Our Talented Teaching Staff Shu Odamura – Guitar

Born in Kyoto, Japan, Shu Odamura is a New York-based guitarist, composer. He holds bachelor’s degree in jazz composition. He started taking guitar lessons at the age of 12. In 2003, he competed in the Gibson Jazz Guitar Contest as a youngest and won the special prize. In 2006, He moved to Boston to study at Berklee where he was given the Toshiko Akiyoshi Award. His teachers include Jon Damian, John Wilkins, Diavid Gilmore (guitarist for Wayne Shorter), Greg Hopkins (arranger/trumpeter for Buddy Rich big band), Scott Free, and Ken Pullig. As a guitarist, Shu has performed with various kinds of groups, such as jazz ensembles, pop/rock bands, church choirs, as well as his own jazz duo/trio. He has been credited on numerous recordings. In 2010, he played on Mina Cho’s album “Originality,” which led him to be selected for Third Place in the 32nd Jazz Station Poll (Acoustic Guitar) conducted by renowned jazz journalist Arnaldo DeSouteiro. As a composer and arranger, he works for jazz orchestra, flute/saxophone ensemble, pop singers, and films. His minimal-music piece “Kitchen Talk” was selected to air on Ryuichi Sakamoto’s radio program in Japan.

Eric Lemmon – Violist

Violist and Composer Eric Lemmon received his Bachelors in Music at New York University’s Music and Performing Arts Program, a Masters in Viola Performance from the Mannes Conservatory and an Artist Diploma from University of Miami’s Frost School of Music where he was awarded a Mancini Fellowship. He is the founder and editor of the music criticism and review site OpenSourceMusic.org and a classical curator at Brooklyn’s Vaudeville Park. He has taught at University of Miami as an Adjunct Teaching Assistant and through UM’s String Academy in addition to the Manhasset School of Music and the Juliet School of Music. As a violist, Eric has performed throughout the New York City and Miami metropolitan area with groups such as The Manhattan Camerata, DETOUR New Music, the troupe Project Opera, New York Chamber Virtuosi, and for the non-profit Lower East Side Performing Arts. He has appeared as principal violist of Brooklyn’s One World Symphony, The Chelsea Symphony, The Sheep Island Ensemble and for works such as Alan Menken’s King David, Bernstein’s Candide, Sondheim’s A Little Night Music, Dylan Glatthorn’s Republic, and Robert Cuckson’s A Night of Pity. As a Mancini Fellow Eric has performed with Terence Blanchard, Mark O’Connor, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Take 6, Michael Feinstein, and Gordon Goodwin. As a composer, Eric has recently given Kyoto and New York premieres of his solo viola work, “Closer”. His pieces have appeared in venues ranging from altclassical venue (le) Poisson Rouge to the FIGMENT arts festival on Governor’s Island and have been reviewed by the New York Times. Eric has been awarded NYU’s Creative Collaboration Grant in relation to the performance of his work The Cure at Troy and Mannes’ Peter M. Gross Grant, which is dedicated to helping students at the conservatory achieve professional goals. Eric’s mentors on viola include Stephanie Baer, Pamela McConnell, Laura Shuster and Ira Weller. In composition, teachers include Jerica Oblak, Charles Norman Mason and Rudolf Palmer.

Becilia Wong

Becilia Wong received her Professional Studies Diploma in Piano Performance, Master of Music Degree, and Bachelor of Music Degree from Manhattan School of Music (NY). She earned the Licentiate Diploma in Piano Performance from the Royal Schools of Music (United Kingdom) at age 14. While pursuing double majors in Pure Mathematics and Music in preparatory school, she was honored as a Fellow of the Trinity College (London) in Music Performance at age 17, and was subsequently invited to be an associate lecturer of undergraduate music theory at Hong Kong Baptist College that same year. Becilia was a recipient of many academic and performance awards, college teaching fellowships, merit scholarships and Minority Leadership award. She was an instructor of graduate and undergraduate piano courses at Manhattan School of Music, voice coach and staff pianist at the New York State Summer School of the Arts, and pianist-in- residence of the NYC-based Telesis Contemporary Ensemble. Becilia is an active performer, both as a pianist and a singer, and has been featured in solo recitals and chamber concerts in North America and Asia. She has been a licensed examiner and a licensed piano class instructor, specializing in childhood musicianship training, for Yamaha Music Education System USA since 1990. She is also the Music Director, Choir Director, and Soprano Soloist at the Roman Catholic Church of Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (NY).

Kaori Tanioka – Piano

Kaori was born in Kobe, Japan. Kaori started taking music lessons in an early age and started composing at age of 10. In 1997, Kaori was selected as a pianist for the Opus Piano Concerto and performed with the Kyoto Chamber Orchestra. In 1998, Kaori received a scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, where she studied Jazz. Kaori holds a Bachelor’s degree in both Jazz Performance and Jazz Composition. In 2003, her big-band piece called “Marglit” has won the first prize in IAJE’s College Jazz Composition Competition. It was also performed a number of times by the Greg Hopkins Jazz Orchestra at Ryles Jazz Club, as well as other venues in the New England area. Between 2004 and 2007, she attended the BMI Jazz Composer’s Workshop in New York. Since 2008, Kaori has been focusing on classical composition and her works include several string quartets, solo marimba, orchestra, and woodwind quintets. In 2010, Kaori completed her Master’s degree for classical composition. Her organ piece “WA” was premiered playing by J.P.Knijff (Grand Prix Bach de Lausanne in 1997), same as her Harpsichord concerto. Kaori is certified as an educator at YAMAHA Music Education USA.

Noah MacNeil

Noah MacNeil is a jazz pianist and composer who currently lives and performs in New York City. He studied at New York University (Music Theory and Composition and Computer Science) and the Berklee College of Music (Piano Performance). While at Berklee, he had the good fortune to be mentored by jazz greats Joanne Brackeen, Ray Santisi (pianist for Charlie Parker), Alain Mallet (pianist/keyboardist for Paul Simon), Vadim Neselovskyi (pianist for Gary Burton), among others. As a performer he has experience with a broad range of genres. From working with a contemporary jazz ensemble, playing on film-scoring sessions, classical solo concerts, and backing up singers, he has honed his musical talents as a leader and also as part of a rhythm section. He has brought his own quartet to numerous venues such as the Ryles Jazz Club in Boston, MA, and appears regularly around New York City. Having become a teacher of the Yamaha Music Education System, Noah is thrilled to impart musical understanding and enjoyment to his students.

Christine Bancroft

Christine Bancroft first had the joy of teaching Yamaha’s courses in her native Canada, before she went on to complete her Master's in Early Music Vocal Performance at McGill University. She has also studied piano performance and accompanying at the university level, and in her private piano and voice studio, she successfully prepared students for recitals, exams and music festivals. Christine's performance credits include professional solo, ensemble, and chorus engagements, the latter including performances at Alice Tully Hall, and as guests with the L.A. Philharmonic. Since 2005, Christine has also worked as a teaching artist in NYC's inner city schools, for programs such as Dancing Classrooms, The Piano School of NYC, and most recently, S'Cool Sounds. Christine is presently studying at the Aaron Copland School of Music, earning credits towards certification in music education. Passionate about Yamaha's music courses, Christine happily commutes from Manhattan to teach the Yamaha Music Education System in Princeton.