Blog

Rio Navarro, 15, began his PCM journey in the Young Musicians program and, at age five, started studying cello with Niklas Bertani. Rio is an accomplished accordionist, having won the All Ireland Championship title. Additionally, he won first place in the Dan Stover Memorial Music Competition. He has also performed at the Pasadena Playhouse’s gala, Playhouse Party, and was named the Cotati Accordion Festival’s student scholarship winner. This year, he’s excited to join the PYSO Philharmonic's cello section.

In December 2022, PCM adult violin student D’Arcy Sloane was preparing for her recital and had the idea to bring in her two friends from PCM’s Adult String Ensemble (ASE) – Rose Meyer and Barbara George – and their friend Penny Garcia from Second Strings Orchestra, to accompany her on a Mozart piece. The combination of talented musicians and warm, passionate personalities created such a fun and beautiful space for rehearsal and performance that they all knew it had to continue. By early 2023, they took a string quartet class with Erika Walczak and quickly became known as the Heart Strings Quartet. They now have laughter-filled rehearsals every Wednesday, and perform for family and friends, at retirement homes, PCM, fundraisers, and the Altadena Town and Country Club. They have created a lifelong bond of music and friendship. Read on to meet the members and learn how they have each been inspired musically, why they love playing together, and some of their favorite moments.

We sat down with Seven-year-old Maddie Hsu who started piano lessons at PCM this year with Lauren Yoon. In this interview, Maddie talks about why she chose the piano, what she likes about it, her experience playing in a Bach Festival, and why playing piano and softball are totally different!

Dr. Alan J. Fisher is an ENT-otolaryngologist and Head & Neck Plastic Surgeon in Arcadia, California. He has been in the medical field since 1981 and has been playing piano ever since he was 7 years old. He played mostly traditional works but has been able to explore new techniques since starting at PCM in 2019 with Elizabeth Babor. In this interview, he describes how his relationship with music has evolved over time and how he feels the same part of his brain is being used when he plays piano as when he performs surgery.

Highschool senior, Trisha Chakraborty has been playing clarinet for 7 years and has studied with Laura Stoutenborough for 5 years. She was last interviewed in 2021 when she was still relatively new to PCM. Since then, she has participated in the All-Southern and All-State Honor Bands and performed with the PYSO Philharmonic. She also has joined PCM’s clarinet camp for the past two years. Read on to learn more about these experiences and what she likes to do outside of clarinet.

Fifteen year old Lily Walker is a high school student and the daughter of PCM faculty, Melissa Frey. She began her journey at PCM in the Young Musician’s program in 2014, went on to study piano, and then began studying the French horn.

Meet husband and wife, Erik (E) and Barbara (B) Antonsson, two of Elizabeth Babor’s adult piano students. Barbara has been a student of Elizabeth for 10 years with no prior musical experience. Through observation of Barbara’s progress and having a connection with Elizabeth, three months ago, Erik was inspired to take lessons as well. Erik and Barbara are a constant source of encouragement for each other. In this interview, they tell the story of their musical journey and how it has greatly benefited their lives.

Sixteen year old Audrey Lord first began at PCM in 2013, as a student in the Young Musicians program with Sharon Weed. Over the last ten years, she’s taken strings musicianship, Suzuki violin, and Intermediate Violin Ensemble, and has studied violin with Sharon Harman since 2014. She currently plays second violin in the PYSO Philharmonic and is on the varsity tennis team at her high school. We recently interviewed Audrey about her early music studies, her interests outside of music, and key takeaways from learning music.

Asher Elliott, 17, has been a PCM student since 2014 and currently studies cello with Andrew Cook. He is a high school senior with hopes of attending college overseas in the UK. Read about the impact cello has had on Asher’s life, his many other interests, and his goals for the future.

Meet John Swain, an 82-year-old cello student at PCM. Originally from London, John’s love for music was sparked during childhood, attending concerts with his family and singing in school. As a young adult, he enjoyed operas by Verdi, Mozart, and Puccini, and later developed a deep appreciation for Wagner, especially Die Walküre. It wasn't until his 80th birthday, however, that John decided to learn the cello. Read more below about his pursuit of taking up an instrument later in life and how his involvement in PCM's adult string ensemble has transformed his perspective on learning, growth, and the joy of playing music with others.

Tiffany Hsu, 15, has studied with Mariné Ter-Kazaryan since 2018. In 2020, at the age of 12, she performed in Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall, singing “O mio babbino caro” from Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, “Memory” from Cats, and an aria from a Peking opera.

The JOE Trio consists of violin students Josee Xiao (7), Olivia Hsu (6), and Ellen Bae (8). Josee and Olivia, who have known each other since preschool, met Ellen in 2022 at one of The Jam events, PCM’s monthly open-mic series. The three girls became immediate friends and their families started arranging playdates.

Haydn Schlinger, age twelve, began his studies at PCM in 2021 and currently studies violin with Natalie Brejcha and piano with Dr. Kathryn Eames.

Keilani Bolhuis, age sixteen, began her studies at PCM ten years ago and currently studies classical violin with Aimée Kreston, jazz piano with Amy Rowe, jazz violin with Megan Shung, and music theory with Kathryn Eames.

Since discovering PCM at ArtNight and enrolling in her first music history class in 2014, Marina Hsieh has taken 58 classes, studies piano with Dr. Vatché Mankerian, and has attended countless events. Chances are, if you’ve taken a music history class or attended a PCM faculty concert, Marina was there.

The 2022-2023 recipient of the Roman Andrew Borek Endowed Scholarship is 16-year-old violinist, Ashlee Sung. Ashlee currently studies violin with Sharon Harman and takes advanced music theory classes with Dr. Ruby Wang. This past summer she participated in PCM’s Chamber Music Intensive.

Ferris Haukom is a composer, conductor, violinist, and violist who is also interested in physics, entrepreneurship, and computer programming. Ferris first enrolled at PCM in 2018 and has studied violin with Elizabeth Hedman and viola Artist-Teacher Andrew Picken, as well as chamber music. Ferris has played with the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra and currently studies composition with Jordan Nelson. He is also a participant in the LA Phil Composer Fellowship Program and attends the Sunset ChamberFest’s young composers workshop every summer. Ferris studies conducting with Maxim Eshkenazy and David Cubek.

Ashlee Sung is a 15 year-old sophomore in high school. She has studied violin for 12 years and joined Sharon Harman’s violin studio in 2019. She participates in the PYSO Philharmonic Orchestra and her orchestra at Arcadia High School. Ashlee launched a website on music and mental health where she aims to address and explore how music can help with anxiety and other mental health issues. Through the project she hopes to communicate her love of music and make a positive change in someone's life.

This fall, Arény is preparing for high school and orchestra auditions in the spring. She hopes to join the Pasadena Youth Symphony and LA County High School for the Arts.

A retired clinical social worker, adult student Shirley Robertson has always enjoyed creative activities. After suffering from asthma for twenty years, she took up singing in hopes of improving her lung function. She has since enjoyed singing a variety of musical styles including classical, jazz, and musical theater.

Lily Walker is 11 years old and the daughter of PCM faculty member Melissa Frey. She has studied music at PCM since 2014 when she joined the YM program. She now studies piano with Dr. Kathryn Eames and french horn with Danielle Ondarza. . Lily recently shared more about her musical interests and her time at PCM.

Nina Dinan is 17 and has been a piano student of Nic Gerpe since 2019. Along with studying piano she enjoys being a part of her high school's student government and creative writing program. Nina recently shared more about her interests (including her love of Baroque music!) and her time at PCM.

Emerson Smith has been a PCM piano student of Dr. Stephen Cook since 2015. She attends the California School of the Arts, San Gabriel and is graduating this year. She recently shared about her time at PCM and preparation for her senior recital.

Ashlee Sung is 14 has studied violin for 11 years. She joined PCM faculty Sharon Harman's violin studio in 2019. She participates in the PYSO Philharmonic Orchestra and her orchestra at Arcadia High School. Ashlee recently shared more about her musical interests and her time at PCM.

Trisha Chakraborty is 13 years old and has been studying clarinet since she was in the 5th grade. She joined Laura Stoutenborough's studio only a few weeks before the pandemic began. Trisha recently shared more about her musical interests and her virtual time at PCM.

Mariel Vargas-VonBreymann began studying piano at PCM with Elizabeth Babor in 2014. She is currently a student at Polytechnic School and enjoys musical theater and debate. Mariel recently shared more about her musical interests and time at PCM.

Michael Abelson has been studying piano with Elizabeth Babor since 2005, right around the time he started his law firm. He has since retired, but his passion for music is still going strong. Michael recently shared about his musical interests, his time at PCM, and how his retirement is going.

Kylie Rodriguez began studying voice at PCM with Mariné Ter-Kazaryan in 2012 when she was 8 years old. She has expanded her repertoire to include musical theater and will be starring in her high school production, Bye Bye Birdie, as the lead, Rose Alvarez. She recently shared more about her musical interests and her time at PCM.

Beatrix Heard began studying guitar at 5 years old and currently studies with PCM guitar faculty, Adam Pettit. She is a senior at Eagle Rock High School and participates in Model UN. She recently shared more about her musical interests and her time at PCM.

Keilani Bolhuis began studying violin at PCM at 6 years old and currently studies with Elizabeth Hedman. Keilani's broad interest in music has inspired her to enroll in a variety of PCM programs, including jazz violin with Meghan Shung, summer Jazz workshop with Dr. Ray Briggs, and Mariachi Pasadena!, which launched last school year. She recently shared more about her musical interests, as well as her aspirations.

Since the PCM campus closed in March, PCM has been checking in with students, instructors, and staff members to see how they’re managing and how distance learning (and teaching) is working for them. We recently checked in with Terence and Isaac Lee, who both began studying at PCM in the Young Musicians department in 2016.

On Thursday, March, 19, Los Angeles residents were asked to stay in their residences and limit all activities outside of their homes beyond what is necessary for essential tasks. Days later, PCM adapted its lessons and programs and launched a “distance learning” spring quarter. For this series, we’re checking in with students, instructors, and staff members to see how they’re managing and how distance learning (and teaching) is working for them.

On Thursday March, 19, Los Angeles residents were asked to stay in their residences and limit all activities outside of their homes beyond what is necessary for essential tasks. Days later, PCM adapted its lessons and programs and launched a “distance learning” spring quarter. For this series, we’re checking in with students, instructors, and staff members to see how they’re managing and how distance learning (and teaching) is working for them.

On Thursday March, 19, Los Angeles residents were asked to stay in their residences and limit all activities outside of their homes beyond what is necessary for essential tasks. Days later, PCM adapted its lessons and programs and launched a “distance learning” spring quarter. For this series, we’re checking in with students, instructors, and staff members to see how they’re managing and how distance learning (and teaching) is working for them.

On Thursday March, 19, Los Angeles residents were asked to stay in their residences and limit all activities outside of their homes beyond what is necessary for essential tasks. Days later, PCM adapted its lessons and programs and launched a “distance learning” spring quarter. For this series, we’re checking in with students, instructors, and staff members to see how they’re managing and how distance learning (and teaching) is working for them.

For avid travelers, the summer months are ideal for family vacations to Mediterranean coasts, museum strolling, and street shopping. For PCM vocal student, Mia McKinney, her very first trip to Europe culminated from the success of a rigorous and selective audition last spring for the Opera Viva! Young Artist Summer Program, in Verona, Italy.

The LA Philharmonic’s 2019/2020 season is kicking off, and there’s nobody more excited to witness the passionate and emphatic charisma of Dudamel than PCM’s very own, little conductor, Theodore Kwon.

I think back to my relationships and experiences growing up that have inspired, taught, and encouraged me to decide to pursue a career serving others through my love of music. Starting as an infant, my family has taken me to classes at the Pasadena Conservatory of Music (PCM). I took “Young Musician” classes starting at 18 months of age, followed by recorder/ensemble classes, flute lessons, and flute ensemble.

Julia Knoerr is a senior at Westridge School for Girls and studies cello with Elizabeth Pattengale at PCM. She started the after school Music Club at Jefferson Elementary School as a part of Westridge's Community Outreach Program in her Junior Year.

Meet Romel Veal, Jr., PCM’s first Ella Fitzgerald Memorial Summer Jazz Scholar.

Mackenzie Mendez, guitar student at PCM, discusses her relationship with music, her guitar, and her participation in the Los Angeles Youth Guitar Orchestra (LAYGO).

Atticus Mellor-Goldman talks about what it takes to be in the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition.

Meet Kieran, a young musicians student here at PCM!

My name is Erica Lee, a piano student at PCM studying with Dr. Susan Svrcek. I am a girl scout in troop #8631 and I am working toward earning my Gold Award titled, The Generation of Music.