Academy Faculty

Natalie Blank

Dance Instructor (Ballet, Tap, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Yoga, and Creative Movement); BFA (Acting, Interdisciplinary Studies in Dance and Culture) University of Maryland, Baltimore County; over 20 years of dance experience. She has studied Laban Principles, Alexander Technique, Fitz Maurice, and Cecchetti Method of Ballet. She has an extensive theatre background and has performed in a variety of shows at UMBC, Rep Stage, and the DC Fringe Festival. She is also a certified personal trainer through NSCA with plans to become accredited in various fitness certifications.

Yong Clark

Flute; B.M., Temple University; M.M., Yale School of Music; studied with Julius Baker, Ransom Wilson, Kazuo Tokito, Julia Bogorad-Kogan, Bart Feller and Thomas Robertello; performances include, The Academy of Music in Philadelphia, the Weill Recital in Carnegie Hall, the Terrace Theater in the Kennedy Center, various venues in Graz, Austria for the AIMS Festival; has performed as Principal Flute with the Baltimore Sinfonietta; Acting Principal with the Harrisburg Symphony.

Lincoln Cobbins

Piano; B.A., Saint Louis University; B.S. (Music Education), University of Maryland at College Park; M.M., Peabody Conservatory of Music; summer study Aspen Music Festival and School; certified instructor, Orff-Schulwerk Pedagogy Levels I & II; selected performances; Strathmore Hall Arts Center, Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center, Lincoln Theatre, Sandy Spring Museum, Lyceum, Sheldon Concert Hall KPLR TV (St. Louis); Music Director, Musical Theatre Center; faculty, Montgomery County Public Schools, Montgomery College, Rockville Campus.

Gabriel DiMarco

Cello - B.M. (Cello Performance and Music Composition) from The Catholic University of America, Benjamin T. Rome School of Music in Washington D.C. There he studied cello with Robert Newkirk, string pedagogy with Jody Gatwood and composition with Dr. Helmut Braunlich. He has played cello with several orchestras including the Georgetown Symphony Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra of Southern Maryland. Gabriel is currently a member of the St. Charles String Quartet, Simply Classics String Quartet and is the principal cellist of the Londontowne Symphony Orchestra in Annapolis, Maryland. He also contributed greatly in the music education field, serving as adjudicator and guest conductor for many Maryland school orchestra festivals. He has taught string orchestra, guitar, and music theory courses in Anne Arundel County Public Schools and has also maintained a private cello studio of his own for the past 12 years, working with students of all ages. His teaching method was influenced strongly by cellist Scott Cook at the String Academy of Wisconsin, where he attended Suzuki cello pedagogy workshops.

Doug Dubé

Violin; B.M., M.M., D.M.A., Catholic University of America; solo recitals, Corcoran Gallery; studies with Guarneri String Quartet, Baroque Performance Institute, Oberlin Conservatory; Concertmaster, Baltimore Opera Orchestra, Washington Concert Opera; former violinist, Washington Chamber Symphony; violinist, Washington Opera, National Gallery, Wolf Trap Farm Park Orchestras; substitute, National Symphony, Baltimore Symphony Orchestras.

Sarah Dudas

Violin; B.M., Southern Methodist University; M.M., New England Conservatory; D.M.A., University of Southern California. Studies with Jan Mark Sloman, James Buswell, Hagai Shaham, Kathleen Winkler, and viola studies under Pamela Goldsmith. Ms. Dudas' previous teaching positions include: Instructor of non-majors/minors, USC's Thornton School of Music; Chamber Music Coach, Los Angeles' Junior Chamber Music; Visiting Instructor of Music, Covenant College; Violin Instructor, the University of Tennessee/Chattanooga's Cadek Conservatory; Chamber Music Coach, The Institute for Strings in Dallas, TX. She has held orchestral appointments with the Oregon Bach Festival, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the Chattanooga Symphony, and as a substitute with the Dallas Symphony. As a soloist, she has appeared with orchestras in her native state of Texas, including the Las Colinas Symphony, Garland Symphony Orchestra, New Symphony of Arlington, and Fort Worth Civic Orchestra. Ms. Dudas was the 2003 winner of the Music Teachers National Association Collegiate String Competition in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Natasha Dukan

Piano; B.M. ,M.M, University of Novi Sad, former Yugoslavia; Graduate Performance Diploma and Artist Diploma, Peabody Conservatory of Music, Baltimore, MD; first place International Piano Competition, Stresa, Italy; soloist with Belgrade Philharmonic and Croatian National Orchestra; solo performances at the American Liszt Society Festival in Canada, Texas Festival of Young Artists, the Inter American Development Bank Cultural Center Summer Concerts, the Fairfax Concert Series, the Croatian Musical Heritage Series , Washington, DC, the Ars Viva Concert series at the Goucher College, Towson, MD; member of the National Chamber Ensemble; Maryland State Arts Council Individual Performer?s Grant three times recipient.

Rita Galindo

Education Speech & Theatre BS LSU; Drama Teacher Seton Academy and James Hart Middle School, Illinois; Storybook Theatre Instructor Munster Parks, Indiana; Kids on Stage Teacher/Director, Southshore Arts Association, Munster, IN; Founder and Director Professional Children's Theatre, Performing Arts Center, Munster, IN; Winner of the Midsouth Playwrights Award; Professional Storyteller for over 20 years; Indiana Convention & Tourism Bureau Curator of Art Exhibit; and Lake County Solid Waste Environmental Educator.

Philip Hosford

Music: Director, Piano, Orchestra; B.M., University of Maryland-College Park; M.M., Peabody Conservatory of Music; selected solo performances, the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Recital Hall, Alice Tully Hall; in London, the Purcell Room, Wigmore Hall; toured Europe, Asia, U.S., South America, Africa; soloist with National, Oakland, Seattle, Cairo Symphony Orchestras, Halle Orchestra of Manchester, England; first prize, Terence Judd International, Beethoven Foundation Awards, Joanna Hodges International, East and West Artists, Musicians' Club of America Competitions; recipient, Solo Recitalists Grant from NEA; USIA Artistic Ambassador; member, National Philharmonic Piano Trio; former faculty, Peabody Conservatory of Music, Michigan State University, Eastern Music Festival; recordings, BBC, Channel Crossings, Mark Recording labels.

Theater: Acting studies at University of Maryland-College Park, Studio Theatre, National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts, Washington Improv Theatre and the Roundhouse Theatre. Recent stage roles: Ralph in Frozen, Charlie Baker in The Foreigner, Rockville Little Theater, Oatcake in Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Bowman in Ongoing Adventures of John Blade, Apron Theater. Director She Loves Me for Damascus Theater, nominated for 10 WATCH Awards including Best Director, 1st Prize Ruby Griffith Awards. Developed, scripted and directed full length music/theater productions for the Eastern Music Festival in North Carolina. Directed and composed the music for Run All Night which toured throughout the Montgomery County School system.

Alice Ji

Piano - MM, University of Colorado at Boulder, studied with Dr. Andrew Cooperstock, BM, Dongduk Women's University in Seoul, South Korea; summer study at Brevard Music Festival, Faber Piano Institute, studied with Nancy & Randall Faber, Marienne Uszler; recipient of numerous scholarship/assistantship awards from CU-Boulder, Dongduk Women's University, Mu Phi Epsilon International Music Foundation, and Brevard Music Center. Lectured regularly on Piano Adventures methodologies at university pedagogy classes in South Korea. Joined the faculty of Academy of Fine Arts in the Fall of 2009.
Read more about Alice Ji.

Ai Wei Lee

Piano, Keyboard Class, Early Childhood Music; D.M.A., West Virginia University; Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music, Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, London; Nationally Certified Teacher of Music, Music Teachers™ National Association.

Brian Lee

Brian Lee (flute) MM in Flute Performance, MM Instructional Design Systems, BM in Music Education, Suzuki Teacher Training. Performed in symphony and opera orchestras, chamber ensembles, and as a soloist with orchestra and in recital. Taught public school for five years, and more recently has served as a guest clinician at middle and high schools. In addition to the classical repertoire in which he was trained, he enjoys exploring folk music, improvisation, and new music that crosses the boundaries between genres. A writer/researcher in music and learning, he is currently working on a new method for beginning flutists which will be published in 2014.

Joan McFarland

Voice, Voice Class; B.A., Voice, University of Maryland, College Park; Director, Maryland Boy Choir; recipient of GRAMMY Award in February 2000 for "Best Choral Performance" for recording of the Britten War Requiem with The Washington Chorus; choral member, Washington Bach Consort; selected peformances with the Washington Opera, Opera Americana, Opera Theatre of Northern Virginia, the Fairfax Choral Society, the Folger Consort, the Washington Chamber Symphony, the Palestrina Choir, the Washington Singers; soloist, Mozart Choir in Austria; faculty, St. Mary's College of Maryland; member, FMMC, AGMA.

Stephanie Miller

Dance Instructor (Ballet and Musical Theatre Dance); BM (Education, Advanced Dance track) Otterbein College in Westerville, OH; 25 years of dance experience. She has choreographed for high schools and community theater companies in Maryland, Ohio and North Carolina, as well as Otterbein's Opera Theatre program, and has taught in studios since she was 15 years old.

James Rickard

Art Instructor - B.A. in Art Education at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Provost Scholar, National Art Education Association; Artwork in juried exhibition in Pennsylvania's Kipp Gallery; Artwork exhibited at The Art Institute of Washington; Art Education at Penn State University; Culpeper County Public Schools PreK-8, middle school alternative art educator for the county; Montgomery County Public Schools 9-12, Painting, Ceramics, Drawing & Design; Awarded 2012 Louise S. Walker Memorial Scholarship; Artwork sold and commissioned 2000-present; Maryland Art Education Association 2012 Conference Presenter; Two-act Something Mutant published in 2009 through Playscripts, Inc.; One-act Piaget's Revenge written and performed in 2006.

Orlando Roman

Guitar, Theory; B.M., cum laude, Stetson University; M.M., Peabody Conservatory of Music; doctoral candidate, Florida State University; first prize, Appalachian State University Guitar Competition; recipient, Curran Award for Music, Maryland State Arts Council Grant, Selma Levine Professional Development Grant, Peabody Conservatory Career Development Grant; former faculty, Bainbrigde College, Darton College, Tallahassee Community College, Levine School of Music; faculty, Sudbrook Academy of Arts, Baltimore School of the Arts.

Yi-Ling Shih

Piano; B.M. National Taipei Education University, M.M., University of Indiana at Bloomington; Studied under Chen Min-Hua, Liu Chiung-Shu at National Taipei Education University, Kalichstein , Menahem Pressler, Dmitri Novgorodsky and Chen Pi-Hsien; Master studies with Evelyne Brancart; former Elementary Music Teacher, Taipei Taiwan; Radio broadcasts with Chamber Group; Accompanist for a large number of distinguished artists and events including international projects such as Aspen and Branff Music Festival; Radio broadcasts with Chamber Group.

Leslie Smile

Suzuki Coordinator, Suzuki Violin; B.M., The Ohio State University; M.M. in Suzuki Pedagogy with Suzuki Teacher Trainer Ronda Cole, The University of Maryland; previous sectionals coach at BBC High School; Administrative Assistant/Suzuki Violin Teacher University of Maryland Suzuki Violin Program; Suzuki Violin Teacher at Henson Valley Montessori School; Volunteer Sectionals Coach for College Park Youth Orchestra, Fiddle Member of Folk Band Kensington Station.

Enkelejda Luzi (Kela) Spiro

Violin; B.A., Republic of Albania Fine Arts Academy (Tirana, Albania); performed with the Albanian Radio and Television Symphonic Orchestra, Albanian Sounds Association, Mother Teresa String Orchestra, New Philharmonic Orchestra, and The Theatre of Opera and Ballet in Albania; former member, Classic String Quartet of Tirana; toured Europe with the Albanian National Orchestra; first prize winner, National Talents Competition; former faculty, Kristal College, Turkish College of Tirana, Albania

Leonid (Leo) Sushansky

Violin; B.M. The Juilliard School, M.M. University of MD-College Park; Concertmaster, Maryland Symphony Orchestra 2000-07; performances with the National Symphony, Washington National Opera; solo performances, the Windsor Symphony, Arlington Symphony, Municipal Orchestra of New York, Bergen Philharmonic, Queens Park Symphonia, New York Philharmonic, Romanian State Philharmonic, Fairfax Symphony, Philharmonia Virtuosi of New York, Richmond Philharmonic, McLean Orchestra, Britt Festival Orchestra, Aspen Chamber Orchestra, Staten Island Symphony, the Landon Symphonette, JCC Symphony, Maryland Symphony, Washington Pro-Musica and symphony orchestras of the University of Maryland and Westchester Conservatory at Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, Merkin Hall, Carnegie Hall; performed music festivals in the US, England, Italy, France, Belgium, Mexico and British Columbia; first prize, Leningrad Young Musician's Competition, the Westchester Conservatory Competition, the University of Maryland Concerto Competition, the University of Maryland Graduate Assistantship, the New York Philharmonic National Young Artists Competition, the Bergen Philharmonic Competition and the 1998 Inter-Cities Foundation Award; current Artistic Director the National Chamber Ensemble;

Hayuru Taima

Assistant Director, Piano; B.M., St. Louis Conservatory of Music; M.M., Peabody Conservatory of Music; toured Mexico, Central America and Haiti as USIA Artistic Ambassador; Presidential Scholar in the Arts; soloist with St. Louis, Buffalo Philharmonic, Annapolis, Aspen Music Festival Symphony Orchestras; first prize Kosciuszko National Chopin, MTNA, American Music Scholarship Association Piano Competition and other national and international competitions; performances at Swannanoa Chamber Music Festival; former faculty, Flint School of Performing Arts, Music Center of Kalamazoo College, Summer Seminar at Western Michigan University, Levine School of Music, Hartwick College Summer Music Festival & Institute.

Patricia Wnek

Violin; B.M., Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University; M.M., (in progress) Peabody Conservatory of Music. She has studied with Victor Danchenko, Aaron Rosand, Rebecca Henry, and Seljuk Kardan. Patricia has performed in numerous solo recitals and was featured as a soloist with the National Philharmonic, the Columbia Symphony Orchestra, the Trinity Chamber Orchestra, the Washington Youth Chamber Orchestra, the Peabody Preparatory Sinfonietta, the Peabody Preparatory Chamber Orchestra, and has performed numerous times in Europe. She has won many competitions including the National Symphony Orchestra Competition, the National Philharmonic Concerto Competition, the Columbia Symphony Orchestra's Young Artist Competition, the Washington Performing Arts Society Feder String Competition (junior and senior divisions), etc. Patricia has been performing regularly with the Maryland Symphony Orchestra, the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra, the Gettysburg College Symphony Orchestra, and the Baltimore Concerto Orchestra, as well as musicals at the Olney Theatre and operas with the Bel Cantanti Opera Company.

Amy Yang

Piano; B.A., The University of Maryland, College Park; studied with Thomas Mastroianni, Catholic University of America; Assistant Director and Accompanist, One Voice Choir, Adult Choir, Covenant Life Church; Private Piano Instructor for over 10 years; Former Band Director, Dae Sung Baptist Church; Former Pianist, First Korean Presbyterian Church.