kathryn imani, founder AND director
Kathryn Imani began studying piano at the age of 4. She started a small piano
studio at the age of 15. While completing her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, she studied piano performance and pedagogy privately with Lana Bodnar-Horton, and coached many of her students. After pursuing graduate work in San Diego, Mrs. Imani began teaching piano in a private school.Through contacts there, she was introduced to world-renowned teacher, Doris Koppelman, and the Suzuki Piano Method. She studied Suzuki pedagogy with Mrs. Koppelman for ten years, both as a teacher and a Suzuki-mom. Since 1989, Mrs. Imani has taught Suzuki piano to hundreds of children in San Diego, Orange County, and in Solvang, California where she resides with her husband and two sons.
In addition to private teaching, Mrs. Imani has taught K-5 classroom music in both public and private schools, is founder and director of PINK and HOT PINK, a chorus for 4th-9th grade girls, collaborates with local musicians as accompanist and ensemble player, and has been music director for community summer theater productions of the Music Man, Willie Wonka, Grease, Bye Bye Birdie, Guys & Dolls, and Crazy for You. She has studied voice privately with Michel Marc Gervais, head of the choral department at UC Santa Barbara and the Conservatory of Music in Geneva. In 2012, she developed the Valley Broadway Seniors/Juniors show choir program offered through Arts Outreach. Mrs. Imani is the music director of Santa Barbara Teen Star 2012/13/14/15 and a board member, Arts Outreach.
studio at the age of 15. While completing her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, she studied piano performance and pedagogy privately with Lana Bodnar-Horton, and coached many of her students. After pursuing graduate work in San Diego, Mrs. Imani began teaching piano in a private school.Through contacts there, she was introduced to world-renowned teacher, Doris Koppelman, and the Suzuki Piano Method. She studied Suzuki pedagogy with Mrs. Koppelman for ten years, both as a teacher and a Suzuki-mom. Since 1989, Mrs. Imani has taught Suzuki piano to hundreds of children in San Diego, Orange County, and in Solvang, California where she resides with her husband and two sons.
In addition to private teaching, Mrs. Imani has taught K-5 classroom music in both public and private schools, is founder and director of PINK and HOT PINK, a chorus for 4th-9th grade girls, collaborates with local musicians as accompanist and ensemble player, and has been music director for community summer theater productions of the Music Man, Willie Wonka, Grease, Bye Bye Birdie, Guys & Dolls, and Crazy for You. She has studied voice privately with Michel Marc Gervais, head of the choral department at UC Santa Barbara and the Conservatory of Music in Geneva. In 2012, she developed the Valley Broadway Seniors/Juniors show choir program offered through Arts Outreach. Mrs. Imani is the music director of Santa Barbara Teen Star 2012/13/14/15 and a board member, Arts Outreach.
vahid imani, CO-DIRECTOR, HEAD OF GUITAR STUDIES & GUITAR INSTRUCTOR
Vahid Imani, Director of Guitar studies & Guitar Instructor
Guitar instruction is under the direction of Vahid Imani. Utilizing the Suzuki method as well as The Royal Conservatory of Music, Vahid teaches Guitar Fundamentals, Classical Guitar and Flamenco Guitar. Vahid is registered through the Suzuki Association of America and has had specialized training in teaching Suzuki method guitar. Vahid has studied Guitar, Music Composition, and the Suzuki approach with masters such as Dr. Lily Afshar, Dr. Daniel Robbins, Michele George, Frank Longay, Mychal Gendron, David Madison, Robert Boyd and Scott Wolf among others. He started his classical guitar study in Tehran Conservatory in 1975, and continued his studies in music composition and guitar in Eastern Washington University, Cal. Sate Long Beach, Pasadena Conservatory and the Longay Conservatory of Guitar.
Guitar instruction is under the direction of Vahid Imani. Utilizing the Suzuki method as well as The Royal Conservatory of Music, Vahid teaches Guitar Fundamentals, Classical Guitar and Flamenco Guitar. Vahid is registered through the Suzuki Association of America and has had specialized training in teaching Suzuki method guitar. Vahid has studied Guitar, Music Composition, and the Suzuki approach with masters such as Dr. Lily Afshar, Dr. Daniel Robbins, Michele George, Frank Longay, Mychal Gendron, David Madison, Robert Boyd and Scott Wolf among others. He started his classical guitar study in Tehran Conservatory in 1975, and continued his studies in music composition and guitar in Eastern Washington University, Cal. Sate Long Beach, Pasadena Conservatory and the Longay Conservatory of Guitar.
Lauren Hemming, Class Assistant
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Lauren Hemming studied piano and voice (PINK) with Kathryn Imani during her childhood years, and utilized her musical inclinations to participate in summer Arts Outreach programs and performances here in the valley.
While completing her schooling and Bachelor's degree in Sociology from UCLA, she worked with children part-time and volunteered abroad in Thailand for a school devoted to protecting at-risk children from human-trafficking. After college, she continued working with children as a Nanny and Director's Assistant at Child's Play Creative Learning Center Preschool in Santa Barbara for several years before returning back to the Santa Ynez Valley to be closer to her family. She attributes her connection with children to her many nieces and nephews she had growing up, various work experience, and joyful disposition. Lauren currently is working as a group assistant and helps with beginning piano lessons. |
Rebekah Boles, Music Together teacher
Rebekah Boles grew up in the Santa Ynez Valley where she studied the Suzuki Method for violin with Diane Byington at the Solvang Conservatory for several years. She continued her musical career at Santa Barbara City College and fell in love with playing live music on the stages of many venues in the Santa Barbara County, while working on her songwriting skills and recording music with local artists. After settling down, marrying her husband, Scott, and starting a family, she was introduced to teaching music to children. She has been studying Music Together with Kathryn Imani as an intern and completed her training to become a certified Music Together instructor. Rebekah’s goal is to send every child home with a big smile on their face on and to inspire them to move and feel the music in a variety of ways. When she is not in the studio, she enjoys spending time with family and friends. She also works in the wine industry on the weekends. Her favorite hobbies include jewelry making, singing karaoke, hiking, drinking coffee at the Good Seed, playing violin at church, and raising her children Oaklynn (3) and Jack (6) and sharing her love of music with them!
