Our passionate team of instructors are ready for an awesome summer of music-making.
Our talented faculty members are renowned musicians and passionate educators who make our program special for our students. We are proud to introduce you to our 2021 team of faculty members. With our incredible leaders Iggy Jang, Dean Taba, and Jake Shimabukuro directing our programs, we’re set for an incredible summer of music-making.
With both online and safe in-person opportunities available this summer, our instructors have gone the extra mile to adapt their teaching methods to create an engaging, informative, and fun summer for all. Get to know them, and enroll in our PMI Summer 2021 programs today at https://www.pacificmusichi.org/register/!
Meet Iggy Jang, Violin Instructor and Solo & String Quartet Program Director
Ignace “Iggy” Jang is concertmaster of the Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra and a lecturer at The University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Growing up in France, he started learning violin when he was just five years old and was trained at the Paris Conservatory.
He is internationally recognized for his exciting technical achievements and his captivating performances, winning many awards, including Grand Prize at the Rodolfo Lipizer International Violin Competition in Italy!
Iggy’s passion for learning and for inspiring youth shines bright. In addition to teaching at the University of Hawaii and at the Hawaii Youth Symphony, Iggy has been deeply involved in the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival String Program, a music camp for children of all ages. He believes that there is still more that he can learn everyday from playing and teaching music. Iggy is eager to meet the 2021 cohort of PMI students!
Want to work with Iggy? Enroll in our Summer 2021 Solo & String Quartet Program!
Meet Dean Taba, Bass Instructor and Summer Jazz Intensive Program Director
Dean Taba is one of the Hawaii Youth Symphony’s very own graduates who went on to study at the Berklee College of Music in Boston! His music journey started with the piano when he was six years old, and continued as he played french horn in the Hawaii Youth Symphony.
In high school jazz band, Dean was introduced to the bass and fell in love with improvised music. Dean moved to Los Angeles to become a successful studio and freelance musician. His music is featured on countless CDs, TV shows, and even movie soundtracks!
Dean is currently a proud faculty member at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa who loves directing the University’s Jazz Ensemble in addition to teaching at the Hawaii Youth Symphony and Pacific Music Institute. His classes in improvisation help students learn not just jazz technique, but also the rhythm, flow, and love of music.
Want to work with Dean? Enroll in our Summer Jazz Intensive Program!
Meet Jake Shimabukuro, Ukulele Workshop
Growing up in Honolulu, Jake Shimabukuro’s mother started teaching him to play the ukulele when he was four years old. He quickly became deeply involved with the instrument and continued to develop his skills under several music masters.
Jake’s albums have repeatedly topped the Billboard World Music Charts and won him awards such as the 2012 Na Hoku Hanohano Award for Instrumental Album of the Year. He has played live concerts all over the world and his lively performances won him the Na Hoku Hanohano award for Favorite Entertainer of the Year.
You’re probably familiar with some of Jake’s work. In addition to his studio albums, he wrote music for the soundtrack of the TV show Hawaii Five-0 and composed the entire soundtracks to the Japanese films Hula Girls and Saidoweizu!
Jake remains dedicated in his commitment to music and community, performing and teaching in Hawaii and abroad.
Want to learn from Jake? Enroll in our Ukulele Workshop!
Meet Our Talented Team of Instructors
Our instructors come from a diverse set of backgrounds, but there’s one thing they all share: a dedication to making and teaching music.
Read their full biographies on our website!
Solo & String Quartet
Violin Instructors: Iggy Jang, Joseph Stepec, Eugene Chukhlov, Helen Liu
Viola Instructors: Eugene Chukhlov, Alex Pena, Igor Veligan
Cello Instructor: Parry Karp
Double Bass Workshop
Bass Instructor: John Gallagher
Winds, Brass, and Percussion Clinics
Flute Instructors: Aileen Kawakami, Margaret Nakayama
Oboe Instructors: Susan Ochi-Onishi, Alex Hayashi
Bassoon Instructor: Wayne Fanning
Clarinet Instructor: Adam Ebert
Saxophones Instructor: Allen Won
Trumpet Instructor: Casey Tamanaha
French Horn Instructor: Marie Lickwar
Euphonium and Tuba Instructor: TJ Ricer
Percussion Instructor: Chris Cabrera
Summer Jazz Intensive
Director: Dean Taba
Jazz Clinician: Steve Treseler
Jazz Clinician: Abe Lagrimas Jr.
Jazz Clinician: Allen Won
Ukulele Workshop
Ukulele Instructor: Jake Shimabukuro
Our New Online Masterclass Series: PMI+
Strings Clinic: Juliana Athayde
Improvisation: Duane Padilla
#PlayHomiePlay: Drew Forde @ThatViolaKid
Jam With Jake: Jake Shimabukuro
Hawaiiana: Jace Saplan
Woodwinds Clinic: Erik Behr
The Art of Performance: Bill Williams
Brass Clinic: Toby Oft
Building a Career; Percussion Clinic: Drew Tucker
Our instructors are looking forward to an awesome summer!
Ready to get started? Registration is open for our 2021 Summer Programs!
