David Beech
David Beech, an amateur clarinetist, pianist and clavichordist, is a frequent contributor as a guest reviewer to Peninsula Reviews.
Beverly Dekker-Davidson
Beverly is a pianist and organist, who is deeply involved in supporting all music events on the Monterey Peninsula.
Nate Ben-Horin
Nate is a pianist, singer and composer. He recently graduated from UC Berkeley, where he won the Music Department’s inaugural Austin F. William Prize in piano performance. He was also president of the Undergraduate Composers Club, and sang in Marika Kuzma’s Grammy-winning Chamber Chorus. He currently teaches and freelances in the Bay Area.
Lyn Bronson
Lyn Bronson, Editor of Peninsula Reviews, is a pianist who has appeared in recital many times during the past 30 years at Hartnell College, Monterey Peninsula College, California State University Monterey Bay and Sunset Center. He has also been a concerto soloist six times with the Monterey Peninsula College Orchestra under the direction of Dave Dally.
Melanie Cervi
Melanie Cervi is an accomplished organist working in the Monterey Bay area. Her focus has been to mentor and encourage organists, both new and current colleagues. She currently teaches organ along with tatting while create lace based on musical scores. She can be reached at [email protected].
Jeff DeMarco
Jefferson DeMarco has a masters degree in music theory and composition from the University of California, Riverside. and has been involved with early music since the 1970’s. He plays viola da gamba with the Pastyme Consort, and leads the amateur vocal ensemble Madregalia. Jeff has sung with many local groups, notably the Camerata Singers of Monterey County and the Carmel Bach Festival Chorus.
Erik D. Dyar
An architect by profession, Erik Dyar is also a fine and accomplished pianist who has appeared informally in solo recitals and chamber music locally and in Oregon, where he was born and raised.
Roger Emanuels
Cellist Roger Emanuels has performed with Symphony Silicon Valley, the San Jose Symphony and Cabrillo Festival Orchestra, and has also appeared as recitalist, lecturer, and teacher. In retirement he enjoys visiting archeological sites in Peru and exploring remote areas of Patagonia in South America.
Jordi Faxon
Jordi Faxon is a 17-year-old student at Carmel High School, who is an accomplished, competition-level pianist. He is as enthusiastic about classical music as he is about popular music and jazz improvisation. He intends to continue his education at the Berkeley School of Music in Boston, but may also venture into journalism.
Julian Kreeger
Julian Kreeger, an attorney living in Coral Gables, Florida, is also an avid “piano-phile.” Over a period of almost fifty years he has accumulated the largest private collection of piano recordings in the world. He has been President and Artistic Director of “Friends of Chamber Music of Miami” for 32 years in his quest to keep bringing great music to the Miami Area.
Dr. Gary Lemco
Dr. Gary Lemco has a B.A & M.A. from SUNY, Binghamton, NY, and a Ph.D. from Georgia State University. He is the author of Nietzsche as Educator, a contributor to Audiophile Audition & Classical Music Guide, and he is host of The Music Treasury at KZSU-FM, Stanford University.
Richard Lynde
Richard Lynde is a music lover and amateur musician who lives in the Santa Cruz area.
MaryClare Martin
MaryClare Martin has a Bachelor’s Degree in piano, a Master’s Degree in Music Education, and subs as pianist and organist at local churches. Also an accomplished vocalist, she is a member of Madregalia and the Carmel Bach Festival Chorus. As if that’s not enough she is additionally a PreK-3rd Music Specialist at Toro Park School and also works part time for our premier music store on the Monterey Peninsula, Bookmark.
Theodora Martin
Theodora Martin, 22, is a senior at UC Berkeley, currently double-majoring in Music and English, where she studies with piano professor Martha Wasley. She has won several competitions, such as the MTAC finals in 2009, Young Artists Beethoven Competition in 2010, Palo Alto Concerto Competition in 2011, and the AFAF Concerto Competition in 2013. Her past teachers include Hans Boepple. She plans to pursue a career as a professional pianist and musicologist.
Sarah Morris
Sarah lives and works in Santa Cruz, California. Music has been a part of her life for as long as she can remember: when she was growing up, her mother taught piano at home, so she was constantly hearing music, whether it be good or bad! Sarah currently works for herself teaching flute and piano to all ages in downtown Santa Cruz.
James Neiman
Dr. James Neiman was born into a musical family and began his piano studies at the age of three with his mother, Lea, a former concert pianist. He eventually decided to focus his studies primarily on the study of mathematics and science. Beginning in 1986, while engaged in a software career and serving in academia, he resumed his music studies with several San Francisco Bay Area masters: Julian White, Adolph Baller, Wanda Krasoff, and Hans Boepple. His brother Adam, an acclaimed concert pianist, also studied with Professor Boepple. James has appeared in approximately 50 concerts, including piano recitals, chamber recitals, and concerto solo appearances, and specializes in the performance of chamber music.
Michael Sanders
Michael Sanders, a relative newcomer to the Monterey Peninsula and a resident of Canterbury Woods, is a pianist who has been performing in recital recently at several retirement communities. He has degrees in composition, accompanying and piano from USC, where he studied with John Crown and Gwendolyn Koldofsky. He has served as organist & choirmaster for many years, most recently at St. Margaret Episcopal in San Juan Capistrano, and has been active as a concert soloist, accompanist, and ensemble musician. He has also taught mathematics at the college level.
Josef Sekon
Josef Sekon, D.M.A., is a composer and frequent contributor to the Santa Cruz Sentinel as a music writer.
Anneliese Suter
A retired language teacher, born in Germany. Raised a family in Switzerland, finished school as an adult with a B.A. in Ed. A year round hiker and biker. Except several semesters of music education, just a passionate music lover.
Michael Tierra
Michael Tierra is a bio-herbalist, acupuncturist, author, teacher, musician, classical pianist, singer and father of pianist Chetan Tierra, who competed in the most recent Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.
Heidi Van der Veer
Classically-trained singer, Heidi Tarquin Van der Veer, received her bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from the University of Hawaii, and has done graduate work in vocal pedagogy at Ohio University. She is the founder of The Van der Veer Studio for Music and the Arts, as well as classical chamber ensemble, The Tarquinia Trio, and The Tarquinia Jazz Quartet. Miss Van der Veer is originally from, and resides in Carmel. She can be reached by email at [email protected]
Robin McKee Williams
Robin McKee Williams, MA, CMVT, is an active musical director and mezzo-soprano soloist for the Monterey Peninsula and San Francisco areas. Her training includes the Royal Conservatory of Music, Stanford University, SanJose State University and the McClosky Institute of Boston. She is presently pursuing a DMA degree from Boston University.
