HOMESCHOOL MUSIC CONSERVATORY - Key Persons

German Gonzalez is a dynamic and versatile multi-instrumentalist/ composer/arranger who is fluent in many styles of music, including Jazz, Latin, Brazilian and Classical. He has played, composed and/or arranged for numerous artists including João Luiz Rezende Lopes (Head of Classical Guitar at SUNY Purchase), SUNY Purchase Student Guitar Quintet, John Pizzarelli, John Patitucci, Papo Vazquez, and Randy Brecker, among others. He has been teaching guitar, piano and electric bass for over 15 years, as well as preparing students for recitals, competitions and auditions throughout the years. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, German Gonzalez studied classical guitar with Juan Sorroche (University of PR) and jazz guitar with Carlos Melendez (Conservatory of PR). He holds a B. M. in Jazz Performance from New Jersey City University, where he studied with Paul Meyers (jazz guitar), Allan Farnham (jazz piano), and Ana Maria Rosado (classical guitar), as well as having played in the NJCU Jazz Ensemble. In 2012, he was selected to attend the Jazz and Creative Music Workshop for dual composers/performers at the Banff Centre in Canada, where he had the opportunity to study and collaborate with many other artists/contemporary composers such as Dave Douglas, Vijay Iyer, Steve Lehman, Tyshawn Sorey and Luis Perdomo, among others. Since having moved to New York City in 2008, he has been performing regularly throughout the tri-state area. He has played in venues such as Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, Bar Next Door, Poisson Rouge, The Garage, and Fat Cat. He continues to lead his own jazz trio, as well as playing, composing and arranging for various different artists.

Kate Dillingham is a soloist, a collaborative artist and an avid proponent of the music of living composers. She has performed as a soloist in 18th- 21st century repertoire with The St. Petersburg Philharmonic, The Moscow Symphony Orchestra, The Salzburg Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Moscow Chamber Orchestra. She has appeared numerous times at Carnegie Hall, Weill Recital Hall, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Lincoln Center, Bargemusic, Symphony Space and The DiMenna Center in New York, NY. She has performed at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, PA, The Strathmore in Bethesda, MD, and has been presented twice at the United States Supreme Court in Washington, DC. Ms. Dillingham has toured throughout Europe and the United States. Recent highlights include concerts at the Tseretelli Gallery in Moscow, Russia, Weill (Carnegie) Recital Hall and The DiMenna Center in New York City where she performed a recital of entirely new compositions, many of which were written expressly for her. Active in the New York freelance scene, she has performed for Broadway productions of Disney's The Lion King and Matilda the Musical and has appeared with jazz legends Tony Bennett, Clark Terry, Jimmy Heath and Barry Harris. Ms. Dillingham has made five recordings; Haydn's Cello Concertos with The Moscow Chamber Orchestra and music of Claude Debussy, Arthur Honegger, and Gabriel Fauré, both for Connoisseur Society Records, and works of Witold Lutoslawski, Victor Herbert, Antonin Dvorák, and Jennifer Higdon with the Moscow Symphony Orchestra. Her recording project entitled CROSSINGS: New Music For Cello featuring commissioned works by composers of Random Access Music, Alia Musica and several notable individuals was achieved through "crowd- funding" and was the "Album of the Week" on WQXR's Q2 program. Porter Anderson of Thought Catalogue writes, " This is richly rendered music of its time: disturbing, provocative rhapsodies on quieter moments of internal need and grace - perfect for the melancholic intelligence of the cello's prized voice." Following Ms. Dillingham's New York debut, which featured world premieres of works by Augusta Read Thomas and Pulitzer Prize-winner Jennifer Higdon, the press deemed her "an excellent cellist; dignified, intelligent, and compelling. An adventurous, dedicated champion of contemporary music, she performed with admirable control, conviction, and authority." In Jennifer Higdon's Soliloquy, the New Music Connoisseur described her as "an extraordinary performer who displayed musical insight and emotional depth…" A student of Bernard Greenhouse, Ms. Dillingham received both a Bachelor (summa cum laude) and Master of Music on a full-scholarship from Rutgers University, after which she studied with Professor Maria Tchaikovskaya at the Moscow Conservatory. A long association with Mr. Greenhouse led to collaboration on an edition of the Sonatas for Violoncello and Keyboard BWV by J.S. Bach, published by G. Schirmer Inc., now in its second printing, which she presented in a combined concert and lecture at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Ms. Dillingham released an album of these works on the Affetto Label with generous support from the William Scheide Fund with Grammy-nominated harpsichordist, Jory Vinikour. Ms. Dillingham has recently been named Executive Director of the contemporary music collective Random Access Music (RAM) which curates and presents concerts in NYC, issues an annual "Call for Scores", and produces the Queens New Music Festival. She is Artistic Director of CelloFest 2016 in Wellfleet, MA that included concerts, master classes and an exhibition celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of her teacher, Bernard Greenhouse. She has served on the faculty at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA and at The New York Summer Music Festival at SUNY, Oneonta. She is a voting member of NARAS, Chamber Music America, American Federation of Musicians, Local 802 and American String Teachers Association. Expressive phrasing and a sense of forwardmotion characterize her playing. Inspired by her love for performing the classics, her enthusiasm for broadening the range and repertoire for the cello has led her to commission, perform, and record the music of composers of the 21st century.

New York based pianist Michael Crowley continues to win awards and praise for his solo and chamber playing. Mr. Crowley is currently a Doctoral Candidate and Fellow at The Manhattan School of Music (MSM) where he also teaches required and elective piano classes in the Keyboard Skills department. He previously won the Patricia Bellingham Memorial Prize for Pianists, and the Claire Simpson Therrien Prize for Artistic Achievement. Most recently, he performed in masterclasses for Anne Marie McDermott and composer Libby Larsen. Mr. Crowley received his Master's degree from MSM studying under Jeffrey Cohen, after attaining his Bachelor's degree with highest honors, from The Hartt School of Music, studying with Paul Rutman. In addition to his performing career, Mr. Crowley has a passion for teaching and maintains an active private piano studio in Manhattan.

Born in Vladimir, Russia into a family of professional musicians, Ms. Mikhailoff began studying piano with her mother at the age of five. By the age of eight, Ms. Mikhailoff had already won an international Young Artists Competition in Czechoslovakia, despite her being the competition's youngest participant in the 8 to 16-year age category. That same year, Ms. Mikhailoff was selected to attend the Central Music School for Gifted Children in Moscow where she studied for ten years with Anaida Sumbatian (teacher of Vladimir Ashkenazy and Oxana Yablonskaya) and Vera Gornostaeva. Ms. Mikhailoff subsequently studied at the Moscow Conservatory under Professor Vladimir Krainev and at the Manhattan School of Music with Professor Philip Kawin. She also studied with Maestro Vladimir Feltsman. Ms. Mikhailoff pursued an active performing career throughout Russia and Europe as a recitalist, concert soloist and chamber musician. Her United States debut took place at Carnegie Hall in 1999. She later returned to Carnegie Hall to play an all-Chopin recital on the 150th anniversary of the composer's death. She also performed in three seasons with the Greenwich Symphony under Maestro David Gilbert. In each instance she received the highest critical acclaim. Ms. Mikhailoff also played Chopin's e minor concerto under Maestro Vladimir Feltsman. Recognized by the legendary Martha Argerich as an extraordinary talent, Ms. Mikhailoff has developed a vast repertoire extending from Baroque to modern-day composers including solo works, chamber music and 31 piano concertos. This Russian-born American pianist was honored with the Second Prize at the Martha Argerich International Piano Competition in August 2003, her eleventh international competition prize. Ms. Mikhailoff subsequently performed in the Martha Argerich festival in the world famous opera house, Teatro Colon de Buenos Aires. Ms.Mikhailoff then toured throughout Argentina together with Ms. Argerich. Ms. Mikhailoff graduated from the Manhattan School of Music in 2003 with a Masters of Music degree. Upon graduation she was awarded the prestigious Harold Bauer Prize, an honor bestowed upon the most promising talent of that institution. Ms. Mikhailoff also holds a B.A. from the Moscow Conservatory of Music. Ms. Mikhailoff maintains an active teaching studio in Westchester County less than one-half hour from New York City. She is also the Artistic Director of the Midland Music Series in Bronxville, NY.

Rosemary knew she was a musician at a young age. She decided to make music her mission, and it was the beginning of a lifelong journey of passion, discipline, and self discovery. Rosemary successfully completed 2 degrees from the prestigious Manhattan School of Music and The Mannes College (The New School) with a Bachelor's and Master's in music with her specialization in vocal performance. Immediately after she embarked on a rewarding operatic career as a soloist in both Opera Houses, Churches and Recital Halls. Her performances were at The Baltimore Lyric Opera, The New Rochelle Opera, DiCapo Opera and Carnegie Hall. Recalling one of her voice mentors saying that she would be a "very gifted teacher and a fine mentor to young musicians", Rosemary began giving private lessons when her voice teachers were sending students her way as their studios became full. Reluctant at the idea, it all changed after the first lesson. There was a realization that sharing knowledge and passion of musical studies was far more rewarding than being on stage. While still working as a soloist, she began taking on more students and also started working at The Hackley School (Tarrytown, NY) as vocal and piano faculty member. The opportunity to mold the minds of young students was where the fire was ignited. Rosemary's mission became to inspire the young artistic minds of the community, and to continue the legacy of her love for music. Shortly after, she was hired at The Ursuline School in New Rochelle as the Performing Arts Department Chairperson. She built a music and dance program that boasts over 225 young women. They thrive in choir, orchestra, and wind and brass ensembles. Rosemary continues to teach privately, and is very happy to be a part of The Homeschool Music Conservatory giving voice and piano lessons to wonderful young students. She resides in Mount Vernon with her husband and young son.

In recent years, Vassily Primakov has been hailed as a pianist of world class importance. Gramophone wrote that "Primakov's empathy with Chopin's spirit could hardly be more complete," and the American Record Guide stated: "Since Gilels, how many pianists have the right touch? In Chopin, no one currently playing sounds as good as this! This is a great Chopin pianist." Music Web-International called Primakov's Chopin concertos CD "one of the great Chopin recordings of recent times. These are performances of extraordinary power and beauty." In 1999, as a teen-aged prizewinner of the Cleveland International Piano Competition, Primakov was praised by Donald Rosenberg of the Cleveland Plain Dealer: "How many pianists can make a line sing as the Moscow native did on this occasion? Every poignant phrase took ethereal wing. Elsewhere the music soared with all of the turbulence and poetic vibrancy it possesses. We will be hearing much from this remarkable musician". Vassily Primakov has released numerous recordings for Bridge Records that include works by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Chopin, Dvorak, Debussy, Tchaikovsky, Scriabin, Rachmaninoff, Philip Glass, Arlene Sierra and Poul Ruders. In 2011, Mr. Primakov, along with his duo partner, Natalia Lavrova established a new and vibrant record company, L.P. Classics, Inc. Their first release was Anton Arensky: Four Suites for Two Pianos. Most recently, they released Primakov's Live in Concert Album that includes works by Medtner, Schumann, Brahms, Handel Variations and Ravel's La Valse. www.lpclassics.net