THECOMPASSCONCERTS

Dianne Davies

Dianne Davies explores the deeper meaning of music and human connection through a shared experience. For some 30 years, since earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Piano Performance and completing the Oregon music education certification for K-12 instruction, Dianne has offered high quality performances, cutting-edge education and engaging compositions and arrangements.

As a composer/arranger, in 2010, Dianne developed her own comedy show titled, Dianne Davies Has Fallen Off Her Bench, a two-hour concert of all her own arrangements from a plethora of Classical favorites and gems from the vernacular, echoing traces of Liberace, Victor Borge and more. In 2016, she created and performed a brand new show titled, Attachments & Detachments Tragedy to Triumph, integrating new compositions with dance, live art and theatre to tell a story. Her original compositions have been performed each year at Portland State University in the “In Good Hands” concert. This regular series is sponsored by Cascadia Composers, Oregon’s local chapter of the National Association of Composers USA which is the largest and most active local organization under the umbrella of NACUSA in the US today.

In 2019, Dianne produced a show titled SOLI DEO GLORIA that featured her original compositions and arrangements for the Christmas season. This concert offered premieres of vocal solos, choral pieces, original piano solos and arrangements. She featured her self-published work, A Romantic Christmas Suite, which adeptly combines six Chopin Nocturnes with well-known Christmas carols.

In addition to her passion for composing and arranging, she operates a professional piano studio spanning ages K-12 to recreational adults. Her curriculum includes hands-on instruction on arranging and composing. At the State level in Oregon, Dianne chairs the annual Composition Celebration Recital for honored student composers who are taught by Nationally Certified Teachers through the Oregon Music Teachers Association. In these trying times of the pandemic, she produced a virtual event for the recognition of these young composers.

Lastly, Dianne is committed to the creation and performance of new music and weaves that into her regular concert performances throughout the year. For upcoming projects, check out Dianne and her music at:
www.musiqPOWER.com

You can purchase her music here:
Romantic Christmas Suite Vol 1
Romantic Christmas Suite Vol 2
Impressionist Christmas Suite Vol. 3

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Brad Denton

With an early sense of wonder, Brad started piano at the age of 7 and took one year of lessons. Although an abiding love for music continued, formal study did not resume until the last year of high school. It was, however, in University that some talent emerged and quick progression resulted in a deep and enduring love of Classical music. An injury and life circumstances prevented further study and he gave up pursuing further music studies. However, the spark never died. Wanting to complete a formal education in music, Brad returned to music study as an adult completing Level 10 requirements and Pedagogical courses through the Royal Conservatory of Music. Current goals include completing an ARCT diploma and securing a teaching position. Other interests include chess, language study and furthering and expanding his musical education with this year being the year of opera. He is excited and nervous for his first public performance in almost 2 years!

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Dan DiPaolo

Musician and educator Dan DiPaolo began formal study of the piano at age 8, French horn at 9, and guitar at age 13. His obsession with music was sealed once his guitar teacher introduced him to chords, scales, and approaches to creating and organizing improvisations, unlocking his ears and imagination.

This curiosity lead him to the academic world, where his graduate work focused on tonal theory, popular music (especially Steely Dan, Brad Mehldau, and Frank Zappa), and the history of theory.

From 2010-2018, Dan taught music theory, ear training, and fundamentals at NYU's Steinhardt School. He also taught Music Humanities at Columbia University, History of Rock and Rap at Montclair State University, and Aural Skills at the Eastman School of Music.

Dan holds advanced degrees in historical musicology and music theory from King's College London and Columbia University. He is a piano teacher and freelance pianist in Los Angeles, where he lives with his wife, daughter, and cat.

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Eric Hunter

Eric Hunter is a pianist, composer, arranger, and educator based in New York City. Working in a wide variety of genres including classical, jazz, film, and electronica, his music has been acclaimed by audiences across the world. In 2019 his score for the animated short "Pin and Pon" went viral; it currently boasts over 3.5 million views. He also scored the multi-award winning short film "Run Little Boy," by Dominick Bedasse. He was a prizewinner in the 2012 operamission Cabaret Night songwriting competition, and contributed music to the multimedia piece Connection commissioned by Arts on Site. His music has been featured on the podcasts "Moveable Do" and "The Heart of the Ark." Recently he completed a set of arrangements for Tag Team Productions and the Las Vegas String Quartet.

Mr. Hunter's solo career has taken him to the stages of such venues as Carnegie Hall and Walt Disney Concert Hall, and he has soloed with the Greenwich, University of Rochester, and University of Southern California Symphony Orchestras. Laureate of numerous competitions, he has since become a dedicated proponent of musical outreach and therapy, working with organizations such as the Austen Riggs Center for Mental Health, VISIONS at Selis Manor, DOROT, and Sacred Music New York. In 2008 he played an all-Liszt recital at the home of the renowned Golden-era pianist Earl Wild at his invitation. Since then Mr. Hunter has drawn on Earl Wild's influence for his own arrangements of popular songs from Broadway musicals.

A lifelong educator, Mr. Hunter's private piano studio reflects his creative and innovative approach. He has been Head of Professional Development at The Piano Teachers Congress of New York, where he spearheaded the Open Forum program for teacher enrichment. As guest lecturer at the School for Visual Arts, New York University, and Columbia University, he taught creative process and gave lecture recitals on composers as varied as Liszt, Hindemith, Medtner, Shostakovich, and Cage. Formerly a co-host of "The Piano Pod," a piano-centered podcast, he interviewed industry groundbreakers across the globe. A prolific writer, his thoughts on composition, piano pedagogy, and other topics can be found at erichuntermusicstudio.com/blog.

Mr. Hunter is currently at work on an album of piano and orchestral works to be released in 2023. He lives in Manhattan with his wife and two sons. For more information, please visit www.erichuntermusic.com.

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Mari Hwang

American pianist Mari Hwang believes in creating a safe world where people are inspired to live wholeheartedly. As a co-producer of The COMPASS Concerts (Community Online Meditation Performance and Salon Series), she and her partners, Shinichiro Inaji and Louis Yungling, have established a welcoming, safe environment for music performance where people from all over the world feel a sense of community, support, and healing.

Ms. Hwang’s earlier experiences and challenges with stage fright for solo performances has guided her to share mindfulness awareness practice, easing psychological tension, and connecting heart to music. She performs in variety of venues, in concert halls such as Carnegie Hall, DiMenna Center for Classical Music, Merkin Hall, Walt Disney Hall, and in cathedrals, hospitals, libraries, music schools, and private residences.

Her programming frequently shines light on works by unknown, undervalued, minor works of well known composers, and women composers. Her embodiment of often deeply personal storytelling resonates profoundly with audiences and leads to open and courageous dialogue.

In addition to her private teaching studio and being on the faculty for MSM Summer Program, she serves as a collaborative pianist at Manhattan School of Music in NYC.

Ms. Hwang has moved from a sunny suburb of Los Angeles, CA, to attend Manhattan School of Music, where she has received a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance. Subsequently, she has received a Master’s in Music from Mannes School of Music and a minor in impact entrepreneurship from The New School.

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Alessandro Simoné

Alessandro Simoné studied Classical Piano Performance at Manhattan School of Music. He presented his interpretations at master classes there and at The Juilliard School taught by author David Dubal, and developed an interest in historical music practice.

conservatory studies, he creatively planned and administered piano lessons as a public school teaching artist. Later exploring his path in accompanying as staff pianist with Opera Oggi NY, he contributed to performances of opera including contemporary works that examine social issues of today.

Alessandro has experimented with popular music through an arranging and transcribing collaboration with the lead vocalist of contemporary band 3D2. His background includes teaching piano performance and music theory privately in Elmhurst, Queens; accompanying and advising vocalists, and contributing to piano interpretation seminars mentored by Zelma Bodzin, Professor at Mannes College The New School for Music. He began accompanying movement classes at Eurythmy Spring Valley in October 2018.

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Louis Yungling

Hello, my name is Louis Yungling and I'm the founder of COMPASS. I'm also a pianist and teacher.

Meditation, mindfulness and awareness exercises are an integral part of my teaching and practice. Musicians benefit greatly from these practices by being able to fine tune their focus and get more out of their practice as well as increase their responsiveness to sound and be more present and confident in performance.

I created COMPASS concerts to extend these practices to audiences and give everyone a moment to pause and go inward. We do this by sharing a brief contemplation exercise before every concert. In this way we practice being aware of one another and give ourselves a chance to feel and appreciate our unique contribution.

Preparing our minds and bodies to receive and make music allows us to be more receptive to the beauty and generosity that goes into a musical performance. And practicing this type of mindful preparation regularly can help us open our hearts more to the experiences of our day to day lives.

I am thrilled to share this journey with you and the very talented, generous artists who perform here. Thank you to all my musician friends for sharing your gifts and creating beautiful programs of music for our COMPASS community. And thank you to all who come and partake in these heart-warming community concerts.

I currently live and teach piano in Valencia, Spain. My teaching website: Yungling Piano Studio.

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