HORIPRO Music Academy Faculty

The academy’s faculty is comprised of highly trained teachers with academic degrees in music and performing arts, many which are accomplished musicians and artists. Interested in teaching at the academy? Submit your cover letter and resume to info@horipro.com.

Masami Takahata Head Music Teacher/Piano/MTAC Coordinator
Masami Takahata attended high school and received her bachelors degree at the distinguished music academy Musashino Academia High school and College. She later taught the advanced class at the Yamaha music school in Tokyo Japan where she trained students for the teacher certificate program. She has performed several community service concerts and as accompaniment for choral groups in the LA area.

Marina Kalantarova Piano(MTAC Member)
Marin Kalantarova has more than twenty years of experience in teaching piano and composition. A member of Music Teachers Association of California, she received her Masters of Music degree from Moscow Conservatory in Russia, and B.A. from Tashkent Conservatory. She then worked at the Special Music School as head of the Composition and Improvisation Department. Most recently, Marina has taught piano at Le Lycee Francais de Los Angeles and Santa Monica Academy of Music, and composes music for films, animation, chamber and orchestral music.

Naoko Watanabe Piano(MTAC Member)
Naoko Watanabe is a graduate of Shobi University in Piano performance and earned the certificate of Commercial Music Professional Instrumentalist at Long Beach City College. She previously taught at the Yamaha music school for over 10 years and currently studies under classical pianist Timothy Durkovic. She incorporates solfege in to her lessons and prides herself in having each student learn perfect pitch.

Minako Hirota Piano/Composition/Beginning Music for Kids
Born in Tokyo, Japan, Pianist/Composer/Arranger Minako Hirota began to realize her love for music at an early age. After she had graduated from Kunitachi College of Music with a BA in piano performance, Minako moved to Boston to attend the Berklee College of Music where she studied contemporary music writing. She has participated in not only performing but also creating as a composer, arranger, trackmaker.

Noriko Yamaga Violin/Piano/Viola
Noriko has attended several top music schools in the United States including the Cleveland Institute of Music and the California Institute of the Arts where she received her Bachelors and Masters degrees. She recently attended the University of Southern California for additional graduate certificate studies where she was also a scholarship award recipient. Her extensive teaching experience dates back over ten years at local music centers such as Yamaha and Studio Works. In addition to teaching she is also a member of the New Valley Symphony.

Lisa Liu Violin/Viola/Cello/Piano
Lisa Liu graduated from Juilliard with Bachelor's and Master's degrees in violin performance. Her collaborations include a project for the Pope, "The Lost Christmas Eve" by The Trans-Siberian Orchestra (recipient of a gold record sales award), as well as Elton John, Josh Groban, Michael Buble, Mariah Carey, Britney Spears, Aerosmith, Wyclef Jean, Enya, and Celine Dion. A member of New York University's adjunct faculty, Lisa has taught Dorothy DeLay's Scale Class in both The Juilliard School's Pre-College and College Divisions. She has a decade of piano and strings teaching experience, including advanced violin master classes at Bloomsburg University and hip hop violin at Duquesne University's Strings Without Boundaries program.

Hiroko Turner Vocal/Songwriting/Beginning Music for Kids
Hiroko Turner began studying music in childhood and began her performance career in High school where she discovered her love of musicals. Hiroko also excelled at the Yamaha Music School where she received the Best Performance Award. She later went on to study at the Musicians Institute where she explored various genres including Vocal Jazz, Pop, and R&B. She also performed in Jazz Jam sessions with notable guitarists Justin Derrico and Matt Baldoni. She is currently composing and performing her original material.

Natasha Ssuzuki Piano/Vocal/Beginning Music for Kids/Songwriting
Natasha Suzuki began as a pianist, playing classical for 12 consecutive years when in third grade she discovered a love of singing. She later graduated from Fullerton College with her Associate's Degree in Music with an emphasis on Classical Voice and Music Theory. She then went on with a scholarship to Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, graduated with her Bachelor's of Music Degree in Professional Music. She has been teaching since high school and has taught all styles and genres to children of all ages, always promoting the idea of individualized methods.

Norma LaTuchie Flute/Piano
Coming Soon!

Carlos Mier Guitar/Composition
Carlos Mier discovered his passion for the guitar at a very young age. In Mexico, he studied contemporary and classical guitar at the prestigious guitar schools Estudio de Arte Guitarristico, La Batuta, and ITM. In 2004, he received an International Scholarship Award from Berklee College of Music, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a double major in Guitar Performance and Contemporary Writing + Production. While at Berklee, he was awarded with the 2008 Contemporary Writing and Production Departmental Achievement Award. In addition to performing and teaching guitar, Carlos composes for films and television in the LA area and Mexico.

Masa Sasaki Guitar/Composition
Masa Sasaki graduating from high school, Masa moved to the United States to attend the Los Angeles Music Acadmy (LAMA). While attending LAMA, Masa became fascinated with the improvisation and harmonic sophistication of jazz. In 2000, Masa received a scholarship from Berklee College of Music, and Moved to Boston to avail himself of the venerable music school first-rate jazz program. Since beginning Berklee, and graduating (in 2004) Masa has played/and or recorded with: Ralph Peterson (Michael Brecker, Terence Blanchard, solo artist), Cyrus Chestnut, Christian Scott, Julian Lage (GaryBurton), Vadim Neselovksky (Gary Burton), Charles Haynes (P. Diddy, Meshell Ndegeocello). His studies have continued with Peter Bernstein, Joe Lovano, Wayne Krantz Pat Metheny, and many other great musicians.

Darryl 'RHYTHM' Whitaker Head Dance Teacher/Hip Hop Dance
Darrell "Rhythm" Whitaker, a Los Angeles born choreographer/dancer, has played and integral role in the entertainment industry and community since the tender age of 11. Rhythm's focus is to share his experience of dance and movement with new and established music artist and productions. Rhythm has shared the stage with the likes of Will Smith, Jessica Simpson, Neo, Backstreet Boys, and many more. Rhythm's ambitions are to raise disciplined dancers and the respect of Hip Hop in dance.

Maya Chino Hip-Hop Dance
Maya’s love of hip hop dance and choreography has enabled her to reach the esteemed position as one of the famed “Harajuku Girls” and toured extensively with musical artist Gwen Stefani and others. She has trained under such noteworthy choreographers as Wade Robson and Fatima, and trained at Debbie Allen studios, and Broadway Dance Center in New York among others.

Jennifer Geisler Hip Hop Dance/Parent + Me/Ballet
Jennifer Geisler is originally from Baltimore, Maryland. Her many performances include Exhale Dance Tribe in Cincinnati, the National Broadway Tour Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy, 'New Years Celebration' at the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C., 'The Nutcracker' with the Moscow Ballet and the World Cup Soccer Tournament behind American Idol sensation Justin Guarini. Jennifer is now directing her dance career to commercials and film.

Yoshie Suzuki Ballet/Tap
Yoshie has been teaching ballet in numerous schools for over 30 years. Her training history extends decades, and during that time she has had the opportunity to study under internationally known dancers Jun Ishii of the Zurich Opera ballet, Lillian Wilner of the Alberta Ballet Co, and Hans Meister of the Finnish National Ballet just to name a few. She was the Principal Dancer and Teacher of the Itsuyo Katayama Ballet School in Japan for over 20 years and her performance history includes parts in such well known classics as the Nutcracker, Swan Lake, La Fille Mal Gardee and Don Quixote at various venues around the world.

Stella Reynolds Ballet/Hip Hop Dance
Coming Soon!