensemble, Lexington Symphony, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Tanglewood Music Center, Boston Baroque, Handel & Haydn, Collage New Music, Providence Singers. Faculty, Boston University. http://www.bpeharps.com

AMY POLIAKOFF Flute; Suzuki; Suzuki Dept. Coordinator. BA, Marlboro College; MM, Flute Performance, Chicago Musical College of Roosevelt University. Performed with New England Bach Festival, Berkshire Lyric Theatre. Former Principal Flute, Chicago Philharmonia. Winner, Society of American Musicians Young Artists Competition. Performs with Ensemble Bacchanale. Former faculty, Brattleboro Music School, Pittsfield Community Music School, Simon’s Rock of Bard College.

JOHN PURCELL Saxophone; Jazz/Rock Ensembles. Freelance saxophonist and arranger. Performs under his name and with The White Heat Swing Orchestra.

JEANNE RINTELL Early Childhood. BM, Vocal Performance, University of Southern California; MM candidate, Boston University. Studies with S. Mark Aliapoulios, Phyllis Curtin, Charles Roe. Vocal soloist with orchestras in California and New England.

KAREN ROBBINS Flute; Baroque Flute; Clarinet; Recorder. MM, Baroque, Silver Flute, San Francisco Conservatory; MA, Music History, SUNY-Binghamton. Studies with Wilbert Hazelzet, Royal Conservatory, Den Hague. Specializations, Baroque and contemporary music. Over 15 world premieres. Featured on radio and television in San Francisco, Boston, New York, Holland. Doubles on clarinet, saxophone in theater pits and orchestras. Performs with Quincy Symphony.

MICHELLE RUSH Viola; Violin; Suzuki. BM, University of Houston; MM and DM, Florida State University. Performs with chamber ensembles and orchestras throughout New England on modern and baroque viola. Her research on injury prevention and the physiology of string playing is a cornerstone of her teaching method, a hallmark of her playing and has been published in the ASTA journal.

PHILIP RUSH Violin; Viola. BA, cum laude, University of California at Riverside; Master of Fine Arts in viola performance, California Institute of the Arts; Doctor of Music in viola performance, Florida State University. String Department Chair at the South Shore Conservatory. Performs with the Gardner Chamber Orchestra, Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Boston, Intermezzo Opera Boston, Rhode Island Philharmonic, Handel and Haydn Society, and Cantata Singers.

MARYELLEN SCHEPSIS Piano. BM Piano Performance, New England Conservatory. Massachusetts Certified Music Education K through 12. High School Music Faculty, implemented group piano classes for grades 9 through 12. Devised curriculum for Music Theory and Sibelius run programs for high school level. Accompanist for several community theater groups including The Longwood Players, Marblehead Little Theater, Swampscott Theater camp, various churches and many high school productions.

NARA SHAHBAZYAN Cello. BM, MM, and Postgraduate degrees with Honors in Cello Performance, Komitas Conservatory; MM in Cello Performance, Miami University; DMA Candidate, Boston University. Performs as soloist, with chamber ensembles and orchestras throughout the U.S. Extensive performances throughout Armenia, Russia, Europe and the Middle East. Recorded and appeared for Armenian radio and television. Participated in numerous music festivals such as the Salzburg Music Chamber Institute, Leipzig Festival Bach 2000, New-York City InCite Festival, Echternach Orchestra Festival. Faculty, Musical Arts Academy.

BRET SILVERMAN Piano; Lead Vocal Coach and Accompanist. BM, Piano Performance, Boston University. Commissioned by Brookline Music School to compose official work for Brookline’s Tercentennial Celebration in November ‘05. Composer, “Paisley Sisters’ Christmas Special” musical. Music Director, Barnstormers Equity Playhouse. Former pianist, associate conductor, composer, PALS Children’s Chorus. Former faculty, Brooklyn Conservatory. Faculty, Boston Conservatory, Boston University Tanglewood Institute. His children's choral music was recently published by Hal Leonard.

DAN SNAPE Piano. Classically trained through the Royal School of Music in England; BA, Jazz Performance, Leeds College of Music; Diploma, Jazz Composition, Berklee. Twice winner of Daily Telegraph Young Jazz musician of the Year. Toured with Blues Brothers official european band as keyboardist and Musical Director. Performed in all of Europe's major cities, New England and New York. Has performed with Philip Bailey of Earth Wind and Fire. Studies with Django Bates, JoAnne Brackeen and Cyrus Chestnut.

JERILYN SYKES Clarinet; Saxophone; Flute. BM, Berklee College of Music; BFA, University of California, Santa Barbara; MFA, University of California, Davis. Woodwind performer in symphony orchestras, jazz bands, chamber ensembles, musical theater. Founding member of California bands Lawsuit and Preoccupied Pipers. Composer and arranger for theater and film. Faculty, Berklee College of Music.

CHRIS VEILLEUX Saxophone; Clarinet; Flute; Winds Dept. Coordinator. BA, Northern Illinois University; MM, New England Conservatory. Chris is a woodwind player and composer whose music stems from jazz, free jazz, world music, rock and classical. He co-leads the sax, guitar, and drums trio Industrious Noise, and Roving Soul, with more of a world music influence. He is a member of Charlie Kohlhase’s Saxophone Support Group and Jerry Sabatini’s Sonic Explorer’s. Chris has studied with Ran Blake, Joey Sellers, Steve Duke, Jerry Bergonzi, Allan Chase, Charlie Kohlhase, and Anthony Coleman. For more info check out www.chrisveilleux.com

DAYSE WAISSMAN Early Childhood; Suzuki Flute. BA, Flute Performance, Federal University, Rio de Janeiro; Performance Diploma, Flute, Longy School of Music. Trained in Music and Movement with Ruth Schecter, Brookline Music School. Voice studies with Suzanne Ehly. Performs Brazilian music with guitarist husband Roberto Waissman.

ROBERT WARD Guitar. BM, San Francisco Conservatory of Music; MA, University of California, San Diego. Studies with Angel Pepe, Celin Romero. Radio performances on Morning Pro Musica, Classics in the Morning, Chamberworks, Off the Record. Recorded on Centaur Records. Performances in New England, Texas, California, Hawaii, Cuba, France, Greece. Faculty, Northeastern University.