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 and Guys & Dolls. 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.
Vahid Imani, Director of Guitar studies & Guitar Instructor
Guitar instruction is under the direction of Vahid Imani. Utilizing the Suzuki method, 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 and Robert Boyd and among others. He started his classical guitar study in Teheran 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.
Ellen S. Beckerman, Flute and Celtic Harp instructor
Mrs. Beckerman has studied flute with Ilene Richards , Frederick (Fritz) Baker and Susan Stockhammer for eleven years and has studied Celtic Harp with Deborah Friou, Ellie Choate and Laurie Rasmussen for about 16 years. In addition to a California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, Ms. Bckerman has two Master degrees, one in Fine Art from Claremont Graduate School and the other is Clinical Social Work from USC. She was a much loved and highly respected teacher at Ballard Elementary school for 9 years. She is a member of a Celtic Trio and The Misty Isles Consort music groups. In addition to flute and Celtic harp, Ms. Beckerman also plays the alto flute, a variety of world flutes, piano and the Swiss hang drum.
Sarah Spisak, Electric Guitar Instructor
Sarah is the author of Metal Riffology- The Art of the Metal Riff and Melodic Principles for Rock Guitar DVD courses from Metal Method. She has worked closely with Doug Marks and virtuoso progressive guitarist Michael Angelo Batio to create a catalog of lessons for students at all skill levels. Sarah has also worked as a professional guitar transcriber producing highly accurate transcriptions of recorded works. Guitarists around the world have studied with Sarah and benefited from her vast knowledge of the many genres of electric guitar music. Sarah has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Mills College.
Annie Torres, Kindermusik Teacher
Annie Torres is a licensed Kindermusik Educator who is passionate about children and music. She is a credentialed elementary school teacher and taught Kindergarten for five years in Santa Barbara before having her own three children. Annie studied Suzuki Violin for five years, Piano for four years, and French Horn for six years. She has taught Kindermusik classes in the valley for the last two years, and has been studying Suzuki piano alongside of her own children for two years as well. Through all her teaching and learning experiences, Annie believes strongly in the musical education of young children.
Phill Conrad, co-director advance guitar ensemble
Phill Conrad is a faculty member at UC Santa Barbara, college of creative studies in Computer Science. However, he has studied music extensively, including study in classical piano at West Virginia Wesleyan College and jazz and classical piano at West Virginia University, 10 years of Suzuki method violin studies a few years of Classical guitar. Phill has served as an Assistant Conductor and Section Leader for choirs in Philadelphia and Wilmington, and studied choral conducting in summer workshops at Westminster Choir College in Princeton NJ. His extensive experience working with young people includes the recent leadership of a summer workshop in Computer Science for 10-13 year olds at UCSB funded by the National Science Foundation.
Serving the Communities of Solvang, Santa Ynez, Los Olivos, Buellton, Lompoc, Vandenberg, VAFB, Los Alamos, Goleta, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Orcutt, Arroyo Grande, Los Osos and Pismo Beach.