Madeline Jamison began playing piano at the age of three after being inspired by her grandmother's piano playing. Throughout Madeline’s childhood and teenage years, she studied piano with a variety of teachers, including Stefanie Jacob at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music. She also played flute, violin, and bass drum in ensembles such as symphonic band, orchestra, marching band, chamber groups, and the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra. In 2023, she graduated with a Bachelor of Music in Piano Pedagogy degree from the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music, where she studied with Dr. Sung Hoon Mo. Madeline’s wide range of musical experiences have given her a passion for well-rounded musicianship and a multifaceted approach to teaching. Most of all, she loves sharing the joy of music with her students and nurturing their growth.
K. Lydia Üsou is a classical pianist, accompanist, collaborator, and pedagogue with a profound passion for music that began at a young age. Born in North-East India, she moved to the U.S. in 2017 to advance her musical studies. Beginning piano lessons at the age of five, Ms. Üsou’s musical journey has been defined by her dedication on the piano, although she is also proficient in playing the violin and a traditional Naga folk instrument, Tati.
Ms. Üsou holds a Master of Music in Piano Performance and Pedagogy, and a Bachelor of Arts in Music (Applied Piano) from Campbellsville University. She has been recognized for her excellence in music, including receiving a prestigious music award in India for achieving the highest score in the NBSE board. Lydia has also been a presenter at the KMTA conference and is a winner of the KMTA Piano Ensemble competition. Additionally, she has completed board examinations from Trinity College of London in Music Theory, Violin, and Piano.
Lydia’s teaching philosophy is grounded in the belief that a solid foundation in technique and music theory is the key to musical longevity. Her role as a former member and accompanist for the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) further reflects her commitment to nurturing and fostering musical talent.
Elizabeth Good Levie is a pianist, vocalist, and elementary music teacher originally from Phoenix, AZ. She just moved to Ohio this summer and is excited to enter the music scene here. Elizabeth holds a Bachelor's Degree in Secondary Choral Education from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff where she studied under Dr. Edith Copley. During her time there, she sang in a vocal jazz ensemble, multiple concert choirs, and an a cappella group. Elizabeth has served as an accompanist for voice students as well as high school and collegiate choirs. She has been playing piano since age six, as well as cello since age nine and voice since age twelve. Elizabeth's main goal in teaching piano is to instill a love of music in young students. She wants them to enjoy the journey of learning how to play an instrument while also feeling safe to make mistakes as they learn new skills. In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys reading, baking sweet treats, and exercising.
Sean Kelley is a Cincinnati-raised songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and audio engineer. He earned his BA in Audio Design and Production from Columbia College Chicago, and has been active in Cincinnati's music scene ever since, having also taught 30-40 students over the years - with expertise in guitar, ukulele, percussion, and piano.
No matter the instrument of focus, Sean is devoted to inspiring students to find the joyous discipline of learning (and/or deepening) the skill of playing music. In addition to his love for music, Sean is also a big proponent of the value of Mindfulness and "Presence practices" - which he shares through podcasts and Guided Meditations."
Described as a violinist whose playing is “emotional and virtuosic” by Stadt Sulzbach-Rosenberg und Umland Newspaper, Jingting Liu has performed at venues such as Weil Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall, National Centre for the Performing Arts in China, Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing, Zhongshan Concert Hall in Beijing, Steinway Music Hall in Shenzhen, China, etc.
As an experienced teacher, Jingting has taught in University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music as a Graduate Teaching Assistant of Violin. She also served as a violin teacher in Ichi San Academy, Montessori Academy, American String Teachers Association (ASU 360 Project), String Project in Arizona State University, and Joy Music Company in Arizona.
Jingting Liu won the First Prize in Hong Kong International String Competition, and she was also the first place in Vivaldi Concerto Competition in Arizona. It leads to a performance of Vivaldi’s “Spring” Concerto with the Four Seasons Orchestra, which was broadcast by AZ-KBAQ radio station.
Jingting is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in UC-CCM under the tutelage of Prof. Won-Bin Yim, with full scholarship and served as his graduate assistant. She completed her bachelor and master degrees in Arizona State University where she was a student of Prof. Danwen Jiang.
John-Austin King is a classical pianist, teacher, and composer from Clover, SC. He holds
Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in music performance from the UC-College Conservatory of
Music in Cincinnati. John Austin has performed internationally in Germany, Czech Republic, and
various regions of the United States. He has served as the accompanist for Greater Liberty Baptist Church in
Cincinnati since 2018. As an experienced teacher, John-Austin has taught students of all ages
and ranging in abilities from beginner to advanced. His teaching style is friendly and approachable.
A passionate and inspiring performer, Ava Shedd has developed into an accomplished violinist and musician who loves engaging with audiences and educating the next generation of young musicians. She has had years of orchestral, chamber and solo experiences which have shaped her into a well-rounded individual based in the world of classical music. Hailing from Virginia Beach VA, Ava has blossomed into the violinist she is today because of ensembles such as the Bayyouth Orchestras of Virginia, Hampton Roads Chamber Players and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra where she is currently a substitute section violin. Ava is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree in Violin Performance at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory. While her primary focus lies in the study of the violin, she also has years of experience in teaching and playing the piano. In her free time she enjoys listening to as much music as she can, visiting local coffee shops, thrifting, reading, and going on long walks.
Austin Atkinson is a multi-instrumentalist, music educator, and producer based in Cincinnati, Ohio. He holds a degree in Music Education from University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music (CCM). His music teaching focuses on piano, guitar, and saxophone. Since starting his private teaching studio in 2015 he has worked with several school music programs and music stores in southern Ohio and northern Kentucky, with experience in individual, small group and large group instruction, marching band camps, instrument fittings, and concert sound engineering.
Austin’s performance experience includes community events and wedding performances in both classical and jazz settings, producing and recording rock, jazz, and folk music at his studio, plus pre-pandemic public concerts and in-studio recording with his band. He is comfortable teaching students of any age and skill level the fundamentals of reading music, playing and creating songs with proper technique, and playing songs using melodies and chord progressions. His music lessons revolve around the students’ individual goals and musical interests, with a focus on or mix of standard folk songs, popular and jazz tunes, classical performance, improvisation and creation, scales and music theory, and technique and fundamentals. The ultimate goal is to have fun playing music! In addition to this, Austin approaches his students’ education with understanding and flexibility, so that if a student is unable to complete an assignment in the expected time or is struggling with other factors in life, lessons will involve interaction with music in a way that manages stress and enhances problem solving skills for success in all areas of life.
John Fisher is a Cincinnati native with a lifelong commitment to the world of music. Having earned a Bachelor's degree in Music Theory from the esteemed Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, John has acquired a solid foundation in musical knowledge and understanding.
Currently, he is actively engaged in teaching piano, with a primary objective of nurturing a comprehensive understanding of music among his students. His aim is to provide multifaceted perspectives on the aesthetics and auditory aspects of music, as well as the mental and physical components necessary for proficient and effortless performance.
With over three decades of experience as an Organist, Pianist, and accompanist for local church choirs and congregations since 1992, John possesses a profound appreciation for a wide array of musical genres. His repertoire encompasses a diverse range of musical styles, from the timeless compositions of Beethoven to the contemporary allure of Coldplay.
John attributes his growth as a musician to the invaluable mentorship of esteemed professionals in the field. Their guidance has significantly shaped his musical sensibilities and serves as a constant source of inspiration to share his knowledge and expertise with the emerging generation of musicians.
Drawing upon his skills and expertise, John is deeply committed to nurturing the talents of aspiring musicians. Through his efforts, he endeavors to instill a profound understanding and appreciation of music, empowering his students to express themselves creatively and excel in their musical pursuits.
Yun-Huei Jen is a double bassist and pianist from Taiwan. She began studying double bass and piano at the age of 4, and has 4 years experience teaching students of all ages and abilities in U.S. After receiving her bachelor degree in Taiwan, in order to pursue a more professional education in music, Yun-Huei began her studies in the U.S at University of North Texas in 2017. She received her Masters degree in performance at University of North Texas studying with Dr. Gudrun Raschen. She also got her the Graduate Artist Certificate degree in double bass performance in next year, where she is a student of Jeff Bradetich. She is now pursuing her second year of Doctoral degree at University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
She has won a number of international competitions while studying at UNT including UNT Concerto competition, the 2021 International Fringe Competition held in Hong Kong, 2nd prize of the online double bass competition, and honorable mention of the Progressive Musicians Competition. She has got full scholarship to attend the Heartland Chamber Music Festival and the Vancouver Symphony Summer Festival.
Peter Kim is an orchestral double-bassist and educator currently based in the greater area of Cincinnati. Originally from North Carolina, Peter earned his Bachelor Degree in Music at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where he studied with Professor Craig Brown of the North Carolina Symphony. During his undergraduate degree, Peter performed as principal bassists with the University Symphony Orchestra, as well as the UNCG Opera and Gate-City Camerata. After graduating, Peter moved to Cincinnati to complete a Master’s Degree in Music at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) where he studied with Professor Rachel Calin. Peter is currently continuing his studies at CCM to earn his Artist Diploma. His other notable teachers include Jeff Turner, Max Dimoff, Joe Conyers, Braizahn Jones, George Speed and Owen Lee.
During his time as a student, Peter performed with many different types of orchestras including Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle, Lima Symphony, Brevard Music Center Orchestra, and The National Orchestral Institute Philharmonic. There he worked with many influential conductors such as Joann Falletta, Marin Alsop, Ruth Reinhardt and more. Peter currently is a section bass player at the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra. In his free time, he enjoys playing video games and spending time with his family, dog, and cat.
Pianist Aidan Hedrick is a Cincinnati-based soloist and chamber musician. He holds a BM from Lee University and an MM from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. He has studied with Cahill Smith, Joong-Han Jung, and Émile Naoumoff. Aidan is currently pursuing a DMA at the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music where he studies with Sara Daneshpour.
Aidan has received recognition in numerous solo and concerto competitions. These include awards in the Tri-State Piano Concerto Competition, Lee University International Piano Competition, and Music Teachers National Association Young Artist Competition. Aidan also received second prize in the George R. Johnson Concerto Competition and was selected as winner of the Lee University Concerto Competition performing Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 1.
Aidan has studied and performed at summer festivals like the Lee University International Festival and Competition and the Atlantic Music Festival. He has performed in masterclasses in both solo and collaborative settings. In solo masterclasses, Aidan has performed for Natalya Antonova, Ning An, Sun Min Kim, Scott Cuellar, and Renana Gutman. Collaborative Masterclass appearances include performances for Aram Arakelyan, Allen Perriello, and Youngmi Kim.
Diana Chubak is a Ukrainian pianist currently based in Cincinnati. Since 2021, she has been pursuing her doctoral degree with full funding at the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music under the guidance of Awadagin Pratt.
Diana was born in Ternopil, Ukraine and graduated from Mykola Lysenko Lviv Music Academy in 2018, where she studied with Oksana Rapita. In the ensuing years, she has studied with numerous pianists throughout Europe and the United States, including as Andrzej Yasinskyi, Martin Lysholm Jepsen, Matti Raekallio, Lily Dorfman, Philippe Giusiano, Kevin Kenner, Daniel Shapiro, Dror Biran, and Awadagin Pratt.
As a soloist, she has performed in seven countries and has played concerti with the National Presidential Orchestra of Ukraine, Academia Dell’Arco Chamber Orchestra in Poland, Kyiv Symphony Orchestra, Lviv Festival Orchestra, and the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Philharmonia. She is a winner of many international competitions, including first place in the Cincinnati College-Conservatory Concerto Competition, the Golden Parnassus Award from the XII International Piano Forum “Bieszczady without Borders,” and second prizes in the 2016 Myroslav Skoryk Competition, the VIII International Siegfried-Weishaupt-Klavierwettbewerb Competition, and the Tuesday Musical Scholarship Competition.
Diana’s work has also been rewarded with several financial considerations. Since 2017, Diana has been a recipient of the Vere Music Fund Grant. She received a scholarship from Richard Wagner Society for participation at the 2019 Bayreuth Festival and was awarded the Graduate Incentive Full Scholarship by the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music.
Born in Beijing, China, Muning Wang is currently pursuing her Doctoral Degree in Viola Performance at the University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music (UC/CCM) with conducting as her cognate, where she studies with Catharine Lees and Aik Khai Pung. She also received her Masters Degree in Viola Performance from UC-CCM with Graduate Incentive Award, and Bachelors Degree in Viola Performance from Renmin University of China (RUC), where she studied with Yue Qi.
Muning is a passionate musician, she has been performing as an orchestral violist/violinist in CCM Philharmonia Orchestra, CCM Concert Orchestra, CCM Chamber Orchestra. She was Principal Violist of RUC Youth Philharmonia Orchestra and RUC Youth Chamber Orchestra. She has also performed in Australia, Vienna, Ireland, United States and China with Beijing 101 Middle School Philharmonia Orchestra, RUC Youth Philharmonia Orchestra, CCM Philharmonia and Concert orchestra and Beijing Philharmonic Orchestra.
Muning has attended music festivals such as National Orchestral Institute, Rencontres Musicales Internationales Des Graves, and the Beijing International Music Festival & Academy. She has played in masterclasses for Susan Dubois, Keju Wang. Muning also have teaching experiences for over 5 years of violin and viola, and piano.
Pianist Yeon-Kyung Kim is from South Korea and has grown a passion for performing and teaching. She is now pursuing her final degree in piano performance at University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) under the tutelage of James Tocco. Her former teachers include Aviram Reichert, Christopher Harding, and Emile Naoumoff, who was the last student of Nadia Boulanger. She has been a scholarship recipient throughout her music education.
Ms. Kim regularly performs as a solo pianist and a chamber musician. She performed at multiple venues at CCM, in Northern and Southern Indiana, Detroit Metropolitan area including Ann Arbor, and in Seoul, South Korea. She is a 1st prize winner in Chamber music at Seoul Art Concours, where she played as an initial member of Quartet Y. She also presented at masterclasses for John O’Conor, André Watts, Peter Takács, and Norman Krieger. Ms. Kim has served as a rehearsal pianist at CCM Opera for two consecutive years. For the 2020-2021 season, she is presenting various works with the CCM Wind Symphony as a soloist and keyboardist.
She has taught various piano group classes and private lessons as a Graduate Assistant of Secondary Piano of CCM. On top of teaching, Ms. Kim presents her pedagogy research on teaching Leonard Bernstein’s Anniversaries at conferences, such as, National Conference of Keyboard Pedagogy and Music Teachers Association (Ohio & SouthWest Ohio). Her session “Talk to the Lens!: Recording Teaching Video” is selected for the 2021 Virtual Collegiate Chapter Symposium of MTNA, and she is also presenting at the 2021 MTNA National Conference with the CCM Collegiate Chapter in March.
Ms. Kim's private teaching ranges K-12, from beginner to early advanced, and online or in-person! From 2017, she has spent three summers at Indiana University Piano Academy (IUPA) as a Live-in Counselor, where she gained a new perspective on educating young advanced students and administrative skill.
Garrett Gillingham grew up in Michigan and now resides in Cincinnati, Ohio. He comes from a very musical family, with his parents and sister all being classically trained musicians. Garrett's musical training began at a young age starting on the piano, progressing to percussion in junior high/high school, and then studying voice and composition during his college and graduate studies. He holds a BIS in Music Composition from Central Michigan University where he studied with his father, Dr. David Gillingham. He continued his study in music composition at Michigan State University with Dr. Jere Hutcheson and Dr. Mark Sullivan, earning a Masters in Music Composition. While at MSU, he also studied voice under award-winning tenor, Johnathan Riesen. From 2010 to the present, Garrett has also sung lead in a barbershop quartet, Ebb N' Flow. The quartet won the Pioneer District (Michigan and Ontario) championship in 2011, and also went on to represent the district at the Barbershop Harmony Society International competition in 2011, 2012, and 2013. Garrett Gillingham is primarily a freelance composer, having written for many classical ensembles, as well as over ten film scores, many of which have been selected at film festivals such as the Los Angeles Cinema Festival of Hollywood, the Traverse City International Film Festival, and the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. His teaching experience includes Delta College (University Center, MI) where he taught Piano I and II, as well as Jazz History. Additionally, he taught music technology, theory, and film music for several years at Central Michigan University's Summer Music Camp. Garrett prides himself in teaching with a laid back style, with a caring attitude and an emphasis of love instead of fear. In his spare time, he enjoys running and spending time with his parents' pug, Lily.
Whitney Yiqian Wang is establishing herself as an insightful and sensitive pianist, currently signing with the KNS record label and receiving a performance invitation at the Carnegie Hall. She serves for CCM Preparatory as a Student Piano Instructor, also an MTNA Certified Teacher of Music and an MTNA Recreational Music Making Specialist.
Pianist Yiqian (Whitney) Wang was shortlisted for a wide range of influential awards throughout her music path. She was the First Prize Winner of the 2022 Golden Music Awards, International Competition, the 2022 London Young Musicians, the 2022 Toronto Rocky Mountain Music Competition, and the 2020 US International Music Open Competition (online edition). She was also a prizewinner of the Young Musician Competition “Citta di Barletta“, Markham Music Festival (Canada), Yangtze River Youth Piano Competition (China), Xi’an Conservatory of Music Piano Concerto Competition (China), Austria Lydia Liszt International Music Festival, and KAWAI Asia Piano Competition etc. In 2022, she participated in well-renowned music festivals includingTexas States International Piano Festival (Texas), Atlantic Music Festival (Maine), and Artciál International Piano Festival. Whitney has also been a beloved performer at many music venues. She was invited as a solo and chamber pianist for multiple concerts and workshops across Asia and North America. She made her debut at the Carnegie Hall for winning the 2022 "Golden Music Awards" International Competition. In 2019, she was invited as the gold medalist of Markham Music Festival to perform at Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts. Her other performance venues including Xi’an Conservatory of Music Art Centre, Qujiang Concert Hall , Edward Johnson Building (Toronto, CA), and Strathcona Music Building (Montreal, CA) and Lorimer Chapel(Waterville, USA) etc. Her solo debut album “Romantic Soul” has published under the publisher of Central Conservatory of China（北京环球音像）
Whitney is currently pursuing her bachelor's degree in piano performance at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of Professor Awadagin Pratt. She was awarded CCM Honors Scholarship for 4 years and CCM Dean’s List for high academic achievement. Whitney started the journey of piano since she was 4 years old and made her debut at Xi’an Concert Hall at the age of 11. At the same year, she went to the pre-college of Xi’an Conservatory of Music as an honor student. By 14, Whitney got accepted by the Walnut Hill school for the arts, and then, moved to Toronto, Canada to further pursue her musical path with Professor Enrico Elisi. During school time, she served for CCM keyboard studies as a vocal accompanist, CCM Wind Ensemble Pianist, and the Recording Secretary for CCM-MTNA board.
Shiyang Chen graduated from the Middle School Affiliated to Wuhan Conservatory of Music. Now studying at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in the United States, majoring in piano performance, in the studio of Prof.Dror Biran. In 2016, she won the gold medal in the Jiangxi Division of the Steinberg Piano Competition. In 2017, she studied under Professor Jiang Liping, former director of the Piano Department of Wuhan Conservatory of Music. In July 2018, I participated in the Music of Summer Concert with professors from the Piano Department of Wuhan Conservatory of Music. In the same month, she went to the 4th International American Master Music Festival in the United States and won a scholarship. She won the third prize in the no-age group piano solo competition of the International Music Player Festival. In the 2018 school year, she won the professional outstanding individual scholarship of Wuhan Conservatory of Music for her outstanding professional performance, and won the Bronze Award in the professional group of the Shanghai International Youth Piano Competition. In 2019, the solo recital held at Jiangxi Teachers College of Art was well received. In 2021, she won the gold medal in the Jiangxi Division of the Pearl River Kaiserburg International Youth Piano Competition, was selected for the final round of the Golden Bell Award for Chinese Music, and won the first prize in the Asian Piano Competition of the Tchaikovsky Art Award. In 2022, she won the London Young Musician Gold Award and the 2022 European Music Competition as a Gold Award. She was chosen as the piano art director of chorus competitions for many times. During her studies, she was taught by many famous teachers, and participated in the chamber music quintet performance at the Art Center of the University of Delaware, which received unanimous praise.
Pianist Aidan Hedrick is a Cincinnati-based soloist and chamber musician. He holds a BM from Lee University and an MM from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. He has studied with Cahill Smith, Joong-Han Jung, and Émile Naoumoff. Aidan is currently pursuing a DMA at the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music where he studies with Sara Daneshpour.
Aidan has received recognition in numerous solo and concerto competitions. These include awards in the Tri-State Piano Concerto Competition, Lee University International Piano Competition, and Music Teachers National Association Young Artist Competition. Aidan also received second prize in the George R. Johnson Concerto Competition and was selected as winner of the Lee University Concerto Competition performing Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 1.
Aidan has studied and performed at summer festivals like the Lee University International Festival and Competition and the Atlantic Music Festival. He has performed in masterclasses in both solo and collaborative settings. In solo masterclasses, Aidan has performed for Natalya Antonova, Ning An, Sun Min Kim, Scott Cuellar, and Renana Gutman. Collaborative Masterclass appearances include performances for Aram Arakelyan, Allen Perriello, and Youngmi Kim.
Erin is so excited to make her City Strings & Piano debut! Erin is a multifaceted performer, music director, singer/songwriter, & educator who believes strongly in the healing, transformative power of the arts. She has been teaching private voice, piano, Italian, and ASL lessons since 2008. Erin loves watching a student light up when they get a new concept. Erin is the co-creator & performer of She’s Crazy: Mental Health & Other Myths, which has toured for seven years. She also has three albums of original music out, one released this year called The Other Side of This. Erin earned her Bachelor’s of Music degree from Baldwin Wallace University.