Meet our talented staff members!
Piano
Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance – University of Southern California, Master of Musical Arts in Piano Performances – Yale University, Diploma in Piano Performance – Fontainebleau Ecole des Beaux Arts, Bachelor of Music Degree in Piano Performance – University of Cincinnati
Winner of McElroy Scholarship Piano Competition, University of Cincinnati, College Conservatory of Music. 1st Place Winner National Chopin Competition, Buffalo, NY. Awarded the Winchell Scholarship and Sprague Award, Yale University.
Appeared as a soloist with such orchestras as Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre du Capitole de Toulouse, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Cincinnati Philharmonia, Yale Philharmonia and Concerto Avenna Warsaw
25 years of experience as a concert pianist.
Cello
Arts Certificate at Azusa Pacific University
Born in Brazil, Jefferson began his studies in the Sao Paulo Municipal Music School under the guidance of world-recognized cellists , such as Raiff Dantas, Kirill Bogatyrev, Fabio Presgrave and Joel de Souza. In 2004 he joined the Sao Paulo Youth Orchestra. In 2008 Mr. Martins was appointed principal cello at São Paulo University Chamber Orchestra where he had the opportunity to perform with respected musicians such as Leo Brouwer, duo Assad, Tim Fain, Toninho Ferragutti, Hamilton de Holanda and Diego Schissi, and conductors such as Aylton Escobar (Brazil) and Kirk Trevor (USA). Jefferson was also principal cellist at the Guarulhos Youth Orchestra from 2011 to 2013. Jefferson Martins was featured as the soloist with the Guarulhos Orchestra after being awarded first prize of the Youth Soloist Competition in 2013. In 2015 he won the revelation award prize awarded by the Arianna String Quartet. In 2019 he won the All Stars competition at La Sierra University. As an engaged chamber musician. Mr. Martins was also awarded first prize of the “IMKA” International Internet Music Competition – Chamber Music category as Trio in 2017 and second prize of the “IMKA” International Internet Music Competition – Chamber Music category as duet in 2017. He attended masterclass with Richard Marckson (USA), Antonio Del Claro (Brazil), Doron Toister (Israel), Martin Zeller (Holland), Antonio Menezes (Brazil), Adrian Fung (Juilliard school), Leonhard Bartussek (Orchestra Arte Del Mundo), Niko Trieb (Orchester der Klangverwaltung), Kurt Baldwin (Arianna string quartet), Lynn Harrell (USA – Montecito Music Festival).
Jefferson Martins finished his Arts Certificate at Azusa Pacific University in 2017. Currently Jefferson Martins studies under the guidance of Marek Szpakiewicz at La Sierra University.
Guitar and Ukulele
Bachelor of Arts in Commercial Music Performance – Cal Poly Pomona
Pomona Unified School District Music Enrichment Instructor since 2012
12 years of experience in Musical Instruction
Jess Navarette began teaching guitar in 2006 while still a student, and has since flourished into a professional educator – working with music studios, school districts, and giving many private lessons. In 2011 he graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with a B.A in Commercial Music Performance, having primary studied on guitar. Jess is a well-rounded instrumentalist, often filling various roles in ensembles such as bass guitar and percussion. Jess has taught students of all ages and levels, including adults, and has prepared countless students for performances and recitals. Jess primarily teaches guitar, ukulele, and drum set, and has many years of classroom teaching experience as well.
Violin and Music Therapy
Natalia started to learn the violin with 9 years old on Music Conservatory Dr. Carlos de
Campo in Tatuí city – São Paulo, with teacher Glória Bertrami in Suzuki method. Has
taken part on the Curitibas Music Festival for three years in the Suzuki class.
With 15 years old whent to São Paulo to study with Professor Cecilia Guida in São
Paulo City Music School.
Has taken part on several Music festivals as Poços de Caldas Music Festival
(MG), Juiz de Fora Music Festival (MG), Jaraguá do Sul Music Festival (SC).
With 20 years old whent to Vienna, Austria to study with Professor George Hamman in
Johann Sebastian Bach Musikschule where she lived for two years.
Back to Brasil, she started the Bachelor in Music Therapy in FMU, where she graduated
in 2017.
Piano
Bachelor’s Degree in Music Composition, Massey University, New Zealand
An accomplished pianist, accompanist and highly experienced piano teacher for private and group classes which includes piano performance and music composition for gifted children. She has 30 years of successful teaching experience with children and adults, ages 3 to 70, onsite and online, for examination achievement, recitals and personal learning pleasure. She has taught at Yamaha Music School in Singapore and performed at their teachers concert and selected for “Intensive Up-Grading Seminar” program led by Yamaha Music Foundation, Japan.
Her aim is to help students unlock the meaning and message of any piece of music, approaching each lesson fully committed to spark a student’s imagination and musical understanding. She equips students with the practical skills of lead sheet reading, accompaniment styles, transposition and improvisation so they can take their creativity and love of music in many directions, helping students become problem solvers and independent learners, as they find their own artistic voices. She has received extensive training in children group classes that include solfege singing, rhythmic activities, ear training and keyboard repertoire. She strives to make every lesson fun and inspiring as she strongly believes in building good and positive fundamental learning in every child. She also provides training for group classes teachers.
She serves actively as a church pianist and choir director and performs for many events. Her musician quote,
“When you play a piece of music again, play it differently”.
Violin
Bachelor of Music degree in violin performance from the China
Conservatory of Music in Beijing
Master degree of Violin Performance from Cal State LA
Artist Diploma at Azusa Pacific University
Yue won the Excellence Award in the 2012
International Strings Competition in Hong Kong. Since 2016, he has studied with
professor Suli Xue, a violinist of the LA Phil and a violin professor at USC Thornton
School of Music. He earned master degree of violin performance from Cal State LA in
Currently, he is studying for Artist Diploma at Azusa Pacific University. Yue won
the second prize of the 2019 Young Artists Competition in California.
Saxophone
Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance with an emphasis on classical saxophone at California State University of Fullerton
Gail Genuino is a classical saxophonist currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in music performance with an emphasis on classical saxophone at California State University of Fullerton. She has done extensive solo work with multiple recitals and has performed in top ensembles such as the wind symphony and orchestra of CSUF, and various groups such as quartets and duos. She has been hired to perform in other groups and university ensembles as well as commercial work in television.
Advanced Piano
Bachelor’s of Arts Degree, Ukraine
Piano
Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in piano performance from Federal University of Paraíba
Artist Certificate from Azusa Pacific University
Born in Brazil, Thaissa Santiago began playing the piano at age seven under the guidance of professor Norma Romano and since then, she has been participating in orchestras, music festivals and playing as a chamber musician and accompanist. With local Brazilian youth orchestras she has performed in Argentina, the United States and some Brazilian cities and, for ten years, she was a member of the Municipal Chamber Orchestra of João Pessoa. From 2008 to 2010, she worked as a substitute piano teacher at the Federal University of Paraíba and in 2009 she was approved as a piano teacher at the Music Conservatory of Pernambuco. Thaissa holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in piano performance from Federal University of Paraíba under the orientation of Dr. José Henrique Martins and an Artist Certificate from Azusa Pacific University from the studio of Dr. Joel Clifft. She is currently a student of Dr. Elvin Rodriguez at La Sierra University, where she was one of the winners of the All Stars Concerto Competition in 2019. For three years she served as the accompanist of the Covenant Choir at Grace Church of Glendora and she is currently a piano teacher at the Azusa Conservatory of Music, Music-N-Smart.
Woodwind and Brass
David Flores studied at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music (BM ’05) where he was awarded the Dean’s talent award for exceptional solo performance and the Margaret Jones scholarship for academic excellence. David completed his graduate studies at the Cleveland Institute of Music (MM ’09). Studying closely with the members of the Cleveland orchestra helped David to achieve first prize in the 14th annual Darius Milhaud Performance Competition.
David has held positions with Opera Circle Cleveland, the Mansfield Symphony Orchestra in Ohio, and the Beck Center for the Arts performing on flute, saxophone, and clarinet in pit orchestras.
Music has given David the opportunity to perform in many prestigious concert venues in the United States and Europe. Including the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, Severance Hall, the Theater of Champs Elysees in Paris; Saint Francis Basilica in Assisi, Italy; at Saint Angelo Castle in Rome; and at the International Music Festival in Meiringen, Switzerland.
David Flores is a committed proactive music teacher with the appropriate resources and experience required for efficient and effective learning. Mr. Flores currently teaches music theory and instrumental instruction classes in the greater Los Angeles area and distance learning music classes online. David Flores is an active member of the Music Teachers’ Association of California and is certificated by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.