Faculty

Our Faculty

Our music teachersĀ nurtureĀ a culture of excellence, achievement, and inspiration.

Our world-class instructors produce students who go on to study at every top music conservatory in the United States, including Juilliard, Curtis, Colburn, New England, Peabody, Cleveland, Bard, Indiana, and San Francisco. Academically oriented students have been accepted on scholarship to every local university and top academic programs like Stanford, Harvard, Rice, Columbia, and Yale. In addition, our students place at local and national competitions, are heard on NPR’sĀ From the Top, and are frequently awarded national and regional level honors.

Founders

Eugene Watanabe Gifted Music School 01 1

Eugene Watanabe

Co-Founder, Executive Director

Brass

Chamber Music Studies

Gifted Music School0123

Dr. LeeAnn Morgan

Director of Chamber Music Studies

Gifted Music School Faculty 2021 035

Katherine Baird

Preparatory Chamber Music Coordinator

Choral Music

Sarah Houghton Gifted Music School0073

Dr. Sarah Houghton

Choir Director

Composition

Matthew Durrant Gifted Music School0309

Dr. Matthew Durrant

Music Theory & Composition

Early Childhood Area

GRIT Program

Mountain View Elementary

Abby Dreher Headshot 0 1

Abby Dreher

GRIT Program Director

City Academy

sreejith kalesh 5MFEadMgZto unsplash Medium

Mark Rau

Group Piano Instructor

The Guadalupe School

Guitar Area

Music History

Music Theory Area

Orchestral Studies

anderson shenae 2017

Shenae Akagi (Anderson)

Conservatory Orchestra Coordinator

Percussion Area

Jason Anderson Headshot

Jason Anderson

Conservatory Orchestra Coordinator

Piano Area

Vera Oussetskaia Watanabe Gifted Music School 007 1

Dr. Vera Oussetskaia Watanabe

Co-Founder and Piano Area Chair

Whitney Pizza 2020 GMS November Concert

Dr. Whitney Pizza

Piano Area Coordinator

oshida joanna

Joanna Oshida

Supplemental Piano Coordinator

Cho 316 0

Dr. Koji Attwood

Music History

Ahn Headshot scaled

Dr. Esther Jeehae Ahn

Piano Ensemble Instructor

Alie Yorgason Gifted Music School0371

Dr. Alie Yorgason

Suzuki Collaborative Pianist

sreejith kalesh 5MFEadMgZto unsplash Medium

Dr. Conlan Miller

Conservatory Collaborative Pianist

sreejith kalesh 5MFEadMgZto unsplash Medium

Shelley Astle

Suzuki Collaborative Pianist

sreejith kalesh 5MFEadMgZto unsplash Medium

Mark Rau

Group Piano Instructor

Piano

String Area

Eugene Watanabe Gifted Music School 01 1

Eugene Watanabe

String Area Chair

unnamed

Deborah Moench

Suzuki Program Advisor

Gifted Music School Faculty 2021 035

Katherine Baird

Suzuki Program Coordinator

Violin

Viola

Cello

Double Bass

Voice Area

Woodwind Area

Flute

Oboe

sreejith kalesh 5MFEadMgZto unsplash Medium

Zac Hammond

Clarinet