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Administrative Staff | Music Faculty (A - F) | Music Faculty (G - K) | Dance Faculty | Drama & Visual Arts Faculty

Jee-Hae Lee (Violin) B.M. in Music from Rutgers University, Mason Gross School of the Arts. Ms. Less started out playing Suzuki piano, and at the age 10 switched to violin. She joined a Suzuki violin group at the age of 11 and toured around South Korea performing with the group. She moved to the U.S.A. at the age of 14 where she attended the Manhattan School of Music, Prep. Division throughout her high school year. She has taught privately and at numerous music academies in NJ area. Also, performs in the NJ and NY areas, and is presently on faculty with the Newark School of the Arts.

Inez McClendon (Voice, Drama) B.A. and M.A. in Music Education from Montclair State College and a M.A in speech and theatre from Montclair State University. Ms. McClendon is a music and drama instructor for the Boys' and Girls' Clubs of America Summer program, choral director of the South Side (now Shabazz) High School Alumni Chorus, musical conductor of the Newark Public Schools All City High School Chorus and voice instructor at Essex County College.. Ms. McClendon shares the spotlight as one-third of the musical/dramatic aggregation known as ATalent-In-Triplicate, and she is the star of the traveling one woman show of dramatic renditions entitled, "The Many Faces of Inez". Past credits include numerous radio and television performances & lectures, nationwide & European tours in churches, schools, colleges, and concert halls. Ms. McClendon serves as Faculty Representative on the Board of Trustees.

Susan Morehead (Voice, Chorus, Orff) Ms. Morehead holds a B.A. degree from Rutgers University, M.A. degree from Jersey City State College, and pursued studies at the Academy of Vocal Arts, in Philadelphia, and New York University. She has appeared in numerous operatic roles performing with the Festival Chorus of New Jersey, the Masterwork Chorus and Orchestra, Orpheus Chamber Singers, the Plainfield Symphony, Ars Musica Antiqua, the Garden State Chorale, the State Repertory Opera, Jersey Lyric Opera, Choral Baccarelli (Sao Paulo, Brazil), the Academy of Vocal Arts Opera Theatre (Philadelphia, PA), Montclair Chamber Orchestra, and numerous others. In 1989, she was the award-winning collaborator along with composer Loretta Jankowski, of a song cycle entitled Phoenix, published internationally by Boosey & Hawkes, in December 1993. . Under auspices of the United States Embassy, Ms. Morehead toured Brazil. She is a recipient of several Lila Wallace/Reader’s Digest Incentive Grants, for performance and research. She is a member of the New York Singing Teacher’s Association and is also a composer of children=s songs. Her voice teachers and coaches include Franco Rossi-Roudett, Terrence Shook, Helen Fenstermacher, Chloe Owens, Daniel Ferro, Marlena Malas, Dorothea Discala, Frank Valentino, Deborah Taylor, and Dolores Cassinelli. She has appeared in master classes with Elly Amelling, Jerome Hines, Judith Raskin, and Daltin Baldwin.

Thomas Price (Percussion) B.A., Shaw University. Mr. Price has studied composition and arranging at the Berkeley School of Music and was on the music faculty in the Newark public schools. He has performed at the Newport Jazz Festival, the Village Vanguard and Top of the Gate and has recorded for E.S.P. label. Mr. Price is also a certified special education teacher. He taught music to special needs students at the Mount Carmel Guild in Newark and various at other sites.

Gregory Rivkin (Trumpet) holds his Diploma of Musical Studies as a Classical Trumpeter -Soloist, from National Paris Conservatory (Paris, France), B.F.A. in Jazz Performance from The New School University, Jazz and Contemporary Music Program (New York City, U.S.A.) and currently pursuing his Master's Degree in Jazz Research and History at Rutgers University (Newark, NJ). Mr. Rivkin is a New Jersey State Certified Teacher for the Irvington Board of Education (teaching band and general music), and is a faculty member of the Music Department at the Essex County College, NJ (West Caldwell and Newark) and The Newark School of The Arts. He is professionally affiliated with the International Trumpet Guild, Historic Brass Society, Prestige Artist Management, America-Israel Cultural Foundation, New York Trumpet Company, Hazy Horns Company, and Greg Black Mouthpieces. Gregory Rivkin has performed across United States, Europe and Middle East. His performances and appearances were broadcasted on various national and international television and radio stations. He is a co-founder of the Bruk-Rivkin Duo (a classical trumpet/piano ensemble) with his wife, Karina Bruk, as well as a founder of the Jazz Duo "Interplay" with Jazz pianist Arkadiy Figlin. Mr. Rivkin has been a finalist in the Caruso International Jazz Competition, and won 2nd place in the ABS International Music Competition, Washington, D.C.

Ronald Scott (Trumpet, Clarinet, Saxophone, Recorder) B.A, M.A. Music Education, Jersey City State College. Mr. Scott currently teaches instrumental music within the New Jersey Public School System. A veteran of big bands, Latin, and Jazz groups, also Classical Orchestras throughout his professional career. He also played lead trumpet with groups such as Latin Group Orchestra Pueblo, The Doc Wheeler Big Band, The Jazzmobile Big Band, and Chico Mendoza. Mr. Scott has done back-up work for The Crest, The Duprees, The Temptations, The Manhattans, and the Chi-Lites. Currently, he is performing and playing lead trumpet with The Bronx Riverside Drive Big Band, The Ray Abrams Gospel Big Band, The LMR Orchestra of Harlem, and The Blues/Jump Swing Group, "Two Queens in the Court".

Hisaichi Shimura (Violin) Hisaichi Shimura, violinist, was born in Japan and began violin study at age of six. In 1992 after taking a master class with Lewis Kaplan in Japan , he was inspired to come to the United States to study with Mr.Kaplan. He received B.M. and M.M. degrees from the Mannes college of Music and appeared as soloist with the Mannes Orchestra as a winner of the concerto competition 1995. His festival credits include the Tanglewood, PMF, Salzburg , Bowdoin and C.W.Post Chamber music festival. His New York recital debut was at Carnegie's Weill Recital Hall in 1996 as an Artists International Competition winner. He is currently presenting solo, recitals, chamber music and orchestra such as the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra, as a principal 2nd, and New York Virtuosi Chamber Symphony, in the United States and Japan. He is a member of the faculty at Newark School of the Arts and a Summer Music Festival in Kanazawa in Japan and was teaching assistant to Lewis Kaplan at the Julliard School 's Pre-college Division.

Harry Thompson (Voice)B.S, Music Education, Morgan State University, Master in Music Education, Duquesne University and a Master in Education in Supervision and Educational Administration from Pace University. Mr. Thompson worked for the New York City Board of Education for 26 years. He is presently on faculty as an Adjunct Professor of Music at Essex County College, Newark, New Jersey and also serves on faculty at the Newark School of the Arts. He has performed at several churches, the Metropolitan Opera (solo roster) and Merkin Hall in New York City and Europe.

Deborah Thurlow (French horn) Ms. Thurlow earned a CUNY BA through the Local 802 Music Program at Kingsborough CC/Lehman College in 1990 and an MFA in performance from SUNY Purchase in 1993. She is a resident of Teaneck, New Jersey and a freelance musician in the New York area and in Europe. In 1999 she produced a two-day music event, Next Horn Wave, where she put together horn players from the East and West coasts and Europe to perform music devoted to the art of both contemporary and jazz improvisation. As a composer, she has works published with Nichols Music Company and DSM Producers. She has received grants from Meet the Composer, ASCAP Awards and the William Petshek Music Fund. She has been favorably reviewed in the press, including the NY Times. In addition, her one act play with music, The Creative Void Of The Planet Earth, had an Equity Showcase run of seven performances in April 1997 by the New Media Repertory under the direction of Miranda MacDermot. In the past she has performed with the Pina Baush Ballet Company, Franz Kaman, David Amram, Anthony Davis, The New York Composers Orchestra, and many others too numerous to mention. She has three recordings to her credit, Angelic Waves - Part 1 (2000), Angelic Waves - Part 2 (2003), and I Am (2001) on the Capstone Records label. Ms. Thurlow recently received a grant from the Puffin Cultural Foundation for her project - In the beginning….BANG! performed at the Puffin Foundation in Teaneck, NJ on May 12, 2007.

Jessica J. Walker (Piano, Organ, Voice) Ms. Walker attended Columbia University, Westminster Choir College and received a Doctoral Degree in Religious/Church Music from Miller University, pursuing studies in piano, organ, voice and accompaniment. She maintains an active career throughout the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan area as a pianist, accompanist, music and choral director. Jessica is at present the Coordinator and Director of the "Candlelight Series," Director of Music at Mt. Carmel Presbyterian Church in Somerset, New Jersey and a staff accompanist at Newark School of the Arts. She is a music consultant throughout New Jersey, New York and Boston.

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Administrative Staff | Music Faculty (A - F) | Music Faculty (G - K) | Dance Faculty | Drama & Visual Arts Faculty

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