Faculty and Staff

Jim Balagurchik began his training in piano at age five. He continued his music education playing drums at age eleven through his high school years. In college, at Bucknell University, he resumed his piano training and began experimenting with jazz. After graduating from Bucknell with a degree in Music Education, Jim began his professional career performing with jazz and disco bands, keeping him on the road for two years. Jim moved to New York City to pursue his career and further his education in music, where he had the good fortune to study piano with jazz legends Barry Harris and Mike Longo, receive classical training under John Kamitsuka, and explore composition with Andrew William Thomas and William Duckworth. An NEA Grant recipient for jazz, Jim has been performing professionally for over 26 years, a career which has included cabaret, a national tour of Eli Greenwich's "Leader of the Pack," and leading his own jazz trio. In March of 2003 and April of 2007, he had the honor of being featured in the "Artist's Series" at Bucknell University where he presented his trio with his own compositions. In addition, he has the privilege of being invited out to Bucknell to teach theory, lecture/perform, and give private lessons each semester. Jim recently relocated to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he is pursuing a Master's degree from the University of New Mexico. He also teaches piano at the New Mexico School of Music bringing music to young students in the Albuquerque area.

Tatyana (Tanya) Bayliyeva received her Bachelor’s Degree in Piano Performance from the Turkmen State Musical College and her Master’s Degree in Piano Performance from the Turkmen National Conservatory, both in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. Her professional career highlights include teaching as a full-time faculty member at the First Central Music School in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, and the Ashgabat International School where she taught Music and English. Ashgabat International School is one of thirty-two private American schools in twenty-seven countries owned and operated by Quality Schools International. QSI schools serve the children of the diplomatic and business communities, as well as any children who want to study the English language. In 2003, Tanya won an international competition and travelled to Hyderabad, India, to participate in the International Training Program English for Professionals. Additionally, Tanya performed as both soloist and accompanist on several occasions for special Turkmenistan government events, many of them televised. Since October, 2007, Tanya has been working at the New Mexico School of Music (NMSM) as a full-time piano instructor. Several of her students have participated in and won acclaimed international piano competitions. Additional responsibilities at the New Mexico School of Music include teaching group keyboard and music theory classes and managing the school’s performance activities. Tanya also frequently accompanies musicians in the University of New Mexico’s Music Department.

Regina Chavez completed her Bachelor Degree in Music Education, with an emphasis in percussion, at the University of New Mexico. As part of the degree program at UNM, she worked as a student teacher for Betsy Van Dyke at Madison Middle School, and Stuart Fessinger at Sandia High School. She also was the drum line instructor at Sandia High School, which under her guidance placed third in Albuquerque’s annual Duke City Drum-off. She currently plays drum set and sings backup vocals for her band Edith Grove, which has just released its second album Highway of Diamonds. She performs regularly with Musical Theater Southwest and Albuquerque Little Theater, and is the founder of the New Mexico Marimba Band.

Cathy Hawthorne received her Bachelor of Music in Flute Performance from Wichita State University, KS. She completed her Master of Music at the University of New Mexico. Cathy received the Mary Koch Award for musical achievement; was a winner of the 1998 Concerto-Aria competition; was a winner of the New Mexico MTNA State Competition in both 1999 and 2000; and won the MTNA District competition in 2001. She studied flute with Frances Shelly, Peter Ader and Valerie Potter. Cathy is currently a member of the Bosque Chamber Music Society, and has had the opportunity to join the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra for several of their concerts. Most recently, she received certification as an instructor for the Harmony Road™ Music Courses designed specifically for young children. She has written on the subject of early childhood music, and has appeared as a guest columnist for the New Mexico Kid’s™ magazine, with an article pertaining to early musical experiences.

Sara graduated with her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Theory and Composition from the University of New Mexico, where she is currently working on her Master of Music Degree in Piano Performance. She has studied piano with Tatiana Vetrinskaya and Falko Steinbach. Prior to studying at UNM, she held the position of Assistant Music Director at Eastman Curtis ministries in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She is currently a Graduate Assistant at UNM, where she has been employed to teach a theory-related keyboard laboratory.

Michael Herrera received his Bachelor of Music Education from the University of New Mexico in 1978. He completed his Master of Music in Clarinet Performance at the University of New Mexico in 1984. Michael has worked as a Band Director for the Albuquerque Public Schools for the past 25 years, and is currently the Band Director at McKinley Middle School. He has performed in masterclasses at the Oklahoma University Clarinet Symposium and he currently plays principal clarinet for the Albuquerque Concert Band. Michael’s teachers include Floyd Williams, Robert Wingert and Keith Lemmons.

Olga Home completed her Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance, with a minor in Piano Performance from Arzamas Music College, Russia. She received dual Master of Music Degrees in Ethnomusicology and Music Composition from the Nizhgorodsky State Conservatory. Olga taught piano and music theory at the Children’s School of Music in Ashgabat, and was a full-time faculty member at the Music College in Arzamas. Olga is an accomplished composer and music theorist. Her professional teaching experience includes violin, string ensemble, piano, music theory, music history, composition and analysis. While in Arzamas, she performed with the Opera Theatre as a violinist for seven years. Olga has published several articles regarding children and music education, and has been an active lecturer on these topics. She has performed with the Santa Fe Symphony, the San Juan Symphony, the Symphony Orchestra of Albuquerque and various other chamber music groups in Albuquerque.

Samuel (Sam) Jacobs joined the piano faculty of the New Mexico School of Music in August, 2008. As a performer, he has been heard in such esteemed venues as Symphony Hall in Boston, MA, and as diverse as the Paisiello Academy in Lucera, Italy, and Rando Hall in Las Vegas, Nevada. His principal teachers have been Antonio Pompa-Baldi, Emanuela Friscioni, Peter Takacs, and Jonathan Bass. Mr. Jacobs has also participated in competitions, master classes, and festivals in the United States and Europe, in which he has been influenced by the pedagogy of such piano teachers as Jerome Lowenthal, Boris Slutsky, and Ursula Oppens. Degrees include a Master’s from the Cleveland Institute of Music (OH) in 2008, and a Bachelor’s from the Oberlin Conservatory (OH) in 2006. Mr. Jacobs taught piano to college students and conservatory non-piano majors for several years while at Oberlin. In September 2008, he received the runner-up prize at the Thousand Islands International Competition in Cape Vincent, upstate New York.

Corey Jones is a classical guitarist with a Bachelor's Degree in music from Wayland Baptist University. He has taught guitar in all styles for all levels. Every summer Corey teaches at Hummingbird Music Camp. He has performed at the globe theater in Amarillo as the only instrumental student in a faculty recital. He was also one of two students asked to do a joint faculty student recital at Wayland. Corey has performed in festivals, master classes, musicals, and instructed students of all ages. He became a member of the New School of Music faculty in Fall 2009 teaching acoustic and electric guitar as well as guitar ensembles.

Jennifer Macke completed the degree of Master of Music in saxophone performance in May of 2009 where she studied with Dr. Eric Lau. Since moving to Albuquerque in 2007, she has performed with the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra and the Albuquerque Philharmonic Orchestra. In addition to performing, Jennifer has provided her services as a clinician to area middle and high schools, and has taught lessons privately. She earned her undergraduate degree at Idaho State University in 2007 where she studied with Dr. John Masserini.

Justin McMurdo began teaching private guitar lessons ten years ago at the Music Man in his hometown of Farmington, NM. In 2002 , he graduating from San Juan College with an Associate of Arts Degree with Emphasis in Music. In 2006, Justin graduated from Eastern New Mexico University for a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education with an Emphasis in Guitar and Percussion. While at ENMU, Justin primarily studied guitar with Dr. Roland Stearns and Percussion with Professor Neil Rutland. While at ENMU, he performed in many ensembles including the Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band, Marching Band, Steel Drum Band, Jazz Big Band, and Jazz Combo. Justin also assisted Dr. Stearns with instruction in class guitar and guitar master classes. He completed his student teaching at Portales High School and Portales Junior High under the direction of Brandon Boerio. He is fully licensed and accredited to teach fine arts to grades K-12 in New Mexico. Justin was hired for the 2007-2008 school year at Cameo Elementary School in Clovis, NM to teach general music for grades K-6. Justin came to the University of New Mexico in August of 2008 in pursuit of a Master of Music degree in Classical Guitar Performance and studies with Professor Michael Chapdelaine. He performs in the Classical Guitar Ensemble at UNM under the direction of Ben Silva and is developing a career as an instructor and soloist throughout Albuquerque and the surrounding communities.

Sabrina Murton, who joined the New Mexico School of Music in 2007, is currently completing a Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance at the University of New Mexico, where she studies with Pamela Pyle. She began her piano studies in Heidelberg, Germany, with Ulrich Paetzholdt, currently the choir director of Deutsche Oper Berlines. She later studied in Albuquerque with Charles McDaniel and Falko Steinbach. Sabrina has attended two master courses in Heek, Germany, with Falko Steinbach and with Ratko Delorko. In addition to giving private piano lessons, Sabrina has tutored music theory at the university level. She performs with the Electronic Music Ensemble at UNM, and has performed experimental noise improvisation with the Cobra Group in Albuquerque.

Candis Parrish received her Bachelor's Degree in Music from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She has been teaching violin and viola lessons since 2005 and has experience with students of all abilities ages 3 to adult. Teaching both Suzuki and traditional violin lessons, Candis' teaching philosophy is to shape each students' lessons to fit their own individual learning style. Candis also teaches group lessons. Her classes range from all violin students, to full string orchestra and from beginner to middle school. In addition to teaching, she is an active performer. A native of Michigan, Candis has performed with many orchestras throughout the Midwest including the Kalamazoo Symphony in Michigan and the South Bend Symphony in Indiana. She also regularly performs in chamber music settings. In her free time Candis enjoys rock climbing, mountain biking, reading and traveling.

Kathy Postel received her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education with Vocal Emphasis, Kindergarten through Grade 12 from Northwestern College in St. Paul, Minnesota. While attending Northwestern College, she was the alto section leader for College Choir, winner of the college’s aria competition, a frequent soloist with the orchestra, and third place winner of the MN state vocal competition. She has taught elementary music, private piano, private voice, class piano, class guitar, choir, band and orchestra. Currently, she is teaching band and orchestra at Van Buren Middle School in Albuquerque, and teaches class piano at Sandia Prep during the summer months. Kathy joined the New Mexico School of Music in January, 2009, teaching voice and guitar.

Julietta Anne Rabens teaches classical and Celtic harp, composition, and piano. She received a Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition, with a minor in Piano Pedagogy from University of Nebraska in Lincoln. For her dissertation she composed a harp concerto, Bitterroot Soundscape. She received her Master of Music in Harp from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, where she studied harp performance with Liz Cifani, and received training in Healing Harps and special education from Dr. Ron Price. During her program she developed a series of four graded pedagogical books for beginning harpists, Classics at Your Fingertips. She has also composed a piano concerto, cantata, chamber works, and has arranged flute and harp repertoire for the Bell’ Alma Duo’s CD, La Belle Vie. As a performer, she is an enthusiastic advocate for new music, and has performed with a variety of ensembles ranging from orchestral to experimental jazz. She also has a passion for a variety of folk harp traditions including Celtic and Paraguayan. As a teacher she has experience working with students with special needs, such as visual and hearing impairment, Cerebral Palsy, mental retardation, autism, anxiety issues, specific learning problems, and brain cancer survivors. She currently works as a harpist in the Arts-in-Medicine program through the University of New Mexico.

Natalia Ross graduated from the Ural Conservatory, Russia in 1998. While studying at the conservatory, she took part in several festivals in Ekaterinburg, Russia. In 1996 she participated in the M.K. Ciurlionis International Piano competition in Vilnius, Lithuania. After completing her studies at the Conservatory, she worked for several years at the Ekaterinburg Musical Theatre and at the Music School as a piano teacher. In 2001 she moved to the United States. Natalia currently lives in Albuquerque, where she has been working as an accompanist at the University of New Mexico.

Michele Spiro, soprano, received her undergraduate degree in Music and Drama from the University of California at San Diego, and her master’s degree in opera production from Florida State University. While an undergrad, she taught acting, musical theater, mime, and other classes for The Patio Playhouse, a children’s theater in Escondido, and for the City of San Marcos, in California. She taught voice as a grad student at Florida State and for Florida State’s summer program for teens, and later at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. Also in Central Florida, she taught music appreciation and Labyrinth walking at the ElderHostel. Since moving to Albuquerque, she has sung a wide range of music: Gilbert and Sullivan with Santa Fe Opera (in a Fall production in the Lensic), Panaiotis at the Outpost, Bach at the Shrine of St. Bernadette, John Donald Robb at the Hispanic Cultural Center, and Samuel Barber and G. F. Handel at Keller Hall. She has sung at the Church of Beethoven and with the Orchestra of the Duke, and can be heard belting out Neapolitan songs at the Macaroni Grill. As “the voice of Chamber Music Albuquerque,” she has written and performed over 30 sixty-second radio commercials promoting classical music stars like the Takacs String Quartet and Rahim al Haj, and also created spots for Every Child Matters, a children’s advocacy organization. She taught music appreciation at UNM. She also recently made her feature film debut in the apocalyptic horror film Fugue State, shot on location in Albuquerque with an entirely local cast and crew.

Matthew Thomas moved to Albuquerque from New Jersey in 2006. Before moving to Albuquerque, Matthew was a percussion teacher for the Somerville School of Music. He is the former house drummer for the Somerset Jazz Consortium, and former leader of the Wallace Whitman Quartet. As well as teaching, Matthew works as a free lance jazz drummer. Matthew has played for cover bands, rock bands, wedding bands, "indie" bands, and blues bands. Matthew's most recent work has included session work for Randy Heddon's album “Classic Kutz for Contemporary Katz”, and Steve Klempke's forthcoming album "Tangerine." Besides his music, Matthew is working on commercial compositions with his project Conduit A Mue and collaborating on a children's album. Matthew's private studies have included a variety of teachers including Joe Morello (Dave Brubeck) and Dion Parson (Broadway, Rutgers University). His studies have incorporated multiple methods, techniques, and teaching pedagogies from classical technique, to improvisational training and phrasing. Matthew has had a career in social services and education as well.

Natalia Tikhovidova received her Bachelor’s Degree in Piano Performance from the Turkmen National College of Music in Turkmenistan, and completed her graduate studies as a music teacher at the Nizni Novgorod Pedagogical University, Russia. Since moving to the United States in March, 2008, she has been actively performing as a collaborative pianist with a variety of distinguished musicians. Most recently, Natalia participated in an ensemble recital with a world known violist, Nokuthula Ngwenyama. She also works as an accompanist for the Southwest Opera and the Teatro Nuevo Mexico. Since the fall of 2008, Natalia has been working as a staff accompanist and a piano teacher at the New Mexico School of Music.

Russell Turek graduated with his Bachelor of Music in Guitar Performance from the University of New Mexico. His formal education also includes guitar studies at Columbia College in Chicago and the College of DuPage in Illinois. Among his teachers were Norman Ruiz, Fareed Haque, Scot Johnston, and Michael Chapdelaine. While living in Chicago, Russell managed a successful music store, held a full-time private guitar studio and maintained a regular performance schedule at several local venues. He has received special recognition for his electronic compositions and is currently playing guitar in the local punk/rock bank “Free Range Clones”. Russell has been with the New Mexico School of Music since its inception in 2005.

Tatiana received her Master of Music in Piano Performance from Turkmenistan. She completed the Doctoral Program in Piano Ensemble Performance at the Gnesin Academy of Music in Moscow. After arriving in the United States, Tatiana acquired a second Master of Music in Piano Performance from the University of New Mexico. She came to the United States in 1995 as a first recipient of the John Donald Robb Musical Trust Fellowship. Tatiana has soloed with the St. Louis Kamergild Chamber Orchestra, the Symphony Orchestra of Albuquerque, the University of New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, and the Chamber Orchestra of Albuquerque. She has performed extensively throughout the United States and has presented concerts and lecture-performances at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, the University of Texas at El Paso, the Steinway Society Concert Series in Princeton, New Jersey, the 2003 Society of American Music Conference in Tempe, Arizona, and the American Symphony Orchestra League’s 58th National Conference in San Francisco, California. Currently, she performs for the University of New Mexico’s Keller Hall Performance Series, and is a part-time piano faculty member at the University of New Mexico. Tatiana is the featured performer of two CD recordings: Pictures of New Mexico and Piano Concerto with the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra. She has released a CD featuring the music of Russian composers, Russia into a Modern World.

Dan Wright received a Bachelor of Music in Theory and Composition from the University of New Mexico. He did additional graduate studies at UNM, where he performed as a Tenor with the Faculty Early Music Ensemble. He followed this with a year of study at the University of Missouri at Kansas City, one of the few college music schools with accordion in their curriculum. Currently, he works as the Choral Department Manager and Print Advertising Production Manager at Music Mart, Inc. He is the Director of Die Polka Schlingel, an 11–piece German band. He also serves as the leader of the Albuquerque Accordion Club and its relative, the Albuquerque Accordion Ensemble.