Doris Ngai is the co-founder of Opus 1 Music studio and a full time piano instructor. Her passion of music was inherited from her father, a professional violinist and a former member of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. Doris has won various piano competitions at Hong Kong Schools Music Festival in her early age. 

In 1997, she continued her piano study in Vancouver, Canada under Yang Yunlin, who is a current Music Professor at Shanghai Conservatory of Music. Doris received her Bachelor of Music degree from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. She has studied with Robert Silverman and Sara Davis Buechner.

Doris is a member of the Music Teachers' Association of California. She has also received trainings in different early childhood education program for music such as the Music for Young Children, Harmony Road Music and Music Together Programs.

Sici Tsoi

Sici Tsoi graduated from San Jose State University with a Master of Arts in Music and received her Bachelor of Arts in Music from Hong Kong Baptist University.  She has been involved in the music field for over 15 years with experience and training as a sound engineer, music theory and piano teacher, and conductor.

Sici has been teaching in over 30 pre-schools and elementary schools throughout the Bay Area, including Stratford San Jose, Stratford Sunnyvale, Norwood Elementary School, and more. Also, she has completed the Music Together certification program. Sici was also trained as a professional singer when she was a member of the Hong Kong Baptist University Chamber Choir, performing worldwide through various repertoires from Renaissance to Jazz.

Zhou Qi (Cindy)

 Zhou Qi (Cindy) began learning the piano at very young age. She received her bachelor of music degree at Sichuan Conservatory of music. After she moved to United States, she continued her music study at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (Master Degree) in piano performance. Ms Zhou has more than 6 years of teaching experience both in China and United States. She has won the "Lira international piano competition" in St Petersburg, Russia in 2007. She has also won various other competitions in Hong kong and China. Ms Zhou had received the honor of "Excellent Teacher" in Sichuan and many of her student passed the national graded piano exam.   

Weonsun Joo

Pianist Weonsun Joo was born in Seoul, South Korea, where she began her piano studies at the age of six. In 2006, Ms. Joo moved to California, where she continued her studies. She received a MFA at Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont, CA and a Bachelor of Music degree from Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea. She also studied organ and sacred music, and served as organist at the Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul, Westhope Presbyterian Church in Saratoga, and later at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church Parish in Santa Clara, CA. At NDNU, she assisted in music direction of Sondheim’s Company, Henry Mollicone’s Children of the Sun, and Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel. She played piano for Evan Mack on the premiere of Angel of the Amazon. Also, she played with the Pocket Philharmonic for Mozart’s The Magic Flute and Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro. Recently, she has performed the Duo Piano Concert tour in bay area. As a piano teacher, Ms. Joo has taught music lessons to children for over twenty years with all levels and age groups in Seoul, Tokyo, and San Jose. She believes that her role is to offer the strong fundamentals of piano basic skills and theory for a lifetime of music making as well as everyone is able to reach perfection based on her/his natural gift with hard work.

Leah Liu

Nina Hsu

Nina started piano when she was very young.  During her early years of school in taiwan, she has always been studying in the music program and participating in national orchestra, symphonic band and choir.  She is majoring in piano, minor in french horn and percussion.  Nina is currently in the Master Program at Notre Dame de Namur University under the instruction of Thomas LaRatta.  She has more than 8 years of teaching experience in both private and group lesson.  She has had experience in preparing students for graded piano exam when she was in Taiwan and competitions. As for herself, she is actively participating in many performances (concert and recital) around the Bay Area.  Nina's next performance will be at the French Festival on Jan 6,7 and 8 at the Crestmont Conservatory of Music in San Mateo. 

Jinnan Cao

Jinnan started to play the piano when he was three years old. He won the first prize at the Chinese Children's Piano Competition at the age of 6.  He is also the second prize winner at the 12th Hong Kong piano open competition.  Jinnan had received the highest score of audition by Wuhan conservatory of Music and studied with Professor Lian-Ping Zhu.  In 2008, he won the first prize at the international piano player competition.  He received his Bachelor Degree from the Wuhan Conservatory Music and Master Degree with outstanding professional skill in piano performance at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.  Jinnan has been studying with one of the world famous musician, Dr. Sharon Mann.  After his graduation, he has been teaching actively around the Bay area and help prepare students for various piano graded exams.

Tara Li

Tara received her Bachelor in Music Education from George Fox University. Tara is a very experienced piano teacher in both private and group lessons. She received Piano performance Award for Honors Recital in Portland in 2009 and 2010. Tara studied piano under professor Zhu Lianpin at Wuhan Conservatory Music Academy. At George Fox University, Tara studied piano under professor Kenn Willson and Professor Barbara Stewart. 
With a strong passion in music and child education, Tara believes every child can learn piano. Tara aims to help students to bring out their inner passions in a fun and encouraging environment.  

Carrie Zhang

Recently performed as the Tango Singer with San Francisco professional chamber opera company - Ensemble Parallel in the production of The Great Gatsby. Ms. Zhang began learning the piano at the age of five, and holds a certificate with merit with the Trinity College London in piano. A classically trained singer, she has recently performed in the American premier of French composer Philippe Hersant's "Wanderung". Last year, Ms. Zhang performed the roles of Marzelline in Fidelio, Damigella in L'incoronazione di Poppea, Sesto in Giulio Cesare as a part of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music's opera scenes program. A divisional winner at the NATS festival in 2010, Ms. Zhang holds a degree from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, and is currently completing her Bachelor's degree at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. An active performer and teacher, her up and coming engagement includes the World Premier of "Anosmia" by New York composer Neil Rolnick at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Chazz Alley

Richard Ngai

Richard Ngai started to learn Violin at age of 6.  In the early years of his music career, Richard has performed around the globe as a member of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. His career as a music instructor spans from various music schools including violin instructor at Hong Kong's renowned Music Office of the Government Secretariat and St. Paul's International School. After relocating to the Bay area, Richard is continuing his music-teaching career and is currently a music instructor at The Harker School in San Jose. Mr. Ngai has also been a member of a few local orchestras including the acclaimed Nova Vista Symphony Orchestra.  Richard has more than 35 years of teaching experience.

Joseph Christianson

Violin & Viola Instructor

Joseph Christianson has studied violin performance at Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University and San Francisco Conservatory of music. He is in demand as a violin teacher throughout the San Francisco / Peninsula area.

Growing up on the California central coast, Joseph started violin lessons at age 12 and soon began to perform at events throughout San Luis Obispo County. He became concertmaster of the San Luis Obispo youth symphony, and won the organization's concerto competition. He went on to perform as soloist in Bach's Double Violin Concerto with the San Luis Obispo Symphony, with Kent Nagano conducting. He is currently finishing his Bachelor's Degree at San Francisco Conservatory of Music, studying with Axel Strauss.

 

Joseph aims to provide a friendly and encouraging learning experience during lessons. His teaching emphasizes good fundamentals of violin technique, understanding of music reading/theory, and freedom of emotional expression.

Vincent Montre

Vincent studied at the French National Music School in Paris and performed with cover bands in France and abroad. He moved to Detroit, Michigan, in 2001 where he performed on a weekly basis. He also began teaching private guitar lessons in 1994 and was subsequently hired as a full time teacher in various music schools. Vince emphasizes that lessons should always be fun and interesting.  "There's enough variety in music that it should please everyone." Vince recently relocated to the Bay Area where he performs and teaches guitar to all ages.

May Zou

Ms. Zou received her Master Degree and Artist Diploma in flute performance from University of Hartford. She has more than 20 years performance & teaching experiences. She was a former principle flutist at a Symphony Orchestra in China. Many of her students that won the position of Symphony Orchestra, eastern Region honor band, the prize  of Competition and the gold certificate of CA state Solo Ensemble Festival. Her teaching style is to suit different students, focus on tone, rhythm, technic, and sight reading, to build up the strong foundation forward to meet their goal."

Patrycja Poluchowicz

When Patrycja launched her singing career in her native Poland at age 12, she focused mainly on the pop and musical-theater genres. Later on, however, she developed an interest in and everlasting love for classical music, graduating from the Music Academy in Lodz, Poland, with a master's of arts degree in vocal and acting. In 2001, Patrycja moved to the United States and earned a second master's degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Patrycja has been actively performed in many roles at opera and musical-theater productions around the bay area. Patrycja was also part of the Sarasota Opera's Young Artists Program in Florida. Her new CD, The Wonderful World of Opera and Operetta, was recorded with the Opole Symphony Orchestra and was released last year to great success.

Krista Wigle

Krista Wigle, Voice Teacher, received her Bachelor and Master of Music Degrees in Vocal Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.  She has been a professional singer for 20 years and a voice teacher and music director for 12 years.  As a singer, Ms. Wigle has performed in numerous operas, musical theater productions, cabarets, recitals, and concerts.  Some of the operatic roles that she has performed include:  Musetta in La Boheme, Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Adele in Die Fledermaus, andYum-Yum in The Mikado.  Musical Theater roles include:  Cleo in The Most Happy Fella, Petra in A Little Night Music, andJennyin The ThreePenny Opera, among others.  In addition to these roles, she performed Carlotta in the long running San Francisco production of The Phantom of the Opera, and recently returned to the role in the Las Vegas production. 

As a teacher, Ms. Wigle has maintained her own private vocal studio in San Francisco for 11 years, and has taught musical theater and singing classes at the American Conservatory Theater for 12 years.  Also at A.C.T., she vocally arranged and music directed many fully staged musical productions including: Hair, Shed a Little Light, Dangling Conversations, The Ladies of the Canyon, Across the Universe, and Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris.  In addition, she was the Assistant Music Director for A.C.T.'s mainstage production of A Christmas Carol.  Many of her students have gone on to have careers on Broadway, television and movies, including Darren Criss, who plays Blaine in the television show, Glee, and Julia Mattison, who is a cast member in the Broadway production of Godspell.

Administrative Team

Dennis	Jennifer	Chau