The Santa Monica Academy of Music: Faculty Profiles

The Santa Monica Academy of Music faculty is diverse and able to meet the needs of every level of student-beginner through advanced, children through adults. Our youngest student enrolled in private lessons is 5 years old and our oldest is 85 years old. All of our instructors possess a passionate dedication to music education and are college, university, or conservatory trained.

Buzz Gravelle (guitar, piano, mandolin)

Buzz Gravelle has over twenty years experience as a music instructor. He is the founder, co-owner, and director for the Santa Monica Academy of Music, where he also functions as head guitar instructor. Additionally, he is an adjunct Professor of Music at California Polytechnic University at Pomona.

As a member of the Modern Arts Guitar Quartet (1990-1995) he performed regularly in California, in addition to Germany, Austria, Italy, Mexico (16th Annual Festival of New Music, Mexico City, 1995), and the Pacific Northwest. He stays active performing and recording on classical guitar and classical mandolin. See buzzgravelle.com for more information about his professional activities.

Buzz holds both a Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) and Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) degree from UCLA. His primary classical guitar instructors were Professors Peter Yates and the late Theodore Norman. He has also studied jazz guitar with Warren Nunes, composition with Manuel Enriquez, and lute and theorbo with Michael Egan.

Jessi Spike Gravelle (piano)

Jessi Spike Gravelle began her music studies at the age of four, in Chesaning, Michigan. Her many years of private study, various competitions and performance experience gained her admittance to Michigan State University's piano pedagogy and performance departments, where she studied with Ms. Yong Hi Moon. After transferring to UCLA as a music major in 1990 to study with Dr. Ick Choo Moon, Jessi continued her work in piano pedagogy by opening her own private teaching studio in Santa Monica. As her studio continued to grow, Jessi also earned her Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in English from California State University, Northridge in 1996. She is currently pursuing her Master's in Music Education from California State University, Los Angeles.

Marco Chiovato-Rambaldo (piano)

Marco Chiovato-Rambaldo began his music career in Italy where he studied piano, cello, and theory at Padua Conservatory of Music. During his early musical exploration, he developed an interest in a variety of different styles, among them jazz, music of the Baroque period, and rock. He has played and performed in a Baroque ensemble, in addition to blues, jazz, and rock bands. Under the influence of his former piano teacher, Maestro Basso, he began composing, improvising, and teaching.

Since moving to Los Angeles, Marco has been active teaching and playing solo piano. Currently, he is the musical director and choir conductor at the Sepulveda Unitarian Church, "The Onion", in Northridge. In addition, he is currently working on recording his first album and composing a musical.

Lois Starer (Suzuki violin)

Lois Starer received her Bachelor of Music degree from the State University of New York at New Paltz. She went on to receive Suzuki violin certification at the prestigious School for Strings in New York City, under the direction of Louise Behrend. Ms. Starer has taught and directed the Suzuki departments of many New York Schools including The Harlem School of Arts, the Bloomingdale House of Music, St. Hilda's and St. Hughes School and the Westport School of Music in Westport, Connecticut. In Los Angeles, she has taught at the Westwood Yamaha Music School, the Fine Arts Summer Day Camp and Temple Akiba.

Elaine Kim (piano)

Elaine Kim began her piano studies in Chicago, Illinois at the age of seven under the guidance of Denis Moffat and Whe do Kim. Within two years, she was competing internationally, placing in prestigious competitions such as The Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition, Young Keyboard Artists Association, and the Yamaha Piano Competition. She made her televised debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at age eleven, performing Rachmaninoff's First Piano Concerto. By age sixteen, Ms. Kim had the distinction of being the only pianist chosen from the Americas to compete in the Chopin International Piano Competition for Young Artists held in Moscow, Russia.

In 1998, Ms. Kim received a scholarship to the University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music where she studied under John Perry and Anne Perry. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities with an Emphasis in Music in 2003. Though her formative years were spent performing and competing, Ms. Kim has found her true passion in teaching music to students of all ages.

Tim Dolinar (winds)

Tim Dolinar is a versatile saxophonist in the realms of both classical and jazz music. As a classical saxophonist, he toured various cities in Germany and Italy as both an ensemble member and featured soloist with the Cleveland Youth Wind Symphony. He is a founding member and performer with renowned classical saxophone quartets such as The Northcoast Saxophone Quartet, The Cleveland Saxophone Quartet and Fresno Saxophone Quartet. Mr. Dolinar has also performed with various orchestras, including The Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra, The Baldwin Wallace Symphony Orchestra, and The Fresno Philharmonic. Mr. DolinarÍs ability as a jazz saxophonist has enabled him and varying quartets and quintets to perform at numerous jazz clubs throughout the United States. Mr. Dolinar holds a B.M. in saxophone performance from The Baldwin Wallace College Conservatory of Music and an M.A. in performance from California State University, Fresno.

Marina Kalantarova (piano)

Marina Kalantarova has an extensive background in piano performance, composition, and music education. She received her Master of Music degree in Composition, while attending the Moscow Conservatory in Russia, and her B.A. of Music in Piano Performance and Composition from Tashkent Conservatory. While in Russia, she worked at the Special Music School, where she taught piano, composition, and improvisation, also overseeing staff members as head of the Composition and Improvisation Department. Upon coming to the United States, Ms. Kalantarova was employed at the Lucy Moses School of Music and Dance in New York, NY. There she continued teaching piano, and also conducted a Music Education/Theory Workshop. Ms. Kalantarova has lived in Los Angeles since 1998 where she has been busy teaching piano at LeLycee Francais de Los Angeles and privately at her home studio, as well as composing music for films, animation, chamber and orchestral music. Ms. KalantarovaÍs publishers include Chant du Monde (Paris, France), and Composer Publishers (Moscow, Russia).

Rebecca Kollatz (violin, viola, cello)

An accomplished violinist and vocalist, Rebecca Kollatz began studying music through her school music programs in her native Wisconsin, where, after completing her Bachelor of Music in Music Education at Butler University, she returned to teach both choral and instrumental music. Before deciding to move to the Los Angeles area, Rebecca held the position of Director of Orchestras for John Bullen Middle School in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and was a member of the Mastersingers of Milwaukee. She has a Master of Arts in Education degree from Viterbo University.

Ron Aggabao (guitar, piano)

Ron began his musical studies on the piano at the age of 5, later adding the guitar at age 14. Ron continued his studies in composition, classical guitar and piano under the tutelage of Alex Komodore and Susan Cable at the Metropolitan College of Denver, where he performed in master classes with world-renowned artists such as Manuel Barrueco, David Russell, and Sharon Isbin. After developing a passion for the music of Africa in college, Ron spent several years touring the US as a lead guitarist for some of the countryÕs top world-music acts, eventually landing in Southern California, where he currently keeps busy as a lead and solo guitarist, studio musician and instructor. With over twelve years of teaching experience in private and group settings, Ron has developed a unique ability to connect with many different types of personalities of all ages while also tapping into each individualÕs unique musical and creative talent.

Edan Gillen (piano)

Edan Gillen began studying the piano at the age of 11 with Michael Coughenour at the Ukiah School of Music. He went on to earn a B.A. from Humboldt State University, where he studied classical piano with Deborah Clasquin. Edan has performed professionally as the leader of a jazz piano trio; he also performed in a national rock band during their tour of Argentina, Mexico and the United States. Today, Edan works as a piano instructor, recording artist and studio musician; he also composes music for film. Edan Gillen is a Yamaha Digital Music Artist.

Angie Solomon (piano, voice)

Angie is a native of Iowa farm country, and has lived in the Los Angeles area since 2009. Most recently residing in Kansas City, she was the soprano apprentice with the Kansas City Lyric Opera. She appeared as Papagena in that company's production of Die Zauberflšte in the spring of 2008 and has a broad resume of opera and musical theater roles to her credit, including recent stints at the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival. Besides stage work, Angie has several years of experience teaching private voice and piano lessons, and maintained a studio of undergraduate voice students at the University of Kansas. She also particularly enjoys working with young children and has worked (and played!) extensively with them at music schools in the Kansas City area. Angie received her B.A. in music from the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, MN, and her masters of music from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Meghan Turner (trumpet)

A native of Vancouver, Meghan Turner completed her initial schooling in the Pacific Northwest. Receiving a Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of Victoria, a Master of Music Degree from the University of British Columbia, and an Artist Diploma from the Vancouver Academy of music. In 2002, Meghan moved to Los Angeles to pursue a Doctor of Music Arts Degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, which she completed in 2006. A versatile performer, Meghan has played in a variety of ensembles ranging from jazz and salsa bands, orchestras, chamber music and solo appearances. An advocate for music education, Meghan has been involved in music outreach programs through both UCLA and the Santa Monica School District.

Lindsey Cloud (voice, piano)

Originally from Dallas, Texas, Lindsey has been singing since she was a child. Lindsey grew up performing in vocal competitions and concerts and went on to receive a Bachelor's in Voice from Rhodes College in Memphis, TN, a prestigious private liberal-arts university on Vocal Scholarship and soloed with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. Although classically trained, she has fronted jazz bands and cover bands. Lindsey also teaches clinics on vocal technique in schools to middle and high school students. Now located in Los Angeles, Lindsey is pursuing session singing for film and TV music and continues her love of teaching and performing. She recently was the back up vocalist for the band Standing Shadows whose music appears in several TV shows such as Huge.

Yosuke Miyoshi (Trombone)

Yosuke Miyoshi is currently the director of bands at Paul Revere Charter Middle School in Brentwood, California. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Trombone Performance and Music Education from the University of California, Los Angeles where he also received his Single Subject Teaching Credential. He continued his studies at Point Loma Nazarene University receiving a Master of Arts in Education. Prior to accepting the position at Paul Revere Charter Middle School, he was the band, choir, and guitar director at Santana High School in Santee, California. Yosuke continues to activity perform as a freelance trombone player in Los Angeles and regularly performs with various concert bands and jazz ensembles. Yosuke also teaches private trombone and euphonium lessons in the West Los Angeles area. He has remained active in the marching band activity and has served as the brass caption head for the Impulse Drum and Bugle Corps the 2006 Drum Corps International Division 3 Champions and Spirit of Disney award recipient. He has also been on the staff and has been a clinician for the marching bands at various high schools in Southern California. In 2009 he was awarded the Petrick Excellence in Education Award from the Palisades Charter Schools Foundation, Airbourne Teacher Trust Fund Grant, and Palisades Charter School.