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The Santa Monica Academy of Music faculty is diverse and able to meet the needs of every level of student-beginner through advanced, toddlers through adults. All of our instructors possess a passionate dedication to music education and are college, university, or conservatory trained.
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.
Buzz Gravelle (guitar, piano, mandolin)
Buzz Gravelle has over fifteen 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. His university teaching experience includes studio and group guitar, musicianship and music theory classes.
As a member of the Modern Arts Guitar Quartet (1990-1995) he performed regularly in Southern 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.
Buzz has composed much music for the classical guitar. An area of special interest is the prepared guitar. His composition "They Go On Mumbling...(An Elegy for John Cage)" is one of the few pieces written for four prepared classical guitars. Buzz Gravelle is also one of the few classical fretless guitarists and composers. See www.myspace.com/buzzgravelle 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.
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.
Wes Radlein (violin)
Wes Radlein began studying the violin at the age of thirteen, first with his father, then with Kurkan Vrouyr. At fifteen, in addition to the violin, he began the 'cello and studied with Lucien Laporte. He has played extensively in many ensembles and community orchestras throughout Southern California. He is a studio musician and has been active in recital work with various artists at UCLA and USC. Wes is also accomplished on the viola and the viola da gamba which he studied with August Wenzinger at the University of Southern California and in Italy.
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.
Lauren Pardini (voice)
Lauren Pardini, a native of Philadelphia, began studying music at the early age of three. Her passion for voice and piano led her to pursue her studies in New York where she received her Bachelors of music at New York University. Recently, she relocated to Los Angeles in order to earn her Masters of Music from University of Southern California. As a performer, Lauren enjoys all styles of music. She has done such roles as Gretel ( Hansel and Gretel ), Tullia ( Camilla ), the Chinese Teacup ( L'enfant et les sortilegees ), and the Seamstress ( the Happy Prince ). She has performed in concert with the USC University Chorus, the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra and the NYU animation department at the Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center. As a pop singer, she has performed in various New York venues as well as recording on such labels as Sony and Lava/Atlantic.
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.
David Babich (voice)
David began singing and playing clarinet at age 9. He has been active professionally as a vocalist, composer, multi-instrumentalist and actor since 1992 when he received his B.A. in Voice and Composition from UCLA. He spent 1994-2004 in the S.F. bay area where he performed in over 25 plays and musicals as an actor, musician or musical director. His favorite musical roles were the title role in "Woodyî Guthrie's American Song", Max in "Lend Me A Tenor" (though he's really a Baritone!) and The Wolf from "Into the Woods". He is currently finishing his debut solo album, "Mind Aside", which blends pop, folk and Jazz.
Tamar Shengelia (piano)
Tamar Shengelia, a pianist of unique talent, trained at the Tbilisi V. Saradjishvili State Conservatory, one of the most distinguished musical institutions of the territory of the former Soviet Union. Tamar entered the conservatory after graduating two years early from the Georgian School for Gifted Children. She holds a Master degree in Chamber Music and ensemble accompaniment (with honors). Tamar has performed with several symphony and chamber orchestras in Georgia, as well as with recognized duets, trios and quartets. She has also accompanied renowned singers and given solo recitals in Georgia and the US. Throughout her brilliant career, she has gained recognition as an artist of tremendous versatility and won many prizes. Tamar is also a gifted teacher and has been teaching music since 1990.
Peter Cho (guitar)
Native to Los Angeles, Peter Cho is versatile guitarist skilled in classical, jazz, and rock styles. In 2003, he graduated in guitar performance at the University of California at Santa Barbara, studying with John Dearman and Brian Head. While attending, Peter has performed in the masterclasses of Carlos-Barbosa Lima, Dusan Bogdanovic, Paul O' Dette, the Assad duo, and the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet. In 2003 and 2004, he attended the Bowdoin International Music Festival in Maine, studying with Ricardo Iznaola. His other teachers include jazz artist Robert Conti and rock virtuoso Paul Hanson.
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. DolinarÕs 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.
Lisa Pietruszka (piano)
Lisa Pietruszka received her Bachelor of Music degree from Florida Atlantic University in 2005 and has been a music educator for the past ten years. Prior to returning to Los Angeles, she spent five years on faculty teaching music at the Rabbi Alexander S. Gross Hebrew Academy in Florida. Over the past 25 years, Ms. Pietruszka has trained with numerous top musicians. She has given multiple solo public performances, and was an orchestral soloist at California State University Northridge. She has also studied chamber music in Europe and has participated in international music festivals. Ms. Pietruszka currently maintains a private piano teaching studio and is a certified Kindermusik educator.
Andy Nathan (guitar, bass)
bio coming soon!
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. KalantarovaÕs publishers include Chant du Monde (Paris, France), and Composer Publishers (Moscow, Russia).
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