Our Staff

James Mahone is an active performer and instructor. He began his musical journey almost 30 years ago in Monterey, California, soaking in the influence of its rich music scene. He went on to California State University Northridge to study classical and jazz saxophone under Bill Caulkins, and participated in the university’s award-winning wind ensembles and […]

Andrew Ferren is a musician, producer, and teaching artist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Andrew began his study of music with piano at an early age. About 4 years later he began playing the saxophone, followed by flute and clarinet in high school. During this time he also began writing music and arranging […]

Courtnee Rhone graduated from Dillard University in New Orleans, LA, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Vocal Performance. She later attended Cal State University East Bay, where she completed a Master’s Degree in Music. She began teaching both piano and voice at the Louisiana Academy of Performing Arts in 2008. Upon moving to California, she continued […]

Ukrainian-born American soprano Svetlana Nikitenko began her professional career as an opera singer while still a conservatory student with the Mikhaylovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia, where she spent four seasons appearing as the Queen of Shemakhan in Le Coq d’Or by N.Rimsky-Korsakov, Violetta in La Traviata by G. Verdi, Gilda in Rigoletto by G. […]

Soprano Margaret Secour is a 5th generation musician and has been singing since the age of 6. As a child she studied piano and flute. She attended California State University, Long Beach where she studied music with a concentration in opera. She has performed with San Francisco Opera Chorus, San Francisco Symphony Chorus, San Francisco […]

Shawn Prudhomme is a violinist and violist from the foothills of Northern California. He began violin lessons at age 10, very quickly showing a great aptitude for the instrument. At age 14 he began taking viola lessons in addition to violin, and has performed solo, chamber, and orchestral concerts on both instruments ever since. After […]