Jon Minei began his performing career at age 19, premiering at the Mirabelle Palace in Salzberg, Austria and also at Mozart's Residence in Vienna.  In addition to classical guitar, he has performed with a variety of musical theater companies; performing as a pit musician for Man of La Mancha at the renowned 2001 Tony Award Winning Utah Shakespearean Festival in Cedar City, Utah.  David Nichols of the Los Angeles Times calls his playing "Superb!"  The late Poly Warfield of Backstage West describes his playing as "...plangent strains of enchantment ..." 

As a soloist and ensemble player, Jon has performed extensively locally and abroad.  His principle instrument is a 7-string classical guitar with extended lower and upper registers, made by Michael Thames of Taos New Mexico. 

As an educator, Jon Minei owns and directs Opus Music of South Bay and conducts and arranges music for the Opus Music Rocktet (a rock 'n' roll orchestra).  He is also an adjunct faculty member at El Camino College in Torrance.  Jon is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Southern California pursuing a DMA in classical guitar.

Keegan Anglim will be receiving his doctorate in Studio/Jazz guitar at the University of Southern California this year.  He has studied with the preeminent jazz and classical teachers during his studies including Bruce Foreman, Frank Potenza and Pat Kelly.

Mitch Chang hails from Honolulu, Hawaii.  Mitch holds a BM in Classical and Flamenco Guitar from the University of Hawaii, Manoa.  Mitch is the President of Kala Koa Entertainment (www.kalakoa.com) and is the premier concert promoter of guitar and Hawaiian cultural events in the Southern California territory including the 2011 Los Angeles Guitar Festival, 2011 Los Angeles Flamenco Festival, 2011 Slack Key Festival all taking place at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center.

Mitch enjoys teaching ukulele students who are young and "young at heart."  There is no question that Mitch Chang is the finest ukulele instructor in all of the South Bay.

Kim Cuda is a Los Angeles-based guitarist who has been composing and producing for teleision, film and national commercials (radio and TV). A studio guitar player for many years, Kim uses his versatility by composing in many different styles of music. From the beautiful acoustic slide guitar heard on Ken Burn's Emmy award-winning documentary "Unforgivable Blackness," to the hard-edge driving rock guitar on the Golf Channel's Monday Night Lights. 
 
Kim is a very committed and highly knowlegeable guitar teacher. He works well with kids and adults. As a guitar teacher in high demand, his main focus is on the rock/blues repertoire but is also committed to teaching music fundamentals to beginners including reading and developing a thorough knowledge of chord vocabularies.

Ori Huberman, is a phenomenal guitar teacher with insights into the rock genre. Ori received his music education from Musician's Institute in Hollywood, CA. An active performer, Ori performs frequently with various cover bands in the LA area spaning music of The Beatles, Heart, Eric Clapton, Fleetwood Mac, and much more. He is also an avid fingerstyle guitarist and is well versed in many American traditional guitar stylings of Chet Atkins and Laurence Juber.

Ori is also our electric bass guitar teacher and banjo teacher.

Yoshi Kojima received his masters in Studio/Jazz guitar at the University of Southern California.  Mr. Kojima is also a gifted classical guitar teacher.  He studied jazz guitar with bebop jazz legend Joe Diorio and classical guitar with Los Angeles Guitar Quartet member Scott Tennant. Mr. Kojima has attended numerous master classes, including those held by Jim Hall, Pat Martino, Tuck Andress, Eliot Fisk, Manuel Barrueco and Pepe Romero. While attending the Master’s Program at USC, Mr. Kojima taught private lessons and group guitar classes to both music and non-music majors. Mr. Kojima has performed in and toured over thirty states with a variety of musical groups. Mr. Kojima’s musical interest includes a wide variety of music, and he especially loves blues, rock, jazz and classical music

Taka Mori began his musical career in Tokyo, Japan.  His primary guitar teacher was renowned jazz guitarist Yasumasa Suzuki.  In 1995 he graduated from AN Music School in Tokyo.  He is featured on recordings with top performing artists in Japan such as Ripslyme (hip-hop), Ann Sally (jazz vocalist) and Noon (jazz vocalist).

Chris Spilsbury has been involved with music for the better part of the last 20 years. Throughout high school Chris won several awards as best soloist in several jazz festivals including CSU, USC, and the Colorado all state jazz band. It was a scholarship through the Colorado Youth Pops Orchestra that made it apparent that Chris should continue his musical studies. After an acceptance and an additional scholarship to the Berklee College of Music, Chris was led to Boston where he honed his skills as a musician.

While in Boston Chris had the opportunity to study with some of America's preeminent artists including Charlie Banacos, Wayne Krantz, Tal Farlow, Mick Goodrick, Bruce Bartlett, and Mark White, among many others. Chris has also performed with tel-arc recording artist Hiromi, bassists Steve Jenkins and Tony Grey, taiko group onensemble, composer Chris Opperman and many others. A graduate of Berklee, Chris has relocated to Los Angeles where he now performs and teaches regularly

Born in Tokyo, Japan, Ms. Ando started playing the piano at the age of four. Upon receiving a degree in music at Tokyo Junshin College, she moved to Los Angeles, where she continues her studies. She has participated in festivals in Tokyo, New York, and Stockholm, and made special guest appearances in concerts around California. Ms. Ando has completed her studies at the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California studying piano performance. Her goal is to obtain her doctoral degree in music (DMA) and to teach piano at the college level.

Ms. Ando enjoys teaching beginning through advanced students of all ages. Her youngest piano student is four years old. She is also fluent in Japanese and English.

Francisco "Pancho" Burgos, originally from Madrid Spain, graduated in Classical Piano Performance from Madrid Royal Conservatory, and in Classical Composition and Film Scoring from Berklee College of Music in Boston. He was assistant conductor for the Longwood Symphony Orchestra in Boston under the supervision of musical director Francisco Noya. During his years in Boston, Pancho worked as a teacher at schools in Boston and Providence as well as a private instructor. He has also toured and recorded extensively through Spain and in the US. Among the numerous artists that Pancho has recorded and toured with are: jazz singer Gabrielle Goodman, pop-rock band Blue Water, singer-songwriter Matt Chase, pop recording artist Chris Emmerson - featured in the WB series Dawson's Creek - and R& B recording artist Chrissy Poland. A Film Composer, Pancho recently landed in LA to pursue his career as both a composer and performer. He is also the Musical Director for the Contemporary Opera of Los Angeles.

Mr. Yamazaki began taking piano lessons at four years of age and went on to attend music studies at Toho School in Tokyo, where he studied music theory, chorus and piano.  He also began taking pipe organ lessons during high school in New York. 

 

Mr. Yamazaki was the winner of the Bennington County Choral Society Competition in 1992 and 1993.  He entered Julliard School majoring in pipe organ from 1993 to 1994 while continuing to study the harpsichord and duo piano at the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music from 1994 through 1996.

Hiroki Konno, originally from Saitama prefecture, a suburb of Tokyo, Japan, has been a professional chanson and jazz singer making his debut in 1988.  He studied French chansons from Ms. Izumi Arima dn Italian canzone from Mr. Susumu Murakami.  Mr. Konno is in high demand throughout the greater Los Angeles are as a vocal coach to both professionals and amateurs.  He has performed extensively throughout Southern California and Japan.  He was awarded top prize in the Chanson Competition of Japan in 1993.  He graduated with honors at theMusician's Institute in Hollywood, CA in the vocal performance departement where he also received training in vocal pedagogy.  In 1995, He returned to Japan as a faculty member at the Musician's Institute in Japan.  Mr. Konno subsequently returned to the

Heriberto Ramos has studied cello at UC, Irvine and at Cal State Long Beach in the renowned Bob Cole Conservatory of Music.  Mr. Ramos is an active cello teacher in the South Bay as well as throughout Orange County.  He is also an assistant conductor with the North Torrance Youth Music Ensemble (NTYME).

Mr. Ramos is excellent with young kids as well as adults.  His students are standouts in various youth orchestras throughout the South Bay and in Orange County.  He is currently taking students by audition only.

Availability: Thursday & Saturday

Originally from Tokyo, Japan, Mr. Sasaki has been playing violin since he was three years old.  He holds a degree in Violin Performance from the renowned Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at Cal State University of Long Beach.  In addition to his demanding teaching and performing schedule, Mr. Sasaki is also an active composer, arranger and copyist.

Mr. Sasaki is tremendously gifted with teaching young children as well as adults.  He stresses sound foundational technique and expression.  He is also able to conduct lessons in both English and Japanese.

Availability: Thursday, Friday and Saturday

Originally from Tokyo, Japan, Kirika Suzuki completed her Bachelor's degree in Violin Performance at the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at Cal State University of Long Beach under the tutelage of renowned violin pedagogue, Linda Rose, author of Progressive Scale Studies published by Kjos.

Ms. Suzuki is tremendously gifted with teaching young children as one of her students (8 years old) recently won top prize at the 2011 Young Artists Competition at CSU, Dominguez Hills and was the featured soloist with the West Covina Symphony concerto competition.

Jennifer Tuinenga currently holds both a Bachelor’s degree in violin performance from Hope College in Holland, Michigan and has her Master’s in violin performance at the Cole Conservatory at CSULB. Some of her performances have included solo work with the Hope College Symphonette at the 2007 Michigan Music Conference, the Grand Valley State University Bach Festival, as well as various recitals.

Also an active chamber musician, Jennifer was a member of the Tutti String Quartet and gave several performances with them including a private performance for the Great Lakes Colleges Association.

Jennifer also enjoys orchestral performing and has played with the Holland Symphony Orchestra, West Shore Symphony Orchestra, Hope College Orchestra and Symphonette, University Symphony at CSULB and YMF Debut Orchestra. She has also had experience playing in pit orchestras and has played for a variety of musical theater productions.

Aside from performing, Jennifer has had a significant amount of experience working with students of all ages. She has also provided opportunities in chamber music for her private students. In addition to her private studio, she has worked with students as manager for the area youth orchestra in her home town and was chamber music coach for the Holland Pre-College Chamber Music Program

Yu Fujii currently performs with the Pacific Flute Ensemble, Japan America Chamber Ensemble and the Viridian Wind Quintet. Ms. Fujii has performed in numerous ensembles at the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music such as Wind Symphony, the Symphony Orchestra and University Flute Choir. Yu Fujii played principal flute in the Symphonic Band for two consecutive years and has traveled with the group to perform in Fresno, CA and Reno, NV. She has performed in masterclasses with artists such as Robert Langevin, Shigenori Kudo, Robert Dick and Dorli McWayne.  She is a member of the Suzuki Music Association and has experience teaching children as young as 4 years old. Ms. Fujii is a Dean's List graduate from the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at Cal State Long Beach where she received her Bachelor of Music degree in Flute Performance.  

Hiro Hidaka received his BA in Saxophone Performance at The Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at Cal State University of Long Beach.  As a teacher, he is able to teach baritone, tenor and alto saxophones as well as clarinet.

Hiro actively performs throughout Los Angeles and Orange County and is currently taking students on Wednesdays and Thursdays.  He teaches young children as well as adults and conducts lessons in both Japanese and English.

Availability: Wednesdays & Thursdays

Grace Mehm holds a Master's Degree in Oboe Performance from the Bob Cole Conservatory of music at California State University, Long Beach. At the Cole Conservatory she had the privilege of studying oboe and english horn with Carolyn Hove.

Her Bachelor's Degree, also in Oboe Performance, is from the Hartt School of Music of the University of Hartford in West Hartford, Connecticut. While there she studied with oboist Humbert Lucarelli and was a longtime member of the Cheshire Symphony Orchestra. She has extensive experience teaching private and group lessons, including lessons in reed making.

Emily Noble holds a Masters degree in Flute Performance from UC, Santa Barbara.  She has played in a variety of ensembles including Dansaire, a Scottish folk ensemble based in Santa Barbara, CA.

Ms. Noble also assists and performs regularly with Opus Music's rock 'n' roll orchestral ensemble, the Rocktet.  She has a beatiful rich tone and technical brilliance.  Ms. Noble enjoys teaching young children as well as adults. 

Alfonso Manuel Pimentel Garcia (Al Pimentel)  was born in Mexico City.  Shortly thereafter his family moved to the United States where he would be brought up. Music never lacked being a part of his everyday life since he came from a family of musicians. Growing up he would be exposed to many kinds of music such as Classical, Jazz, Pop, and Folk music. By age 12, music would become his passion and soon after he was looking toward a career in that particular industry, whether it be arranging, composing, or producing.

It wasn’t until he was in high school that he decided to focus on performing since being on stage gave him a thrill like nothing else he had done. Soon his listening habits changed to more accommodate his taste in music since by now he had been focusing on Jazz Saxophone. At the time that he started his formal musical studies at El Camino College he had picked up other instruments along the way that were not in the woodwind family such as Euphonium, Trombone, and Tuba. His primary instructor is renowned jazz saxophonist, Ann Patterson. He studies both Jazz and Classical saxophone and thanks to Patterson he is now recognized as one of the better known gigging Saxophonists in the college.

A versatile musician, Mr. Pimentel has had the pleasure to work in a variety of musicals where he has been able to show his range by being featured on saxophone, flute and clarinet.

Mr. Pimentel enjoys teaching children and adults of all ages and levels.  He has had experience teaching both classical and jazz.

 

Hails from Penang, Malaysia. Caster performed professionally with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira, National Symphony Orchestra of Malaysia and numerous other symphonic groups throughout the world, including Brazil, Canada, Italy, Australia, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, etc. Currently, he is pursuing his doctoral degree at the USC Thornton School of Music. His teachers include Andrew Balio (Baltimore Symphony), Boyde Hood (Los Angeles Philharmonic), David Greenhoe (Quad City Symphony), John Bourque and William Theis (Malaysian Philharmonic). Besides playing modern trumpets, Caster also plays baroque trumpet and perform regularly with USC Baroque Sinfornia. Since 2010, he has been appointed as music director/ conductor of the Youth Symphony West Orchestra. His students have been received musical awards and performing music festivals throughout the country.  Here are some of Caster's students: