HYESEON HONG is an accomplished composer, arranger and pianist working extensively in both New York City and Seoul, Korea. She is adept in many different genres of music including jazz, musicals, pop and film composition. She has composed and performed in several different musicals and has been commissioned to write music for film. As an educator Ms. Hong served as assistant professor at Dae Gu Art Music College in South Korea teaching classes in jazz arranging, composition, theory and piano. In 2017 she released a big band album on Summit Records to much acclaim featuring Rich Perry and Ingrid Jensen. A recipient of the prestigious Copland Fund composers grant her group currently consists of some of New York’s finest musicians while she also continues to lead her choir group in Seoul. Ms. Hong received a Bachelor of Music from Yonsei University, a Masters of Arts in Jazz Performance from NYU, and pursued additional independent study courses in improvisation and composition at City College.

Matt Panayides is a guitarist, composer, educator, and Director of Tonal Art Music Center in Jersey City. An active performer throughout New York City and internationally, Matt is known for his lyrical improvisation, original compositions, and collaborative approach to music.

As a recording artist, Matt has released five albums as a leader: Tapestries of Song (2011), Conduits (2015), Field Theory (2021), With Eyes Closed (2024), and Present Echoes (SteepleChase Records). His projects have featured many of today's leading jazz musicians, including Rich Perry, Steve LaSpina, Mark Ferber, Dan Weiss, Bob Sabin, and Jerad Lippi.

As an educator, Matt is passionate about helping students build strong musical fundamentals while developing creativity, confidence, improvisation, and a lifelong love of music. He believes that every student can grow through an engaging, supportive, and inspiring learning environment.

Matt studied with guitarist Rodney Jones and pianist Garry Dial. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Manhattan School of Music and a Master of Music degree from William Paterson University.

Jeff Sassaman is a bass player and teacher in the NYC area, both in the classical and jazz genres.  He has overseas tours reaching Europe, Africa and Asia and South America.  He has performed with Placido Domingo, Jon Manasse, Carter Brey to name a few.  He has performed at the White House, Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall.  

As an educator, Jeff has taught hundreds of students in his  career.  He utilizes all of the gold star teaching methods on various instruments. He is a member of The American String Teachers Association (ASTA),The Music Educators Association of NJ (MEA), The International Society of Bassist and The American Federation of Musicians.  Jeff holds a B.F.A. from the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA.

Claire Ju is a skilled violinist and dedicated teacher from South Korea. She studied at a top arts high school, earned a Bachelor of Music from the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music, and completed a Master of Music at the Mannes School of Music in New York with a scholarship. Claire was Assistant Concertmaster of the North Jersey Symphony Orchestra and has performed as a soloist with the Bulgaria Pazardjik Symphony Orchestra. She also led the CCM Orchestra and took part in the UNCSA Summer Strings Festival. She studied with violinist Ida Bieler and plays regularly in chamber groups and orchestras in Korea and the U.S. Claire teaches students of all ages and skill levels, focusing on both technique and musical expression, especially for auditions and competitions. She is passionate about helping students have meaningful musical experiences on stage and in lessons.

Alejandro Meola is a musical artist and educator based in the New York City area. Born in Miami and raised in Argentina, he began teaching guitar in his local community at age 18. Since relocating to New York in 2013, he has continued to develop as an instructor, teaching guitar as well as beginner piano, bass, and drums. He has also become an experienced rock-band ensemble coach through his work with schools and music programs throughout the city.

As a songwriter and performer, Alejandro has recorded and performed his original music in major cities across the United States and Europe, including San Francisco, Austin, Nashville, London, Paris, Berlin, and Barcelona. Drawing upon his experience as both an artist and educator, he strives to give students the tools they need to grow musically, collaborate confidently, and connect with others through the shared language of music.

Roger Lin is a guitarist/composer based in Brooklyn, New York. His latest work Exploitation Suite, recorded in Brooklyn, New York, featuring Chaz Martineau, Isaac Levien, Quinton Cain, Moshe Elmakias, Simon Willson, and Willis Edmundson, was released in December 2023. The record receives a 4-star review by All About Jazz. Neil Duggan writes “richness and variety in the musical texture which promotes repeated listens” and “slow-burning album builds up a mosaic of elegant and contemporary arrangements which has much to recommend it”. Born and raised in Taipei, Taiwan, Roger began his musical journey at the age of 5 when he started playing piano. Being heavily drawn to harmonic instruments, he got deeply interested in the guitars at 14, where he could explore and express harmonies he learned on the piano with different textures. Roger finished his music education with a scholarship from Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he studied with jazz masters such as Mick Goodrick, George Garzone, Ian Froman and many others.

Mike Wilkens is a dedicated jazz musician and music educator with over 30 years of experience. His musical journey began in Chicago studying saxophone with Greg Fishman, continued at Northern Illinois University, and culminated at Berklee College of Music in 1998, where he studied with Bill Pierce, George Garzone, and Wendy Rolfe.

A career highlight was performing under Quincy Jones at the 1996 Montreux Jazz Festival alongside Phil Collins, Chaka Khan, and David Sanborn. From 1998–2001 he taught at Bilgi University in Istanbul and performed with Butch Morris’s Istanbul Ensemble and Ricky Ford’s Istanbul Jazz Collective. He has recorded with Akihiro Yamamoto, Selen Gülün, Oğuz Büyükberber, and Tolga Tüzün.

In 2011, Wilkens earned a Master’s in Jazz Arranging and Composition from William Paterson University. He maintains a thriving private teaching studio offering lessons on woodwinds, guitar, piano, bass, and drums. Since 2024 he has served as Adjunct Woodwind Instructor at Monmouth University and continues to perform on saxophone and upright bass in the New Jersey jazz scene.

Ron Dvoreic is a lifelong Jersey City resident, guitarist, bassist, ukulele instructor, and music educator with more than 40 years of teaching and performance experience. He studied classical guitar and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music Theory and Composition from Jersey City State College (now New Jersey City University).

Throughout his career, Ron has performed extensively on both guitar and bass, playing everything from original music and popular covers to recording sessions, private events, clubs, and musical theater productions. His wide-ranging musical background spans rock, blues, jazz, classical, folk, and popular music, allowing him to connect with students of all ages and experience levels.

Ron teaches guitar, bass, and ukulele, helping students build strong fundamentals while encouraging creativity, confidence, and a lifelong appreciation for music. Whether working with a beginner picking up an instrument for the first time or an experienced musician looking to expand their skills, Ron creates a supportive and engaging learning environment tailored to each student’s goals.

Siwon Lee is a distinguished jazz pianist, arranger and composer based in New York and South Korea. Having established a strong foundation, playing classical piano since the age of four, her work spans genres.  Her artistic influence includes classical, jazz, funk, pop and latin music. She studied classical piano from age 4 to 16, establishing the foundation.

Her jazz journey began in South Korea, where she won first prize at  the 2014 Kyung-Hee University Jazz Competition, a significant milestone that set the stage for her pursuit of jazz at an international level. Moving to New York, she immersed herself in rigorous study and performance at SUNY Purchase, earning both acclaim and accolades, including the 2024 SUNY Purchase Outstanding Graduate Award, which recognized her exceptional leadership and musicianship.

She has appeared on the stages of iconic jazz venues such as Birdland and Jazz at Lincoln Center, and engaged audiences in cultural settings like the Neuberger Museum of Art. Her versatility shines through in performances including her role in the house band for the inaugural
Latin Jazz Festival at the Purchase Performing Arts Center, where she contributed to a program honoring grammy award winning pianist Eddie Palmieri. Siwon has performed and shared the stage with many jazz luminaries including Jon Faddis, David Dejesus, Ray Vega, and Melissa Aldana.

In addition to her performance career, Ms. Lee is a dedicated educator who believes in making music both accessible and enjoyable for every student. She deeply understands children’s diverse needs and approaches her teaching with flexibility and empathy. Her educational philosophy centered on adapting curricula to fit each child’s unique personality and learning style, while encouraging creativity, confidence, and a lifelong enjoyment of music.

Thomas T. Feng is a pianist, composer, and scholar specializing in modern and contemporary music. He has premiered works by numerous living composers and performed with ensembles including Da Capo Chamber Players and Wild Up at venues such as the Kennedy Center, TIME, and PS21. His original compositions have been performed by ensembles including Wild Up, the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra, and the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra. His recordings are available on Bandcamp.

Thomas’s research focuses on post-1900 piano music, global modernism, notation, and archival media. His scholarship and critical editions have supported renewed performances of works by Laurie Spiegel, Julius Eastman, Diamanda Galás, Maryanne Amacher, and Emahoy Tsege-Mariam Gebru. He holds a DMA from Cornell University, an MM from Manhattan School of Music, and a BA in Music Composition, summa cum laude, from UCLA.

Shelley Thomas is an artist, educator, speaker, and coach. As a producer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist specializing in voice, oud, percussion, piano, and guitar, she blends inspiration from her multicultural experiences with a passion for alchemical healing to create an ethereal blend of world chamber pop.

Shelley holds an M.A. from Berklee College of Music and raised $16,000 to record her album DREAMTIME with a nine-piece ensemble. She has recorded with artists including Equanimous, Residente, and Yo-Yo Ma on two Grammy-winning albums. Her music has also appeared in the Paramount+ series CIA.

Her brand, The Mystical Creative, offers bespoke music production for film and television, intuitive astrology and tarot, and Dream Fulfillment Coaching. Her mission is to uplift and inspire others to fulfill their potential through the healing power of creative expression.