Faculty:
photo © Moya Studio
Ida Ivanovic was born and raised in Belgrade, Serbia in South Eastern Europe. She graduated with honors in 1991 from former Yugoslavia’s most distinguished High School of Musical Arts ‘Stevan Mokranjac’ having studied piano performance and music theory.
She earned her BM in piano performance from the University of Belgrade in 1996, studying with eminent pianists of former Yugoslavia Aleksandar Sandorov, Dejan Sinadinovic and Jasmina Gavrilovic. During her studies she also attended master classes working with one of the founders of European Piano Teachers Association, Arbo Valdma from Cologne, Germany.
She was very active both as an author and translator for the Music Artists Society publication ‘Pro Musica’ and was awarded the First Prize at the National Competition for the article ‘Mozart and Free Masons’.
While exploring music history and its effects on style of piano music interpretation were her passions, the biggest challenge and the most important goal in her musical journey is to show children the beauty and joy of music making as well as help parents understand the enormous benefits these studies bring about through practice and performance.
Even during her studies, she started working with young pianists and right after graduation continued teaching at ‘Stevan Mokranjac’ High School of Musical Arts. During the war in her country, she worked as an accompanist at ‘Giuseppe Tartini’ Music School in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and shortly after came to Boston, MA with her family to work at Suzuki School of Newton, MA.
While accompanying at this Suzuki program, she was able to observe their group classes which sparked a great interest in this new method, not popular in Europe at that time. Supported by Sachiko Isihara, piano teacher trainer and director of the Newton school, she began her studies of Suzuki Piano Method in 2001. with two SAA Piano Committee members – professors Mary Craig Powell, OH (Chair) and Dorris Harrel, TX as well as Ms. Cristine Magasiner, one of the pioneers of Suzuki Method in London, England and Caroline Fraser from Peru.
She is an active member of Music Teachers National Association as well as board member of Palm Beach County MTA, where she serves as Chair for Judging Musicales.
Ida Ivanovic currently lives with her family in Boynton Beach and teaches at Palm Beach Suzuki School of Music from 2006.
She earned her BM in piano performance from the University of Belgrade in 1996, studying with eminent pianists of former Yugoslavia Aleksandar Sandorov, Dejan Sinadinovic and Jasmina Gavrilovic. During her studies she also attended master classes working with one of the founders of European Piano Teachers Association, Arbo Valdma from Cologne, Germany.
She was very active both as an author and translator for the Music Artists Society publication ‘Pro Musica’ and was awarded the First Prize at the National Competition for the article ‘Mozart and Free Masons’.
While exploring music history and its effects on style of piano music interpretation were her passions, the biggest challenge and the most important goal in her musical journey is to show children the beauty and joy of music making as well as help parents understand the enormous benefits these studies bring about through practice and performance.
Even during her studies, she started working with young pianists and right after graduation continued teaching at ‘Stevan Mokranjac’ High School of Musical Arts. During the war in her country, she worked as an accompanist at ‘Giuseppe Tartini’ Music School in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and shortly after came to Boston, MA with her family to work at Suzuki School of Newton, MA.
While accompanying at this Suzuki program, she was able to observe their group classes which sparked a great interest in this new method, not popular in Europe at that time. Supported by Sachiko Isihara, piano teacher trainer and director of the Newton school, she began her studies of Suzuki Piano Method in 2001. with two SAA Piano Committee members – professors Mary Craig Powell, OH (Chair) and Dorris Harrel, TX as well as Ms. Cristine Magasiner, one of the pioneers of Suzuki Method in London, England and Caroline Fraser from Peru.
She is an active member of Music Teachers National Association as well as board member of Palm Beach County MTA, where she serves as Chair for Judging Musicales.
Ida Ivanovic currently lives with her family in Boynton Beach and teaches at Palm Beach Suzuki School of Music from 2006.
Melanie Riordan began playing the violin at the age of ten in her hometown of New Rochelle, NY. After graduating from the Manhattan School of Music Pre-College, Melanie received her BFA from Carnegie Mellon University where she studied with esteemed pedagogue Cyrus Forough. While at CMU, Melanie received the Harry G. Archer award for excellence in violin studies. She received her Masters in Music from McGill University where she studied with Toronto Symphony Concertmaster Jonathan Crow. Melanie has attended the Spoleto Festival USA, National Repertory Orchestra, Bowdoin International Music Festival, and the Atlantic Music Festival among others. She is currently pursuing a Professional Performers Certificate at the Lynn University Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of Carol Cole.
A champion of contemporary music, Ms. Riordan performed in the American premiers of Kaija Saariaho’s opera *Émile, *and Philip Glass’s opera *Kepler* at the Spoleto Festival USA. As a member of the Houston New Arts Movement, she has appeared on Houston Public Media’s KUHA 91.7 and was chosen to perform the world premier of Marty Regan’s *The Memory Stone*, commissioned and produced by the Houston Grand Opera. Recent commissions include *L’Évidence Éternelle *by Philip Elder as a Da Camera of Houston Young Artist,* Tension Cycle* by John Arrigo – Nelson for the Mud Turtle Guitar Quintet, and various works by student composers as a member of the Contemporary Music Ensemble at Orford Musique under the guidance of Véronique Lacroix, Artistic Director of the Ensemble Contemporain de Montréal. A versatile musician, Ms. Riordan has performed with the Houston Baroque ensembles *Mercury; The Orchestra Redefined* and *Ars Lyrica*, and has performed at the Austin City Limits music festival.
As an educator, Melanie is passionate about using music as a way to uplift children in underserved communities. While in Houston, she taught for the Houston Youth Symphony Coda Music program and has been a guest instructor for Sistemang Pilipino in Cebu City, Philippines. She is a teacher and mentor for the Nat King Cole Generation Hope summer music camp in Boca Raton. Each program is inspired by the famed Venezuelan music program “El Sistema”, providing free music education to underprivileged children. She received her Suzuki Violin Method Certification under the guidance of Charles Krigbaum at the Dallas-Fort Worth Suzuki institute. For the last five years Ms. Riordan enjoyed running a large private studio of young violinists and violists throughout the greater Houston area. She believes that a lifelong love and appreciation for music starts at home as a young child. The journey of learning the violin with the Suzuki method will help your child grow and strengthen the family bond in ways you cant even imagine! As a newcomer to Florida and PBSSM, she is excited to find new and excited young students and families to inspire!
A champion of contemporary music, Ms. Riordan performed in the American premiers of Kaija Saariaho’s opera *Émile, *and Philip Glass’s opera *Kepler* at the Spoleto Festival USA. As a member of the Houston New Arts Movement, she has appeared on Houston Public Media’s KUHA 91.7 and was chosen to perform the world premier of Marty Regan’s *The Memory Stone*, commissioned and produced by the Houston Grand Opera. Recent commissions include *L’Évidence Éternelle *by Philip Elder as a Da Camera of Houston Young Artist,* Tension Cycle* by John Arrigo – Nelson for the Mud Turtle Guitar Quintet, and various works by student composers as a member of the Contemporary Music Ensemble at Orford Musique under the guidance of Véronique Lacroix, Artistic Director of the Ensemble Contemporain de Montréal. A versatile musician, Ms. Riordan has performed with the Houston Baroque ensembles *Mercury; The Orchestra Redefined* and *Ars Lyrica*, and has performed at the Austin City Limits music festival.
As an educator, Melanie is passionate about using music as a way to uplift children in underserved communities. While in Houston, she taught for the Houston Youth Symphony Coda Music program and has been a guest instructor for Sistemang Pilipino in Cebu City, Philippines. She is a teacher and mentor for the Nat King Cole Generation Hope summer music camp in Boca Raton. Each program is inspired by the famed Venezuelan music program “El Sistema”, providing free music education to underprivileged children. She received her Suzuki Violin Method Certification under the guidance of Charles Krigbaum at the Dallas-Fort Worth Suzuki institute. For the last five years Ms. Riordan enjoyed running a large private studio of young violinists and violists throughout the greater Houston area. She believes that a lifelong love and appreciation for music starts at home as a young child. The journey of learning the violin with the Suzuki method will help your child grow and strengthen the family bond in ways you cant even imagine! As a newcomer to Florida and PBSSM, she is excited to find new and excited young students and families to inspire!
Rita Hough has been registered with the Suzuki Association of the Americas since 2002, when she began teaching piano privately. She studied the traditional method of piano for ten years with a private instructor while growing up in Indiana. She received her first introduction to the Suzuki method at a concert featuring young Suzuki violinists from Japan. Greatly influencing her desire to teach, this led to her pursuing what was needed to teach Suzuki Piano. She began her teacher training at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Michigan in the summer of 2000, with master teacher, Armena Marderosian. Soon after, Rita continued her study in Lima, Peru with master teacher Caroline Fraser receiving private instruction from her and upgrading her book levels. This enabled her to participate with two of her students at the South America Suzuki Festival in 2002. Further instruction included formal teacher training with Suzuki piano pioneer, Doris Koppelman in Lima, Peru and recently with Jane Kutscher Reed in North Carolina.
Always inspired by the spirit of learning and sharing, Rita has had the opportunity to observe and study with outstanding teachers throughout the years. This is reflected in her experiences and expertise as she instructs her students. Her passion for teaching and for passing music on to another generation is surpassed only by her love and commitment to each student and their families.
Rita has lived in the Wellington area since 2002 with her husband Tom, after living in the Amazon Basin of Peru, South America for 20 years where they worked alongside the Indigenous peoples. Their oldest daughter, Melissa and two granddaughters live in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Their youngest daughter, Hannah is a Master’s student studying Voice Performance at the University of Florida.
Always inspired by the spirit of learning and sharing, Rita has had the opportunity to observe and study with outstanding teachers throughout the years. This is reflected in her experiences and expertise as she instructs her students. Her passion for teaching and for passing music on to another generation is surpassed only by her love and commitment to each student and their families.
Rita has lived in the Wellington area since 2002 with her husband Tom, after living in the Amazon Basin of Peru, South America for 20 years where they worked alongside the Indigenous peoples. Their oldest daughter, Melissa and two granddaughters live in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Their youngest daughter, Hannah is a Master’s student studying Voice Performance at the University of Florida.
Lehins Aragón was born in San Cristobal, Venezuela and entered into the world-renowned music program known as El Systema, which gave him the opportunity to perform and teach throughout Venezuela.At the young age of 13, Lehins was already the concertmaster of the Simon Bolivar Youth Symphony Orchestra of San Cristobal. Lehins was a violin instructor in the states of Tachira and Merida where he helped develop orchestral programs in the towns of Colon, Tovar, and in private schools. In 1995, Lehins worked for a state orchestra that promoted Venezuelan folk music and was a founding member of the San Cristobal Chamber Music Orchestra.Lehins was a member of the San Cristobal Orchestra, Merida Symphony Orchestra, and the Venezuela Symphony Orchestra.
In 1999, Lehins moved to Miami, Florida to continue his education in violin performance. He studied at the New World School of the Arts under the violin studio of Thomas Moore, obtaining a Bachelor of Music Degree in 2005. In Miami, Lehins had many solo performing opportunities as well as becoming involved in orchestral work. Lehins graduated in 2008 with a Master of Arts degree at Florida Atlantic University and during his studies also taught violin and Sight Singing to undergraduate students.
In addition to his orchestral experience in Venezuela, Lehins has also been a key musician in many South Florida ensembles including the Miami Symphony Orchestra where he had the privilege of performing in the renowned Carnegie Hall in New York City. Other orchestras that Lehins has performed with include Hollywood Symphony, Renaissance Classical Orchestra, Palm Beach Pops, and he is currently playing for the Symphony of the Americas. Lehins has experience performing popular music and has collaborated with many pop musicians such as Frank Sinatra Jr., Anne Murray, Kenny Rodgers, Pedro Fernandez, Alberto Santarosa, Cristian Castro and Chayanne among others.
Lehins has had extensive teaching experience and was a music teacher at the New World School of Arts summer camps as well as a violin teacher at V.I.P. kids. Lehins has worked in several violin education programs in South Florida and most recently has developed a music program at Palm Beach School for Autism, which provides lessons for students on the spectrum. Lehins is an active member of the Music Teacher’s National Association and the Palm Beach County Music Teacher’s Association. He also performs regularly in chamber ensembles and often appears as a guest artist in the Palm Beach State College faculty concerts.
In 1999, Lehins moved to Miami, Florida to continue his education in violin performance. He studied at the New World School of the Arts under the violin studio of Thomas Moore, obtaining a Bachelor of Music Degree in 2005. In Miami, Lehins had many solo performing opportunities as well as becoming involved in orchestral work. Lehins graduated in 2008 with a Master of Arts degree at Florida Atlantic University and during his studies also taught violin and Sight Singing to undergraduate students.
In addition to his orchestral experience in Venezuela, Lehins has also been a key musician in many South Florida ensembles including the Miami Symphony Orchestra where he had the privilege of performing in the renowned Carnegie Hall in New York City. Other orchestras that Lehins has performed with include Hollywood Symphony, Renaissance Classical Orchestra, Palm Beach Pops, and he is currently playing for the Symphony of the Americas. Lehins has experience performing popular music and has collaborated with many pop musicians such as Frank Sinatra Jr., Anne Murray, Kenny Rodgers, Pedro Fernandez, Alberto Santarosa, Cristian Castro and Chayanne among others.
Lehins has had extensive teaching experience and was a music teacher at the New World School of Arts summer camps as well as a violin teacher at V.I.P. kids. Lehins has worked in several violin education programs in South Florida and most recently has developed a music program at Palm Beach School for Autism, which provides lessons for students on the spectrum. Lehins is an active member of the Music Teacher’s National Association and the Palm Beach County Music Teacher’s Association. He also performs regularly in chamber ensembles and often appears as a guest artist in the Palm Beach State College faculty concerts.