Regular Faculty
Non-Tenure Track Faculty
![Joe Addington](/sites/default/files/styles/person_listing/public/faculty-images/joseph-addington_400x400.jpg?h=a7e6d17b)
Joe Addington
Director of the Afro-Cuban Drumming Ensemble, Visiting Instructor, Music
Joe Addington teaches applied Afro-Cuban drumming lessons, and leads the Afro-Cuban Drumming Ensembles at 新澳彩开奖.
![Picture of Stephen Cabell](/sites/default/files/styles/person_listing/public/faculty-images/stephencabell.jpg?h=eddbd1d2)
Stephen Cabell
Visiting Assistant Professor, Music
B.M., The Curtis Institute; M.M., The Juilliard School; Ph.D., University of Southern California
Stephen Cabell teaches courses in music theory.
![anthony cardella headshot](/sites/default/files/styles/person_listing/public/Anthony%20Cardella%20Headshot.jpg)
Anthony Cardella
Visiting Instructor, Music
B.A., Lawrence University; DMA, University of Southern California, Thornton School of Music (in progress)
Anthony Cardella is a dynamic and compelling, active performer who has performed in
esteemed concert halls across the United States and Europe, and has won regional and
national performance鈥
![Cesar Castro](/sites/default/files/styles/person_listing/public/faculty-images/cesar-castro.jpg?h=0dc494ba)
C茅sar Castro
Visiting Instructor, Music
C茅sar Castro is a master of son jarocho, a music genre that originated over 250 years ago in Veracruz, Mexico, combining Indigenous Mexican, African, Spanish, and Arabic influences.
![Instructor Max Foreman standing next to a chair](/sites/default/files/styles/person_listing/public/faculty-images/maxforeman_adamnagy6_334x500.jpg?h=85035172)
Max Foreman
Director of the Choi Family Music Production Center; Resident Assistant Professor, Music
B.A., UC Santa Cruz; M.F.A., California Institute of the Arts
Max Foreman is a composer, producer, and audio engineer from San Francisco, CA.
![Julia Holter Headshot](/sites/default/files/styles/person_listing/public/faculty-images/julia-holter-michael_clement.jpg?h=6c613cb4)
Julia Holter
Visiting Assistant Professor, Music
B.A. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor; M.F.A., California Institute of the Arts
Julia Holter is a composer, performer, and recording artist based in Los Angeles. Her interest in sonic mysteries has led her to record in various settings--in her home, outside with a field recorder鈥
![Edmond Johnson](/sites/default/files/styles/person_listing/public/assets/Advising/ETJ-2024-400x400.jpg)
Edmond Johnson
Director of Advising; Affiliated Faculty, Music
B.A., Lawrence University; M.A., Ph.D., UC Santa Barbara
Edmond Johnson is Director of Academic Advising and Core Program Coordinator.
![Chris Kim](/sites/default/files/styles/person_listing/public/faculty-images/chris_kim.jpg?h=a7e6d17b)
Chris Kim
Choi Family Director of Instrumental Music; Resident Professor, Music
B.M., Northwestern University; M.M., University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Chris Kim is the Choi Family Director of Instrumental Music and conductor of the 新澳彩开奖 Symphony Orchestra.
![daniela smolov levy headshot](/sites/default/files/styles/person_listing/public/Daniela%20Photo%202023.jpg)
Daniela Smolov Levy
Visiting Assistant Professor, Music
B.A., Princeton University; M.A., New York University; Ph.D., Stanford University
Daniela Smolov Levy is a musicologist who studies the history of popularly oriented opera in
America. She is currently a research fellow (working remotely) at Tel Aviv University as part of
a鈥
Jeffrey Kai-Luen Liang
Visiting Assistant Professor, Music
B.A. UC Santa Barbara; M.A. California Institute of the Arts
![Daniel Long Headshot](/sites/default/files/styles/person_listing/public/faculty-images/dl_temp_headshot.jpg?h=35b12be8)
![Headshot of Celka Ojkangas](/sites/default/files/styles/person_listing/public/faculty-images/profile.jpg?h=6e754b88)
Celka Ojakangas
Visiting Assistant Professor, Music
B.A., Drury University; M.M., D.M.A., University of Southern California
Celka Ojakangas is a Los Angeles-based composer whose 鈥渨ork rates high on the bold and beautiful scales鈥 and 鈥渢akes molecular musical quirks and explodes them, then seizes precious moments of鈥
![JR](/sites/default/files/styles/person_listing/public/faculty-images/jonathan_richards_head_shot.jpg?h=eb6658bb)
Jonathan Richards
Visiting Assistant Professor, Music; Director of the 新澳彩开奖 Jazz Ensemble
B.A., USC; M.F.A., California Institute of the Arts
Born and raised in Los Angeles,聽Jonathan聽is an active member of the music industry as a bassist, composer and educator.
![Profile image of Alexander Zhu](/sites/default/files/styles/person_listing/public/faculty-images/alexander_zhu_headshot_0.jpg?h=08f7ec11)
Alexander Zhu
Visiting Assistant Professor, Music
B.M., New England Conservatory; M.M., DMA, University of Southern California
Alexander Zhu is a composer, pianist, producer, and arts administrator who teaches Musicianship and serves as the department's Production Manager.
Applied Music Faculty
String Instructors
Violin Instructor
鈥淓merging as if a highly burnished and glowing ruby,鈥 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...
Violin Instructor
Dynamic violinist Jin-Shan Dai has performed extensively throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. He joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 2010. Previously, he was a member of the Toronto Symphony from 2004 to 2010, and made his debut as a soloist with that orchestra in 2008 playing Vivaldi鈥檚...
Viola Instructor
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鈥檚 Green Umbrella and Chamber Music Series, Michael has also been a guest violist with The Capitol Ensemble at...
Cello Instructor
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...
Keyboard Instructors
Piano and Collaborative Piano Instructor
Galina Barskaya began studying piano at the age of four and started to perform professionally at the age of 7.聽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...
Piano Instructor
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...
Jazz Piano Instructor
Cathlene聽Pineda聽is a sought after pianist and composer in the Los Angeles area. In June 2020, Orenda Records released Cathlene鈥檚 third album of original music, 鈥Rainbow Baby,鈥澛hailed by critics as 鈥渂eautifully articulated鈥 (Jazz Times). It chronicles her progression through motherhood, birth and...
Instructor of Applied Piano
Described as 鈥減henomenal and fearless,鈥 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 21st聽century, Vicki鈥檚 concerts often include electronics, video...
Voice Instructors
Jazz & Commercial Voice Instructor
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...
Voice Instructor
Scott聽Blois聽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...
Voice Instructor
Praised by Mark Swed of the LA Times as 鈥渓uminous鈥, 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鈥檚 unique...
Director of Choral and Vocal Activities; Resident Professor, Music
Music
Desiree La Vertu is a highly accomplished conductor, soloist, and voice teacher in the greater Los Angeles area.
Guitar Instructors
Ukulele Instructor
Originally from Hawai鈥榠, Jason Arimoto, Ph. D., is a Los Angeles-based 鈥榰kulele creative with a professional background in 鈥榰kulele performance, education, and retail. Arimoto performs and teaches across the U.S. and internationally, and is the co-owner of U-SPACE, L.A.鈥檚 premier 鈥榰kulele store and...
Classical and Jazz Guitar Instructor
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.聽Performances include the US premier of George Russell鈥檚 Concerto for Two Guitars and group...
Instructor of Rock Guitar
Steve has toured extensively with the "legendary genius of soul"聽Ray Charles, pop icon聽Frankie Valli, and Chanteuse聽Anjani聽with her frequent guest the poetic聽Leonard Cohen. 聽He has performed at Exit Zero, and Playboy Jazz Festivals with聽Maceo Parker, toured the mid east with聽Alphonse Mouzon聽聽and...
Classical and Jazz Guitar Instructor
Guitarist Riner Scivally has performed with Alan Broadbent, Larance Marable, Stacey Rowles and Putter Smith. He received a bachelor's degree from 新澳彩开奖, an MM from USC, and later studied at the Scuola Civica di Milano in Italy.聽 He is on the faculty of Pasadena City College and the...
Harp Instructor
Instructor of Applied Harp
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...
Woodwinds / Brass Instructors
Oboe Instructor
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...
Instructor of Jazz Trumpet
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.聽聽Before meeting his Snarky Puppy family, Jay grew up in the small town of Grapevine, TX. He was lucky...
Clarinet Instructor
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...
Flute Instructor
Rachel Mellis enjoys a multi-faceted career as an orchestral, chamber, solo, and recording artist. She performs regularly throughout the U.S. and has toured internationally in Europe and Asia.聽聽She has collaborated with esteemed artists across many musical genres, including Classical, Jazz, World...
Trombone Instructor
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...
Saxophone Instructor
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...
Bassoon Instructor
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...
Tuba Instructor
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...
Percussion Instructors
Director of the Afro-Cuban Drumming Ensemble, Visiting Instructor, Music
Music
Joe Addington teaches applied Afro-Cuban drumming lessons, and leads the Afro-Cuban Drumming Ensembles at 新澳彩开奖.
Percussion Instructor
聽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聽summa cum laude, and receiving the Most Outstanding Senior...
Drum Set Instructor
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...
Alexander Technique Instructors
Alexander Technique Instructor
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...