Performing Arts Faculty Biographies
Vu, Binh
As aconductor and music director, Dr. Binh Vu serves multiple ethnic communities in the USA, Vietnam, and many countries in Europe. His credentials include a Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral and Orchestral Conducting from The Claremont Graduate University and two degrees from California State University, Northridge: a Master of Music in Choral Conducting and a Bachelor of Arts in Piano Performance. He has won conducting awards from Chorus America, New York (summer 1992) and the Conducting Institute, Hopkins Center, New Hampshire (summer 1991).
Dr. Vu has directed a variety of orchestras, which includes Philharmonic, Community, College and Churches’ Festival Orchestras. He also has guest conducted several orchestras in Europe. He has led such orchestras as the Saint Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra (Russia), the Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra of Maikop (Russia), Symphony Orchestra of Moldova National Philharmonic (Republic of Moldova), Ploiesti State Philharmonic Orchestra (Romania), Symphony Orchestra and Master Chorus of Craiova (Romania) and Minsk (Belarus), and The Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra of Kharkov (Ukraine).
Dr. Vu’s repertory includes Symphonic as well as major works for Choruses and Orchestra such as “A German Requiem” by Johannes Brahms; “Lord Nelson Mass” (Missa in Angustiis) and “Mass in Time of War” (Missa in Tempore Belli) by Franz Joseph Haydn; “Missa Di Gloria” by Gioacchino Rossini, “Missa Di Gloria” by Giacomo Puccini, “Choral Fantasy” op.80 by Ludwig van Beethoven, Symphonies no 3, 5, 8 and 9 (The Chorus Symphony) by Beethoven, Symphony no. 9 by Dvořák and Symphony no. 2 by Sibelius.
From 2004 to 2013, Dr. Vu served as the Artistic Director of the Ngan Khoi Chorus, a community chorus which serves the Vietnamese communities in Southern California. This chorus is known for their “Tieng Nhac Ngan Khoi” (The Sound of Thousand Sea), a television program featuring Vietnamese Choral art songs frequently shown on SBTN channel.
Currently, Dr. Vu is serving as the Chairperson of the Fine and Performing Arts department at Santiago Canyon College. In December of 2014, he was named an Everyday-Hero in the Orange County Register.
Samplings of Binh Vu conducting Chorus and Orchestra
|
Composer’s Name |
Music |
|---|---|
|
Johannes Brahms |
|
|
Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky |
|
|
Georges Bizet |
|
|
Georges Bizet |
|
|
Georges Bizet |
|
|
Overture to "La Gazza Ladra" |
Donchey, Sheryl
Well known throughout the Southland as an educator, director, choreographer, and actress, Ms. Donchey is equally at home with classics, modern work, or musicals. With over 75 directorial credits to her resume, and another 60 as a performer, Ms. Donchey is a veteran of stage, screen, and television. She has trained and performed in the U.S. and abroad for most of her adult life, working with many name artists. A former student of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, The Actor’s Studio[West], Uta Hagan, the American Conservatory Theatre, and an M.A. [Acting] graduate of CSULB, she has been consumed with the world of performance since her first dance lesson at age 3.Ms. Donchey has directed, choreographed, and acted with many California Civic Light Opera Associations, Shakespeare Festivals, Equity Waiver theatres, and summer stock companies. In addition, her work has taken her to New York, London, Paris, Berlin, and Osaka, Japan. She counts productions of A CHORUS LINE, CHICAGO,MARAT/SADE,AS YOU LIKE IT, A SHAYNA MAIDEL, COMPANY, and THE BOYS NEXT DOOR, among her directorial favorites. Acting favorites include the roles of Marthain[WHO’SAFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?],Carlottain[FOLLIES], Mrs. Lovettin[SWEENEYTODD], Gertrudein[HAMLET], Roxie Hartin[CHICAGO], and Joannein[Company].A professor of Theatre Arts at Santa Ana College and Santiago Canyon College for many years, Ms. Donchey is the recipient of numerous awards for her work both in directing and acting
Pacier, Phillip
Phillip Pacier is regionally recognized for his diverse skills as a trumpeter, conductor, arranger, and music educator. Phillip received his Bachelor of Music degrees from Chapman University with emphases in Trumpet Performance and Music Education in 1999, and his Master of Music degree in Trumpet Performance from the University of Southern California in 2001. He has studied trumpet performance with David Washburn of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Malcolm McNab of the Los Angeles film score scene, and Thomas Stevens, retired Los Angeles Philharmonic trumpeter. His conducting studies were done under Professor John Koshak, Professer Hans Beer, and Dr. Anthony Mazzaferro.
Phillip is an active musician in southern California, performing as principal trumpet with the La Mirada Symphony and the Corona Symphony, as well as the Symphonic Winds of the Pacific. He has also toured with Latin bands and has been in the recording studio a few times as well. He has served as the assistant conductor to the Southern California Youth Philharmonic, and also teaches the brass ensemble and world music classes at the Orange County School of the Arts.
Phillip Pacier is regionally recognized for his diverse skills as a trumpeter, conductor, arranger, and music educator. Phillip received his Bachelor of Music degrees from Chapman University with emphases in Trumpet Performance and Music Education in 1999, and his Master of Music degree in Trumpet Performance from the University of Southern California in 2001. He has studied trumpet performance with David Washburn of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Malcolm McNab of the Los Angeles film score scene, and Thomas Stevens, retired Los Angeles Philharmonic trumpeter. His conducting studies were done under Professor John Koshak, Professer Hans Beer, and Dr. Anthony Mazzaferro.
Phillip is an active musician in southern California, performing as principal trumpet with the La Mirada Symphony and the Corona Symphony, as well as the Symphonic Winds of the Pacific. He has also toured with Latin bands and has been in the recording studio a few times as well. He has served as the assistant conductor to the Southern California Youth Philharmonic, and also teaches the brass ensemble and world music classes at the Orange County School of the Arts.
Cadman, Shane
Mr. Cadman received a Bachelor of Music (1987) and a Master of Music (1989) in composition from California State University, Fullerton, where he studied with Michael Bayer and Lloyd Rodgers. He also studied saxophone with Jim Rotter. In the summer of 1989, Mr. Cadman participated in a composition master class with Philip Glass.
In 1995, Mr. Cadman was commissioned by Piano Productions to write a piece for one piano, eighteen hands, which received its world premiere in China in 1996. Starting in 1997, he has received an ASCAP Standard Panel Award each year for his continuing work in composition. In 1999, Mr. Cadman was a participant in the A.S.K. Theater Projects/Nautilus Music Theater Playwright-Composer Studio, and he won the 1998 Lester Horton Dance Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music for Dance (for “Grand Hope Flower,” by Rosanna Gamson/Worldwide). In 2000, he received a nomination for the 1999 Lester Horton Dance Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music for Dance (for “Lovesickness,” by Rosanna Gamson/Worldwide).
In 1989, Mr. Cadman co-founded The Illustrious Theatre Orchestra (www.theito.org), a post-modern chamber ensemble (of which he was a member until 2001) which was created in order to perform the original compositions of its members. The ITO performed numerous concerts in such venues as the Getty Center, UCLA’s Schoenberg Hall, California Plaza, California State University, Northridge and the Ruth B. Shannon Center for the Performing Arts at Whittier College, and on such prominent radio stations as KPFW, KUSC and KCRW in Los Angeles. The Illustrious Theatre Orchestra has two recordings, Standing on the Shoulders of Giants and Pythagorean Xydiko Machine (on Trompe l’Oreille records), which have been played on radio stations across the United States and in Europe.
Along with music for concert performance, Mr. Cadman writes music for theater, modern dance, and film. His film and theater credits include “The Haunted Boy,” a film produced by American Sterling Productions (2006), “The Coffeemaker,” a film produced by Beyond the Guns (2004), “Women of Mystery,” a documentary film by Pamela Beere Briggs and William McDonald (2000), “Endgame” by Samuel Beckett, produced by the Alternative Repertory Theatre (1996), “The Unexpected Guest” by Agatha Christie, produced by the La Mirada Community Players (1992), and “The Good Woman of Setzuan” by Bertolt Brecht, produced by the California State University, Fullerton Theater and Dance Department (1989).
Mr. Cadman’s dance credits include having pieces choreographed by Liz Lerman’s Dance Exchange, Iona Pear Dance Theatre, the Cleveland Repertory Dance Project and Naomi Goldberg’s Modern Dance and Ballet. In 1997, he collaborated with dancer/choreographer Oguri, and together they created an evening length site-specific piece (“A Flame in the Distance”) for Oguri and Renzoku with the Illustrious Theatre Orchestra, which was commissioned by the Friends of California Plaza (with a grant from the Lila Wallace Readers Digest Foundation).
Mr. Cadman also composed an electronic score (“Windscape”) for Oguri, which premiered in December of 1997 at DanceWest, at the Luckman Theater at California State University, Los Angeles. In 1998, he premiered a new site-specific work with Oguri and Renzoku for the Armand Hammer Museum, as well as two new pieces commissioned by and composed for Rosanna Gamson/Worldwide. The first (“Vessel”) was premiered at Dance Kaleidoscope at the Luckman Theater, and the second (“Grand Hope Flower”) is an evening length work that premiered at the Getty Center, with subsequent performances at Highways Performance Space in Santa Monica, CA., California Plaza in downtown Los Angeles and Sushi Performance Space in San Diego, CA. Mr. Cadman premiered his third dance/ theater piece (“Lovesickness”) for Rosanna Gamson/Worldwide in December of 1999 at Highways Performance Space, with subsequent performances at the Colorado Dance Festival and the Skirball Cultural Center.
In 2001, Mr. Cadman was commissioned (along with Jeff Fairbanks and John P. Hoover) by Jerome Dunn/Humility Inc., to write music for “Mulch,” which was premiered at the A.S.K. Common Ground Festival at UCLA. He also was commissioned by Los Angeles Opera, and wrote the libretto and music to a one-act opera called “The Letter,” which was performed at Southern California middle and high schools in the spring of 2002 and 2003. In the spring of 2006, “The Letter” was brought back by Los Angeles Opera for another season of performances in Southern California middle and high schools.
In 2002, Mr. Cadman was commissioned by Rosanna Gamson/Worldwide to write the music for a new dance/theater piece called “Two Views/An Urban Ocean Has 29 Eyes,” which was premiered in 2003 at the Japan America Theater in downtown Los Angeles. “Grand Hope Flower,” “Lovesickness” and “Two Views” are part of the national touring repertory for Rosanna Gamson/Worldwide.
In 2010 he was commissioned to write music for “Body of Water (Part 2),” a dance piece by Nannette Brodie Dance Theater, which premiered in September of that year.
In addition to his other music-related roles, Mr. Cadman started the annual RealNewMusic Festival in the summer of 2005 at Whittier College in Whittier, CA. This festival was created in order to feature new concert music performed by composer/performers. More information can be found at realnewmusic.com. In 2006, he co-founded RealNewArts Foundation, a California non-profit corporation, in order to support the RealNewMusic Festival and educate the community at large about contemporary art music. More information about RealNewArts Foundation can be found at realnew.
In 2009, Mr. Cadman started two new music-related endeavors. The first is a website for his publishing company (Illustrious Music), which can be found at illustriousmusic.com. The second is a performance outlet called Ersatzmusik (which is still being developed). Between 2009-2010, he wrote a series of pieces called “Music for Insomniacs,” which is currently available in score form at illustriousmusic.com. The majority of his musical output lately has been created as weekly improvisations through improvfriday.com (and can also be found at the illustriousmusic site
Jean Proppe
Jean Proppe has been teaching music academically and privately since 1995. She has her Masters in Musicology from California State University Fullerton.
She is a faculty member for the Music Departments at Saddleback College, Coastline College, MiraCosta College, and Santiago Canyon College teaching a variety of music courses. She has served as the Department Chair for the Performing Arts Department at Coastline College. In addition, she has also taught at CSUF, teaching an assortment of music courses. Her college teaching includes music history, music theory & class piano.
Jean Proppe is a member of The American Musicological Society, the Music Teacher’s Association of California and the Music Teacher’s National Association.
Woo, Zun-Hin
Zun-Hin Woo attended the University of Oklahoma in Norman and
obtained his B.M. in Violin Performance and earned his M.M. degree in
Orchestral Conducting at the University of Missouri in Columbia. During that time, he also served as the assistant conductor of the Columbia Civic Orchestra and the Show-Me Opera, conducting operas and musicals in the region. He also participated in the Pierre Monteux
School for Conductors and Orchestral Musicians.
As a professional violinist and violist, Professor Woo has performed
with several orchestras in Asia, including the Hong Kong Virtuosi, Hong
Kong Sinfonietta, Concerto da Camera. He is currently the conductor of the Hong Kong Chamber Orchestra since 2007. Past collaborations
include working with the Sichuan Symphony and the Shenzhen
Symphony in China, where he recorded the soundtrack to the movie
Heroic Duo. He has also worked with several organizations in Hong
Kong including the Open University, King's College, Hong Kong Medical
Association Orchestra, La Salle College and Wah Yan College, where he
also taught conducting courses, Danse a Lili Ballet Academy,
Songsingers Choir, European Folk-Legacy Dance Troupe, and Hong
Kong City Opera.
Having recently moved back to the U.S. with his wife and two sons,
Professor Woo is currently the Associate Conductor of the Symphony
Irvine and the Temecula Valley Symphony where he also serves as the
concertmaster and conducts the Temecula Valley Youth Symphony.
He is also an adjunct professor at Fullerton College, where he conducts the orchestra, teaches violin and music theory courses. He has worked
with the Dana Point Symphony, La Sierra University Symphony,
Coachella Valley Symphony, and conducted the Nutcracker with
Anaheim Ballet and Montage Dance Theater.
Dr. Woo has participated in several recording sessions in Hollywood,
Burbank, and the University of Southern California, both as conductor
and violinist. He most recently completed recording the soundtrack for
the Chinese feature film "Arctic" with the City of Prague Philharmonic
Orchestra.
Carrie Woodson
Carrie Woodson has had a thirty year career as a dance performer, choreographer, company director and dance educator in the arts. She holds a BA in dance from California State University Fullerton and an MA in dance from California State University Long Beach. Mrs. Woodson has performed and toured nationally and internationally with Fullerton’s Dance Repertory Theatre Company. Her first dance influences come from musical theatre and jazz while formal training is in ballet and modern dance.
Mrs. Woodson’s professional credits include performer for Disneyland Resort, Chapman University, and Assistant Choreographer for the Crystal Cathedral’s Glory of Christmas and Glory of Easter Productions for 10 years. Additionally, she was commissioned as a dance consultant/coordinator and choreographer for the Reformed Church in American Women’s Triennial event at the Crystal Cathedral and has served as the co-director of His Grace Dance Ministry a ballet based company in southern California.
Mrs. Woodson’s teaching credits are diverse in the private, public and professional sectors. They include Crystal Cathedral Academy, De Fore Dance; Catch the Vision Christian and Performing Arts, Orange High School Career Technical Education Program, and Santiago Community College. Recently, she was a celebrity judge for the local Miss America Pageant and Maccobi Games. She also serves on the CTEp/ROP Advisory Committee which consists of industry professionals and educators to prepare students for workplace objectives. As an advocate for the arts, Mrs. Woodson has a passion for dance and theatre, teaching students of all ages from novice to professionals.
Truong-Sawicki, Lee
Truong-Sawicki_Lee@sccollege.edu
Lee Lee Truong-Sawicki holds a B.A. in Music Education with a Vocal-Choral Emphasis
from California State University, Fullerton, and is certified in the Orff-Schulwerk
Music and Movement for Children teaching approach. Ms. Truong-Sawicki has completed
Master Classes in Conducting and has attended numerous conducting symposiums. She
is currently pursuing her Master of Music Degree in Choral Conducting at CSU, Los
Angeles.
Mrs. Truong-Sawicki has worked alongside SCC's faculty and staff for the Performing
Arts Department's Annual Celebration of Diversity Showcase since 2012. Each year faculty,
staff, and students at SCC work together to produce a special celebration concert
for the community. This performance brings together many of SCC's talents to showcase
the diversity of our community through music, song, and dance.
Currently, Lee Lee follows her passion for empowering and educating students at Santiago
Canyon College, Laguna Niguel Presbyterian Church, Hat Di Em Chorus, and Sage Hill
School. In her spare time, when she has any, she loves to scrapbook, go on walks,
do arts and craft projects, and do anything related to creating and making.
Contact Ms.Truong-Sawicki through email:
truong-sawicki_lee@sccollege.edu or through Canvas Inbox.
The links below are samplings of Ms. Truong-Sawicki's work.
• A Red, Red Rose by James Mulholland
• Bridge Over Troubled Waters arr. by Kirby Shaw
• Overture from The Barber of Seville by G. Rossini
• Would It Still Be Christmas? - Guest Conducting Dana Point Symphony
• Radetzky March - SCC Holidays Concert 2017
Jane Kim
Jane Kim, soprano and pianist, received her Master of Music degree in Voice and Bachelor of Arts degree in Piano, from California State University, Fullerton. In the area of voice, she has studied with internationally and nationally renowned teachers and coaches such as, Leona Roberts, Young Mi Kim, Mark Goodrich, Suzanne Harmon, Mark Salters, and Grant Rohr. Her prominent piano teachers include Susan Svrcek, Lucinda Carver, Lucerne DeSa, Judith Tanksley, and Ruth Moore.
Ms. Kim’s vocal performances and experiences include recitals of German, French, Italian, American, and Korean song literature, Sacred songs, Oratorio, Opera, Operetta, and Musical Theater, comprising the works of Franz Schubert’s Der Hirst auf dem Felsen, J. S. Bach’s Magnificat, Wolfgang Mozart’s Verspera solemnes de confessore, Giovanni Pergolesi’s Magnificat, Théodore Dubois’ The Seven Last Words of Christ, Weill’s Street Scenes, Aaron Copland’s Tenderland, Johann Strauss’ Die Fledermaus, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel, and Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance. In the area of keyboard performances, her specialized performances include Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Alberto Ginastera.
Ms. Kim has held extended positions as organist, piano accompanist and guest soprano soloist for Puritan Presbyterian Church, East Whittier Presbyterian Church, Suh Moon Reformed Presbyterian Church, Community Baptist Church, Manhattan, Nachinbam Church, Mission Community Church, Point Loma Nazarene University, Orange County Literacy Council, Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Citizen Center, and Lathrop Elementary School, Vanguard University of Southern California, and Claremont Graduate University. She was honored and is a member of the National Music Society, Pi Kappa Lambda, the National Association of Teachers of Singing, and the Music Teachers’ Association of California.
Currently, Ms. Kim is an adjunct faculty for three colleges and teaches Beginning Group Piano Class at Santiago Canyon College, Introduction to Opera and For the Love of Music at Saddleback College, Emeritus Institute, Vocal instruction as an associate faculty at Vanguard University of Southern California as well as maintaining a successful private voice and piano studio in Orange County, California. Ms. Kim is also involved with the Sanctuary Choir of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach, California.
Dr. Kelly Cho
Dr. Kelly Cho was born in Busan, South Korea. She began piano lessons at the age of six. That same year she was awarded the second prize at the Han Kook Ilbo Piano Competition (A major piano competition in Korea), even though she had not yet begun to take music seriously. When she entered SunHwa Junior High School of the Arts in Korea, she realized the importance of music in her life and began to study the piano intensively. After graduation from SunHwa Junior High School of the Arts, she came to the United States to study the piano. Dr. Cho studied at the Orange County High School of the Arts, and she was selected twice as the 'Outstanding Performer of the Year.' During her junior year of high school, she won 1st prize in the PTA Council Reflections Contest (Composition). After high school, she entered the Musicians Institute in Hollywood to study Modern music, but since she met Dr. Matthews, she started to play classical music again. She received the 'Piano Award' several times and 'The Fedderman Scholarship' at Chapman University. She also played in several chamber orchestras, including the Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra and the Chapman Chamber Orchestra, and Symphony Irvine, and she also has given numerous recitals.
She received her Master's and Doctoral degree in Piano Performance from the University of Southern California with Dr. Stewart Gordon.
Dr. Cho has participated in many Masterclasses, working with Nelita True, Thomas Otten, Alfred Kanwistier, Marilyn Neeley, Daniel Pollack, and Abbey Simon.
Those teachers, in particular, helped her to develop her natural virtuosity: Dr. Stewart Gordon, Dr. Joseph Matthews, Mr. Maurice Till, and Mr. Mitch Hanlon.
Dr. Cho is an active member of several music teacher organizations, including MTAC, MTNA, American College of Musicians, and SYMF, and she also adjudicates for auditions every year. Dr. Cho served as a music director at Christ Church Presbyterian in Irvine for almost five years. Currently, She teaches at Santiago Canyon College and Santa Ana College and also an accompanist at Vanguard University. Dr. Cho maintains private teaching in the Orange County area. Many of her students have won several piano competitions and made outstanding achievements
Jay, Charles
Professor Chuck Jay joins the SCC faculty after a successful sixteen years as the Director of Instrumental Music at Villa Park High School. A graduate of California State University Long Beach, Chuck began his teaching career in the seventies. Chuck became an officer in the United States Marine Corps and retired after a successful twenty year career. During his service, he obtained a Master of Business Administration degree from Webster University. His personal decorations include many for excellence as well as meritorious performance in combat. Initially desiring to be a military band director, Chuck was designated a pilot for the Marines and flew both helicopters and fixed wing aircraft.
After retirement from military service, Chuck worked in the corporate world with both Sprint and the Automobile Club of Southern California as a special event producer. He developed and operated special event teams and was an award winning member of the Auto Clubs Sales and Service Team. During this time, Chuck was the director of the Long Beach Community Band in Long Beach, California. Comprised of talented adult musicians, the Long Beach Community Band featured both a full concert band and a “Big Band" style jazz ensemble.
A leader in the adoption of digital technology for music in both the classroom environment and as an integral part of performance, Chuck pioneered the development and adoption of digital technology to include the addition of a fully digital piano lab. Throughout his tenure at Villa Park, Chuck was a critical component in the successful production of numerous Broadway musicals. Uniquely, these productions included the use of a live pit orchestra playing the “book" from the original Broadway production. Intimately involved with all aspects of these productions, Chuck designed and built sets, supervised wardrobe and make-up and designed and implemented both lighting and audio systems tailored to the individual shows. His concerts include instrumental performers, vocal performers and frequently actors and dramatic content.
Under his direction, the instrumental music program at Villa Park was selected by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) to receive the prestigious Support Music Merit Award. The school was one of 21 schools in California and 118 nationally honored by the San Diego based foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education. The Support Music Merit Award is awarded yearly to individual schools that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students. Schools that have been recognized by the NAMM foundation are often seen as models for other educators looking to boost their own music education programs. Chuck has been personally honored to be nominated for the GRAMMY's Music Educator Award. The Recording Academy, in partnership with the GRAMMY Foundation, has launched this award to bring attention and recognition to the teaching profession in general and t school music teachers in particular.
Chuck continues to be featured as a performer. His voice over and narration style complement his on-stage persona and Chuck consistently delivers a well-paced professional performance. Chuck is committed to developing a comprehensive instrumental music program at SCC that is forward focused, consistent with today's digital capabilities and commercial production standards. The SCC Jazz Ensemble – known as the “Swingin' Hawks" is adept at performing both jazz standards and current popular charts across the full spectrum of the jazz genre. All students regardless of musical proficiency are encouraged to join the ensemble and experience the excellence in music performance that is a hallmark of the ensemble.
Beach, Nancy
Professor Beach earned her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), in Music from the University of
California, Irvine, a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), in Social Science/Psychology from University
of California, Irvine, and a Master of Arts (M.A.), in Educational Psychology from
United States International University. She also was conferred with Dr. Honoris Causa,
Choral Conducting, from the LADC Institute.
Her certifications include California Clear Single Subject Teaching Credentials, in
Music, Mathematics, and Social Science, and a California Clear Multiple Subject Teaching
Credential, for General Subjects, and a California Clear Bilingual, Crosscultural,
Language, and Academic Development Certificate, in Spanish, as well as a California
Clear Language Development Specialist Certificate.
While working for the Santa Ana Unified School District for over 20 years, Professor
Beach served as Music Department Chair, as an instructor of Early Music to contemporary
works, Art Song to Broadway Musicals, and a bilingual folk guitar instructor. Adjudicator
for numerous Art Song Competitions, she also was a Coordinator/Director of District
Honor Choir's, as well as a coordinator of Elementary, Intermediate and High School
Festivals.
As a professional singer, she has performed under the baton of many of the world's
most outstanding orchestral conductors, including Esa-Pekka Salonen, Gustavo Dudamel,
Leonard Slatkin, John Eliot Gardiner, Kurt Masur, Nicholas McGegan, Keith Lockhart,
Bramwell Tovey, John Mauceri, John Williams, Christopher Hogwood, Edo De Waart, Seiji
Ozawa, Michael Tilson Thomas, and Carl St.Clair. She has toured throughout Eastern
Europe, Europe, South America, and Asia.
She was featured on BBC radio and television where she was awarded third place at
the prestigious Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod competition where over
five thousand singers, dancers, and instrumentalists from around 50 countries perform
to audiences of more than 50,000 people.
Some of her mezzo-soprano solo repertoires include works by composers Bach, Brahms,
Faure, Pergolesi, Puccini, Rossini, Schubert, Vivaldi, as well as Handel's Messiah.
She toured as part of “Video Games Live" which featured more than 175 unique music
segments from video games of all eras, such as Final Fantasy, Halo, World of Warcraft,
Sonic the Hedgehog, The Legend of Zelda, Kingdom Hearts, Metal Gear Solid, Tetris,
and Donkey Kong.
She also toured the west coast singing Howard Shore's complete Academy Award and Grammy-winning
score, The Lord of the Rings In Concert, under Maestro Ludwig Wicki and the Munich
Symphony Orchestra.
Maestro Beach has conducted many works such as Mendelssohn's Elijah, Brahms Requiem,
Mozart Requiem, Faure Requiem, Durufle Requiem, Bach Magnificat, Pergolesi Magnificat,
Beethoven's Mass in C, Handel's Messiah, and Vivaldi's Gloria with various Festival
Choirs, Orchestras, and Organists.
Beach can be heard on her CD “La Guerra Ranchera" where she sings various Mariachi
standards. She sang throughout the Los Angeles/Orange County area, Tijuana, and was
a ten-night headliner in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico at the Mariachi Loco venue.
In April 2018, Professor Beach performed with Pacific Chorale and Pacific Symphony
at Carnegie Hall in New York. The work performed was “The Passion of Ramakrishna"
by Philip Glass, a work of quiet intensity and unforgettable power—scored for vocal
soloists, chorus and large orchestra. This concert was in celebration of Philip Glass'
80th birthday.
She resides in Oceanside, California with her wonderful husband, loving son, and terrific
twin daughters.