Curriculum Developers
Maestro Concept's curriculum, application of technology and instructional format were developed by a distinguished team of master music educators and performers who offer many years of traditional instruction experience, combined with an appreciation for, comfort with and expertise in Maestro Concept's technology and online learning platform.
Stephen Cook
Stephen received his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Music degrees from the University of South Carolina where he studied composition with Dr. Samuel Douglas and piano performance and pedagogy with Dr. Max Camp. While completing his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Southern California, Dr. Cook served as an assistant lecturer in the Keyboard Studies Department under the direction of Stewart Gordon. From 1996-2004, he was the Director of the Pianist Program at the Orange County High School of the Arts in Santa Ana, California. He serves on the Executive Board of the California Association of Professional Music Teachers, is a former Research Program Specialist with the Music Intelligence Neural Development Institute at the University of California, Irvine, and currently holds faculty appointments with the Colburn School of Performing Arts, Los Angeles and Whittier College. Stephen Cook is a frequent clinician and adjudicator for such organizations as the Music Teachers' Association of California, the California Association of Professional Music Teachers and the Southwestern Youth Music Festival. Past activities included adjudication of the Pro-Romania International Piano Competition in Bucharest, Romania, performance and master classes in Tokyo, Japan, Carnegie Hall, New York and numerous concert appearances with Broadway talent Susan Egan.
Martin Glicklich
Mr. Glicklich's drive and enthusiasm for music making at all levels has led him on an extremely meaningful and successful career as performer, educator, arranger, and concert producer. He has played with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Opera Orchestra, and Long Beach Symphony, among others. His music can also be heard on numerous motion picture and television recordings. He is on the faculty of La Sierra University, where he teaches flute and chamber music. Martin received his Doctorate in Flute Performance from the USC Thornton School of Music, where he was awarded the Most Outstanding Doctoral Wind and Percussion Student. He also holds degrees from Northwestern University, and California State University, Northridge.
Leslie Ho
Violinist and violist, Ho has been devoted to teaching violin and viola, coaching chamber music, and conducting string ensembles for 23 years. Mr. Ho received his bachelor's of music degree in violin performance from the Manhattan School of Music. After receiving a full-scholarship to Yale University, he earned a master's of music degree in violin performance. He has studied violin and chamber music with world-renowned artists and teachers such as Peter Marsh, Sidney Harth, Margaret Pardee, Yao-Ji Lin, members of Tokyo String Quartet, and Ruggiero Ricci. Mr. Ho has taught at many institutions, including Orange County High School of the Arts and Whittier College. Professionally, he has served as violinist of the Gestalt String Quartet, National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra, the Westchester Philharmonic, and the Chamber Orchestra of the South Bay. Currently, he serves as co-director of Junior Chamber Music, Central Cities Branch, and is on the faculty at Whittier College, California.
Jennifer Showalter
Jennifer Showalter received her bachelor's of music degree in Performance from California State University Long Beach, where she was a student of David Atkins, clarinetist of the Westwood Wind Quintet, and William Powell. Graduating with Great Distinction, Ms. Showalter was elected to membership in Pi Kappa Lambda and Phi Kappa Phi. While earning a Master of Music Degree in Clarinet Performance from Northwestern University, she studied with former principal clarinetist of the Chicago Symphony, Clark Brody, and former principal clarinetist of the Cleveland Symphony, Robert Marcellus. Ms. Showalter is a versatile professional freelance clarinetist in Los Angeles, California. Her self-produced debut solo CD, European Adventure, was released in February of 2009 and has been featured on classical radio stations in the United States and Canada. She has been principal clarinet of many symphony, opera, ballet, chamber, and musical theater orchestras and has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Long Beach, Long Beach Symphony, Pacific Symphony, and Hollywood Orchestra Bowl. She is currently Adjunct Professor of Clarinet at Azusa Pacific University and a member of the APU Faculty Woodwind Quintet. She has also served on the Applied Faculty of California State University Long Beach, Biola University, Long Beach City College, and Pasadena City College. She is regularly engaged as an adjudicator and clinician, and has been a member of the Pasadena Symphony Mentor and Tempo programs. Ms. Showalter's pre-college Clarinet Studio is widely renowned and her students have been members of numerous honor groups and youth orchestras, many as principal clarinet.
Suzanne Wong
Suzanne Wong holds bachelor's of music and master's of music degrees in Piano Performance from the University of Southern California. Ms. Wong has studied with pianist Carlo Zecchi at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria. She has also been on the faculty of the Colburn School of the Performing Arts. For nine years, Ms. Wong was the Director of Advanced Curricula and the Junior Original Concert Program for the Yamaha Music Education System in the United States. In that role, she trained both teachers and students in the art of music composition and keyboard performance. Currently, she is on the faculty at Fullerton College and El Camino College where she teaches piano, music appreciation and harmony.
Fang Fang Zu
Dr. Xu earned a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in Cello Performance from the University of Southern California with a full merit scholarship under the direction of the renowned late Professor Eleonore Schoenfeld. She has served consecutive years as Artist Teacher with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Music Education Program and collaborates with LA Philharmonic musicians in classroom demonstrations throughout the southern California school districts. Dr. Xu is the string chairwoman of Music Teacher Association of California, Pasadena branch and also a senior faculty member at the Opus 119, School of Music in Irvine. As an active orchestral player in Southern California, Dr. Xu has performed with LA Philharmonic and LA Chamber Orchestra under Maestros Esa-Pekka Solonen and Jeffrey Kahane.
