Jeanette Berry
Voice

Born and raised in the suburbs of New York City, Jeanette Berry was surrounded by arts and culture even before she was born. Both her parents being artists and musicians laid an excellent foundation for the ear, work ethic, mindset, and perspective as a working artist. She began as a member of the Children’s Theater Workshop of Westbury, run by her mother. Her love of music and singing was evident from a young age. She sang as a member and soloist in the Westbury United Methodist Church as well as played in the handbell ensemble. She continued her studies in high school where she went to Nassau BOCES Cultural Arts Center (now known as LIHSA). She studied musical theater and vocal jazz performance along with her science, math, and social studies. She took her talents to Philadelphia, where she attended The University of the Arts. She began as a musical theater major then transferred into the music department. She studied Vocal Jazz Performance and Music education. She made the city of Philadelphia and its music scene her after-hours classroom as well. Attending jam sessions and workshops at Ortliebs, Chris’ Jazz Cafe, Dowling's Palace, she began to find her own voice. As a senior, her private lesson teacher, Justin Binek suggested she write an original song for her senior recital. Jeanette had never written a song before this. She had written poems, but never a full song. She wrote two original songs for her senior recital and has not stopped writing since. While in Philadelphia and after hearing her original music, a friend and graduate student Ian Rafalak asked if Jeanette wanted to write more music. The Jeanette Berry Trio was born. They did jazz gigs and worked around town and began working on an EP of original music. While working on her own music, she also worked as a singer in the 8 piece Voices of the Pops ensemble with Peter Nero and the Philly Pops. They performed at least two shows a season with the ensemble in their home at the Kimmel Center and also at the Independence Day celebration. She was also working with a Smooth Jazz Cover Band who had the opportunity to have a residency at the now-closed Zanzibar Blue and open up for acts like the Ohio Players and Parliament Funkadelic. The Jeanette Berry trio turned into Jeanette Berry and the Soul Nerds. The band saw one of their first singles licensed for the T.V. Show Single Ladies on VH1. The Soul Nerds have performed all across the east coast and midwest with their brand of Soul, R&B, & Jazz. In 2011, Jeanette got a call from her former professor, Marc Dicianni that there were auditions for a recording artists tour. She auditioned and was hired to sing tenor for Ms. Lauryn Hill. Jeanette sang with Ms. Lauryn Hill for an East Coast Tour, two years of the Rock the Bells’ tour, FESPAD, an annual Dance and Culture Festival in Kigali, Rwanda, a Blue Note Residency, and other one-two night shows around the country.

In 2019 back in NY for a couple of years after finishing graduate school and teaching in Tiffin, Ohio Jeanette Berry and the Soul Nerds disbanded after producing one full-length album, one live album, and one EP and performing hundreds of shows in New York, Philadelphia, and D.C. Jeanette began working on a solo ep, entitled Solivagant. Solivagant was released on February 14th, 2020. Jeanette also released an EP, Life Feels Better by the Water August 12th, 2021. With her move to D.C., she is looking to perform, teach privately, and record a new album. She is also an Organizing Committee member of Music Workers Alliance, an organization created to help advocate for better working conditions, better pay, and safer spaces for music workers across the country.

Hoorig Poochikian
Violin

Armenian-American violinist Hoorig Taline Poochikian began playing the violin with her mother at the age of six. She has performed at a number of venues across North America including Carnegie’s Weill Hall, the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater, Merkin Hall and the National Arts Center in Ottawa, Canada. She has also performed in Armenia, Egypt, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. Hoorig completed her doctoral degree in violin performance at Stony Brook University, studying with Hagai Shaham, Arnaud Sussmann, Phil Setzer and Jennifer Frautschi. An avid chamber musician, Hoorig has studied and performed in masterclasses with many distinguished artists such as Arnold Steinhardt, Laurence Lesser, and Gil Kalish. She has also had the privilege of collaborating with members of the Emerson String Quartet, Avalon String Quartet, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, pianist Christina Dahl and composer Vache Sharafyan. Hoorig made her live radio broadcast debut on Classical KING FM in Seattle. She completed her Master of Music degree at the University of Ottawa on a full- tuition international arts scholarship, studying with Yehonatan Berick and her Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Maryland on a full-tuition creative and performing arts scholarship, studying with Dr. James Stern. Formerly an associate member of the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, Hoorig has held leadership positions in several orchestras. With over ten years of teaching experience, Hoorig also has a special passion for education.

Kelton Norris
Drums

DC-based drummer and private music instructor Kelton Norris is originally from Raleigh, Mississippi. He has performed and worked with artists and ensembles such as Vero Pérez, Allyn Johnson, Joan Rivers, Sharon Clark, Jose Andre Montano, Jessica Boykin-Settles, Hamiet Bluiett, Cyrus Chestnut, Vincent Gardner, Afro-Blue, Levon Mikaelian, Rodney Whitaker, Thad Wilson, Cristian Perez, Herman Burney Jr., Ron Blake, Victor Provost, Elijah Jamal Balbed, Shannon Gunn, and many others. In 2016, Kelton was named Best Drummer by the Washington City Paper.

Kelton obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and his Master of Music degree from Northern Illinois University. His hands-on training includes performing throughout the United States, China, and Trinidad & Tobago. He has also been a featured performer with the Chicago Jazz Orchestra, Northern Illinois University Jazz Orchestra, and as a guest musician on Bravo TV’s popular show, Top Chef.

Kelton holds a high standard for himself and his students. He teaches musicianship skills, instrumental technique, music theory, and music history at several locations across the tri-state while also maintaining a full-time performance schedule. Kelton is a private music teacher for the Sidwell Friends School, School of Rock, and Holy Trinity Episcopal School. This year, he will join the staff at Make A Wave Music Academy and at Shepherd University in West Virginia. Known throughout the DC jazz scene as a fiery and collaborative player, Kelton has also recorded albums with Shannon Gunn (Gunn’s Ablazin - 2019), Andrew Flores

(For You, For Me Too – 2018), and Elijah Balbed (Karma Suite – release date pending). He is also working with Cristian Pérez on his new album.

Pianist Kao Osawa, a native of Japan, is an active soloist and chamber musician. Kao began her piano studies at the age of 5. She received many prizes in major competitions. She graduated from the Toho Music High School in Tokyo, Japan.

Kao continued her piano studies in the United States at the Manhattan School of Music as a Presidential Award recipient, from where she graduated with honors. During her undergraduate tenure, Kao participated in numerous competitions. She received the second prize and best commissioned work at the Renee B. Fisher competition. Kao won the first prize in the C.W. Post Festival Concerto Competition and performed with Festival orchestra in August 2000. Morever, she was a winner at the Artist International Competition and gave New York Debut Recital at the Weill Carnegie Hall in 2002. Also, she was the first prize winner of the Rosalind and Joseph M. Stone Bergen Philharmonic Concerto Competition and performed Chopin Concerto with the orchestra in 2005.

Kao has attended many music festivals as a scholarship student, including the East Hampton Festival, the TCU Cliburn Piano Institute, the Aspen Music Festival, the Sunflower Music Festival and the C.W. Post Music Festival, where she performed major solo and chamber music repertoire.

As an educator, she has worked at the Zen Music Center from 2005 to 2007 where she won the educator of the year award. She worked at the Westerhoff Music School from 2006 to 2013 where she both taught and performed.

Bienvenido is a Latin Grammy award winning jazz pianist and a Yamaha certified instructor who has been active for over a decade. Bienvenido studied jazz piano at both the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico and the Conservatory of Music of the Dominican Republic, with a degree in Jazz and Caribbean Music. He also holds a certificate in composition, arrangement and harmony of Jazz, issued by the University Pedro Henríquez Ureña (UNPHU) Santo Domingo, sponsored by the United States Embassy in the Dominican Republic.

Bienvenido’s performing experience includes groups such as Charlie Sepúlveda and the Turnaround Latin Jazz Group, Fidel Morales AfroCuban Jazz Group, and Au Vivo, for whom he was musical director. He was also nominated for a Latin Grammy Charlie Sepulveda and the Turnaround, with the album "Mr. EP a Tribute to Eddie Palmieri" in 2017, and won a Latin Grammy the same year as a pianist on the album "Tribute to Benny Morel", with Jon Secada.

Bienvenido has been teaching since 2006, both in school settings and in individual private lessons. Though he specializes in jazz, Bienvenido teaches all genres of music, to beginning musicians and advanced musicians alike.

Dara Rahming
Voice/Piano

Bahamian-born soprano, Dara Rahming has been gracing the concert and operatic stage for over 20 years, performing leading roles in operas and giving recitals throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean. Known for its beautifully shimmery quality, her voice and acting ability has gained her much praise world-wide. Highlights of her career has included the roles of Medora in Verdi’s “Il Corsaro” and Tosca in Puccini’s “Tosca” with Sarasota Opera, the 1st Lady in Mozart’s “Die Zauberflöte” with Florida Grand Opera, Minerva in Monteverdi’s “Ulisse” with Opéra Louisiane, and most recently premiering the role of Sylvie in Dan Shore’s “Freedom Ride” with Chicago Opera Theater. She has also had the privilege of singing several roles in the Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess”, Serena/Lily with Washington National Opera, Bess with Oakland East Bay Symphony and Union Avenue Opera, and Clara with New Orleans Opera and New York-Harlem Productions’ world tour. Dara is equally passionate about passing on her experience through nurturing talent in others.

Eun Mi Lee
Piano

In her native South Korea, Eun Mi Lee received a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano from Ewha Women’s University, and earned her Master’s and Doctorate degrees from Florida State University’s College of Music, working closely with Valerie M. Trujillo, the Grammy-nominated associate professor of Vocal coaching and accompanying. 

A passionate accompanist and teacher, she has worked with faculty artists and student performers at Baekseok Conservatory, Muyngji University, and University of Seoul, and she has been a member of Korea Collaborative Pianists Association since 2002.

Much in demand as a collaborative artist, Lee has actively worked with over 200 musicians and been featured in over 150 recitals. She is also one of the members of Trio 238. Trio 238 has performed at Jacksonville Public Library, University of West Florida,  Mattie Kelly Arts Center, Eastern Shore Art Center in Mobile, AL,  Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University, Thomas University, and Chipola College presents.

Ms. Lee has also pursued an interest in performing new music. She recorded Soo Jin Cho’s Two piano work, Exodus, released by the Society of Composers in March 2010 on an album entitled Mosaic.

She is a dedicated educator of young performers and the next generation. Lee has always been a teacher since she entered college. She has experience of running her own piano studio. Teaching is at the heart of her career as well as performing.

Hailed as one of the most energetic, passionate, and respected, Cathy Yang is an Erhu, Zither (Chinese Traditional instruments), Pianist coach, and educator who brings vision and sensitivity to a variety of genres, from classical piano, East and West instruments chamber music, to musical theatre and jazz. She won numerous international and national competitions, including: first prize at the LONG YIN Instrumental Soloist Competition, gold medal at the China Ministry of Culture’s annual music competition. Cathy Yang has been a featured soloist for U.S. President Joe Biden.

Cathy Yang is a member of 6-WIRE, an ensemble-in-residence at the University of Delaware and represented by the California Artists Management. She received her her education from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing China.

Brian Falkowski
Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet, Piano

Brian Falkowski is a versatile musician and teacher with over 30 years of experience. A 2007 Cum Laude graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park, Brian studied saxophone, flute, and clarinet with Chris Vadala and Dale Underwood. He was a semifinalist in the 2004 Fishoff Chamber Music Competition and was awarded Grand Prize for the 2005 Mu Phi Epsilon Soloist Competition.

After graduating with a B.M. in Saxophone Performance, Brian traveled the world performing a wide variety of styles on cruise ships and an endless mix of venues. He returned to the DC area and can be heard performing at many top venues throughout the DC, MD, and NOVA area. In addition to maintaining an active career performing and teaching, the talented multi-instrumentalist and composer has recorded and played on more than two dozen albums by various artist, including his 2011 debut album Transitions, the Zeitgeist Media progressive music documentary Romantic Warriors, and Tosin Aribisalas 2018 album Africa Rising, which received a Grammy nomination for Best World Music Recording. Brian is equally at home in the studio as he is on stage and has won top honors at the Takoma Park Jazz Festival and DC Blues Festival. He currently leads his own group, Kaleidoscope, which features his original compositions, dynamic improvisation, multi-textured electronic experimentation, and mixed-media visual art.

Olivia Williams
Piano

Olivia Williams is a D.C. area pianist who started playing piano at the age of seven, although she tinkered around the keys for as long as she can remember. Olivia’s great love of performing began with her first recital just a week after starting lessons. She won her first competition at Harford County’s music festival at the age of twelve, studying with Kazuko Ikemoto. Later, she joined Piano Prodigies and studied under director Elizabeth Borowsky. At fifteen, she won the Helena Zurstadt competition and was runner up for the Rockville Competition for Piano and Strings.

Along with performing, Olivia loves to teach. Being able to spread the gift of music is something she is thankful for and enjoys immensely.  

Olivia currently studies under Dr. Eva Mengelkoch at Towson University for her B.M. in Piano Performance, receiving the Department Award Scholarship at Towson University. She was selected to be one of her department representatives for a student council in the Center for the Arts and Communication. In spring 2020, she was chosen to perform in Towson’s department-wide showcase, PRISM.

Arnell Byrd
Guitar, Ukulele, Bass, Piano

Guitarist Arnell Byrd has been a renowned figure in the music world and especially in his native Washington D.C. He is also very well versed in playing the ukulele, the piano, as well as the bass. He has studied and played extensively with various local and national acts worldwide. His musical journey started at the age of 12 when he received a guitar for Christmas. Being self-taught at the time did not tame his appetite for music, he shortly began playing around the Seat Pleasant, MD area with friends, which continued throughout his formative teenage years. As an aspiring artist, his thirst for musical knowledge led him to grow his talents by enrolling and finishing his AA degree at PGCC where he was a Classical Guitar Major. He continued his education at the highly acclaimed music program at Howard University in D.C..  

Playing every venue nameable in the D.C. area, his quest for growth took him across the shores to various places around the world including China, Japan, Vietnam, Macao, Mexico, The Bahamas, Canada, All across Europe and at least 35 of the United States with the inclusion of the great extension of the country in beautiful Hawaii.  With many great artists such as the local funk band called Maniquin with Kenny Lattimore he signed a record contract with the former Sony label, Epic Records.  

He has recorded with the likes of Bernie Worrell of Parliament Funkadelic, Star Point’s Ernesto Phillips, EU’s Marvin Ennis, Charlie Singleton of Cameo, and World-class Funketeers The Gap Band.  He has also done Disneyland and DisneyWorld tour dates with artist Shanice Wilson, and World Tours with The Jackson’s and Aaron Carter.  His zest and enthusiasm for music has burned a ray of sunshine into the lives of many across the world and he continues to down that passion to his many students. His desire to make his students feel the serenity he has loved through music has given him the impetus to stay focused in the field of teaching as well as playing gigs locally and worldwide.

The thing that has made him appreciate music is not just having the opportunity to work at venues like the Capitol Jazz Festival with artist such as Dwele, Peabo Bryson, Yolanda Adams, Oleta Adams, and Maysa, but the feeling he gets when he plays the guitar and hears the tone on the instrument.  It’s the same feeling he had fallen in love with since he received his very first guitar as a child.

Xue Summer Xia

Piano

Xue Summer Xia graduated from College Conservatory of Music at University of Cincinnati with a degree of Doctor of Musical Arts. Ms. Xia has had various solo and chamber performances professionally. She was selected as a participant of the CCM student recital accredited by the “National Association of Schools of Music.”  In addition, Ms. Xia has performed in more than 40 recitals and concerts in collaboration with instrumentalists and vocalists, including distinguished musicians, guest artists and students. 

Born in mainland China, Ms. Xia began to study piano at the age of 5. Before coming to the United States, she obtained Bachelor's Degree in Piano Performance at Shanghai Conservatory of Music. 

Ms. Xia began to gain teaching experience since college. While studying, she tutored students at various age groups such as children, adolescents, and adults.  No matter of what ages and levels, she always treated piano studemnts with sincerity and patience. Ms. Xia recently jointed QCMS, hoping to share the joy of piano with new students and friends who love the instrument. 

Christine Lee
Piano

Concert Pianist, Christine K. Lee (Kyungsin Kim), is the Pianist for the KUMCGW and the Director of Handbell Choir. She was the Research Professor at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls for piano performing. In Korea, she was the professor of piano performing at Hyup-Sung University and Bae-jae University. She is a graduate of San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where she got her M.M. in piano performance. There she studied with Professors Adolph Baller and Mack McCray. At Indiana University, she studied with Professor Edward Auer and worked with Professor Mimi Zweig in the Indiana University Summer Festival and the String Academy as a Piano Accompanist. She participated in many recitals around the world. In Korea, she gave solo recitals at Sejong Cultural Center, Seoul Hoam Art Hall, Kumho Art Hall, Seoul Youngsan Art Hall, Hanjeon Artspool Center, and Ewon Cultural Center. In the United States, she performed at Catholic University, James Madison University, University of Wisconsin-River Falls Abott Hall, Madison Convention Center in Wisconsin, Cultural Center in California, Ford Hall in Indiana University, and Hellman Hall in San Francisco. In Hannover, Germany, she performed with the Hannover Chamber Orchestra for the 250th Anniversary Bach Festival as a guest performer. She has also performed with the Seoul Prime Orchestra in Korea (Beethoven Concerto No. 5 “Emperor”), and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Orchestra. She performed many Benefit Recitals in Stanford University Dinkelspiel Auditorium for the fundraising for the victims of the L.A. riot sponsored by the Korea Times and KBS in California, and at Baltimore and the greater Washington DC area.

Every year, she also holds student piano recitals in the Greater Washington DC area. She was a Music Director at UKPC and conducted both chamber orchestra and a choir at the same time. She recently performed at Bethlehem University in Israel.

Chris Jones
Guitar

Chris strives to instill in his students the passion for music he has felt since he first picked up an Ibanez six-string as a teenager. His musical journey began with five years of classical piano before switching to saxophone for middle school concert and jazz band performances. Building on that musical foundation, Chris found his perfect fit when his parents gave him an electric guitar for his 13th birthday.

For the past twelve years, Chris has immersed himself in the study of electric guitar technique, music theory, and songwriting. After earning his high school diploma from the prestigious Greenhill School in Addison, Texas, in 2015, Chris enrolled in Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts. He initially studied computer science and economics before embracing music as his life’s work. After spending a gap year of study at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Chris returned to Tufts to earn his Bachelor of Arts degree in music with honors in 2020.

Chris’ exposure to a range of instruments and genres of music has instilled in him a love of everything from heavy metal to pop music, classical to jazz fusion, cinematic scores to classic rock. As a teacher, Chris strives to ensure that every lesson is engaging, enjoyable, and informative. While he specializes in advanced metal and rock guitar techniques and songwriting, his diverse background allows him to teach across genres, skill levels, and ages. 

Fei Yan
Voice

Ms. Fei Yan is a passionate educator, classical singer, and adventurer.  Fei has been a professional educator since 2010 where she was a voice instructor in China for three years prior to moving to the United States.  Here she continued voice and music instruction as well as Mandarin and elementary education at Montessori schools in New York City and the DMV area. Throughout her years of professional education experience, she was worked with numerous students across a wide age range, pre-school through older adults, and from a variety of cultural and language backgrounds. She has poured her love of music, education, and life into all of her students. 

Prior to her work in education, Fei trained and performed as a professional classical singer since 2003. She has collaborated with several award-winning classical singers, coaches, conductors from all around the world. She holds an undergraduate degree in classical voice from Liaoning Normal  University in Dalian  China.  After relocating to the United States, she studied at the premier Manhattan School of Music in NYC, graduating with a Master's degree in Classical Voice. 

At her core, Fei believes music has the power to heal and transform individuals through artistic expression and, in turn, improve the world by uniting diverse people from all backgrounds. She has an unmatched ability to assess her students’ skills, strengths, and weaknesses and tailor an engaging educational approach to their unique talents, goals, and needs.  When not teaching or performing, Fei enjoys exercise and is an avid traveler, outdoor enthusiast, food lover, and urban explorer. 

Adam Gonzalez

Cello