Ji-Eun came to the United States from Seoul, South Korea in the early 1990’s to pursue a career in piano performance and teaching after she got her Bachelor Degree from Seoul National University.  She graduated with a Masters of Music from Indiana University and continued her Doctor of Music at the University of Cincinnati. Two years later Ji-Eun returned to Indianapolis to pursue teaching in the private sector.  To Ji-Eun, music a fundamental element of a happy, healthy life and she wanted to work to expand the area of music through education and performance, while bringing the joy of music to as many people as possible. Her busy schedule of teaching, accompanying, and performing limited the number of students she could teach.  This motivated her to found the Ji-Eun Lee Music Academy in 2004.

Bennie H (Violin)

Bennie is a local freelance orchestral musician, teacher, and high school orchestra clinician.  He grew up in the Indianapolis area and graduated high school from Warren Central.  He received his Bachelor of Music and Performer’s diploma from Indiana University in 2007.   Bennie joined the Ji-Eun Lee Music Academy Staff in April 2011.  He is a producer and avid listener of electronic music.  Other interests include alternative health, nutrition, and fitness.   He is also a member of local band “That’s what she said” and he composes contemporary electric style of music using MIDI when he has a spare time.

Bruce A (Guitar)

Bruce has a passion for teaching and understands great guitar playing.  The study of “teaching” itself is very important to him. His lessons are catered to the individual so that each student can have their own direction, whether it be: vocal accompaniment, improvisation, or learning their favorite songs just for fun. He understands that people have different learning styles and have different goals in learning guitar; therefore, he uses the strengths of his students so they can shine. Bruce is a free spirit which creates a fun chemistry in the classroom that leaves no room for a dry, boring lesson. Inspiration and passion in what you are learning is important to excel in any area of life; so his mission statement is “To help inspire students to find their passion in music.” Bruce has a teacher’s heart, loves what he does and loves his students.

Carrie Z (Piano/Voice)

Carrie began her study of music in Seoul, South Korea where she graduated from the Ewha Women’s University in 1995.  She received her Master of Music from Butler University in 2002 where she studied under  Kathleen Hacker, Kari York, Caludia Waite, and Mary Ann Scott.  Carrie was a member of the Indianapolos Symphonic Choir from 2002-2003, and a member of Bach Collegium in Fort Wayne from 2003-2004.  She has been a member of the Indiana Piano Teacher’s Guild since 2003.  Carrie also performs periodically at the Korean Presbyterian Church at Indianapolis, Northminster Presbyterian Church, and New Bethel Baptist Church.   Today, Carrie teaches piano and voice at the Ji-Eun Lee Music Academy.  She teaches piano on any skill level from beginner to advanced.  In voice, she is trained with Opera Arias & Art songs in German, French, Italian, Korean, and English.  She is well versed in pieces from musicals, Disney, and popular children’s songs.  At home, she is married to her husband, Bill, of 8 years and has two children, Mi-Ree and Billy.

Elizabeth S (Voice/Theater/Piano)

Elizabeth brings 15 years of experience to the art of  private training in voice and piano. She has appeared on  Indianapolis stages including Indianapolis Opera, Indianapolis Civic Theatre, The Artists’ Studio, Footlite Musicals, and The Belfry Theatre. She has also performed seasonally with the Ludinginton Dinner Theatre, on the shores of Lake Michigan and appeared in Falmouth, Massachusetts with the College Light Opera Company. She was nominated for two Encore Awards in 2006 for Best Female Vocalist and Best Female Actress in a Musical.  She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education from Indiana State University in 2002. She has been involved in the Music Educators’ National Conference, National Association of Teachers of Singing and the collegiate women’s music fraternity, Sigma Alpha Iota. She has taught professionally in the classroom as the Choir Director and General Music Teacher at Westwood Elementary School, as well as the Preschool Music and Movement Instructor at The Children’s Circle at Second Presbyterian church and as the K-8 Choral Director and General Music Teacher at Our Lady of the Greenwood Catholic School. As an active children’s theatrical director, Elizabeth has showcased several different children’s productions  including Annie, Jr. and annual 500-student musical reviews. She has also music directed several productions:  Pippin, Seussical, Tom Sawyer, Annie, A Dickens of a Christmas, and You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown. Many of her students have gone on to take home first place at regional ISSMA competitions, have been cast in several local productions, and auditioned for and accepted into music schools. She is always excited to kindle creativity in children and adults by using her extensive experience, education and training, and is enthused by helping each student reach his or her musical potential.

Eugenio U (Piano)

Eugenio has been an instructor with JLMA since January of 2006.  Born in Concepcion, Chile, he began his piano studies and formal studies of theory and harmony with his father, Luis Urrutia. At the age of 11, Mr. Urrutia made his concert debut with the Orquesta Sinfonica de Concepcion and the following year, he won the Claudio Arrau International Piano Competition and Concurso Jovenes Talentos.  As a chamber musician, Eugenio has performed extensively through out the United States as well as South America and Germany.  As a soloist, he has been featured with the Butler Symphony Orchestra, LaGrange Symphony     Orchestra (GA) and Die NordwestDeutsche Philharmonie of Germany, among many others.  Eugenio has been recorded for video and radio broadcasts in Chile more than a dozen times and is the co-founder and artistic director of the The ProArte Chamber Orchestra of Indianapolis.  In addition to his private teaching, he has given Master Classes in both the United States and Chile. When he is not teaching, recording or playing piano, Eugenio enjoys playing soccer and cooking.

Jason E (Guitar/Bass Guitar/Drum)

Jason has been surrounded by music my entire life. Growing up in a musical family, he has always had access to various instruments and opportunities to perform.  He was actively involved in plays and musicals and started teaching guitar as a way to fill the time in between performances.  Throughout the years, his passion for all things sound and music led him to the technical side of the performance so he got a job as a sound engineer at a dinner theater in Wisconsin and then made the transition to a job in radio. One thing remained constant throughout these transitions….teaching music.  Each student has different goals and is into different styles of music. That is why he doesn’t believe in a ‘one size fits all’ teaching style. He tailors the lessons to fit the student as well as to introduce new styles of music that will work well with the interests of the student. Yes, the basics remain the same, but it’s where you take the student after the fundamentals are learned that will keep the student playing their instrument for years to come.

Jonathan C (Drum/Percussion)

Jonathan is a drummer/percussionist with 13 years of playing experience and 6 years of teaching.  He attended Musician's Institute in Hollywood, California and graduated from Anderson University with a Bachelor's of Music degree in Instrumental Performance in 2009. He has an extremely diverse musical background, recording with and playing in musicals, orchestras, jazz bands, country bands, rock bands, and church worship bands.  Jonathan has been a part of the Indianapolis Civic Theater, Anderson Symphony Orchestra, Anderson University Jazz Ensemble, country artist Corey Cox, rock cover band Black Heart Social, and original acts Sarah Scharbrough, Jeremiah's Prayer, Eric Campagna, and Sandi Patti.  Styles taught include: Jazz, Rock, Metal, Country, Pop, Latin, Folk, Marching Snare Drum, Orchestral Percussion, and Mallet Percussion (Marimba, Xylophone, etc.)

Kimberly B (Piano)

Kimberly has been teaching with JLMA since 2009.  She expresses her life through the creative arts: making music, writing, singing, drumming, and dancing. She takes a holistic and individual approach to each student, focusing on their needs and adapts curricula to fit each student.  Kimberly incorporates posture and stretching, composition, singing, ear training, and creative rhythm or movement activities to accompany traditional training.  Kimberly has taught Musikgarten and currently teaches the Piano Preparation course at JLMA for beginning students ages 6-8.

Li L (Viola/Violin)

Li began music studies at age five with her father, Xue-ke Li, viola professor at the Shenyang Conservatory of Music in Shenyang, China. She came to the USA on a full scholarship at age 18 and earned her bachelor’s degree at Boston Conservatory and master’s degree at Boston University where she studied with Patricia McCarty and Steven Ansell, principal viola of the Boston Symphony. She was invited to Tanglewood Music Center as principal violist for three seasons, working with great musicians such as maestro Seiji Ozawa, Yo-Yo Ma, and The Juilliard String Quartet. Li Li was the Concerto Competition winner at the Brevard Music Festival, and won prizes at the American String Teacher’s Association competition in Georgia and Massachusetts. She has performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Pittsburgh Symphony. She won the position in the Syracuse Symphony   Orchestra in 2001. In 2003 she was appointed to the viola faculty of Syracuse University’s Setnor School of    Music. She is an active chamber musician as well as a member of the Syracuse Symphony String Quartet and Trio Con Brio. In the summer of 2007, Li Li was invited to perform at the International Music Fesival at Shenyang Conservatory in Shenyang, China, she collabrated in a recital with her colleagues Steven Heyman and Victoria Krukowski, they received Honorary Guest Professors from Shenyang Conservatory of Music.  After she moved to Indianapolis, she has been playing with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra as a substitute musician, and will join the faculty at Anderson University in fall, 2011. She is playing on an eight year old viola made by Mr. Lawrence Furse in Utah.

Maggie D (Viola/Violin)

Maggie graduated with a BA in violin from Butler in 2001. Since then she has been teaching private violin, voice, and viola lessons to students of all ages.  Orchestras that she performs with include the Muncie Symphony, Danville Symphony, Marion Philharmonic, and Anderson Symphony. She is active in alternative fiddle style, and has been for 8 years, and teaching in those styles, as well. She performs fiddle and vocals with traditional Celtic ensembles Ennis Clare and the Indianapolis Ceili Band, in addition to folk band Iron Curtain Meltdown and Irish rock band the Whigmaleeries.

Naoko W (Piano)

Naoko is a versatile keyboardist and a highly dedicated piano teacher.  She has a B.A. in piano performance from the Musashino Music  Conservatory in Tokyo, Japan, and M.A. in piano performance from University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, where she was offered a full scholarship. She participated in the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. She was a soloist for numerous orchestras, performing Grieg, Beethoven, Mozart & Bach concerti.  As a part of a 5-piano ensemble, she performed for MTNA conventions in TX and WI, and was one of the finalists in the Gina Bachauer Competition. She has served professionally as an accompanist and adjuster, and has taught piano at Carroll College, University Wisconsin – Washington County and Aurora University. Her weekly classes, “How to teach piano”, have benefited fellow piano teachers for past 10 years. Her focus on long term goals helped students to become well rounded persons and ready themselves for their careers.  A committed Christian, she has been a church organist, pianist, and a worship team keyboardist. She was a member of the contemporary Christian Band “Leap of Faith”, which toured through the Midwest, releasing 2 CDs. She loves food, gardening, sewing, hiking & traveling. She enjoys serving as a volunteer at her church through dry walling, painting, playing keys & graphic designing. Both her multi-instrumentalist husband and high school age son play the piano and sing. Their cats, Tabby and Mocha, complete her family.

Rebekah S (Violin)

Rebekah is a performer and teacher who specializes in the Suzuki Method. She began her Suzuki studies with Jean Dexter at Music Arts Institute at the age of three. Throughout her K-12 education Rebekah consistently earned top scores in competitions, was concert master of the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra, and began teaching as a freshman in highschool. She graduated from the University of Missouri's Conservatory of Music and Dance with a Bachelor of Music and Suzuki certification. While at the Conservatory she studied with Benny Kim and Beth Titterington. She delights in discovering the best way to adapt to each student’s unique learning style and believes that teaching is just as much a learning process for the teacher as it is for the student. When not performing or teaching, Rebekah also loves being a mommy, reading, and eating her husband's cooking.

Sarah S (Piano/Voice)

Sarah received her Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Performance from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota in 2006. Sarah is proficient in both piano and voice and has taken lessons for nine years in both instruments. Sarah performed in university and community choirs, show choirs (glee clubs), jazz ensembles, and musical theater, as well as conducted community church choirs. Sarah is passionate about bringing the joy of music to her students, and currently teaches voice and piano to musicians ages five and up. Having previously taught at Arioso Music Academy in Grand Forks North Dakota, Sarah has five years of experience as an instructor. Sarah works with her student’s individually to meet their music goals, and strives to incorporate traditional theory and performance styles with contemporary artists and the personal music interests of her students. Sarah is also experienced in coaching students at the competition level, and is active in helping students achieve their musical goals of star ratings at State and/or landing that “perfect” roll in the school or community theater  production. She is excited to be in Fishers, IN and looks forward to working with the talented musicians of Ji-Eun Lee Music Academy.

Yoonhae S (Cello/Violin)

Cellist, Yoonhae completed her Bachelor and Masters of Music Degree in Cello Performance at Indiana University, studying under Janos Starker, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi and Emilio Colon.  Earlier studies were with Bong Kim (Yae-Won Arts School in Seoul, Korea), Lee Duckles (Principle Cellist of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra) and Eric Wilson (Professor of Cello at University of British Columbia and a former member of Emerson Quartet).  She was the recipient of the 2000 Indianapolis Matinee Musicale Undergraduate String Award, The Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition and first prizes in the Kiwanis Musical Festivals.  She has also been recognized for “High Scholastic Achievement” at Indiana University.  Orchestras she has played concertos with include the Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra, an Indian University Orchestra, and the Seoul National Symphony Orchestra.  Furthermore, Yoonhae is an active chamber and orchestral musician, including Richmond Symphony Orchestra as an assistant principal cellist.  She teaches at Ji-Eun Lee Music Academy in Fishers and is a head of Forte String Academy.