Biography for Mr. Joel Tepper:
Vice President MTAC Alameda Branch 2012-Present
Being educated at Cal Berkeley and Mills College, Mr. Tepper has won many awards including those from the National Teachers Association and The Berkeley Teacher’s Association. Joel has taught piano for over 25 years. Now he is a piano teacher in Veksler Academy of Music and Dance Sunnyvale, Ca. 2012-Present. Currently, he teaches Children and Adults in his Oakland Studio and is especially popular with UC Berkeley students and the staff at Laney College in their Music Department. As concert pianist, Joel has performed with Bay Area orchestras including the San Francisco Symphony as a first-place winner in the Youth Orchestra Piano Competition and also the Berkeley Symphony. Performing extensively in Berkeley and Bay Area Venues Joel has played the major repertoire for piano. As an instructor, Joel combines his piano artistry with a terrific sense of humor and a love for all sports. A consummate musician Joel teaches all levels of piano study-Classical, Jazz, and Popular techniques.
Performance Experience: Key Solo Venues-Cadillac Hotel San Francisco Ca., San Francisco Jewish Community Center
Biography for Christine Saw VanRiper:
Welcoming Back! Instructor Miss Christine, recently newlywed, briefly moved to Orange County and has returned to PianoCo! Christine holds a Masters Degree of Music from Boston Conservatory (2009) and a Bachelors Degree of Music and Vocal Performance from Chapman. Her talents as a piano and voice instructor include her performances with Livermore Opera and Bay Area Acapella groups. Her children’s ministry is weekly with Cornerstone Fellowship Church in Livermore. A member of the California Music Teachers Association, Christine instructs and prepares for the yearly Certificate of Merit Exam.
Biography for Shannon Hoffman:
Shannon earned a Masters degree in vocal performance from California State University East Bay, and a Bachelors in vocal performance from Whitman College. She is a member of NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) and Theater Bay Area. She lives in San Ramon with her husband and 9-year-old triplets. She has been teaching piano and voice for over 10 years.
Shannon has performed as a mezzo-soprano in operas, concerts, and musical theatre. She is a frequent soloist with several East Bay Church congregations
Biography for Joshua Susic:
Piano Instructor and Composition Teacher
Joshua Susic is currently working on his Masters of Arts Degree in Music Composition at San Francisco State Univ. after completing his Bachelor of Arts Degree in 2017. Joshua teaches beginning and intermediate piano to school-age children and adults. He is classically trained in piano performance and teaches fundamentals inherent in the beginning and intermediate piano repertoire.
In addition, Joshua is an active Bay Area composer and has written multiple ensembles that incorporate wind, brass, and or string instruments including Elevate Ensemble, Loadbang, and Splinter Reeds. Joshua has also composed choral music and piano pieces. His most recent work for violin and piano was premiered at the Center for New Music in San Francisco. Using Sibelius notation software, Joshua is able to direct and teach basic software applications for music composition.