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Tag: Piano

Mr. David Lowe

Written by RSM on . Posted in Instructors.

Mr. David Lowe has decades of experience as a performer, writer, independent researcher, and educator in many genres of music.
For many years he has informally studied West African Styles, Brazilian Styles, Cuban and Caribbean Music, Jazz, Art Music, and Early Music. He continues to research and refine his discipline.

As a composer, arranger, and performer, he is fluent in traditional writing, popular music, and Jazz. His professional training began as a self-taught electric bassist developing relationships with musicians like Koko Taylor, Albert King, and John Lee Hooker. His experience inspired him to formalize music studies and earn a degree in composition in Boston. Over the past decade, he learned to play Double Bass from Ira Gold. He devotes efforts to refining his bass soloist and writing skills and his independent research. His current projects include surveying the musical development of the North Eastern region of Brazil, African American Church Music, Early Italian Music Pedagogy, and Early European Folk Music and Dance Traditions. Additionally, he operates an experimental musicianship skills training lab. The goal is to develop customized standards-based instrumental music instruction for learners interested in learning popular music and jazz professionally.

Mr. Quan Le

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Originally born in Vietnam, Mr. Quan Le started piano lessons at the age of 8. In 2017, Mr. Le decided to pursue a music career as a pianist. He completed his Associate Degree of Arts from Montgomery College in 2020 and Bachelor of Arts from St. Mary’s College of Maryland in 2022 under the guidance of pianist Brian Ganz. This fall, Mr. Le will continue to pursue a Master’s Degree at the University of Maryland.​

Mr. Le believes music has a supernatural power of helping people escape reality, and enter a magical world filled with imagination and wonders. It is within music that he feels the voiceless can speak and the blind can see. It is where one can become true to oneself with no fear of being criticized. It is with music that Mr. Le overcame the challenges in life, and it is his wish to share music with as many people as he can.

Ms. Yun-Ting Kuo

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Ms. Yun-Ting Kuo began studying the piano at the age of 5 and the violin at 8 in Taiwan. After a year, she began playing the viola. During her studies, Ms. Kuo majored in viola performance and minored in piano performance. She is currently pursuing a Graduate Performance Diploma in viola performance at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, studying with Ms. Victoria Chiang and Mr. Choong-Jin Chang. She received her Master of Music with full scholarship at the Peabody Institute and a joint Bachelor degree from Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, National University of Singapore and the Peabody Institute.

Ms. Kuo was invited to Shanghai Orchestra Academy to perform in the 5th anniversary concert with Franck Huang, the concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic. She has attended multiple music festivals, which includes the Korean National Symphony Orchestra Academy and the Aspen Music Festival with fellowship in 2018 and 2019. From 2013 to 2015, she joined the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra’s International Youth Orchestra under the baton of Cho-Liang Lin and was selected to perform in the faculty concert. She also participated in the Formosa Chamber Music Festival in 2014.

Ms. Kuo has won numerous prizes in the National Taiwan Music Competition in viola and chamber music. She is passionate about teaching as well and has been teaching piano, violin, and viola for over 10 years in Taiwan and Silicon Valley. She has accompanied students and friends in concerts and auditions as a pianist and has helped them achieve their goals.

As an active orchestral violist, Ms. Kuo is the violist of the York Symphony Orchestra. She has played with the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra, and served as the principal violist in Aspen Conducting Academy. She is also the substitute violist of the New World Symphony. She has played in the masterclasses of Gábor Takács-Nagy, Jonathan Vinocour, Hsin-Yun Huang, Stephen Wyrczynski, Ken Hakii, Scott Lee, Che-Yen Chen, and Endellion Quartet.

Dr. Ji Eun Kim

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Soprano Ji Eun Kim was born and grew up in Seoul, South Korea. She earned her Bachelors Degree in Voice from Yonsei University in Korea. In the United States she received her Masters Degree in Voice from the Peabody Conservatory studying with Prof. Phyllis Bryn-Julson, and an Artist Diploma in Voice and Opera from the Cleveland Institute of Music studying with Dr. Mary Schiller. Recently, she received her Doctor of Musical Arts in Voice and Opera from Boston University studying with Penelope Bitzas. Now, she has relocated to Gaithersburg in Maryland and is teaching, conducting and singing for the choir at Korean Presbyterian Church of Baltimore.

Dr. Kim has performed numerous roles in opera productions of the Boston University Opera Institute including Violetta (La traviata, act 3), Lidoine (Dialogues of the Carmelites), Miss Wingrave (Owen Wingrave), Vitellia (La clemenza di Tito), Eliza (Dark sisters), and Donna Anna (Don Giovanni). Also, she performed Komponist in Ariadne auf Naxos and Beatrice in Beatrice et Benedict while at Cleveland, and Countess in Le nozze di Figaro and First Lady in Magic Flute while completing her Masters Degree. For concert work she performed the whole work of Handel’s Messiah and Haydn’s The Creation in the Yonsei Concert Choir and was the soprano soloist of Handel’s Dixit Dominus, HWV 232 with Neponset Choral Society. Recently, she made her debut at Boston Symphony Hall as a soprano soloist of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony conducted by Ken-David Masur. In the summer of 2015, she was a featured artist at Opera Theater of Pittsburgh and performed the role of the Countess in Le nozze di Figaro.Dr. Kim was a first prizewinner in both the local Metrowest Opera Competition and the Piccola Opera Competition in New Hampshire; 4th prize winner of the Bel Canto Competition and received the encouragement award from the NEMPAC competition in Boston. Dr. Kim has received several accolades for her opera performances. Among them includes the fall 2012 performance of Violetta in the third act of La traviata at the Fringe Festival with the Boston University Opera Institute. “Kim’s initially delicate singing accurately depicted Violetta’s physical and mental frailty, but she revealed a clean, well-tempered sound in her passionate duet with Alfredo.” “Ji Eun Kim used her gleaming soprano to penetrating effect as Composer” in Ariadne auf Naxos, and “Ji Eun Kim brought warm charisma to the opera’s subversive protagonist, Eliza, and shaped a strong, resolute persona with minimal resources” in Nico Muhly’s Dark Sisters.

Ms. Emilie Flores

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Violinist and Pianist, Ms. Emilie Rose Flores was born in Takoma Park, Maryland and began her violin studies at the age of seven under the tutelage of the legendary master, Korean teacher and performer Mr. Ang. Ms. Flores was selected as the concert mistress to perform chamber music and solo concerto performances at the College Park Youth Orchestra. While finishing high school, Ms. Flores was accepted into the New England Youth Ensemble (NEYE) of Washington Adventist University as the first violinist. As an avid pianist and violinist, Ms. Flores has toured with NEYE throughout the world performing a myriad of concerts from New York to Australia. Though her performances overseas and throughout the United States have included recordings, solos with orchestras and chamber music concerts. Her recital programs invariably include shorter works, of which she is so fond, as well as the larger masterpieces. Ms. Flores is a Carnegie Scholar and has performed with several recording artists such Pentatonix’s MR Kevin Oulusola, Beatriz Taylor, and others. Ms. Flores is pursuing a Bachelor Degree in Music Education and Performance from Washington Adventist University, is an active piano and violin teacher and in addition to teaching, Ms. Flores enjoys performing as a free-lance musician in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area.

Dr. Summer Xue Xia

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Dr. Summer Xue Xia graduated from University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music with a degree of Doctor of Musical Arts.

As a professional, Dr. Xia has had various solo and chamber performances. She has participated in numerous master classes, festivals and recitals. She was previously selected as a performer to represent the University of Cincinnati in the “National Association of Schools of Music.” She was awarded second prize winner for piano solo and sixth prize winner for piano duo at the Third Hong Kong Chinese Piano Works Competition. She also received second prize at Hong Kong Beethoven Piano Competition. Dr. Xia was a scholarship recipient for the John L. Magro Foundation in Cincinnati.

Besides solo experiences, Dr. Xia has abundant collaborative and accompanying skills. During her graduate assistantship in the doctoral program, she accompanied for more than 40 recitals and concerts with instrumentalists and vocalists, including distinguished musicians, professors, and guest artists from renowned symphony and universities. She has performed in recitals with horn players from Chicago Symphony Orchestra, trumpeters from Canadian Brass, tuba professor from Arizona State University, horn professors from Peabody Conservatory and University of Illinois. Dr. Xia has played in master classes with world-renowned artists such as the Swedish clarinetist Martin Frost, American singer Deborah Voigt and British Lieder Graham Johnson. In addition, Dr. Xia performs with composer friends. She performed composer Xian Wang’s piano work titled “the Sound from My Memory” which was featured in the Midwest Composers Symposium at the University of Michigan.

Born in China, mainland, Dr. Xia began studying the piano at the age of 5. Before coming to the United States, she obtained a bachelor’s degree in piano performance at Shanghai Conservatory of Music.

Dr. Xia gained teaching experience during her college years. She taught students at various age groups. The students she taught were at different level; early beginners, intermediate and advanced beginners. She has helped many children pass piano grade exams and helped adults to learn the music they enjoyed. Dr. Xia hopes to share the joy of piano with new students and friends in the future.

Dr. Monica Roberson, Director

Written by RSM on . Posted in Instructors.

Monica Roberson, D.M.A, is a recognized performer, composer and music educator. Before receiving her Doctorate of Music in Composition/Theory and Piano Performance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Dr. Roberson also studied at Peabody Conservatory of Music where she received her Master’s of Music and the University of North Florida where she received her Bachelor’s of Education in Music.

As a pianist, she has performed throughout the United States to rave reviews. She has been featured on public television in Jacksonville, FL. Her piano playing has been described as “passionate and energetic.” She has competed in various piano competitions and received awards such as third place winner of the DeBose National Piano Competition.

As a composer, Dr. Roberson has composed various pieces ranging from solo to symphonic works. Her music has appeared in master classes with world-renowned vocalist, Dawn Upshaw. She has won several composition competitions, some of which include winner of the Margaret Blackburn Composition Competition. She was also awarded the Eubie Blake Scholar Award for outstanding musician and composer. During her studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, she was awarded a grant from the Women’s Studies program in order to compose her chamber opera piece titled “A Room of One’s Own” based on the book by Virginia Woolf. She currently accepts commissions and participates in collaborations with artists. With every note she writes, she strives to touch the souls of listeners through rich, colorful, and energetic sounds.

As a teacher, Dr. Roberson has received positive ratings from her students. She teaches piano, strings, woodwind, brass and percussion. Her students have won various competitions and scholarships in competitions such as ACT-SO, MSMTA, MTNA and Piano Guild. She has recently taught at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Spelman College, Howard University, the University of Maryland at Baltimore County and Anne Arundel Community College. She has also assisted with the growth and development of private piano programs at the Nathan Carter School of Music, Maryland Conservatory of Music and Champaign School of Music. Dr. Roberson has also taught general music, band and choir at Holy Trinity Episcopal School Elementary School, Greenland Pines Elementary School and Grace Episcopal School. Dr. Roberson is a recipient of the Guild Teachers’ National Honor Roll Award from the American College of Musicians for preparing top students for piano adjudication and international composition contests. In 2022, she was award the Piano Guild Hall of Fame. Dr. Roberson is currently a part-time professor at Howard Community College.

Dr. Roberson is also active in church music ministry. She has served as musician and assistant director at the Cross Creek Presbyterian Church and Mt. Nebo Baptist Church in Jacksonville, FL, Warner Baptist Church in Falls Church, VA, and Friendship Lutheran Church in Savoy, IL. She has also served as the Director of Music at the Oakland Baptist Church in Alexandria, VA.

Additionally, Dr. Roberson is a writer and publisher. She has written several articles for Salem Press and EBSCO Publishing’s multi-volume of biographical and analytical publication of Musicians and Composers of the 20th Century as well as The Forties in America. She has also written several articles in their upcoming multi-volume of The Twenties in America, The Thirties in America, and Great Lives from History: African Americans. Dr. Roberson is also the publisher of Roberson Music Publishing Company where several of her works have been published.

In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and reading her favorite books.

To learn more about Dr. Roberson, visit her website.