FACULTY

Inessa Beylin - Piano, Vocal Coach
Honors graduate, Mussorgsky College of Music; Advanced Performance Degree, Tel Aviv University; vocal coach/accompanist, Academy of Music, Tel Aviv University, International Vocal Arts Institute, Italy and Israel; Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music.

Ron Bickel-Jazz Piano
MMus, Duquesne University; faculty, Pittsburgh Public Schools and Duquesne University; extensive jazz performances locally and nationally.

Thomas Blobner-Theory/Composition
BA, University of Pittsburgh; graduate studies with Joseph W. Jenkins, Theory/Composition, Duquesne University; faculty, LaRoche College and University of Pittsburgh; Chair, Musicianship Program, CCAC.

Eric Brockschmidt-Guitar
BFA, Indiana University, Pa; MMus,Guitar Performance, Duquesne University.

Gregory Buyanover-Cello
MArts, Cello and Music Education, Gnessin School, Moscow Conserv- atory; member, Moscow Symphony Orchestra and State Symphony Orchestra of Cinematography; Principal Cellist, Moscow Chamber Orchestra Music Theater.

Henry Doktorski-Accordion
BA, Piano Performance and Music Education, Park College; MMus, Composition, Duquesne University; first place winner of the 1990 "American Accordion Musicological Society" Virtuoso Solo Competition; performed with cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, violinist Itzhak Perlman, and with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Tanglewood Festival Orchestra and the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble; author "The Classical Squeezebox ... A Short History of the Accordian in Classical Music," soon to be published by Hohner Verlag of Germany; founder of "The Classical Free Reed, Inc." accessible on the Internet at trfn.clpgh.org/free-reed.

Roberta Erickson-Handbells, Handchimes
Member of the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers (AGEHR) and Solo to Ensemble Project (STEP); former District Coordinator for AGEHR Area II; studies with Christine Anderson, Sueda Luttrel, Ron Belamy, Bobbie Schmidt, Beth Klein, Michael Kastner and Kevin McChesney; Director of Handbells, Oakmont Presbyterian Church and The United Presbyterian Church of New Kensington; handbell soloist with frequent performances throughout western Pennsylvania.

Taras Filenko-Piano
Graduate of the Tchaikovsky State Conservatory; Lecturer and Senior Research Associate, Institute of Ukrainian Studies at Kiev University; PhD, Ethnomusicology, University of Pittsburgh; recipient of a Fullbright in 1994; solo appearances in Eastern and Western Europe.

Perry Jonathon Gatch III-Percussion
BMus, Education; MMus, Performance, Duquesne University; studies with Gerald Unger, Andrew Reamer, Stanley Leonard and Lenny Rogers; freelancer in the Pittsburgh area since 1990; Adjunct Professor, Mus. Ed., Duquesne University; Chair, Percussion Department, Westminster College; founding member of "Tempus Fugit," a performing percussion ensemble.

James Gorton - Oboe
BMus, Eastman School of Music; Rochester National Scholar and winner of Performer's Certificate, Eastman School of Music; former member, Rochester Philharmonic, Eastman Rochester Orchestra and Principal Oboe, Rochester Chamber Orchestra; Principal Oboe and soloist with Colorado Philharmonic and New Hampshire Music Festival; Co-Principal Oboe, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra; faculty, Duquesne University.

Jim Guerra-Chair, Jazz Department/Saxophone
BMus, Berkeley; studied with Joe Viola and Charles Mariano; performs with Civic Light Opera, Pittsburgh Ballet and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra; adjunct faculty, Duquesne University.

Jack Howell-Clarinet

Marian Irwin-Suzuki Violin
BFA, Violin Performance and Music Education, Carnegie Mellon University; registered through Book 10 with the Suzuki Association of the Americas; participated in Suzuki workshops and Institutes at Ithaca, NY, Steven's Point, WI and Chicago, IL; visiting faculty, String Department, Penn State University; member, McKeesport, Butler, Westmoreland, Johnstown and Wheeling Symphony Orchestras; first violin with the Burchfield String Quartet; currently Middle School String Specialist, Bethel Park Schools.

Jeff Irwin-Suzuki Violin and Viola
BFA and MFA, Violin Performance, Carnegie Mellon University; studied with David Cercone and George Grossman; completed study of the Suzuki literature at Ithaca College, Steven's Point and Chicago Institutes and is now registered through Book 10 with the Suzuki Association of the Americas; performing musician with the Wheeling, Westmoreland, McKeesport, Butler and Johnstown Symphony Orchestras; violist, Burchfield String Quartet.

Ken Karsh-Chair, Guitar, Jazz Guitar
BMus and MMus, Guitar Performance, Mary Pappert School of Music, Duquesne University; Berklee College of Music Alumnus; performances with Jimmy McGriff, Eric Kloss, Bobby McFerrin, Lee Konitz, "Papa John" DeFrancesco, Jack McDuff, Gene Ludwig, Bernadette Peters, Nathan Davis, the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Principal fretted instrumentalist for a variety of Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera musical theater productions; fretted instrumentalist for the Pitssburgh Opera Orchestra; recordings with Gene Ludwig, Eric Kloss, Arnold Sterling, James Brown-Orleans, Bobby McFerrin and the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra; faculty member at the Mary Pappert School of Music at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA; faculty member for the Duquesne University Summer Guitar Workshop; publications include Jazz Scale Workout (Mel Bay Publications) and Fingerboarding Made EZ: Scale & Arpeggio Visualization for Guitar; CD Ventana available on Alanna records

Rhian Kenny-Flute
BMus, McGill University; studies with Timothy Hutchins; winner Concours de L'Orchestre Symphonique de Trois-ivieres, Concours de L'Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal and Concours de L'Orchestre Symphonique de Quebec; Principal Piccolo, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra; faculty, Duquesne University.

Dean Kokanos-Voice
BMus Duquesne University, MMus Carnegie Mellon. Teaching Artist Pittsburgh Opera, The Memphis and Cleveland Operas. First Prize Winner Pennsylvania chapter of the National Society of Arts and Letters and received one of the Four District Encouragement Awards from the Metropolitan Opera's National Council Auditions.

Performed locally and abroad in roles including Nemorino (L'Elisir d'amore), Ernesto (Don Pasquale), Bill (Flight), Remendado (Carmen), Beppe (Pagliacci) Tebaldo (i Capuleti e i Montecchi), Count Almaviva (Barber of Seville) and Lindoro (L'Italiana in Algeri). He has performed with Pittsburgh Opera, Opera Theatre of Pittsburgh, Opera Memphis, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Sarasota Opera, Opera Grand Rapids and Opera Theatre and Music Festival of Lucca, Italy.

Igor Kraevsky-Piano
BMus and MMus, Diploma with Distinction, St. Petersburg Conservatory; Artist Diploma, Duquesne University; winner of National competitions in Russia and Ukraine; taught and performed in L'Academie de Musique d' Epinal and L'Academie de Musique de Guerande; faculty member, L'Academie International de Musique de Semur an Auxois de Bourgogne in France; concertized throughout Eastern Europe, France, Germany, Spain and the U.S.; co-founder, Annual Shady Side Chamber Music Festival and music festival "Spring in Moulin d'Ande" in France; Chair, Music Department, Berkley Carroll School, Brooklyn, NY; founding member, Pittsburgh Piano Trio.

Edwarda Kremen-Piano
BMus, Piano Pedagogy, Mussorgsky College of Music; MMus, Piano and Choral Conducting, Institute of Culture, St. Petersburg, Russia; piano faculty, Children's Choral School, St. Petersburg and Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, Milwaukee; staff accompanist, University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee; winner, Wisconsin Public TV Music Competition; chamber music recitals in Russia and the U.S.

Israel Kremen-Composition/Piano
DMA, Music Composition, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; MMA, Music Composition, Theory and Piano, Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory of Music, St Petersburg, Russia; piano and chamber music compositions published in Russia, recorded in the U.S., performed in New York, Boston, Pittsburgh, Houston and Milwaukee.

Charles Lirette-Trumpet
Oberlin College Conservatory of Music studies with Gene Young, Don Tison and Bernard Adelstein. Former member of the Buffalo Philharmonic and principal trumpet for the Jerusalem Symphony. Co-Principal trumpet, Pittsburgh Symphony since1981. Faculty, Duquesne University

Jayne McDonald-Chair, Musicianship/Dalcroze Eurhythmics
BMusEd, Messiah College; Dalcroze Elementary Certificate, Carnegie Mellon University; MMus Education, Duquesne University; teaches vocal/ general music at Highland Middle School, Blackhawk School District.

Mary Moser-Violin
BMus in Performance University of the Pacific; MMus in Performance and Pedagogy, Arizona State University. Member of Erie Philharmonic and Youngstown Symphonies. Principal Second Violin for Musica Nova Orchestra in Scottsdale, AZ; member of the Arizona State University Contemporary Music Ensemble. Has participated in workshops in Rome, Italy, Tanglewood and Aspen. Studies with Katherine McLim, Jane Cromwell, Ilivia Hajioff and James Stern. Suzuki training with Ronda Cole, Michele George, Teri Eimfeldt, Stevie Sandven and Edmund Sprunger.

Emily Paladin-Musicianship
BSci in MusEd Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Robert E. Cook Honors College; piano studies with Jacqueline Anderson and Edwin Fry; vocal studies with Joanne Luchsinger; member Pittsburgh Madrigal Singers, Zelienople- Harmony Community Band. Teaches vocal and general music at Burchfield Elementary School, Shaler Area School District.

Kazumi Petinaux-Piano
BMus, Kunitachi College of Music, Tokyo, Japan; MMus, Vocal Coaching and Piano Accompaniment, Duquesne University; accompanist, Pittsburgh Boys' Choir, Cleveland Opera and Duquesne University Opera Workshop; instructor, opera coach and accompanist, University of Akron, Ohio.

Joseph Petron-Chair, Suzuki Violin Department
BMusEd and MMusEd, Duquesne University; faculty, public and private schools K -12; post-graduate studies in Suzuki teaching methods, both in the U.S. and with Dr. Shinichi Suzuki in Matsumoto, Japan; faculty, Suzuki workshops and Institutes; member, McKeesport Symphony.

Freya Samuels-Chair, Chamber Music Program/Cello
BMus, New England Conservatory; recipient C.D. Jackson Master Award; former member, Opera Company of Boston Orchestra, Atlantic Symphony (Canada), Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, ALEA III-Contemporary Music Ensemble in residence Boston University and Toledo Symphony; former faculty, New School of Music (Cambridge, MA), All Newton Music School and Heidelberg College; guest faculty, Miami University of Ohio, Bowling Green State University and University of Toronto; currently freelance cellist in Pittsburgh.

Robert Schmalz-Trombone, Chair Winds-Brass
BSci (MusEd), Duquesne University; MA, PhD, Historical Musicology, University of Pittsburgh; trombone studies with Mattie Shiner; member, Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera Orchestra, The Louisiana Phil harmonic and the Wheeling, Johnstown, Altoona, Acadiana, Lake Charles and Rapids City Orchestras; founding member, Louisiana Brass Ensemble; retired as Ruth S. Girard Endowed Professor of Musicology and Professor of Trombone/ Euphonium, University of Louisiana-Lafayette.

Lara Seifarth - Early Childhood/Musicianship
BA Music (major flute) and psychology: music education certification Westminster College relevant in this situtation. Studies Dalcroze Eurhythmics Carnegie Mellon University. Faculty Blackhawk Elementary School.

Natasha Snitkovsky-Artistic Director/Chair, Piano Department
Early training: Central Music School, Moscow; MMus, Moscow Conservatory; studied with Jacob Milstein; winner, Passamaneck Competition; first prize winner, D'Angelo International Piano Competition; solo recital, Carnegie Hall, New York; concert tours in California, Louisiana, New England, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania and New York; performances with Moscow State Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, American Wind Symphony, Bedford Springs Festival Orchestra and "Mostly Mozart" Festival; faculty, Gnessin Institute of Music, Moscow and Carnegie Mellon University; "Master Teacher" award from World Piano Competition and "Who's Who Among American Teachers" 2002; master classes in Japan, Taiwan, Mexico, Italy and Israel; piano faculty, Duquesne University; co-founder, City Music Center; founding chairperson, Duquesne Young Artist Competition; Director, Summer Piano Institute.

Peter Snitkovsky-Chair, String Department/Violin
Artist and Teacher Diploma, Moscow Conservatory; member, Moscow State Symphony; Chair, String Department, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

Anoush Tchakarian - Piano
BMus National Music Conservatory, Sofia, Bulgaria; MMus Artist Diploma Duquesne University. Graduated Piano Performance and Piano Pedagogy Diplomas in the piano class of Vera Mitcheva. Participated as soloist in national and international festivals in Bulgaria, England, and Finland as well as with different chamber music ensembles. Laureate from various national competitions with Special and Second Prize from the National Competition for German and Austrian Music, and the Special Prize of His Excellency the German Ambassador in Bulgaria. Soloist of the National Music Conservatory Orchestra in 2001 in Sofia, and soloist of the Duquesne Symphony Orchestra in Pittsburgh in 2004 as the winner of the Concerto Competition. Recordings for the Bulgarian National Radio, the Bulgarian National Television, and WQED Multimedia. 2006 Winner Western Pennsylvania Steinway Society Piano Competition. Member of the National Music Honor Society Pi Kappa Lambda.

Aaron White-Double Bass
Studies at Southern Methodist and Duquesne University. Studies with Thomas Lederer and Jeffrey Turner. Member of Louisville and Florida Orchestras. Currently member of Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

Andrew Wickesberg - Viola
BMus in Viola and Violin Indiana University and a MMus in Viola Performance from New England Conservatory. Former member of the New World Symphony. Worked with such distinguished condutors as James Levine, Kurt Masur, Michael Tilson-Thomas and Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos; studied under the direction of Marcus Thompson, Atar Arad and Alan deVertch. Member of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

Rufina Yefimova-Violin
MArts and Mus Ed, Moscow Conservatory, student of Belenky; member, Russian National Orchestra under Pletnyov and Spiakov.

Effective June 1, 2011, CMC will begin processing Summer Tuition Payments online. Final tuition payments for the current academic year should continue to be processed through the CMC office.

Please note, credit card payments will be subject to a 2.55% prcessing fee. Payments by check or eCheck have no fee.

Access the payment site