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Jeff Gold is a gifted musician and instructor schooled at the prestigious Aaron Copland School of Music in New York. He has been teaching private music lessons on clarinet, saxophone, and guitar for more than two decades and has conducted elementary and middle school orchestras, including holding an orchestra director position at the esteemed Sinai Akiba Academy for more than 17 years. There, he led their performances at such distinguished venues as Carnegie Hall, Disneyland, the Century Park Plaza Hotel, and Hollywood’s Wilshire Ebell Theater. A talented and entertaining performer, Jeff has played concerts throughout the United States and has also hosted one of the longest running, non-commercial music shows on cable television in the Los Angeles area. Jeff’s experience and love of teaching make West Valley Music Center the ideal place to bring your family for unparalleled musical enrichment.

Alexa Ramirez is a multitalented cellist, singer and composer, who performs and teaches in the Los Angeles area and abroad. Born and raised in Germany, Alexa started playing the cello at the age of four, and continued her studies in Chicago after immigrating to the USA in 1996. Alexa received her BA in music from the prestigious Oberlin College (2006), and recently earned an MFA in film music composition from Columbia College, Chicago (2010). With ten years of teaching experience, Alexa Ramirez is a dedicated and passionate cello teacher who has helped students of all ages and levels gain facility on the cello. As a certified Suzuki teacher, Alexa uses Suzuki as well as other methodologies to help build a relaxed and efficient cello technique as well as a strong ear and sense of musicianship. Aside from her classical training, Alexa has been deeply involved in numerous music genres, performing and recording her cello and voice in Irish, Rock, and Latin American music.

A 1997 graduate of the guitar program at CalArts, Andre LaFosse has studied classical, avant garde, jazz, rock, Balkan, hip hop, North Indian, ambient, Indonesian, and many other musical styles. He has played and/or shared performance bills with David Torn, Terry Riley, Michael Manring, Mike Keneally, Kronos Quartet, Carl Stone, Matmos, and many others. His solo work has been the subject of an episode of WNYC radio's New Sounds program, and has been used as an element in the original scores for several Hollywood films. He is a two-time performer at the New York Guitar Festival, and has been profiled in numerous media outlets, including Guitar Player, Alternative Press, MOJO, Electronic Musician, 20th Century Guitar, Tape Op, and many others.

Andrew Duncan is a trained professional trumpeter in the Los Angeles area with over twenty years of experience playing in orchestras, bands, and recording sessions throughout the Southland. He has a Bachelor of Music degree in trumpet performance from California State University, Northridge, where he studied with Roy Poper and Bill Bing. He has also studied with Malcolm McNab, Howie Shear, Bob Senescu, and Arturo Sandoval. Along with his professional career, he has over ten years of experience teaching trumpet in all styles from classical to jazz to rock, and has been teaching students at the West Valley Music Center for more than five years.

A native of the Pacific Northwest, Chris’s love of drums and percussion propelled him to study formally throughout his early years, culminating in his studying with the principal percussionist for the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. He went on to tour extensively with jazz bands as well as show bands, and backed up international artists. His move to Los Angeles enabled him to study with musicians who have extensive resumes in Jazz, Funk, Rock, and Latin scenes. An active member of the Los Angeles musical community, he performs with a variety of artists, records film scores and soundtracks for major motion pictures, and records and plays with his own Jazz trio. Chris has been teaching drums for over twenty years, ranging from five-year-old beginners to adult professionals, and has taught many kids who have gone on to have success in the music business. Having studied his instrument for over 40 years, he has never stopped, constantly curious not only how to make him self a better musician/drummer but also how to be a better teacher. For more information about Chris, visit his website at chrisblondal.com.

Colin Sauers began playing guitar at age 11 and electric bass at age 12. By the time he was in his early twenties, he had formed two bands and toured the United States and South America playing the bass for a traveling Las Vegas show. He received an Associate in Arts degree from Los Angeles Valley College; while he was a student there, he played string bass in the LAVC Symphony Orchestra under the conductor Ted Lynn. He has studied with the legendary Carol Kaye, studio great Harvey Newmark, L.A. studio legend Joe Osborn, and jazz fusion great Gregg Lee, among others. In addition to performing, Colin has done extensive studio work in and around Los Angeles with the likes of Diana Ross, James Brown, and Weird Al Yankovic, contributing his talents on albums playing bass, percussion, guitar, and even the kazoo. He has been teaching bass, guitar, and drums for more than 20 years and continues to perform; he currently plays bass with the soft-rock cover band Dakota.

Danny began his musical life at the age of five, singing harmony in a gospel group with his brothers. He picked up the trombone in elementary school, and began teaching himself piano, guitar, and ukulele. His band The Peppermint Trolley Co. hit the charts with Baby You Come Rolling ’Cross My Mind, and they also recorded the theme song for the Brady Bunchtelevision show. In subsequent years, he released another six LPs and a number of singles with his two bands, Bones and The Faragher Brothers. He has both written for and performed on television, and has also sung and played on the recordings of such musical giants as Ringo Starr and The Pointer Sisters. He was the musical director for the play Working at Santa Monica’s Mayfair Theater and was a featured vocalist with the LA Jazz Choir. He sings every holiday season with the a cappella group the Caroling Company, has a vocal doo wop group, Daddy Cool, and performs in concert as a solo singer-songwriter. Danny loves teaching music, something he began in 1998, and has a full roster of students who are learning from this seasoned musician.

David Cohen is a graduate of the Berklee School of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. Originally from Arizona, this established composer and songwriter has toured throughout the United States and Europe. He has extensive experience playing Broadway touring shows, and he has also written music for television and film. He currently performs weekly at the Derby in Arcadia, is the musical director at Temple Aliyah in Woodland Hills, and is also the musical director of the long-running show Day After Day, a tribute to Doris Day. With more than twenty years of teaching experience, David is a patient and warm instructor who teaches all levels and styles of piano, and specializes in teaching students how to improvise both pop and jazz.

David Olivas is a saxophonist, pianist, arranger, and songwriter. He has studied saxophone with Eric Marienthal (Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, Chick Corea Elektrik Band) John Purcell (Jack DeJohnette, World Saxophone Quartet), Dr. Shannon LeClaire, Walter Beasley, Dino Govoni, and Kristen Strom (Nuclear Whales Saxophone Orchestra). After earning his B.A. in Saxophone Performance from the Berklee College of Music, David moved to Los Angeles, CA where he has worked as a sideman for many local acts. His alto saxophone and piano playing can be heard in the movie One In The Gun (starring James Russo and Robert Davi) on the song Addicted, which David co-wrote with singer Chadwick Johnson. His flute playing appears on the track Just My Thang by artist Rosalee, featuring Snoop Dogg. After two years touring the U.S. playing tenor sax and flute in I Love Lucy: Live On Stage, David has returned to Los Angeles to continue his study of the saxophone and teach at West Valley Music Center.

Jason Cameron began playing guitar, bass, and piano by the time he was a freshman in high school, where he participated in an award-winning concert band, marching band, and chamber singing group and played at the Rose Bowl, Coliseum, and the Disney Concert Hall. Afterwards, he played guitar in various rock and roll and modern instrumental groups that toured throughout the United States, and has performed in venues such as the Whiskey, the Roxy, and the Troubadour. After his first child was born, Jason began teaching music at after school programs throughout the San Fernando Valley, including programs with The School of Rock, Beyond the Bell, and the YMCA, where he found a joy in teaching young students the art of guitar, employing a fun and effective method to teach both the instrument and how to read music. He also developed a music program for special needs youth that he introduced to Mulholland, Porter Magnet, and Vista middle schools. With over ten years of experience teaching guitar, Jason’s method is perfect for beginning through advanced students. He specializes in improvisational solos, classical, blues, shred guitar, and modern rock songs. Always eager to further his own musical education, Jason is continuing to study music and is also working in the studio with more than 30 originals ready to be released.

Min is a graduate from the Mokwon University in South Korea. She has pursued a career as a private piano instructor since 1983. Min believes that playing and understanding music at any level and at any age can significantly uplift and enhance the joys in everyday life. This belief led her to further pursue her Certification of Music Therapy and Music Psychology through the Sookmyung Women’s University in Seoul. Min is a member of the Music Teacher’s Association of California (MTAC) and the Southwestern Youth Music Festival (SYMF). Her students regularly participate in and pass the Certificate of Merit program hosted by the MTAC. From competitions and recitals to learning to play their favorite songs, Min is dedicated to helping her students achieve their musical goals.

Stepan (Steve) Zarikyan is a graduate of the Tchaikovsky School of Music, a special school for talented students in Yerevan, Armenia. He started taking violin lesson at age six. After moving to the United States, Stepan continued his education at California State University, Los Angeles, in the class of Joe Ketendjian, who was a student of the famous Dorothy Delay from the Julliard School of Music. During college, and continuing after graduation, he played with various orchestras, such as Whittier Chamber Orchestra, Santa Monica Chamber Orchestra, and Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra. In 1990, Stepan began teaching at the Yamaha Music School as well as privately. Currently, he is a permanent faculty member at the Tchaikovsky School of Music as well as at West Valley Music Center, where he teaches violin, viola, and chamber music.