Our Instructors
Director of SCMA, Judy Roberts is a native Californian. She studied music performance at Northwestern University, the University of Texas at Austin, and Indiana University's School of Music in Bloomington. She was Assistant Principal Cellist in the National Opera of Mexico City. In 1985, her travels took her to Germany where she was Principal Cellist in the Stadttheater Lüneburg. During her 25 yrs. in Germany, she also played with the Stadttheater Lübeck and Stadttheater Kiel, as well as the musicals in Hamburg (Phantom of the Opera, Lion King, Dance of the Vampires, Cats). Chamber Music has always been part of Ms. Roberts life with performances in Mexico City as well as Germany. Since returning to the USA in 2007, Ms. Roberts plays with the Symphony Silicon Valley, Monterey Symphony and the Santa Cruz Symphony. She is also a member of the Santa Cruz New Music Works and "Cadenza".
Teaching has been a part of Ms. Roberts career for over 30 yrs. In Germany she taught in the Musikschule Itzehoe, Bad Bramstedt, and Kaltenkirchen. She also taught music as a faculty member at the Jürgen Fühlendorf Gymnasium. Since returning to the USA, she has been teaching in her private studio in Mountain View. In 2015 she co-founded the Santa Cruz Music Academy with Ron Dunn. |
Diana Brown, pianist, has been an active teacher and performer in the Santa Cruz area for over 7 years. She holds an Associates Degree in Music from Cabrillo College where she studied extensively under the head of the piano department, Susan Bruckner. While at Cabrillo Diana was recognized as a natural leader and entrusted to teach classes in the absence of her teachers. She has also performed as a soloist with the Cabrillo Symphony, performed a sophomore solo recital, and more recently worked as an accompanist with NextStage Productions. She is now currently working towards her Bachelor’s in Music at San Jose State University, and has aspirations to complete a Masters in Music program in the future.
Diana has lead a growing studio of budding young pianists and is known for her enthusiasm and creative approach to teaching. Her well-rounded curriculum encourages proper technique, an understanding of ear-training and music theory, sight-reading skills, and creative expression. She has held many student recitals in the Santa Cruz area in retirement homes and coffee shops - places where music can be shared with the community. In addition to her private studio she also taught music classes at Salesian Sisters Elementary and Junior High school in Corralitos (K-5th) for the 2015-16 school year. |
Lars Johannesson, flutist, is an active performer and teacher in the San Francisco and Monterey Bay areas. Lars studied flute at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and Baroque flute at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, Holland. Over the years, Lars has performed with numerous West Coast early music ensembles and orchestras, as well as a variety of modern instrument groups. Locally, Lars appears regularly with Santa Cruz Baroque Festival, Ensemble Monterey Chamber Orchestra, New Music Works and Santa Cruz Chamber Players. Having an interest in different musical genres, Lars also performs Celtic, Swedish and other traditional music. Lars has taught in the Santa Cruz and South Bay area for over 20 years, and teaches beginning to advanced flute, as well as Irish flute, baroque flute, pennywhistle and recorder. Students of all ages are welcome, though due to the size of the instrument flute students are generally from age 8 and up.
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Ron Dunn holds a B.A. in Music from UC San Diego, and an M.M. in Ethnomusicology from Florida State University. He has studied guitar with many well-regarded performers and teachers, including Randy Pile, Lisa Smith, Pepe Romero, Scott Tennant, Marc Teicholz, Bruce Holzman, John Schneiderman, Mesut Ozgen and others. In addition, his interests include the music of Latin America, and the drum orchestra music of the Ewe People of West Africa, which he studied with Mr. Perry Sayoma Quarshie. He performed on guitar, charango and siku for several years with Aconcagua, Florida State University's Andean ensemble, and continues to perform on guitar in solo and chamber music settings. He has been on the full-time faculty at De Anza College in Cupertino since 2001, directing the Guitar and World Music areas of the Music Program, where he has developed a unique approach to classroom guitar instruction for both classical and acoustic guitar. His College Website can be viewed here. In addition, he has maintained a private teaching studio for many years, and his experience with diverse populations of students has helped foster a teaching philosophy and pedagogy around a strong technique, as well as nurturing the unique expression and self confidence of each student.
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Kumiko Uyeda, Piano. Kumiko has been teaching piano for more than 20 years and received her master’s degree in piano from the Manhattan School of Music in New York City. She has received training in the Suzuki method and the Dorothy Taubman piano technique in addition to studying piano with Zenon Fishbein (NYC) and Rex Cooper (CA). Kumiko recently completed her Ph.D. in Cultural Musicology at UC Santa Cruz, where she was a teaching assistant for keyboard theory and ear-training, and now teaches courses at UCSC in the Music Department as a lecturer. She has been performing concerts and recitals in solo piano and chamber music throughout her life and now is a member of the ZaSu Piano Trio.
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Stan Poplin, bassist, studied at the Norwegian State Academy of Music with Knut Guettler and privately with Stephen Tromontozzi, Mel Graves, and Bob Manning. He is currently affiliated with New Music Works (Santa Cruz), the Monterey Symphony, Opera Parallele in San Francisco, and is an active Jazz musician in the San Francisco and Monterey Bay areas. In 2002 Stan began teaching in the Applied Music Program at UC Santa Cruz and in 2003 he became the director of Small Jazz Ensembles. He has a long association with guitarist Robben Ford and has performed with Toots Thielemans, Dave Brubeck, Herb Ellis, Charlie Haden, Bobby Hutcherson, Roger Kelloway, James Moody, Eddie Harris, Michael Brecker, Kenny Barron, Smith Dobson, Charlie Bird, Chet Baker, Chuck Berry, and Muddy Waters.
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Ryan Pate is a music educator, guitarist and composer. In 2008 he graduated from Manhattan School of Music with a Masters degree in Jazz Guitar. As a performer, he has collaborated with and led his own groups in the San Francisco Bay Area, New York, City, and Europe. His Most recent tour in 2019 saw him performing his original compositions in NYC, Lisbon, Barcelona, Berlin, and Lausanne. His beginnings in music were with a hand me down guitar, learning Jimi Hendrix and Beatles songs by ear. These early musical explorations soon led him to Blues and Jazz music, where he discovered a lifelong passion for music.
As an educator, Ryan' s teaching practice has been informed by the diverse musical styles Ryan has been exposed to. He values finding and teaching musical styles that resonate with his students, while emphasizing the fundamentals of technique and theory. A music educator since 2004, his experience includes private and group guitar instruction for all ages and levels, beginning piano lessons, music theory and musicianship classes, and digital music classes. He currently maintains a studio of private guitar and piano students and is Adjunct Faculty at Las Positas College. In his spare time Ryan is a big fan of literature, deep listening, and long bike rides. |
Dennis Baraw began playing music at the age of nine and knew immediately he wanted to dedicate his life to it. Shortly after graduating High School he followed his passion to Atlanta, Georgia where he attended a one-year certificate program on electric bass at the Atlanta Institute of Music. While at AIM Dennis was exposed to many new influences and experiences.
Dennis began his formal musical studies at a local community college and later transferred to the University of Georgia. During his time at UGA Dennis was able to gain valuable experience as a performer and teacher in many varied settings. He has also traveled, taught and played in countries around the world including China, Italy and Costa Rica. Dennis currently resides in Marina, California where he maintains a busy teaching and performing schedule throughout Monterey County. |