Instructors and Administration

Kalin Ivanov, Cello

Prominent soloist, recitalist, chamber musician and recording artist. Compared by the press to Rostropovich, Yo-Yo Ma, Piatigorsky and Jacqueline du Pré he wad recognized as an artist whose “dramatic urgency and expressive tone” (The STRAD, New York) is matched by “His deep, emotional, and poetic performing style” (Moscow North). The former music critic of the New York Times, Harris Goldsmith states that”…Ivanov presents himself as a player with a fine grained, luscious tone…” (New York Concert Review). The WORLD PANORAMA (Bulgaria) wrote: “…Kalin Ivanov is a phenomenon in the palette of the most talented musicians” and Musical Opinion (UK) confirmed: “one of the most celebrated cellists of his generation.” Performances: in concert halls of Bulgaria, Greece, Austria, Switzerland, France, England, Italy, Russia, Czech Republic, Brazil, Caribbean Islands, and the United States, including appearances as soloist with Prague Sinfonietta, Sofia Philharmonic, Sinfonietta Sofia, Varna Philharmonic, Plovdiv Philharmonic, Bulgarian Virtuosi Orchestra, Sliven Symphony, Pazardjik Symphony, Vidin Philharmonic, Academy Chamber Orchestra, Moscow Chamber Orchestra “Cantus Firmus”, New York Chamber Players Orchestra, Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra, Southern Arizona Symphony, North Shore Symphony, Manhattan Virtuosi Orchestra, and Ensemble Du Monde Orchestra, among others. Mr. Ivanov performed over 20 times at Carnegie Hall, New York as soloist, principal cellist and chamber musician as well as at Lincoln Center and other prominent halls in NYC. Finalist: C.W. Post Chamber Music Festival Concerto Competition. Ensembles: The Forte String Quartet; New York Empire Trio, New York Festival Orchestra. Recordings and broadcasts: WNYC radio, New York, WWFM CLASSICAL Radio, NJ, Voice of America, Voice of Russia, Radio Free Europe, WNYE Radio, New York, WSTA Radio, WVWI AM 1000, CUNY TV, WNYE TV, NTD-TV, New York, Eurocom TV, Bulgarian National Radio and TV. Mr. Ivanov is the subject of one-hour film biography by Bulgarian National TV, broadcast in Bulgaria and internationally and was the featured performer in an Emmy Award-nominated short film “Study with the Best” by CUNY TV. In July 2007 Mr. Ivanov recorded music to the Motion Picture Film: “LUST, CAUTION” (Oscar-winning Director Ang Lee). He has recorded for GeGa New and MSR Classics. Awards: Chancellor’s Award, Cultural Achievement Award, grant, Artist Fund of the New York Foundation for the Arts. Education: M.Mus., Brooklyn College; M.M., State Music Academy, Bulgaria; B.M., Academy of Music and Dance Arts, Bulgaria. Master Classes: led cello and chamber music master classes in Europe, United States, South America and Russia. Former faculty positions: Adelphi University; SUNY, Long Island Conservatory; Empire State University, SUNY, Brooklyn College Conservatory, CUNY, Brooklyn Conservatory, Rondo Music Festival, Festival of the Gulf, Portland Conservatory International Music Festival, Manhattan School of Music Summer Music Camp, Manchester Music Festival and others. Current positions: Summit Music Festival, Prep Center faculty since 1997.

Rebecca Shavzin, Cello and Suzuki Cello

Performances: Cello and Suzuki cello in the United States, Italy, Germany, Ukraine, and China. Education: B.Mus., M.Mus., Conservatory of Music at Brooklyn College; studied with Vladimir Panteleyev; Suzuki Certification at the School for Strings with Pamela Devenport. Faculty positions: Lucy Moses School; Prep Center since 2014.

Interview

What do you teach at the Prep Center?

Suzuki cello.

Why did you begin taking music lessons?

I grew up listening to a lot of classical music with my dad. Because I was so interested in what I was listening to, I kept asking my parents for music lessons starting at an early age.

How old were you when you started music lessons?

I started learning piano first, at age six. Then I started cello lessons after my elementary orchestra teacher told my parents that I would benefit from one-on-one instruction.

Do you have a favorite musical memory from childhood?

There are too many to choose from!

How do you vary your approach when you teach children at different ages and levels?

I feel that every lesson is catered to the individual, regardless of age and level. If someone has a learning style that benefits them most, it is better to work with a method that they can grow with.

What are your most important goals for your students?

To grow to the best of their abilities while continuing to enjoy music. I do think that consciousness of what they are playing and how they move is very important.

What are the most important recommendations that you give to parents whose children study music?

Parents always need to remember that every child is an individual. They will move at their own pace, and it is our job as influential adults to help them to develop into their best selves with everything they do.

What do you like best about teaching music?

I love the challenge of figuring out what makes a person tick. Every student is like a puzzle that a teacher has to try to fit together. You can’t force the pieces together, but instead you have to wait until you find the ones that do. The look on a student’s face when they play and everything comes together and they know it is always worth the wait.

Daniel Kelley, Clarinet and Saxophone

Performances: Chamber music at Stern Auditorium and Weill Hall, Carnegie Hall; Metropolitan Museum of Art; Wolf Trap Farm Park for the Performing Arts; Smithsonian Institution; Atlanta Arts Festival; Oklahoma Mozart Festival; Chautauqua Institution; concerts in 46 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Virgin Islands; concerto soloist with El Paso Symphony Orchestra; former member of the U.S. Air Force Band, Washington, D.C.; Broadcasts: Today Show, A Prairie Home Companion, Voice of America, WQXR, WNYC, and WETA. Recordings: Three on BMG and one on BMG-Japan with Richard Stoltzman. Education: B.M., Sam Houston State University; clarinet studies with Kalmen Opperman, Leon Russianoff, and Richard Picker. Current faculty position: Prep Center since 2000.

Interview

What do you teach at the Prep Center?

Clarinet and saxophone.

Why did you begin taking music lessons?

I was playing clarinet without instruction for many years and thought I should have a teacher.

How old were you when you started music lessons?

My father taught me to read music when I was six, and then he gave me a clarinet with a fingering chart. My cousin pointed out a few mistakes at times, and my father gave me music he had picked up from Southern Music Company.

Did you always like to practice when you were a child?

Always. I always had the instrument with me.

Do you have a favorite musical memory from childhood?

From the start of fifth grade, I played in the Junior Youth Orchestra of San Antonio for three years.

How do you vary your approach when you teach children at different ages and levels?

Children have different capabilities. I give children an incentive to improve, but their abilities and amount of practice dictate the pace.

Have you had any students with notable accomplishments (acceptance to a select middle school, high school, or college; competitions; special performances)?

Every student who has auditioned for Mark Twain or LaGuardia while studying with me has been accepted. One who majored in music in college now teaches music in a Bay Ridge public school.

What are your most important goals for your students?

To improve as players and to become organized, to arrive punctually and prepared with teaching materials and instruments in good condition, and to be honest about practice habits.

What are the most important recommendations that you give to parents whose children study music?

Practice at least some time every day, and don’t run out of reeds.

What do you like best about teaching music?

It makes me think about the instrument in new ways.

What are your favorite accomplishments?

Working with Richard Stoltzman on four BMG recordings, recitals at Carnegie Hall Stern Auditorium, and studying with Kalmen Opperman.

Cinda Eatock, Dance and Theater

Cinda Eatock is a locally and internationally trained and qualified dance and theater practitioner, performer, scholar, and teacher. Her approach to the arts, which includes Embodied Knowledge Systems, physical theater, and dance, not only is part of a skill set for performance but is also a medium to create and nurture an informed holistic performer. Her teaching style is a collaborative one borne out of her expertise in directing workshop environments. She welcomes all students to bring as much creativity and enthusiasm to each class in every way. Eatock attended the Musical Theatre Conservatory Program at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, New York. She holds an honour’s degree in drama and a bachelor’s in film directing from Wits University, South Africa. She also has a Master of Arts degree in dramatic arts, and extensive knowledge of the Cecily Berry and Linkletter Method, Laban, Alexander, Growtowski, and Artaud. She is the recipient of the 2004 Naledi Award for Best Original Work in South Africa and the Lead SA Changemaker Award: Hero of the Year in 2015.

MAGGIE FISCHER, DANCE

Maggie Fischer is a dancer and teaching artist with over a decade of experience working across various disciplines and educational settings. She has taught extensively throughout the New York City area in private studios and public schools, working with children and adults alike. Through residency programs in four boroughs, she has worked with students from kindergarten through high school, fostering student-led creativity and empowering young artists to explore choreography as a tool for self-expression.

Internationally, Maggie spent two years with Haraka Center for Movement Arts in Kuwait, where she taught dancers of all levels and developed and implemented the Center’s first jazz and tap curriculum. During this time, she also performed with the professional offshoot, Haraka Project.

She currently performs with Catherine Tharin, JKing Dance Company, DoubleTake Dance, and other contemporary artists, while continuing to create and present her own choreography. Maggie holds a BFA in Dance from the George Mason University School of Dance.

Michele Smith, Flute

Michele Smith is a versatile flutist who plays a wide variety of styles, including jazz, classical, experimental, tango, Latin, and Brazilian music.  She is currently a member of various groups: La Familia; the T. Ericson Ensemble based in Berlin; and different jazz ensembles. She has performed with several off-Broadway productions, The New Jersey Ballet, Dada New York, and Village Playback Theater. Smith has a flute performance degree from Kent State University and a master’s in musicology from Brooklyn College.  She continued her classical flute training with Robert Langevin, principal flute, New York Philharmonic; and currently works with Vassilis Kyriakou, former flutist of the National Symphony Orchestra.  Her jazz mentors include Barry Harris, Billy Harper, Patience Higgins, and Arturo O’Farrill, among others. She has been teaching all levels of flute, using a combination of Suzuki and traditional methods, and beginning piano for more than 30 years.

Arath Corral, Guitar

Performances: All across the United States, France, England, Mexico, and Canada. Education: B.M., the University of Texas; M.M., William Paterson University; studied with Gene Bertoncini, Steve LaSpina, Rich Perry, and Mulgrew Miller. Faculty positions: La Guitarra Studio, El Paso Conservatory of Music, the University of Texas at El Paso, Phil Ramone Orchestra for Children, School of Rock (Hoboken branch), Brooklyn Prep Center.

PHILLIP SANTOS, PERCUSSION

Phillip Santos is a Canadian-born drummer, composer, and educator who grew up in Portugal. He became active in the country’s jazz and improvised music scene, performing at many of its leading venues including Hot Club Jazz of Portugal and Upstairs Jazz Club, and appearing widely throughout Portugal and Canada. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Performance from the Lisbon University of Music.

His playing draws from the jazz tradition while engaging with freer forms of improvisation and collective interplay. Now based in New York, he performs regularly, including at Ornithology Jazz Club, and has also worked as a music curator, organizing and presenting jazz performances in intimate listening venues.

Alongside his performing career, Phillip has over 12 years of teaching experience, including at Oeiras International School, and runs a successful private teaching studio working with students of all ages and levels. He has prepared students for college auditions, international music examinations, and a wide range of performances, focusing on helping students develop their own musical voice and relationship to the instrument.

Rob Garcia, Percussion

Rob Garcia has toured worldwide, including most of Europe, China, Korea, Israel, Turkey, Bahrain, Canada, and the United States. Venues include Jazz at Lincoln Center, Winter Jazz Fest, Celebrate Brooklyn, Vision Festival, The Town Hall, London Jazz Festival, The Ottawa Jazz Festival, The Toronto Jazz Festival, The Kingston Jazz Festival, The Blue Note (NYC, Napa, Beijing) Birdland, Iridium, Kitano, Smalls, and Firehouse 12. Teaching: Brooklyn College Preparatory Center, New York Jazz Workshop, Poly Prep Country Day School Conservatory, NY Hot Jazz Camp, Brooklyn Music Factory, Berkeley-Carroll School, NYC Public Schools, the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, and The British International School of New York. Garcia has delivered masterclasses in the United States and Europe, and has performed in more than 150 school assemblies organized by Lincoln Center, Arts Horizon,  and Brooklyn Arts Council. Performed/Recorded with: Joe Lovano, Sheila Jordan, Dave Liebman, Wynton Marsalis, Joseph Jarman, Catherine Russell, Noah Preminger, Anat Cohen, Kris Davis, Dan Tepfer, Kate McGarry, Woody Allen, Howard Alden, Lynne Arriale, John Benitez, John Bunch, Chris Cheek, Daniel Kelly, The Ghost Train Orchestra, Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks, Diana Krall, Myra Melford, The Kronos Quartet, Ben Monder, Donny McCaslin, Marty Erhlich, Jerome Richardson, Reggie Workman, Bob Berg, Ken Peplowski, Scott Robinson, Howard Johnson, Sonny Fortune, Bruce Barth, Wycliffe Gordon, Chris Potter, and many more. Recordings: Played on more than 70 albums, including Grammy winners. Released nine critically acclaimed albums as a bandleader (Fresh Sound Records, Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records) and five as a co-leader.

Arianna Goldina, Piano

Performances: Recital performances of the Goldina-Loumbrozo Piano Duo throughout North America, France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, Scandinavia, Russia, and the Baltic states; concerto appearances with the Detroit Symphony, Pacific Symphony, New World Symphony, Symphony of the Americas, Philharmonic Orchestra of Florida, and Latvian National Symphonic Orchestra. Lecture-Recitals: Throughout the United States. Broadcasts: Radio France, BBC, Television Polynesie, WVIA – Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, KUSC-Los Angeles, KSJN-Minnesota Public Radio. Recordings: Aaron Copland’s complete works for one piano, four hands, and two pianos; American Music for Two Pianos: John Corigliano and Ned Rorem; French Music for Two Pianos; Arianna Goldina and Remy Loumbrozo Play Liszt. Awards: Winner of five international duo-piano competitions, including First Prize, Second Dranoff International 2 Piano Competition, and First Prize, Seventh Valentino Bucchi Two Piano International Competition. Adjudicator: American Liszt Society, International Concert Alliance, the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition, and the Seventh Dranoff International 2 -Piano Competition. Education: Ph.D., piano performance, New York University; M.M., The Juilliard School of Music; diploma in performance, summa cum laude, Latvian State Conservatory; piano studies with Herbert Stessin and Martin Canin. Former faculty positions: French-American Conservatory of Music, Roosa School of Music, New York University, The Juilliard School of Music. Current faculty positions: Artist-Lecturer, Moravian University, since 1999; Prep Center since 2008.

Interview

What do you teach at the Prep Center?

Piano.

How old were you when you started music lessons?

I was six years old.

Why did you begin taking music lessons?

My parents saw that I was mesmerized by music and enrolled me in a local community music school. My teachers there noticed my ability and insisted that I audition for the special music school for gifted children. I was accepted and studied there until my graduation from high school. From there, my path led me to the Latvian State Conservatory and The Juilliard School of Music.

How do you vary your approach when you teach children at different ages and levels?

Each child is unique in his or her abilities and interests. I always adjust my approach to teaching students so as to nurture and support each child’s very special individual qualities to allow everyone to reach his or her full potential and shine.

Have you had any students who have had notable accomplishments (acceptance to a select middle school, high school, or college; competitions; special performances)?

Yes. My students have won statewide competitions at the MTNA New York State Piano Performance Competition, MTNA Pennsylvania Composition Competition, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania’s Young Classical Artists Competition, and Penn State’s Maria Garcia Piano Competition, and local competitions at Achievement Awards Auditions (Pennsylvania) and Mid-Winter Musicales (New York). I have had students accepted into music programs at Manhattan School of Music (pre-college and college divisions), Mannes School of Music (pre-college), Ithaca College (college division), University of Wisconsin at Madison (graduate school), and the Conservatory of Music of Brooklyn College (graduate school). Some students have been accepted into non-music programs, but continued to take piano lessons, at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, University of Chicago, Georgetown University, and Lehigh University. My students have also performed in major venues, such as Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Musikfest (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania), and WVIA radio.

What are your most important goals for your students?

The most important goal is to instill in each student a lifelong love of music and the ability to express himself or herself through playing an instrument. Whether or not students pursue a career in music, music should always remain an important part of their lives, a source of joy and happiness.

What are the most important recommendations that you give to parents whose children study music?

Piano playing is a skill that needs to be honed on a regular basis. Make practicing part of your children’s daily routine (e.g., always practice before doing homework), encourage them to listen to music at home, participate in music-related activities at school, and support their studies at the Prep Center.

Diane Kirkpatrick, Piano

Recitals: Throughout the United States and Europe, including, in New York, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, St. Peter’s Church, Riverside Church, the Museum of the City of New York, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Brooklyn Library, and, in Italy, La Rocca di Stellata, Villa Spisani, Teatro Versi, and Pallazzo Benincasa. Televised performance: WKRC Cincinnati. Soloist: With the Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra, Dayton Symphony, Springfield Symphony, and the Bowling Green Symphony Orchestra. Top prizes: National Federation of Music Club Young Artists Awards; American Music Scholarships Association Competition, University of Cincinnati. Publication: Brahms’ Poetic Character Pieces: Eight Clavierstucke, Opus 76. Education: M.M., B.M. piano performance with assistantship, Bowling Green State University College of Musical Arts; teaching assistant to Jerome Rose; piano studies with Mary Lou Krosnick, Audley Wasson, Robert Wynne, Elizabeth Cobb, Vincent Corrigan (harpsichord), and Jerome Rose. Full scholarship: Royal Academy of Music (London). Master classes: with Samuel Sanders, The Juilliard School; Lorin Hollander, Leon Fleischer, and Menahem Pressler. Former faculty positions: International Keyboard Institute and Festival, Mannes College of Music, College of New Rochelle, Bergen Community College, College of Musical Arts at BGSU, Brooklyn Music School, Roosa School of Music. Current faculty position: Prep Center since 1997.

Interview

What do you teach at the Prep Center?

Piano.

How old were you when you started music lessons?

As I am told, I could sing before I could talk—singing along with a music box and in perfect key. Being born into a family of musicians, this fact was taken quite seriously. My father was a violinist and had a beautiful tenor voice. He encouraged me to sing and to improvise on the piano until lessons in voice and piano began at age five. Soon I was playing music with the entire family.

Do you have a favorite memory from childhood?

My first musical memories are very strong and exceptionally early in my life—captivation at my first introduction to the sound of the piano, and recordings of Arthur Rubinstein playing some of the great piano concerti. Very powerful memories.

What are your most important goals for your students?

Developing technique, sight-reading skills, and musicality; exposure to varying repertoire; the nurturing of a basic love of music; and, above all, a very strong foundation in the use of the piano as a tool for expression.

Have you had any students with notable accomplishments (acceptance to a select middle school, high school, or college; competitions; special performances)?

Some of my students were finalists and semifinalists in the International Keyboard Institute and Festival Competition, and the Dorothy MacKenzie Artist Recognition Scholarship Awards, New York City, and won second place in the New Piano Stars Competition at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music in Glasgow, Scotland. Others have been accepted, some with scholarship, to the Conservatory of Music of Brooklyn College, Baldwin Wallace Conservatory (Cleveland), Mannes College of Music, Oberlin College, University of Michigan, Michigan State University, the Crane School of Music – SUNY Potsdam, the Royal Scottish Academy of Music (Glasgow), Birmingham Conservatoire (England), Conservatorium van Amsterdam, and the Royal Conservatoire of the Hague. In New York, many of my students have won auditions and attended music programs at Mark Twain, Bay Academy, Boody School of Arts, Middle School 51, Edward R. Murrow High School, Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, Professional Performing Arts School, Special Music School at the Kaufman Music Center, and LaGuardia High School of the Performing Arts.Notable concert halls where students have performed are Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Steinway Hall, and Merkin Hall. Students have won auditions and scholarships to the Eastern U.S. Music Camp at Colgate University, the Luzerne Music Center, and the Interlochen Arts Academy (Michigan).

What are your favorite accomplishments?

Several concerts come to mind as the highlights of my career. To be so well received—standing ovations!—in large halls by such enthusiastic audiences is truly exhilarating.

FUMIYO NARITA, PIANO

Education: B.Mus. and M.Mus. in Piano Performance, Brooklyn College, CUNY
Suzuki Teaching Certification – Piano Pedagogy, School for Strings (New York, NY). Awards:
Distinguished Pedagogue of 2015, International Music and Arts Society (IMAS). Solo Performances: Leschetizky Society (New York, NY), “Chopin 200,” Winter Garden (New York, NY), “Sing for Hope” Outdoor Concert Series (Brooklyn, NY), Nyack Library Concert Series (Nyack, NY), En-Ray Hall (Hokkaido, Japan). Radio: Featured guest artist interview on AIR-TESSHI, Hokkaido, Japan (May 2016). Commercial Recording: Timeless Romantic Classics for Piano (Arabesque Records, Z6884) — works by Liszt, Chopin, Mendelssohn, Schubert, Debussy, and Fauré

MASAKO YOKOUCHI, PIANO

Masako is an accomplished piano teacher in New York City with over 20 years of experience teaching a diverse student body. She studied music theory and technology at New York University and earned her Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance from Brooklyn College (CUNY), where she studied with Ursula Oppens.

Her repertoire spans a wide range of contemporary classical music, and she appeared at music festivals throughout New York City. Alongside her piano performances, she presents her compositions of ambient and experimental music. She has performed her works at MoMA PS1, the Pitt Rivers Museum at the University of Oxford, Off-Broadway venues in New York City, and in independent films.

A native of Japan, Masako also holds a degree in Education and a teaching certificate from the Aoyama Gakuin WJ College. She tailors her piano lessons to each student’s interests and personality, emphasizing strong fundamentals for beginners, and enjoys helping students develop a love for playing the piano.

SAEYOON CHON, PIANO

South Korean pianist Saeyoon Chon won First Prize at the 2018 Dublin International Piano Competition and has been a major prizewinner at numerous prestigious competitions, including the Maria Canals, Young Concert Artists, Vendome, Valencia Iturbi, Hanoi, Los Angeles, Orford, Cooper, Isidor Bajić, Seoul, and Hilton Head International Piano Competitions. At the Verbier Festival, he was awarded the Tabor Foundation Award as the outstanding pianist of the festival’s soloist programs.

After making his New York debut at Carnegie Hall, Mr. Chon has performed at renowned venues worldwide, including the Gewandhaus (Leipzig), Elbphilharmonie (Hamburg), Église de Verbier, Severance Hall (Cleveland), Seoul Arts Center, Salle Cortot (Paris), Koerner Hall (Toronto), Lincoln Center (New York), the National Concert Hall(Dublin), Salle Bourgie (Montreal), Jinji Lake Concert Hall (Suzhou), and Hong Kong City Hall.

As a dedicated chamber musician, Mr. Chon performs regularly at major festivals, including the Verbier Festival, Ravinia Festival, Four Seasons Chamber Music Festival, Rockport Chamber Music Festival, and the Hamburg Chamber Music Festival at the Elbphilharmonie. He has collaborated with esteemed artists such as Midori Goto, Barry Shiffman, Nicholas Kitchen, Denis Goldfeld, Michael Kannen, Thomas Carroll, Jens Lindemann, and the Calidore String Quartet.

As a soloist, he has appeared with the orchestras of Cleveland, Seoul, Hong Kong, Valencia, Hilton Head, and Astana, as well as the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra. Since 2022, he has served as Artist-in-Residence at Schloss Hafenpreppach in Bavaria, presenting annual chamber music projects and recitals.

A graduate of The Juilliard School, Mr. Chon is an alumnus of the Verbier Festival Soloist Academy and a fellow of the Ravinia Festival Steans Music Institute. His principal teachers include Robert McDonald, John O’Conor, Jeffrey Swann, Hyoung-Joon Chang, James Anagnoson, and Leon Fleisher.

In addition to his role as a piano instructor at the Prep Center, Mr. Chon is currently a Doctor of Musical Arts candidate at NYU Steinhardt, where he serves on the faculty in Piano Studies.

Vilija Naujokaitis, Piano

Chamber music performances: In Lithuania, Russia, Czech Republic, Switzerland, New York, and Washington, D.C. Accompanist: At M.K. Ciurlionis Art Gymnasium, Lithuanian Music Academy, and Vilnius Philharmonic Society, all in Lithuania, and Special Music School and Lucy Moses School, in New York. Organist, choir director and piano coach for piano studio: St. Augustine Episcopal Church, Brooklyn, New York. Education: Piano studies at Vilnius Conservatoire and Lithuanian Music Academy (Vilnius). Former faculty position: Vilnius Conservatoire. Current faculty position: Prep Center since 2009.

Interview

What do you teach at the Prep Center?

Piano.

Why did you begin taking music lessons?

I was born into a musical family. My father was a conductor/music educator, and my older sister is a pianist/composer, so it was natural that I started to play piano at home at a very early age.

How old were you when you started music lessons?

I started piano lessons at the local music school when I was six years old.

Did you always like to practice when you were a child?

Of course not! My grandmother, who always was at home, was in charge to make sure that I practiced constantly every day, and my father coached me once in a while, emphasizing the musical side of the practicing, trying to make the routine more creative than tedious.

How do you vary your approach when you teach at different ages and levels?

Whatever level or age of students I teach, my approach is generally the same: to make them understand that playing piano is a pleasure—physical, mental, and emotional. Practicing is an intriguing process rather than tedious work, and playing an instrument can bring a lifetime of satisfaction and joy.

What is your most important goal for your students?

To reach the top level of playing the piano and understand the music, considering each student’s abilities.

What are the most important recommendations that you give to parents whose children study music?

To create an environment for their children in which they could practice the piano constantly, that it could become a daily and enjoyable routine, but at the same time not to over push or to make it undesirable routine. Appreciate the music!

Violetta Zabbi, Piano

A native of Odessa, Ukraine, Violetta Zabbi is an accomplished pianist, educator, conductor, and coach. For the 16 years she has been living in New York, Zabbi has been involved in hundreds of opera projects with various companies. She is currently on the music faculties of Adelphi University and Brooklyn College. Zabbi is also currently the music director and conductor of Vocal Production NYC, New York Opera Studio, Delaware Valley Opera and the NYOS Opera Advantage Training Program. She often appears as a pianist and coach with Regina Opera, Hofstra University, and Opera Manhattan Repertoire. For the past two seasons she has performed with DCINY International at various stages, including Carnegie Hall and Avery Fisher Hall. Prep Center since 2018.

Daniel Hyman, Violin and Suzuki Violin

Performances: 50 years of string chamber music, including at 15 colleges across the United States, libraries across the tri-state region, recitals at NYC Bar Association, and concerts with harmonica virtuoso Jia-Yi He. Concertos at Cincinnati Congress of Strings and Indiana University. Solo vocalist at Tenri Cultural Center, Tilles Center, LeFrak Hall, and Bennington College. Conductor at LaGuardia HS and National Choral Festival. Alt-folk fiddling with The Moon And You at N.C. Stage in Asheville, all-Beethoven recital with Scott Faigen at Atikva Tsentr, Kiev. Contemporary music projects with composer/pianist Leonard Lehrman, live and on YouTube. Televised: WQED, WNYE Publications: “For a Well-Stocked Studio, Look Within…”, MEANYC Crescendo Education: B.M.  with high honors in violin, Indiana University/Bloomington; M.F.A. in Chamber Music (violin, viola, and voice) Sarah Lawrence College; M.S.Ed. in K–12 Instrumental Music Education, Queens College (CUNY); Suzuki Violin 2-year Teacher Training, School for Strings Awards: National Merit Scholarship, CUNY Academic Excellence Award Adjudication: NYSSMA, All-State Orchestra, Queens College CPSM Former faculty positions: 51st Avenue Academy (Q877), Queens College Center for Preparatory Studies in Music, British International School, Kiev Current positions: Calderone School of Music, Scarsdale Strings, Touro College (Education and Fine Arts), Prep Center since 2019.

Krasimira Ivanov, Violin and Viola

Performances: In Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Macedonia, Spain, and the United States; violinist: Plovdiv State Philharmonic and Opera Theater, Stara Zagora State Opera, AMDA Chamber Orchestra, Brooklyn College Orchestra, Manhattan Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra, Ensemble du Monde, Forte String Quartet, Bulgarian Piano Quartet, Trio “BG.” Broadcasts: Bulgarian National Television and Radio, Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, WNYC-New York. Education: M.Mus., Brooklyn College; M.M., B.M., Academy of Music and Dance Art (Bulgaria); violin studies with Masao Kawasaki. Former faculty positions: Rondo Music Festival (Vermont), Brooklyn College String Project, P.S. 58 String Program. Current faculty position: Prep Center since 2006.

Interview

What do you teach at the Prep Center?

Violin and viola.

Why did you begin taking music lessons?

I had a friend in kindergarten who was taking violin lessons, and I became interested.

How old were you when you started music lessons?

I was in first grade.

Did you always like to practice when you were a child?

I always loved to practice. My grandparents would sit and listen. My grandpa danced to some songs and I would laugh. A friend of mine would come over and we would practice together. It was my fun time!

Do you have a favorite musical memory from childhood?

I was the first chair of the children’s string orchestra.

How do you vary your approach when you teach children at different ages and levels?

For younger students, it’s more imitating and learning by ear. For older students, I insist on an understanding of notation, technique, and theory.

Have you had any students with notable accomplishments (acceptance to a select middle school, high school, or college; competitions; special performances)?

I had a number of students accepted to Mark Twain Middle School, La Guardia High School, and Edward R. Murrow High School. Some were competition winners; some entered chamber music programs and summer camps. Still others performed as soloists with the Brooklyn Youth Orchestra.

What are your most important goals for your students?

To build excellent instrumental skills, and to be able to fully enjoy performing and making music.

What are the most important recommendations that you give to parents whose children study music?

Consistency in practice—not a long time, but every day.

What do you like best about teaching music?

I enjoy teaching music and working with kids.

What are your favorite accomplishments?

Winning first prize in Bulgaria’s National Violin Competition and second prize in the 14 Violin Competition in “D. Chintulov,” Music School, Bulgaria; receiving the 2002–03 Dean Warren Schuyler Violin Scholarship for Outstanding Achievements at Brooklyn College.

Larisa Vollis, Violin

Performances: With Vladimir Philharmonic, Gubernatorski Symphony Orchestra, Adelphi University Symphony Orchestra, Mannes College Symphony Orchestra, Bronx Symphony Orchestra, and Moscow Symphony Orchestra. Education: M.M., Gorky Conservatory; Professional Instrument Diploma, Vladimir College of Music; violin studies with Lazar Gantman and Polina Brill. Former faculty positions: Vladimir College of Music, Taneev Music School, Island of Music School, Shostakovich School of Music, LISMA Long Island Conservatory. Current faculty positions: Hamilton-Madison House, Jewish Community Center, Prep Center since 2012.

Interview

What do you teach at the Prep Center?

Violin.

Why did you begin taking music lessons?

My parents brought me to music school when I was seven (my dad was a professional musician).

Did you always like to practice when you were a child?

I had to be prepared for my lessons, but I did not always like to practice.

Have you had any students with notable accomplishments (acceptance to a select middle school, high school, or college; competitions; special performances)?

I currently have students at Mark Twain and LaGuardia.

What are the most important recommendations that you give to parents whose children study music?

To love, support, encourage, and praise them.

What do you like best about teaching music?

We keep smiling and have fun!

Charlene Marcinko, Voice

Performances: At Yankee Stadium for Pope Benedict, the White House for President Bush, Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Kennedy Center, Boston Lyric Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Opera Iowa, Pittsburgh Opera, Utah Opera Festival, Aspen Opera, Virginia Opera, Opera Northeast, Mendelssohn Glee Choir, Catskills Glee Choir, Boston Lyric Opera, Aspen Opera, Boston University Opera Institute, Des Moines Metro Opera, Pittsburgh Opera Center, Opera Iowa, Alea III, Opera Orchestra of New York, Opera Northeast, Manhattan Opera, Virginia Opera, and Utah Festival Opera, as well as for the president and minister of culture of Costa Rica and in South Korea. Finalist: Metropolitan Opera. Education: M.M., Boston University; B.A., Peabody Conservatory; recipient, Lammont Belin Scholarship. Former faculty positions: Henry Street Settlement, La Guardia Community College (CUNY), Berkshire Choral Festival, Choir Academy of Harlem, Arts Alive Summer Gifted Program, Lucy Moses School of Music. Current faculty positions: Pennsylvania Counsel for the Arts, National Council Senior Center, Kathryn Brickell Music School, Prep Center since 2012.

Interview

What do you teach at the Prep Center?

Voice.

How do you vary your approach when you teach children at different ages and levels?

I teach students of all ages and levels. Teaching young children vocally differs from teaching teenagers and adults. These differences are based primarily upon physical development. However, one fundamental approach is to make sure that at every age and level, students are learning to use their voices in a healthy way. This will ensure their ability to develop their voice without encountering physical problems at any point during their development. Of course, in addition, with older students, it is possible to have bigger goals and work in a more detailed method.

Have you had any students with notable accomplishments (acceptance to a select middle school, high school, or college; competitions; special performances)?

I have had many students who have been admitted to performing arts schools and colleges.

What are your most important goals for your students?

The most important goal for my students is to understand what they are being taught and be able to bring the understanding to their home practice. They can then practice with the confidence that they are working in the right way.

Why is teaching so important and fulfilling?

As an experienced and accomplished performer, I am so pleased to be able to teach voice students all that I have learned.