​Alexander Koops
Director of the Azusa Conservatory of Music
Alexander Koops was born and raised in Jos, Nigeria. He holds a D.M.A. in Music Education from the University of Southern California, with minors in theory, orchestral conducting, and horn performance. His dissertation materials on introducing composition in middle school and high school bands and orchestras have been used by multiple schools in southern California and will be published soon in a book from Rowman Littlefield titled Composition Concepts for Band and Orchestra: Incorporating Creativity in Ensemble Settings.  He completed his B.A. degree in Music Education from Calvin College (Grand Rapids, MI) and his M.M. degree in Wind Conducting from the University of Colorado (Boulder), where he studied with Allan McMurray. He has also studied voice and opera conducting with Nicholas Laurienti, former Artistic Director of the Denver Opera Company. Additionally, he has a chapter published in Composing our Future, (Oxford University Press, 2012), and was a contributor to Musicianship: Composing in Band and Orchestra published by GIA in 2013. Koops was awarded a Fulbright grant in 2012 to teach at the Jazeps Vitols Latvian Academy of Music in Riga, Latvia. 

Alexander Koops has worked in California, Colorado, and New Mexico teaching band, orchestra, and choir as well as conducting professionally and performing on horn and voice. While in Colorado he worked as the assistant conductor for the Denver Opera Company and led many performances, including The Magic Flute, La Boehme, The Medium, and The Threepenny Opera. In a review of The Magic Flute, Marc Shugold of the Rocky Mountain News stated, "Koops' conducting of the orchestra maintained a high artistic standard and a decent pace." Jeff Bradley of the Denver Post gave a fabulous review of the Denver Opera Companies production of The Medium emphasizing, "A fine chamber orchestra under the firm baton of Alexander Koops." 

Koops joined the music faculty at Azusa Pacific University in August 2001 and is currently an Associate Professor of Music education, Associate Director of Bands, and Director of the Azusa Conservatory Community Music School. He frequently conducts the Lake Avenue Chamber Symphony and performs regularly on his horn. 

His wife, Shaelyn Theule-Koops, and their two children, Dana and Daniel, live in Artesia, California.

​https://www.apu.edu/music/faculty/akoops/
Jared Storz
Associate Director of the Azusa Conservatory of Music
Jared Storz ​recently completed his Master’s degree in Cello Performance at Azusa Pacific University after completing both a Bachelor’s Degree in Cello Performance and a Humanities degree last year. He was born in Seattle, Washington, and, prior to his time at Azusa, studied with Seattle Symphony cellist Walter Gray. He also participated in master-classes with both former principal Chicago Symphony cellist Stephen Balderston and renown cello soloist Joshua Roman. Jared enjoys studying at Azusa Pacific under the exceptional guidance of Dr. Marek Szpakiewicz DMA, and has had the opportunity to study solo, orchestral, and chamber works. In his Freshman and Junior years, Jared performed Bach’s 1st and 6th suites in collaborative Bach concerts with Midori Goto and her University of Southern California violin studio. In the summer of 2017, Jared had the opportunity to travel to Zhengzhou, China with a small group from Azusa Pacific University Symphony and perform with the Yellow River Symphony Orchestra at the Henan Art Center. 

As a private instructor, Jared has taught numerous students of all ages throughout Los Angeles County for the past three years and enjoys sharing his passion for music and musical performance with the next generation In addition to his classical training, Jared has also had the privilege of working throughout Los Angeles as a performing and recording artist. Alongside playing for weddings and events in strings quartets and as a soloist, Jared has also performed in live shows, including J. Michael O’Neal’s "Experience Music Project." Furthermore, he has recorded in numerous projects at independent studios throughout L.A., and has taken part in professional music videos.

​Jared looks forward to continuing in his musical development and pursuing his professional career, seeking God’s will in every step.
Charles Horton
Director of Vocal Studies
Charles Horton is a graduate of Azusa Pacific University where he studied Vocal Performance, Music Theory, and Music Education. Recently he completed the APU Masters Degree Program in conducting. His performance experience includes solo appearances with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and in APU opera productions as Don Alphonso in Cosí fan Tutti and Uberto in La Serva Padrona. As a member of Robert Shaw’s Atlanta Symphony Chorus, Horton gained the experience of tutelage under one of the world’s great choir masters. He arranges and composes original music for choirs of all ages. “Learning the basics of healthy and proper use of the voice for young singers is just like learning fingering on a guitar or piano,” he says. “It is an important key to good musicianship and beautiful singing.” Horton brings to the ACM Children’s Choir his passion for seeing young students get the best possible musical education. He is committed to seeing young musicians grow their vocal and musical abilities through discipline and practice that result in quality singing and performance. Whether teaching his students in classic or contemporary styles, Horton’s approach to music is found in the words of Johann Sebastian Bach: Soli Deo Gloria—To the Glory of God Alone.
Dona Kachele
Early Learning Music Instructor
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Dona Kachele Grew up in a musical family, to parents who were entertainers. Family fun was gathering around the microphone and making harmony to  guitar accompaniment. Entertaining, however, didn’t really interest her, but a statement her mother made about entertaining did: “I always told the audience with my eyes, ‘I’m glad you’re here; let me give you this [song].’”  That planted a seed, watered by a high school music teacher, that would form a passion to give music to others; to teach.
Mrs. Kachele earned her Bachelor of Music with Education Emphasis from University of Nevada, Las Vegas.  In graduate work at UNLV and Seattle Pacific University she earned Levels I-III certifications in the Orff-Schulwerk, an experiential music learning process which spawns creativity and critical thinking while growing the learner in musical skills.
She taught in public and private schools for 13 years, and is excited to join the Azusa Conservatory this fall, teaching families to have fun together while learning musical concepts.  The classes make use of speaking, singing, body percussion, movement and pitched and unpitched percussion instruments. All family members participate; and to Mrs. Kachele, that’s the most fun of all!
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Thaissa Santiago
​Professional Piano Instructor 
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Born in Brazil, Thaissa Santiago began playing the piano at age 7 and has since been participating in orchestras, music festivals, chamber ensembles and as an accompanist. She attended masterclasses with Dora Castro, Miguel Proença, Paulo Steinberg, Sérgio Monteiro, Marco Antônio de Almeida, David Wintten, Yara Bernete, Geir Braaten, Ricardo Ballestero and Jean Louis Steurman. With youth orchestras she has performed in Argentina, the United States and some Brazilian cities. In the last few years she had the opportunity of replacing the holder pianist of the Symphonic Orchestra of Paraíba in some concerts and, for ten years, she was a member of the Municipal Chamber Orchestra of João Pessoa. From 2008 to 2010, she worked as a substitute piano teacher at the Federal University of Paraíba. In 2009, she was became a piano teacher at the Music Conservatory of Pernambuco and received an invitation to perform at the 2010 Schumann-Chopin Festival held in the same city.. At this event, Thaissa received a commemorative medal on the bicentenary of the birth of Frédéric Chopin, issued by the Consulate of Poland in Pernambuco.

Thaissa holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in piano performance from Federal University of Paraíba under Dr. José Henrique Martins. She recently received her Artist Certificate from Azusa Pacific University under the guidance of Dr. Joel Clifft.


Spring 2020 Conservatory Instructors
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Richard Liautaud
Music Technology and Brass Instructor
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Richard Liautaud started his musical journey at the age of 12 as a double bass player. During high school, he was introduced to tuba and marching band and fell in love with both. This love of music propelled him to pursue a Bachelors of Music in Tuba Performance and Composition. Mr. Liautaud started his tuba career at Pasadena City College under the instruction of Beth Mitchell and slowly started to refine his musicianship skills through lessons and chamber brass. At PCC, Mr. Liautaud was a participant of the Pat Sheridan master class in the spring of 2013. The following spring, he was blessed to be a participant of the Roger Bobo master class during spring 2014 and 2015. Mr. Liautaud was also rewarded Third Friday Recital and nominated for Student Recital for his tuba playing while at PCC. Mr. Liautaud transferred to Azusa Pacific University in the Spring of 2015 and is currently studying under John Van Houten.
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He has attended master classes held by tuba giants such as Roger Bobo, Roland Szentpali, and Oystein Baadsvik. As a freelance musician, he also performed with the Burbank Community Theatre, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Band and the Colburn Wind Ensemble. Mr. Liautaud has also played with the Local 47 Symphony Orchestra in Hollywood, CA.  

A strong believer of giving back, Richard has mentored several music majors at PCC with brass techniques, breathing, musicianship, and music theory. He started volunteering at the Azusa Conservatory of Music since the Summer of 2016 teaching brass techniques and composition to local music students. Forever grateful at the opportunities given, Richard hopes to continue his music career as a tubist, composer, orchestrator, arranger, teacher, and mentor at all musical levels. 
​Sandy Gomez
​Clarinet/Flute Instructor
Sandy Gomez began studying clarinet at the age of thirteen and was awarded the John Philip Sousa award at the age of sixteen. She advanced her studies by commencing private lessons at the age of eighteen at Citrus College. Sandy has had the privilege of studying clarinet under the tutelage of Bill Hoehne, Jennifer Gillette, Heather Millette, and currently studies with Professor Jennifer Showalter at Azusa Pacific University. Sandy has been a woodwind private instructor at the Azusa Conservatory of Music since the summer of 2015. She is also a music coach for the woodwind sections at multiple middle schools and high schools in the greater Los Angeles area. Currently, she is developing and expanding her private woodwind studio at Lee's School of Music in Arcadia, CA. Sandy has been a member of various ensembles such as The LAMA Orchestra, The Big Five Orchestra, The Lancer Concert Band, The Sierra Wind Symphony, Musical Theatre Orchestra, as well as Azusa Pacific University’s Symphonic Band, Studio Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra, and Wind Ensemble.



More instructors to be announced
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