To register for all Instruments and voice: Karin Carleton x.19 or karin@tbms.org To register for our early childhood music programs: Patti Onorato x.14 or patti@tbms.org.

Piano Faculty

Sam Armstrong, Piano

English Pianist Sam Armstrong has performed across Europe, Asia and North America as recitalist, chamber musician and orchestral soloist. During 2007 he performed at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Carnegie's Weill Recital Hall in New York, the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, Wigmore Hall in London, Ravinia Festival in Chicago, with members of the Quatour Sine Nomine in Switzerland, as well as making his South American debut with performances of the Schumann Concerto with the National Symphony of Ecuador conducted by Emmanuel Siffert. In previous years he has given recitals in such venues as the Royal Festival Hall in London, Merkin Hall in New York and Sogakudo Hall in Tokyo. His performances have been broadcast on BBC Radio, French television, Radio Suisse-Romande/Espace 2, Radio New Zealand, Radiofusau Portugesa and WQXR New York. He also has performed as concerto soloist with the RNCM Symphony Orchestra and the Orquestra Nacional do Porto. Sam has been a top prizewinner in national and international competitions including the Beethoven Society of Europe Competition in London (2003) and the Porto International Piano Competition (2004). He was also laureate of the Epinal International Piano Competition in France (2001) and has been awarded scholarships from the Philharmonia Orchestra/Martin Musical Scholarship Fund, MBF Music Education Fund, the Wingate Foundation and the Goldsmith Foundation. Most recently, he won the 2008 Nadia Reisenberg Debut Award which will lead to his New York solo recital debut at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall in January 2009. Sam is currently completing his studies at Mannes College of Music in New York where he has been studying with Richard Goode since 2005. He previously studied with Helen Krizos for eleven years at the Royal Northern College of Music, where he received his undergraduate degree and PPRNCM with distinction. Additionally he worked with John O'Conor in Dublin and in masterclasses with Leon Fleisher, Menahem Pressler, Murray Perahia, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Stephen Hough and Mstislav Rostropovich. (Back to top)

Victor Dizon, Traditional and Suzuki Piano

Victor received a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of the Philippines and a Master of Music degree from CUNY-Hunter. He has studies with Herminia Hernandez, Carmencita Guanzon Arambulo, President of the Philippine Suzuki Association, and Edna Golandsky. Victor received his Suzuki Certification from the University of Wisconsin under the instruction of teacher-trainer Yasuko Joichi. (Back to top)

Christina Ford, Traditional and Suzuki Piano

Christina received her Bachelor of Music degree from Michigan State University. She has studied with Dai-Uk Lee, Yong-hi Moon and Deborah Moriarty. Christina has served as an accompanist at Adrian College, Michigan, Michigan State University, and Queens Community College, NY. She performs locally with a NYC violinist and recently composed music for Disney Talking Books. Armena Marderosian trained Christina in the Suzuki method in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She completed additional studies with Edna Golandsky at The Taubman Institute. (Back to top)

Peggy Lee, Piano

Miss Peggy Lee, a recent graduate from Manhattan School of Music with a Masters degree in Piano Performance, is honored to join the faculty at Turtle Bay Music School. A native from Taiwan, also a citizen of Canada, and now residing in New York City, Miss Lee is grateful for all the cultural influences that she has received from moving to different places over the years. She differentiates herself from other classically trained pianists by performing a wide range of styles, including tangos, jazz tune arrangements, and world modern music. She is also an advocate for being a ‘pianist for all occasions’. She focuses her energy on developing her students to have the confidence, skill, and repertoire to perform at family gatherings, holiday occasions, and special celebrations in addition to formal performing opportunities. She encourages her students to make playing piano as real, as wonderful, and as practical, as it can be. (Back to top)

Ming-Fung Fung, Traditional and Suzuki Piano

Ming-Fung received her Bachelor's of Music and her Masters of Music from the Manhattan School of Music. She has studied piano with Zenon Fishbein, Raymond Lewenthal, and German Diez. She holds a Suzuki certification from School for Strings and is a faculty member at the Hoff-Barthelson School for Strings. (Back to top)

Mira Armij Gill, Piano

A native of Salt Lake City, Utah, Mira Armij Gill is of East-Indian descent. She is a Juilliard graduate where she received her Bachelor's with John Browning and her Master's with Yoheved Kaplinsky. She gave her New York debut at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall. She has performed with numerous orchestras including the Utah Symphony and has given solo recitals in the Weiner Saal Concert Hall in Salzburg, Austria as well as the Mozarteum's concert series in Radstadt, Austria. Having received international attention, her playing has been described as "spectacular, poetic and so inspiring" by Le Jeudi newspaper of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg. By special invitation, Ms. Gill gave a concert at the Indian Consulate General in New York and was featured in The Urban Indian magazine. On April 21, 2007, Ms. Gill performed as a guest artist the Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major with the Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra in Colorado under the baton of Music Director, Wes Kenney. Ms. Gill resides in New York City and is on the piano faculty of the Turtle Bay Music School in Manhattan. (Back to top)

Lyuba Mayzus, Piano

Lyuba received a Bachelor's of Music Degree from CUNY Queens College and a Master's Degree from Teachers College, Columbia University. She completed one year of Suzuki teacher training with Sheila Keats at The School for Strings. Lyuba also studied with Danai Gagne at Trevor Day School completing Orff Schulwerk Level 1. (Back to top)

Bruce Potterton, Piano

Bruce studied piano with Sascha Gordonitzki, and before that, with Murray Present at Montclair State College. He coached piano with Leonard Eisner. Since 1965, Bruce has been a solo and chamber recitalist. A long-time faculty member of the Henry Street Settlement Music School (since 1970) and TBMS (since 1984), Bruce also taught at the Amherst Summer Music Centre from 1971 to 1979. An active leader in the cultural community of Lubec, Maine, he founded SummerKeys, a music vacation center for adults, in 1996, and in 1994 he created The Mary Potterton Memorial Concerts, a free, weekly summer-long series; he is currently the director of both. (Back to top)

Milagros Ramos, Piano

Milagros earned her Master of Arts degree in Piano Performance and a post-graduate diploma from Mannes College of Music. She studied piano with Jacob Lateiner. She has appeared in recital as a soloist and in ensemble performance in New York and Venezuela. She has also played for radio and television. Recent NYC performances include an engagement at Steinway Hall and a two piano recital in Em Lee Concert Hall at Turtle Bay Music School. Milagros also has been a faculty member of Brooklyn Conservatory of Music and of Greenwich House Music School, where she taught piano and music skills. (Back to top)

Bob Rodriguez, Jazz Piano

Bob studied music at Ohio University and Akron University. He has studied piano with Richie Beirach and Pat Pace, and composition with Loris Chobonium. Bob has appeared as a guest in concerts and tours with Carla Bley, Billy Hart, Steve Swallow, and Kenny Wheeler. Bob is a featured composer and pianist on recordings with The Tina Marsh Orchestra. (Back to top)

Laura Sharpe, Piano

Laura is a graduate of the Martini Conservatory in Bologna, Italy. She did advanced studies at the Academia di Santa Cecilia in Rome, Italy, the New England Conservatory of Music, and in NYC with Irma Wolpe. She has had solo, orchestral, and chamber appearances in Italy and the U.S. She is a former faculty member at the McPhail Center for the Performing Arts, University of Minnesota, and the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music. (Back to top)

Dina Goikhman, piano

Coming soon! (Back to top)

Erena Topchieva, Piano

Erena earned a Master of Arts degree from the Tbilisi School of Music, Georgia, former Soviet Union. She has taught and performed in Georgia, Russia, Israel, and the U.S. Erena has served as a juror at various piano competitions and is a former faculty member at The Ashdod Conservatory of Music in Israel. (Back to top)

Christine Yoon, Piano

Christine Yoon; Piano, B.M., M.M., Peabody Conservatory of Music of Johns Hopkins University; Currently faculty at Lucy moses school at Kaufman Center, Spence school; Former faculty at Concordia College Preparatory, Third Street Music School, Henry Street Music School, YM-YWHA and numerous summer festivals; Former studies include at Mozarteum Academy of music in Salzburg;Served on board and as a chairman for Young pianist's honor Competition for Piano Teacher's Congress,1996-2003, and as a juror for numerous competitions in NY metropolitan area. (Back to top)

Strings Faculty

Cody Brown, Guitar

Cody Brown, a native of Farmingdale, Maine, began playing both guitar and drums at the age of five under the tutelage of his father, an acclaimed luthier. Cody holds a bachelor's degree in Jazz Performance from Purchase College, where he was a student of the renowned drum-educator, John Riley. He has also studied privately with master drummers, Jeff Ballard, Kenny Washington, and Han Bennink. In 2007, Cody was invited to attend the prestigious Banff International Workshop in Jazz and Creative Music, directed by Dave Douglas. Cody divides his time between performing, teaching, and composing. Over the years, he has had the honor of playing with Herbie Hancock, Dave Douglas, Miguel Zenón, Kermit Driscoll, Michael Moore, Ernst Glerum, Tobias Delius, Thomas Heberer, Frank Carlberg, Sam Newsome, Bobby Avey, and many others. Cody currently resides in Brooklyn, New York. (Back to top)

Grace Browning, Harp

Grace Browning is a currently a graduate student at the Juilliard School studying harp performance with Nancy Allen. Originally from Washington D.C., Ms. Browning was a member of the National Symphony Orchestra Fellowship program from 2003 to 2005, during which time she studied with Elizabeth Blakeslee. Since then, Ms. Browning attended both the Eastman School of Music and the University of Michigan, from which she received her Bachelor in Music in 2009. As an orchestral harpist, she has played with such orchestras as the New World Symphony, Juilliard Orchestra, National Repertory Orchestra, National Orchestral Institute and the Lansing Symphony Orchestra, while she has also appeared as a soloist with the National Repertory Orchestra and the Eastman School Symphony Orchestra. In 2008, she was a finalist in the Anne Adams Award Competition and the University of Michigan Concerto Competition, while in 2007, she was a prize winner in the American Harp Society Competition and the winner of the Eastman Harp Concerto Competition. (Back to top)

Hilary Castle, Suzuki/Traditional Violin

A native of Mystic, Connecticut, Hilary began violin studies at the age of 7. She shared first prize in the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Youth Orchestra's Victor Norman Concerto Competition in 1998. While in high school, Hilary was a member of the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra which performed at Boston Symphony Hall and in several major European cities during its 2000 summer tour. She earned a Bachelor of Music in violin performance at Boston University studying with Peter Zazofsky, and spent a semester in London at the Royal College of Music under the teachings of Itzak Rashkovsky and Jan Repko. While in London, she performed with the RCM symphony orchestra under guest conductors Bernard Haitink and John Wilson. She has performed in orchestras and chamber ensembles at national and international music festivals, including the Texas Music Festival in Houston, the Bowdoin International Music Festival in Maine and the Casalmaggiore International Festival in Italy, where she appeared as soloist in a performance of "Spring" from Vivaldi's Four Seasons. Ms. Castle completed her Master of Music degree at Mannes College in New York City, studying with violinist Lucie Robert. Hilary is currently pursuing a Professional Studies Degree at Mannes under Lucie Robert. (Back to top)

Paula Cho, Violin; Saturday Music Project Faculty

Paula Cho received her Bachelor of Music Degree from The Juilliard School and Masters of Music from Boston University. She served as principal violist of the Juilliard Symphony, Boston University Symphony, Jupiter Symphony, Tanglewood Festival Opera Orchestra, Brooklyn Opera, Queens Choral Society, Westchester Collegium Orchestra and DiCapo Opera. She gives performances in New York as a member of the Manhattan Chamber Orchestra, Antara Ensemble, Artemis Ensemble, Downtown Chamber Players, East Village Opera Company, Park Avenue Chamber Players, New World Symphony and Asian Artists Concerts. She recently toured with the Verbier Festival Orchestra, performing in the leading halls of Europe, Asia, South America, and Australia. She has experienced performing under the baton of world-class conductors such as Micheal Tilson Thomas, James Levine, Herbert Bloomstedt, Keith Lockhart, Leonard Slatkin, Seiji Ozawa, and Eduardo Mueller. An advocate of new music she collaborates with groups in premiering works and recordings including Wet Ink, Manhattan Chamber Orchestra, New York University, Downtown Chamber Players, Pulse, Lumieres, Anisocial Music, and the Bread and Puppet Theater Company. She participated in many music festivals such as Tanglewood, Yellowbarn, Verbier, Manchester, Encore, Kent/Blossom, Meadowmount, Provincetown Chamber Music Series, International Masterclasses in Bordeaux, American Institute of Musical Studies in Austria and Hampton Chamber music series. A prizewinner of American String Teachers Association NSO competition, she actively teaches in and around the New York area and is an invited member of national music society Pi Kappa Lambda. (Back to top)

Susan Dominguez-Germanson, Traditional and Suzuki Violin

Susan is a versatile and experienced teacher, soloist, chamber and orchestral performer. Most recent engagements include Concertmaster of the Bronx Opera and Chamber Orchestra and the Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra. She has also performed concerts throughout the Southeastern United States as soloist with the Goliard Ensemble. As first violinist with the Pioneer String Quartet and the Goliard Ensemble, Susan has developed and performed educational programs for young audiences, appearing as visiting guest artist at numerous Universities throughout the United States. Susan performs with the Princeton Symphony, Northeastern Philharmonic, Milwaukee Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic, Chicago Chamber Orchestra and Milwaukee Ballet. Since 1991, she has performed over 40 operas as violinist with the Des Moines Metro Opera Orchestra. She has also performed in national tours of West Side Story, Ragtime, Damn Yankees and Camelot, as well as tours with Natalie Cole, Frank Sinatra Jr., Harry Connick Jr., Barry White, Eath Wind and Fire, The Doobie Brothers and Aretha Franklin. Susan is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee and Temple University in Philadelphia. (Back to top)

Whitney Lee, Traditional and Suzuki Violin

Whitney Lee, born and raised in San Francisco, California, began studying the violin at the age of two. His first teacher, Cathryn S. Lee, is a Suzuki Teacher Trainer and graduate of Dr. Shinichi Suzuki’s Talent Education Institute in Matsumoto. Mr. Lee then studied for four years with concert artist Dame Camilla Wicks. Mr. Lee received his Bachelor of Music from Northwestern University under the direction of Almita Vamos, and his Masters degree at New York University under the direction of the Tokyo String Quartet’s first violinist Martin Beaver.

Mr. Lee has performed solos throughout the United States, at the 1999 Suzuki World Convention in Japan and in New Zealand. He toured Russia, Ireland and Lithuania with the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra and held the titled chair position of Associate Principal. Mr. Lee also toured Italy as Concertmaster of the SMS/SF Chamber Orchestra.

Mr. Lee is a devoted teacher, currently serving as faculty at Suzuki on The Island. He has also taught extensively for the Suzuki Music Studio of San Francisco and the Musicorda community outreach program in Mount Holyoke, Massachusetts. He is a member of the Suzuki Association of America. (Back to top)

Andrea Lee, Group Cello; Saturday Music Project Faculty

Andrea Lee made her orchestral debut at 16 as winner of the Birmingham-Bloomfield Symphony Competition in her native Michigan. She has performed as recitalist and chamber musician at the University Club and the Goethe Institute in New York, Jordan Hall in Boston, and the Museum Kranenbergh in Holland. Festival appearances include Norfolk, Taos, Spoleto USA, Prussia Cove, and Holland Music Sessions. As a graduate of Yale College and New England Conservatory, Ms. Lee is the recipient of many prizes, including the Bach Society Prize and the Borromeo Quartet Guest Artist Award. Ms. Lee's teachers include Richard Aaron, Clive Greensmith, and Yeesun Kim. She has received further guidance in masterclasses from Janos Starker, Anner Bylsma, Ralph Kirshbaum, and Frans Helmerson. She is currently at Mannes College as a student of Timothy Eddy. (Back to top)

Jane O'Hara-Cords, cello

New York City based Irish cellist Jane Cords-O’Hara has performed extensively in Ireland, the UK, Europe and the United States. Concerto appearances have been with Philomusica of Gloucester (Elgar concerto) and the Hibernian Orchestra (Saint-Saens and Haydn D major concerti). As a recitalist, she has played at such venues as the National Concert Hall, Dublin, the Goethe Institute, Dublin and New York, and the Irish Consulate in Brussels. In 2005 she was awarded a Special Presentation Award from Artists International in New York. As a result she was presented in her New York Debut recital at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall in March 2006. Jane was the Performing Arts Foundation Artist-in-Residence at International House, New York, for the 2004-2005 season, a position that lead to numerous solo and collaborative performances. Other awards received include the Sir John Barbirolli and Amy Lindley prizes for cello, and the Malcolm Arnold Award for chamber music (RNCM awards). (Back to top)

Sean Satin, Guitar

Sean Satin began formal training under Jorge Morel. Shortly after, he was accepted into the Manhattan School of Music where he earned a B.M. in Classical Guitar Performance. While there, he studied with Oren Fader and Mark Delpriora. He also played in master classes for Eliot Fisk, Eduardo Fernandez, David Starobin, and James Smith. Mr. Satin later went on to earn an M.A. from Teachers College, Columbia University, where he is pursuing post-graduate studies. Mr. Satin has performed extensively throughout New York including a performance at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall. Mr. Satin is currently on faculty at Turtle Bay Music School and Paul Green's School of Rock. (Back to top)

Jackie Pinsky, Traditional and Suzuki Violin

Jacquelyn Pinsky holds a Master's degree from New York University and a Bachelors degree from Ithaca College, both in violin performance. She is recognized for her explosive stage presence and charisma, which have captivated audiences at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall and beyond, making her a first-rate performer. Her orchestral credits include concertmaster for the New York University Opera Orchestra, principal second for the New York University Symphony Orchestra, assistant concertmaster for the Ithaca College Symphony and Chamber Orchestras, as well as conductor of orchestra and vocalists for the Windsor Youth Theater in Windsor, Connecticut. With the Ithaca College Chamber Orchestra, she has toured Ireland and continued on to grace stages, alongside master artists and professors throughout Italy, with her participation in the Adriatic Chamber Music Festival. Jackie has established herself as a highly sought after teacher who thrives on helping others realize her shared passion. To expand her teaching techniques, she has participated in The Hartt School Suzuki Institute Teacher Training Workshops in West Hartford, Connecticut. Joining Turtle Bay Music School faculty in 2006, Jackie has thoroughly enjoyed teaching students of all ages and at all levels. (Back to top)

Joanna Sirlin, Traditional and Suzuki Violin and Viola

Joanna Sirlin believes in teaching violin and viola from the heart and developing the student's technique and artistry in a positive manner. She has extensive experience in Suzuki and raditional teaching methods in violin and viola at every level. She has a Bachelor's and a Master's of Music in Viola Performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music and studied with teachers such as Stanley Konopka and Lynne Ramsey of the Cleveland Orchestra. She pursues an active performing career in orchestral, solo and chamber Music Capacities and has played with groups ranging from the Cleveland Pops Orchestra and the Atlantic Classical Orchestra to performing with Kanye West and Barry Manilow. (Back to top)

Voice Faculty

Alison Davy, Director of TBMS Community Chorus and Teen Vocal Worshop

Lyric coloratura soprano Alison Davy has appeared in opera and oratorio nationally and internationally. Praised recently by Opera Orchestra of New York conductor Eve Queler for her "beautiful expression and style," Ms. Davy has performed as a soloist with The Washington Opera, Handel Choir of Baltimore, Centro Musica Antica in Italy, Parma Symphony Orchestra, Newark-Granville Symphony, New York City’s Downtown Symphony Orchestra and the Choral Arts Society of Washington, D.C. outreach program. Her opera roles include Pamina, Susanna, Musetta, Manon and Baby Doe. Her concert repertoire includes Knoxville: Summer of 1915, Messiah, Mozart’s Mass in C Minor and the Brahms Requiem.

Ms. Davy has appeared as a featured soloist in the Holders International Music Festival in Barbados, at the Mann Center in Philadelphia and has participated in the Caramoor Festival with Maestro William Crutchfield. Among her awards are finalist in the Vera Scammon Competition and New Jersey Alliance for Performing Artists Competition, semi-finalist in the Oratorio Society of New York Competition and recipient of the Todd Duncan Award from the Annapolis Opera and the George Woodhead Prize from Peabody Conservatory. Ms. Davy has been heard on Southern Oregon Public Radio. (Back to top)

Siobhan Kolker, soprano

Siobhan Kolker's career spans opera, theatre and recital. June 2006 brought her to the York Theatre Company in NYC (Crazy Like a Daisy). In fall of 2006, she performed in a song recital program in Manhattan as the final project of workshop with New Triad for the Collaborative Arts. In opera, she most recently sang the role of Miss Jessel for Opera Vivente's The Turn of the Screw in Baltimore. Other New York credits include the NYC International Fringe Festival, Verse Theatre Manhattan, One World Symphony and numerous stages readings of new musical and plays at Innovative Stages. In 2002, she appeared in the Kennedy Center's Sondheim Celebration (A Little Night Music, Merrily We Roll Along). Other regional work includes three seasons of leading and supporting roles with the Ohio Light Opera, several productions at The Washington Opera (now Washington National Opera) and ten seasons with Baltimore Opera Company, where she appeared both on the mainstage and in their educational outreach program of touring operas. Favorite theatre roles in the Baltimore/DC area have been a critically acclaimed Julie (Carousel) at Toby's Dinner Theatre. She was also a member of D.C.'s musical comedy improv troupe, Now This! Leading operatic performances include the title role in Massenet's Chérubin, Serpina (La Serva Padrona), Meg Page (Falstaff) and Nancy (Albert Herring). Siobhan holds a B.M.A. with High Honors in Voice and History from The University of Michigan and an M.M. from the Peabody Conservatory. She is currently on the voice faculties of  Montclair State University, the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, and Turtle Bay Music School in New York City. (Back to top)

Sy Johnson, Director of TBMS' American Songbook Class

Jazz studies at UCLA and composition at the Juilliard School and Eastman School of Music; Collaborated with Quincy Jones, Herbie Mann, Sarah Vaughn, Frank Sinatra and Elvis Costello (just to name a few); Nominated for two Tony awards. (Back to top)

Elaine LaChica, soprano

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Elaine began studying piano, violin and singing at age 3. Growing up with a musician mother, Elaine performed and listened to all genres of music including classical, jazz, and British and American pop music. She counts the Cocteau Twins, Tori Amos, Nick Drake, Radiohead, Cassandra Wilson and Bach as major influences. While studying classical voice at the Peabody Conservatory of Music, she formed the band 'Azure'. Azure's blend of vocal layers upon hypnotic guitar/keyboard atmospherics won them positive press. They performed at colleges and clubs throughout the east coast and received radio airplay. As a soloist at Peabody, Elaine toured Italy, performed opera, premiered music by Peabody composers, collaborated with visual artists from the Maryland Institute of Art for multi-media pieces and was awarded the Woodhead prize for Voice. A critically acclaimed classical singer, Elaine performs and tours professionally throughout the U.S. Highlights have included the Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center with the Mark Morris Dance Company and soprano soloist under conductor Andrew Parrott for the New York Collegium. In 2000, Elaine was awarded a Beebe fellowship to study abroad at the Royal College of Music in London. While in London she finished composing her first set of solo songs and in 2002 she produced and recorded her debut CD '9'. Self-described as 'alternative-soul fused with electro-acoustic soundscapes', songs from '9' have received international airplay and critical acclaim around the world. (Back to top)

Gene Rohrer, Vocal Accompanist

Eugene Rohrer is a graduate of The Manhattan School of Music, New York, NY, and Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA.  He was most recently seen, both in New York City and Chicago, as an actor/singer/pianist in the role of Galileo in ‘The Top Ten People Of The Millennium Sing Their Favorite Schubert Lieder’ by Alec Duffy.  He sang tons of G&S with The Light Opera of Manhattan when it was NYC’s main source for operetta.  He toured as pianist with, among others, baritones Saverio Barbieri (‘If I Were a Rich Man’ in Italian) and James Billings of the NYCO (ask him about Myrtle Beach), the Festival of Song Quartet (playing all four hands of the Liebeslieder Waltzes) and the Gregg Smith Singers (you haven’t lived until you’ve recorded a Christmas album with the Texas Handbell Choir).  He frequently plays for Jeannette LoVetri, Lani Misenas, Chuck Muckle and Molly Watson, not necessarily in that order, and lives and teaches in NYC. (Back to top)

Kat Sherrell, Accompanist, TBMS Community Chorus

B.M. University of Northern Colorado, further study with Dave Frank (jazz piano) and Mindy Smith (voice, vocal pedagogy); Teaching artist, Sociedad de las Artes Educacionales Integrated Arts Program; Kat is also active as an accompanist and musical theater vocal coach; TBMS piano faculty. (Back to top)

Kathleen Weber, soprano

Kathleen received her Bachelor of Music Education degree and a Master of Music degree from Wichita State University in Kansas. She continued studies at The University of Texas at Austin, where she was a student of Elizabeth Mannion, and was granted her Doctor of Musical Arts in Voice. Dr. Weber is a former faculty member of Hollins College in Roanoke, Virginia, The University of South Dakota in Vermillion, South Dakota, Southwestern College in Georgetown, Texas, The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York, and Nassau Community College, Garden City, New York. She is an active member of the New York Singing Teachers Association and The National Association of Teachers of Singing. Dr. Weber has served as the South Dakota Governor of NATS and was the registrar for summer workshops both in South Dakota and NYC. She has served as treasurer of the New York Chapter of NATS for eight years and was recently elected to be corresponding-secretary. Dr. Weber has appeared extensively in recital, opera, and oratorio concerts throughout the U.S. (Back to top)

Steven Caldicott Wilson, Tenor

Tenor Steven Caldicott Wilson is a versatile interpreter of both historic and modern music, and is increasingly in demand for both solo and small ensemble work domestically and internationally. In the 2009-2010 season, he will sing Britten's Abraham and Issac and solos in Monteverdi's Vespers at St. Thomas Church in New York City; he will sing Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass at Cornell University's Sage Chapel; and Mozart's Requiem in collaboration with the Portland, Maine Choral Art Society and Portland Ballet. Most recently, Mr. Wilson performed in the solo quartet in Mendelssohn's Psalm 42 at the Carmel Bach Festival. In April 2009, he sang the arias in Bach’s St. Matthew Passion under the baton of John Scott at Saint Thomas Church, and in February 2009, under the direction of Stefan Parkman at Trinity Church NYC, he sang the opening solo in Lars Edlund’s Gloria. October 2008 saw Mr. Wilson performing with Petr Kotík in Prague, Berlin, and Manhattan. Steven is a graduate of the Yale University Vocal Performance Masters program in Early Music, Oratorio, and Chamber Ensemble; while there, he gave a recital devoted to the music of Benjamin Britten and was a soloist in Bach's Magnificat and St. John Passion, Monteverdi's Vespers, and Beethoven's Mass in C. From 2001-2005, he served as an enlisted member of the United States Air Force Band Singing Sergeants in Washington, DC. A skilled pianist and versatile cabaret performer, he has also been seen at the Duplex in New York City. Steven is a member of the professional choir at St. Thomas Church, and he lives in Astoria, Queens. (Back to top)

Winds, Brass, and Percussion Faculty

Sarah Beaty, Clarinet, Recorder, Saxophone

Clarinetist Sarah Beaty has performed as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician throughout Britain, Europe and the US. Festival appearances have included Italy's Spoleto Festival with the Aronowitz Ensemble, the Lucerne Festival, the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, and Juilliard's Focus Festival where she gave the New York Premiere of Alexander Aslamazov's Napyev for Clarinet Solo. Sarah has performed live on BBC Radio 2 and 3 and is the recipient of the Yamaha Music Foundation of Europe's woodwind scholarship, the Ian Fleming Award from the Musicians' Benevolent Fund, the June Alison Woodwind Award from the Philharmonia Orchestra/Martin Musical Scholarship Fund and The Hattori Foundation Award. Earlier this year Sarah performed at the Wigmore Hall in London as a finalist in the 2007 YCAT. Alongside duo partner Sam Armstrong, Sarah has given her recital debuts at London's Royal Festival Hall, Manchester's Bridgewater Hall, and New York's Weil Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. The duo recently returned from the International Musicians' Seminar at Prussia Cove. In 2005 Sarah graduated from The Juilliard School with a Master of Music Degree where she studied with Charles Neidich and was the recipient of the Henderson Scholarship. She previously studied at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester with John Bradbury, Lynsey Marsh, Chris Swann and John Reynolds. As a winner of the RNCM's concerto competition Sarah performed Copland's Clarinet Concerto in March 2004 directed by Douglas Boyd. As guest principal clarinetist Sarah has performed with the Manchester Camerata and the Irish Chamber Orchestra. Sarah is an active chamber musician and has performed with the Aronowitz Ensemble, Ensemble 360, and on Open Chamber Music at Prussia Cove, In New York City Sarah currently performs with The Wet Ink Ensemble, the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra and the Ikarus Chamber Players, a group she co-founded in 2005. Sarah will also attend the Marlboro Chamber Music Festival this summer. (Back to top)

Nick Birmelin, Drumset, Brazilian Samba Percussion, Conga/Atabaque Technique;The Saturday Music Project

Nck is a New York-based percussionist, composer, and music instructor whose main focus and inspiration comes from music and percussion of Brazil and Cuba. He has performed all over the United States, Brazil, and China. Currently, Nick Birmelin is the musical director of Grupo Ribero, as well as a regular percussionist for Brazilian Dance classes at Alvin Ailey. As an instructor he conducts classes and workshops with children and teens in the New York City public school system. Currently he is participating in several side projects, playing gigs, and working on music for soundtracks. (Back to top)

Daniel Cords, Group Clarinet/Saxophone; Saturday Music Project Faculty

A Native of St. Paul, Minnesota, Daniel Cords is a graduate of Manhattan School of Music (1994-98) where he studied with Dick Oatts, Bobby Watson, Steve Slagle, and Joe Temperley. While in school, he played in the jazz orchestra and went on a European festival tour. There he recorded a live CD from one of the performances at the Montreax festival in Switzerland. Daniel has worked professionally with groups such as Harry Connick Jr. and New York Voices who he has been to Sweden and Finland with. Being a versatile musician, Daniel has experience playing shows and doing studio/movie recordings in many different styles including rock, blues, jazz, and Latin. Daniel has also taught private, ensemble, and group lessons throughout his career and specializes in beginning and young students. (Back to top)

Peter Ajemian, Trumpet

Peter Ajemian joined the faculty of Turtle Bay Music School as trumpet and theory/solfege instructor in July, 2008. He recently graduated from Mannes College of Music with a Master’s Degree in Trumpet Performance where he studied with former second trumpet of the New York Philharmonic, Vincent Penzarella. Peter is an active freelance trumpet player in New York City. He has performed with the American Symphony Orchestra, American Ballet Theater orchestra, the National Chorale Orchestra, as well as in the pit orchestra for Broadway productions of Mary Poppins and A Tale of Two Cities. Peter was also a soloist with the New York Symphonic Ensemble on their 2008 tour of Japan, performing Vivaldi’s Concerto for Two Trumpets. Previously, Peter has taught at The Special Music School at the Kaufman Center, as well as the Henry Street Settlement Music School.(Back to top)

Matt Garrity, Jazz Drums

Drummer, Matt Garrity has been on the New York City jazz scene for thirteen years. He has performed with some of the best in the business, including Vincent Herring, Teri Thornton, David Williams, Ben Monder, Joel Forrester, Ron McClure and Jerome Richardson, among others. Matt has performed all over New York in such notable venues as The Blue Note, Birdland, Smalls, Smoke and The Up Over Jazz Cafe. In addition to his work as a sideman, Garrity leads his own group, ACTUAL TRIO. The group has toured throughout the U.S. and recently recorded their debut album, ACTUAL TRIO LIVE. (Back to top)

Jai-Yi He, Harmonica (Chromatic & Diatonic)

Jia-Ye He has played harmonica since 1964 and attended harmonica virtuoso Chamb-Ber Huang's master class in Beijing in 1981. Jia-Ye has received many prizes in the International Harmonica Competition and Festivals in Great Britain, Germany, Israel, Japan, and the United States. He has served as a member of the judging committees in the Asia-Pacific Harmonica Festival and Competition in Taiwan in 1996, and in Malaysia in 1998. Jia-Ye has appeared as a soloist with the China Central Philharmonic Society, China Central Ballet Symphonic Orchestra, and other major orchestras, and has recorded harmonica music for a number of movies, CDs, and other recordings. Most recently, Jia-Yi was a featured soloist in The Nassau Pops Symphony Orchestra's Summer Series 2002, and appeared on Long Island's cablevision channel News 12 "Morning Show" in January 2003. (Back to top)

Javier Oviedo, Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet, Oboe, Recorder

Acclaimed for his lustrous tone and formidable technique, New York-based Javier Oviedo has traveled across The United States and to three continents, bringing the significant but underplayed classical saxophone repertoire to new and appreciative audiences. His engagements with orchestras such as the New Jersey Symphony, The Louisiana Philharmonic, and L'Orchestre Pasdeloup were great crowd-pleasers and have garnered invitations to play from around the world. He has a special affinity for France and its history with the saxophone, and his musicological detective work has unearthed some forgotten gems of music for solo saxophone and orchestra. His impassioned performances of this repertoire have led to his highly successful orchestral debut in Paris, and to this recording with members of L'Orchestre Pasdeloup. As both a soloist and a chamber musician, Mr. Oviedo has performed in many of New York's most prestigious locations such as Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, Steinway Hall, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, (where he made a highly successful solo debut) and the Dag Hammerskjöld Auditorium at The United Nations. He is a charter member of The F.R.E.D. Chamber Players and plays on all their concerts, and he was an original member of the Elision Saxophone Quartet and can be heard on the latter's LIVE Through the Years. In the spring 2008 Mr. Oviedo released his first solo CD recorded in France entitled The Classical Saxophone: A French love story released by MSR Classics. (Back to top)

Anna Povich de Mayor, Flute

Anna holds both and MM and a DMA in flute performance from SUNY Stony Brook where she studied with Carol Wincenc. She also holds a BM from the University of North Texas, where she studied with Mary Karen Clardy. Anna freelances throughout the New York City area as soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player. She can be heard with her harp-viola-flute trio Iluminada that is dedicated to performing works of contemporary and living composers. Anna was a 2003 concerto competition winner at SUNY Sony Brook, where she will perform with orchestra next season, and has been the winner of numerous competitions in Washington and Texas. In addition to performer, she is and active teacher. (Back to top)

Early Childhood Department Faculty

Deborah Auer, Tuneful/ Orff Schulwerk Instruction

Deborah Auer has been an Orff teacher for 12 years, having received her certification after studying with, among others, the maestro, Danai Gagné . Deborah is an active performer in downtown theaters; most recently in the production of La Vie Noir at LaMaMa, E.T.C. She sings in jazz bars and most enjoys participating in and organizing live performances. Her training has been with Stella Adler, theater; Barry Harris, jazz; Hunter College, music theory; Cornell University, B.A. in European history. (Back to top)

Terry Cade, Tuneful/Orff Schulwerk Instruction

Jazz Studies, York University; Certified specialist in Orff and Kodàly pedagogies; Performs as a professional jazz vocalist. (Back to top)

Lyuba Mayzus, Tuneful/ Orff Schulwerk Instruction

Lyuba received a Bachelor's of Music Degree from CUNY Queens College and a Master's Degree from Teachers College, Columbia University. She completed one year of Suzuki teacher training with Sheila Keats at The School for Strings. Lyuba also studied with Danai Gagne at Trevor Day School completing Orff Schulwerk Level 1. (Back to top)

Patti Onorato, Tuneful/ Orff Schulwerk Instruction, Early Childhood Coordinator

Patti Onorato earned her Bachelor of Music from the Manhattan School of Music. She has sung, acted and played various instruments in the U.S. and overseas with composers, performing artists, poets, visual and dance artists and rock bands. With these collaborations she has worked on new music and new music theatre and opera pieces, often premiering the new works. Notable artists she has worked with include; Baba Olatunji, Vanessa Redgrave and Meredith Monk. Other performance projects include; soloist for The Old Moscow Circus in Japan as well as music director and composer for an all-woman cast of "Julius Caesar."

Currently, Ms. Onorato is an instructor for the Early Childhood Orff program at Turtle Bay Music School as well as a public school outreach teacher for P.S. 59 in Manhattan. She received her Orff Schulwerk training at the Bloomingdale House of Music in New York City and continues her Orff studies at Brooklyn Conservatory and through Trevor Day School workshops on a regular basis. She was awarded a grant to go to Florida and participate in West African drumming and dance with Gordy Ryan, a prodigy of Babatunde “Baba” Olatunji. She also received a grant to participate in The Womyn's Drumming and Percussion workshops in upstate New York. Passionate about African drumming, Ms. Onorato continues her percussion studies with Mamadou McKane at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music. (Back to top)

Theory Department

Peter Ajemian, Theory and Composition; See Brass Faculty

Wes Stannard, Guitar and Music Appreciation; Saturday Music Project Faculty

Wesley Stannard grew up in Southern Vermont where he began playing guitar at age 13. Since then he has developed his technique through training with many different teachers. In 2000 he began attending classes in Boston, MA at Berklee College of Music where he graduated in 2004 with a degree in Professional Music/Performance. Wesley has played and is proficient in all styles of music from Bluegrass to Reggae to Jazz. Although Wesley's main focus in school was in performance he has been involved with teaching for the past 7 years, both publicly and privately. He is currently part of an outreach program based at the Grand Street High School, working with underprivileged students in a Jazz band program and private group/individual guitar lessons. (Back to top)