Peter Ellingson
www.peteellingson.com
Pete Ellingson is Senior Instructor of music performance at the University of Colorado Denver. He specializes in jazz and Afro-Caribbean music in both his teaching and freelance performing on piano and percussion. As a performer he has worked with numerous artists including Michael Spiro, Luís Conte, and Jerry González as well as hosting the annual “Night of Cuban Music” concert at the University of Colorado Denver.
He received his Bachelor of Music degree from Northern Illinois University and his Master of Music degree from Arizona State University. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in jazz studies from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Before coming to Denver, he worked as a freelance pianist and percussionist in Chicago, Phoenix, and Virginia Beach. His other teaching experiences come from Colorado Christian University, Red Rocks Community College and Arapahoe Community College.
At CU Denver he directs the Latin Ensemble, instructs the jazz piano students, and teaches a number of piano, ear training, music theory, jazz improvisation, and Latin music history classes. Much of his research at the university has been in the area of Cuban music and its performance.
Irina Moreland, Piano Program Coordinator
Irina Moreland is a graduate of St. Petersburg Conservatory, earning her Bachelor and Master degrees in music, with highest honors. Post-Graduate/Doctoral studies were accomplished at Moscow State Conservatory, culminating in a Doctoral Degree in Musical Arts from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2002.
In academia, Dr. Moreland has held the position of Assistant Professor for the Keyboard Faculty at St. Petersburg State Conservatory in 1994-95; Adjunct Professor for the Colorado School of Mines Choral Department; Graduate Assistant and Accompanist at the University of Colorado at Boulder during her Doctoral Studies there; Affiliate Professor at Colorado Christian University, and, since 2007, Instructor for the University of Colorado at Denver (CU Denver), teaching applied piano, group piano classes, and Music History. She has also repeatedly taught semester courses at the International College at Beijing. Most recently, she proposed, planned and revitalized the Piano Lab at CU Denver, and holds the position of Piano Lab Coordinator.
An excellent performer, with numerous solo, chamber and orchestral appearances, Dr. Moreland has successfully toured in Austria, China, England, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Russia, and the United States with numerous solo, chamber and orchestral recitals, appearing in venues from New York City to Salzburg, Dublin to Kazakhstan. Skilled in many styles, constantly searching for innovative elements of jazz and commercial expression to meld into her performance technique, and possessing a broad classical and commercial repertoire, Dr. Moreland is a highly accomplished piano, keyboard and music studies instructor with 20 years of pedagogical experience. Noted classicists, including world renowned Angela Cheng, Robert Spillman, Ugorsky, Pletnev, and jazz musicians, such as Greg Dyes and Vlad Gerchevich, have mentored and affected her as a musician.
Her use of innovative teaching techniques, including an extensive array of media tools and methodologies, characterize her teaching strategy of bringing cutting edge, 21st century classroom teaching and technology to her students. Dr. Moreland strives to make the traditional classroom into a fast paced, media driven, contemporary and life altering experience.
Her first commercial CD, Virtual Infinity, a compilation of cross-over Classical, Rock and Electronic music, will be released in Spring 2012.
Her latest article “The Future Is Ours? : 21st Century Technology and Instruction in the Performing Arts”, was presented at the Spring 2011 International Journal of Arts and Science Conference in Salzburg, Austria, and published in the double blind refereed International Journal of Arts and Science. Understanding the effect of globalization and technology on teaching styles and methodology is a passion, and the subject of several articles in work.
Sophia Park-Song
Sophia Hyun-Me Park Song brings over a decade of experience as a full time professor in academia as she joins the full time faculty at University of Colorado Denver. Park-Song, a native of Pennsylvania, made her solo debut with the Reading Symphony Orchestra at age 17. Recipient of the Martha B. Stone Scholarship, Park-Song received her B.M. in Piano Performance with honors from the coveted Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. While at Eastman her principal teacher/mentor was the internationally renowned Rebecca Penneys. Other studies included those with the highly notable David Burge and Barry Snyder. She received her M.M degree from the University of Michigan and returned to Eastman to receive her doctorate in 1995. Park-Song has appeared as soloist and chamber musician both nationally and internationally including performances at La Schola Cantorum in Paris, France, the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado, Chautauqua Music Festival in New York, Steinway Hall Dallas and Steinway Hall Fort Worth.
As a clinician, Park-Song has performed master classes from coast to coast. A year after she was appointed as Director of Piano Studies at Tarleton State University, Park-Song was selected as the keynote speaker at the 1999 Texas Music Teachers’ Association Conference. Park-Song has also served as a judge for many competitions including Steinway, Yamaha, and National Federal of Music Clubs, at state and national levels. Her increasing demand as clinician and adjudicator led Park-Song to be nominated for the Outstanding Collegiate Teaching Award in the state of Texas.
As a tenured faculty member at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas, she also co-authored an article called, “Zen in the Art of Performance” with Dr. Craig Clifford for the Texas Journal of Ideas, History, and Culture.
Drew Morell
www.drewjazz.com
Drew Morell has been a professional jazz musician and educator in the Denver area for the last 17 years. Drew was hired into the teaching staff of the Baldwin Piano Co. at age 18, where he began his career as an educator and eventually was made head of the department. After 8 years on staff Drew opened his own music studio: Infinity Music.
Morell is a working pianist, bassist, and guitarist, and has performed with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Red Holloway, Javon Jackson, Mark Elff, L.A. vocalist Sherry Williams, Lew Tobaccin, Nelson Rangel, Jimmy Heath, Dakota Staton, and The Neophonic Jazz Orchestra. Drew currently enjoys working as the "house" bassist at the nationally-renowned jazz club, El Chapultapec. Drew has also been very active as a studio musician, recording on both bass and piano.