Junior Division

Kelly Adams is a twice-over graduate of the University of Southern California; she received a Bachelor of Music degree in music industry, and a Master of Arts degree in music education. In 2013, she fell in love with Kodály’s revolutionary methods and ideology, and received her certification under Dr. Kathy Hickey and Kurt Cereske. She continues to build Kodály-based curricula for the Santa Monica-Malibu School District, National Children’s Chorus and Orange County School of the Arts. Kelly also serves as President-Elect on the Kodály Association of Southern California board, and recently was invited to teach Level I Pedagogy during KASC’s Summer Institute at Azusa Pacific University. When she’s not teaching, Kelly performs, writes and records with the band Karmina, runs Grammy-nominated composer John Powell’s record label (5 Cat Studios), and sings in feature films (How to Train Your Dragon, Wonder, Pan, The Lorax). She eagerly awaits her daughter Rudi’s first audition for the NCC’s Prelude Level!

Before entering San Francisco Conservatory of Music with full scholarship, South Korean born Chinese pianist, Dr. Hsin-Yi Chang, was featured on many occasions as soloist with several major city orchestras at a very young age. After getting her Master or Music degree from San Francisco Conservatory of Music, she earned a Doctorate degree in Music Arts at the University of Southern California in 2005, majoring in piano performance, and a minor in music history, music education and keyboard collaborative arts. 

Although a classically trained soloist, Dr. Hsin-Yi Chang’s musical career has also included musical theater, voice and instrumental coaching, choir accompanying, and collaborating with dancers at CSUDH, El Camino College and Bethesda Christian, where she is currently working as a staff accompanist, adjunct lecturer and piano professor.

Adán Fernández is an organist, pianist, vocalist, and conductor. He is the director of music and organist at Holy Family Catholic Church where he directs five choirs and implements Kodály instruction for two children’s choirs. He is also assistant conductor for the Claremont Chorale and is currently a doctoral candidate in music at the University of Southern California. As a board member of KASC, he also serves in creating all of the Kodály events in Southern California.

Alexandré Legaspi is a vocalist, music educator, and choral director who received her Bachelor of Music degree in education and performance at California State University of Long Beach. She is a vocal instructor for the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra through their Youth Education Outreach program, utilizing the Kodály method in her ensemble rehearsals. In addition to general music and choir, she enjoys teaching piano, violin, viola, and guitar. Ms. Legaspi is also a Soprano Section Leader and Cantor at her home parish, Holy Family Catholic Church, in Glendale.

Before entering San Francisco Conservatory of Music with full scholarship, South Korean born Chinese pianist, Dr. Hsin-Yi Chang, was featured on many occasions as soloist with several major city orchestras at a very young age. After getting her Master or Music degree from San Francisco Conservatory of Music, she earned a Doctorate degree in Music Arts at the University of Southern California in 2005, majoring in piano performance, and a minor in music history, music education and keyboard collaborative arts. 

Although a classically trained soloist, Dr. Hsin-Yi Chang’s musical career has also included musical theater, voice and instrumental coaching, choir accompanying, and collaborating with dancers at CSUDH, El Camino College and Bethesda Christian, where she is currently working as a staff accompanist, adjunct lecturer and piano professor.

Laura Keverian Pitts is a native of Southern California and has spent her teaching career in both private and public schools, teaching music literacy and specializing in choral music. Her passion for choral conducting led her to study with master children’s and youth choral conductors Dr. Doreen Rao, Dr. Janet Galvan and Mr. Henry Leck. She received her Master in Music degree in choral conducting, studying with her longtime mentor, Donald Brinegar. Additional advanced musical study included Kodály pedagogy and methodology, and she was recently invited to be an instructor for the Kodály Association of Southern California certification courses. Mrs. Pitts teaches at Azusa Pacific University and Cal Poly, Pomona, focusing on aural theory, sight-singing and ear-training, and music education courses. In addition to teaching at the university level, Mrs. Pitts teaches general music and is the director of the Bobcat Choir at Don Benito Fundamental School in Pasadena. A lifelong singer, Mrs. Pitts formerly performed with the Los Angeles Master Chorale and is currently performing with the Donald Brinegar Singers, with whom she is a founding member.

Adán Fernández is an organist, pianist, vocalist, and conductor. He is the director of music and organist at Holy Family Catholic Church where he directs five choirs and implements Kodály instruction for two children’s choirs. He is also assistant conductor for the Claremont Chorale and is currently a doctoral candidate in music at the University of Southern California. As a board member of KASC, he also serves in creating all of the Kodály events in Southern California.

Kelly Adams is a twice-over graduate of the University of Southern California; she received a Bachelor of Music degree in music industry, and a Master of Arts degree in music education. In 2013, she fell in love with Kodály’s revolutionary methods and ideology, and received her certification under Dr. Kathy Hickey and Kurt Cereske. She continues to build Kodály-based curricula for the Santa Monica-Malibu School District, National Children’s Chorus and Orange County School of the Arts. Kelly also serves as President-Elect on the Kodály Association of Southern California board, and recently was invited to teach Level I Pedagogy during KASC’s Summer Institute at Azusa Pacific University. When she’s not teaching, Kelly performs, writes and records with the band Karmina, runs Grammy-nominated composer John Powell’s record label (5 Cat Studios), and sings in feature films (How to Train Your Dragon, Wonder, Pan, The Lorax). She eagerly awaits her daughter Rudi’s first audition for the NCC’s Prelude Level!

Alexandré Legaspi is a vocalist, music educator, and choral director who received her Bachelor of Music degree in education and performance at California State University of Long Beach. She is a vocal instructor for the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra through their Youth Education Outreach program, utilizing the Kodály method in her ensemble rehearsals. In addition to general music and choir, she enjoys teaching piano, violin, viola, and guitar. Ms. Legaspi is also a Soprano Section Leader and Cantor at her home parish, Holy Family Catholic Church, in Glendale.

Before entering San Francisco Conservatory of Music with full scholarship, South Korean born Chinese pianist, Dr. Hsin-Yi Chang, was featured on many occasions as soloist with several major city orchestras at a very young age. After getting her Master or Music degree from San Francisco Conservatory of Music, she earned a Doctorate degree in Music Arts at the University of Southern California in 2005, majoring in piano performance, and a minor in music history, music education and keyboard collaborative arts. 

Although a classically trained soloist, Dr. Hsin-Yi Chang’s musical career has also included musical theater, voice and instrumental coaching, choir accompanying, and collaborating with dancers at CSUDH, El Camino College and Bethesda Christian, where she is currently working as a staff accompanist, adjunct lecturer and piano professor.

Ernest Harrison is a graduate of the University of Missouri where he received his Master of Music degree in choral conducting. He received his Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance from Auburn University in 2014 and studied with world-renowned composer Dr. Rosephanye Powell and world-renowned choral conductor William Powell. Mr. Harrison, also a graduate of Tuskegee University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English liberal arts, studied voice with Dr. Wayne Barr, Head of Choral Activities. Presently, Mr. Harrison is a Graduate Student at the University of Southern California, pursuing a Doctoral degree in choral music and studies under Dr. Jo-Michael Scheibe. While at Auburn, he performed many leading roles and was a soloist in several opera productions and oratorio performances. At the University of Missouri, he conducted, composed, and arranged for the jazz vocal a cappella ensemble “Hitt Street Harmony” and studied conducting under Dr. R. Paul Crabb. Ernest was the lead conductor of the Apollo Men’s Chorus for three years and is currently a professor of voice for the choral department at the University of Southern California, conductor for the Pasadena Conservatory of Music’s Chamber Choir, assistant conductor at Beverly Hills Presbyterian church, and in 2019 became a member of the international choral ensemble Conspirare. Ernest is an up and coming choral clinician and has helped to establish the annual High Desert High School Choral Festival in Palmdale, California. 

Nicolette Holman started her singing career in jazz clubs before branching off into opera and pop. She has a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Music degree in vocal performance from California State University, Northridge. She has performed leading roles in Die Fledermaus, Orfeo et Euridice, Lakmé, Into the Woods, and for the American premiere of Li Sposi per Accidente. She has also performed at private events for both LA Opera and the Long Beach Symphony. As a recording artist, she has done studio sessions with producers including Motesart (Celine Dion/Demi Lovato), Bill Champlin (Chicago), and Preston Glass (Aretha Franklin/Natalie Cole). 

Some venues that she has had the pleasure of performing at include Carnegie Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, Warner Brothers Studios (multiple events), Universal Hilton, Jonathan Club, The Edison, Arrowhead Pond Stadium, The Beverly Hilton, Beverly Hills Hotel, Monarch Beach Resort, Long Beach Hilton, Eagle Rock Cultural Concert Series, on CNN, America’s Got Talent, and feature films.

Adán Fernández is an organist, pianist, vocalist, and conductor. He is the director of music and organist at Holy Family Catholic Church where he directs five choirs and implements Kodály instruction for two children’s choirs. He is also assistant conductor for the Claremont Chorale and is currently a doctoral candidate in music at the University of Southern California. As a board member of KASC, he also serves in creating all of the Kodály events in Southern California.

Kelly Adams is a twice-over graduate of the University of Southern California; she received a Bachelor of Music degree in music industry, and a Master of Arts degree in music education. In 2013, she fell in love with Kodály’s revolutionary methods and ideology, and received her certification under Dr. Kathy Hickey and Kurt Cereske. She continues to build Kodály-based curricula for the Santa Monica-Malibu School District, National Children’s Chorus and Orange County School of the Arts. Kelly also serves as President-Elect on the Kodály Association of Southern California board, and recently was invited to teach Level I Pedagogy during KASC’s Summer Institute at Azusa Pacific University. When she’s not teaching, Kelly performs, writes and records with the band Karmina, runs Grammy-nominated composer John Powell’s record label (5 Cat Studios), and sings in feature films (How to Train Your Dragon, Wonder, Pan, The Lorax). She eagerly awaits her daughter Rudi’s first audition for the NCC’s Prelude Level!

A native of Japan, Dr. Hiroyo Hatsuyama began her piano lessons at the age of three. After earning her Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in Japan, Dr. Hatsuyama continued her music education studying with Professor Elena Shishko at the St. Petersburg Conservatory in Russia, and Professor Kevin Fitz-Gerald at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music. As the recipient of a full-tuition dean scholarship and teaching assistantship at USC, she completed both degrees, Master of Music in piano performance and Doctor of Musical Arts in keyboard collaborative arts, with a focus on chamber music. As a versatile pianist and harpsichordist, Dr. Hatsuyama frequently appears in recitals throughout the Los Angeles area. Her experience as an educator includes more than twenty years of teaching piano, chamber music, harmony, music history, theory, and aural skills in Japan and the United States. After teaching at the University of La Verne, she recently became a part-time faculty member at the Pomona California State Polytechnic University.