Faculty

“Emerging as if a highly burnished and glowing ruby,” violinist Aroussiak Baltaian has gained international attention through her extensive appearances as a prominent recitalist, soloist, chamber musician and recording artist. Baltaian is a Grand and top prize winner at numerous national and...

Violist Michael Larco joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 2012 after seven seasons as Assistant Principal in the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. A frequent participant of the LA Phil’s Green Umbrella and Chamber Music Series, Michael has also been a guest violist with The Capitol Ensemble at...

Cellist Gloria Lum, a native of Berkeley, California, attended both the University of California at Los Angeles and the University of Southern California, graduating from the latter institution magna cum laude. A student of Gabor Rejto and Ronald Leonard, she was a member of the Oakland Symphony and...

Galina Barskaya began studying piano at the age of four and started to perform professionally at the age of 7. Barskaya got her BM and MM at Kiev State College and Kiev State Conservatory where she studied piano, organ, conducting, music history, and composition. She toured extensively in Russia...

Japan-born Junko Ueno Garrett has captivated audiences around the world with her colorful tone, poetry, expressiveness, dynamic technique, and wide range of repertoire. She began playing piano at the age of three, trained at the prestigious Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo studying under...

Cathlene Pineda is a sought after pianist and composer in the Los Angeles area. In June 2020, Orenda Records released Cathlene’s third album of original music, “Rainbow Baby,” hailed by critics as “beautifully articulated” (Jazz Times). It chronicles her progression through motherhood, birth and...

Described as “phenomenal and fearless,” Grammy nominated pianist Vicki Ray is a leading interpreter of contemporary piano music. Known for thoughtful and innovative programming which seeks to redefine the piano recital in the 21^st century, Vicki’s concerts often include electronics, video...

Loren is an award-winning jazz vocalist and composer whose artistry was cultivated in Downey, CA. Her early exposure to gospel, jazz, R&B, and pop, contributes to her unique singing and songwriting style. With an Associate of Professional Music degree from the world renowned School for Music...

Scott Blois recieved his Bachelor of Music degree from CSUN in 1984. He has participated in the Aspen Music Festival and the Music Academy of the West, as well as having a number of guest artist appearances around Southern California. Blois has been involved in opera outreach for the San Diego Opera...

Praised by Mark Swed of the LA Times as “luminous”, Karen Hogle Brown is a coloratura soprano whose strong musicianship and flexible voice have helped her to champion and premiere new works, as well as reinvent traditional ones. An active soloist in the Los Angeles area, Hogle Brown’s unique...

Originally from Hawai‘i, Jason Arimoto, Ph. D., is a Los Angeles-based ‘ukulele creative with a professional background in ‘ukulele performance, education, and retail. Arimoto performs and teaches across the U.S. and internationally, and is the co-owner of U-SPACE, L.A.’s premier ‘ukulele store and...

Guitarist Ron Berman has been performing solo and group recitals of jazz, classical and original compositions in concert and on film, radio and television in the US and Europe for over thirty years. Performances include the US premier of George Russell’s Concerto for Two Guitars and group...

Steve has toured extensively with the "legendary genius of soul" Ray Charles, pop icon Frankie Valli, and Chanteuse Anjani with her frequent guest the poetic Leonard Cohen.  He has performed at Exit Zero, and Playboy Jazz Festivals with Maceo Parker, toured the mid east with Alphonse Mouzon  and...

Guitarist Riner Scivally has performed with Alan Broadbent, Larance Marable, Stacey Rowles and Putter Smith. He received a bachelor's degree from Occidental College, an MM from USC, and later studied at the Scuola Civica di Milano in Italy.  He is on the faculty of Pasadena City College and the...

Hailed by the LA Times as"a force field unto her own, yet joined in something bigger, " Alison Bjorkedal is a passionate ambassador for the harp and a specialist in performing the music of Harry Partch.
Her symphonic, operatic and ballet performances include The Industry, San Diego Symphony...

Catherine Del Russo received her Bachelor of Music Degree and Performance Certificate at the Eastman School of Music where she studied with Robert Sprenkle, and her Masters of Music Degree from Ohio University where she studied with John Mack in Cleveland. Since then, Del Russo has performed around...

Jay Jennings is a 3x GRAMMY Award winning trumpeter known for his work with jazz supergroup Snarky Puppy. He is a founding member of the band which started at the University of North Texas in 2004.  Before meeting his Snarky Puppy family, Jay grew up in the small town of Grapevine, TX. He was lucky...

Sara Marsh (Canning) has built a sterling reputation as a clarinetist and teacher in the Western U.S. Hailing from Texas, she studied at the University of North Texas and UCLA. Early in her career, she served as second clarinetist in the Reno Chamber Orchestra and principal clarinetist in the Tucson...

Rachel Mellis enjoys a multi-faceted career as an orchestral, chamber, solo, and recording flutist. She has collaborated with esteemed artists such as John Williams, Danny Elfman, Michael Bublé, Christina Aguilera, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Gustavo Dudamel, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Zubin Mehta, Michael Tilson...

A native to Los Angeles, California, Erm Navarro began private trombone lessons and played in the public school system at age 12. Upon graduation from high school, Erm completed his Bachelors of Music in Jazz Performance and Contemporary Media from the Eastman School of Music (2005). During his time...

Daniel Rotem is a saxophonist, composer, arranger, bandleader, and educator.

Growing up in Israel by the Mediterranean Sea, Daniel fell in love with the freedom and potential for expression he found in Jazz after starting to play saxophone as a teenager. His musical beginnings in Israel's Thelma...

Allen Savedoff is a member of the Pacific Symphony, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and California Philharmonic, and has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, LA Philharmonic New Music Group, LA Opera, LA Chamber Orchestra, Pasadena Symphony, New West Symphony, Glendale Symphony, LA Master Chorale...

Doug Tornquist received his B.M. from University of Southern California, his M.M. from Wichita State University and his D.M.A from University of Southern California. Tornquist has been principal tubist in the Oregon Bach Festival Orchestra, Long Beach Symphony Orchestra, the New Sousa band and...

 A native of Kanagawa, Japan, Dr. Yuri Inoo is a musician and educator in the Los Angeles area. She has studied percussion under David Rosenthal at San Francisco State University, where she received her Bachelor of Music degree, graduating summa cum laude, and receiving the Most Outstanding Senior...

Since arriving in Los Angeles, Jamey Tate has become one of the most sought after musicians on the national touring and studio scenes. He has performed and/or recorded with a diverse list of some of the biggest artists in the music industry, including David Benoit, Al Jarreau, Jane Monheit, Gordon...

Frances holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Liverpool University and a Diploma of Education from Leicester University. Marsden's first experience with the Alexander Technique was when she was an acting student at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, Scotland. She was so...