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.

Chris Swanson Violin/Viola/Cello/
A California central-coast native, Chris Swanson started Suzuki Method violin at the age of four and later studied with Ronald Copes (Juilliard String Quartet), at Indiana University at Bloomington (Bachelors of Music), and at Oberlin College (baroque violin). He has taught violin to both children and adults in the United States and Japan (in Japanese), and has 30 years of experience performing and recording orchestral, chamber, film, musical theater, and early music. Chris also plays violin and electric violin in popular and improvisational styles such as blues, jazz, rock, pop, folk, and country.

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 Suzuki 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
Norma LaTuchie has performed as a classical and jazz flutist throughout the US, Europe, Asia and Brazil. From Broadway, Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall to jazz clubs in NYC and Los Angeles, Norma has performed with many notable musicians including Kenny Werner, Toninho Horta, Astrud Gilberto, Bill Frisell, Joe Lovano to name a few. A graduate of Manhattan School of Music, Norma has more than 30 years of teaching and performance experience. She recently co-wrote and co-produced an original musical, Newton's Cradle, presented by the Patricia Henley Foundation, is on the faculty of New Roads School in Santa Monica and is currently scoring the music for a short film.

Masa Sasaki Guitar/Composition
After graduating from high school, Masa Sasaki moved to the United States to attend the Los Angeles Music Academy (LAMA). While attending LAMA, Masa became fascinated with the improvisation and harmonic sophistication of jazz. In 2000, he received a scholarship from Berklee College of Music, and moved to Boston to attend the venerable music school's first-rate jazz program, from which he graduated in 2004. Masa has played and/or recorded with Ralph Peterson (Michael Brecker, Terence Blanchard, solo artist), Cyrus Chestnut, Christian Scott, Julian Lage (Gary Burton), 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
Stella Reynolds fell in love with dance when she was a child. Studying ballet from the age of seven, she learned her technique and discipline in Russia. She later discovered hip-hop when she was fifteen years old. Since then she has been participating in both styles. She established her street dance school "Elastic" in Russia and lead a professional hip-hop dance crew to compete in dance shows across Europe. Stella's love for the performing arts has led her to study and excel in several different styles of dance, such as Jazz, Jazz Funk, Popping, and Broadway.