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Artistic Staff Suzanne Mudge Brass Ensemble Director Suzanne Mudge has coached the YMMC Brass Ensemble since 2015, and served as Executive Director in 2019-2020 and has been a performer at the CBF for over 30 years. In addition to playing trombone and sackbut in the festival orchestra and directing Tower Music and community outreach concerts, Sue creates and scripts the The Epic Adventures of Leonard and Rasmus, a family series of interactive and educational concerts. Sue has been an in-demand professional musician and highly regarded educator and brings both of those professions to her new role in arts administration. Prior to her move to Carmel, she taught at Central Oregon Community College, directed the band program at The Seven Peaks School in Bend, Oregon, had a private teaching studio, and performed with the Central Oregon Symphony, the Eugene Symphony, and the Bend Brass Quintet. Her trombone and trumpet students placed consistently in the top 5 at the Oregon State Solo and Ensemble Festivals. Prior to her move to Bend, Sue was an active freelance musician and music educator in the San Francisco Bay Area. She performed with the Women’s Philharmonic in San Francisco, and the symphonies in Modesto, Fremont, Marin, Berkeley, and San Jose. She recorded numerous CD’s at Skywalker Ranch Sue was also the Band Director at Lowell HS in San Francisco. Sue was raised in Laguna Beach. She has a B.M from The University of The Pacific Conservatory of Music, a M.M. from the University of Arizona, and a teaching credential from Notre Dame de Namur University. She has a passion for film music, animals, California native trees and plants, the beach, bicycling, math history, cooking, and wine. And she’s still playing the trombone! Back to Staff

Stewart Robinson Conductor Back to Staff

Artistic Staff Aleksey Klyushnik Chamber Players Aleksey Klyushnik holds the Master of Music degree from Yale University and both the Bachelor of Music degree and the Artist Diploma from Colburn Conservatory in Los Angeles. Aleksey has always had great passion for chamber music. He has performed in the most elaborate instrumentation ensembles where he played music ranging from medieval to newly composed works. As a chamber musician he collaborated with many top artists. Aleksey was invited to Chamber Music Northwest for two consecutive summers as Protégé Project fellow. Also, Aleksey had been a member of the Maestro Chamber Music Academy in Santa Monica, and participated in the Yellow Barn Chamber Music Festival. As an orchestral musician Aleksey participated in Pacific, Verbier and Lucerne music festivals performing in venues throughout Europe, US and Japan. Aleksey has collaborated with many great conductors, some of which include Pierre Boulez, Valeriy Gergiev, Charles Dutoit, Andrew Davis, Mikhail Pletnev, Esa-Pekka Salonen and Zubin Mehta. Aleksey has performed regularly with several orchestras in Southern California, including San Diego Symphony, Opera Pacific Orchestra and Long Beach Symphony. Currently he serves as Assistant Principal Bass with Santa Cruz and Stockton Symphonies and has played with multiple ensembles and orchestras in the Bay Area and Central California including San Francisco Symphony and Opera. In addition to his performance career Aleksey is a dedicated teacher and maintains a private studio of over 20 cello and double bass students. Back to Staff

Alyze Rabideau South County Strings Director Alyze Rabideau received a Bachelors of Music Degree in Music Composition from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. During her time at the Blair School of Music, she studied violin with Jessica Blackwell, percussion with Ji-Hye Jung and Kwame Ahima, and composition with Michael Slayton and Michael Alec Rose. Alyze has also worked with distinguished composers including Joan Tower, Jack Stamp, Elliot Schwartz, and Elizabeth Austin. Her music has been performed throughout the United States as well as in Austria, Italy, France, Nepal, Kenya, and Spain. Prior to her current role as the South County Strings Director with Youth Music Monterey, Alyze taught English in Benin, West Africa as a member of the United States Peace Corps. In addition to teaching in the classroom, she created after school music clubs at multiple schools and a national summer camp for English and gender equality, Camp SPEAK. Before her move to Benin, Alyze worked at the W.O. Smith Music School, where she taught private lessons on violin, percussion, and saxophone and was the conductor for the StringSmiths String Orchestra. She also served as concertmaster for the W. O. Smith Faculty Orchestra. Currently, Alyze teaches violin and music theory at Monterey County Home Charter School. She enjoys cooking, hiking, and playing music with her four siblings, all of whom are string musicians. Back to Staff

Artistic Staff Igor Poklad Director, Woodwind Chamber Ensembles A native of Odessa (Ukraine), Igor Poklad began his musical studies at the Odessa State Conservatory of Music (Clarinet Performance). Having moved to the United States, he continued his education at the San Francisco State University (BM Magna Cum Laude in Clarinet Performance and MM in Music History). While studying at SFSU, he excelled as a chamber music performer and soloists, winning Fremont Symphony Orchestra’s Solo Competition with his performance of Claude Debussy’s Premiere Rhapsody . Following the completion of his studies, Mr. Poklad joined the US Air Force Band of the Golden West and performed extensively throughout the United States. Additionally, Mr. Poklad has performed with a number of the Bay Area orchestras and ensembles (Napa Valley Symphony, San Francisco Concerto Orchestra, Vallejo Symphony, North Bay Philharmonic). Later, he was stationed in Germany as a member of the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) Band, where he was in charge of the Clarinet Quartet. While performing with the USAFE Clarinet Quartet, Mr. Poklad toured throughout Europe and the Middle East. Some of the highlights of his performances overseas include appearances at musical festivals and subscription concerts in Belgium, Great Britain, Italy, Poland, Latvia, Israel, Serbia and Bulgaria. In addition to performing on clarinet and bass clarinet, Mr. Poklad enjoys playing Renaissance and Baroque music on a variety of recorders. Back to Staff

John Larry Granger Conductor Back to Staff

Artistic Staff Miriam Oddie South County Strings Director Acclaimed as both a teacher and a performer, native New Zealander Miriam Oddie is devoted to inspiring a love of music in audiences and students. She has performed with numerous orchestras such as the Abilene Philharmonic, the Midland Odessa Symphony and Chorale, and the Dallas Bach Society. Simultaneously, she has taught numerous violin and viola students in the Lewisville, TX school district and also maintained a private studio. Miriam has participated in numerous music festivals, including the Eastern Music Festival, the Castleman Quartet Program, and the Aspen Music Festival. In summer 2019, she was honored to be a guest artist at the Saarburg International Music Festival in Saarburg, Germany. Miriam attended the prestigious Eastman School of Music for her undergraduate degree, studying with violists John Graham and Carol Rodland. She went to the University of North Texas to pursue her Masters degree, studying with renowned violist and pedagogue Susan Dubois. While at UNT, she served as the principal violist of the university symphony and also began exploring a passion for baroque music as a member of the UNT Baroque Orchestra. When not teaching or performing, Miriam is probably reading, running, or baking! Back to Staff

Administrative Staff Candis Badgley Carlson Program Assistant Clarinetist Candis Badgley Carlson enjoys a multifaceted career as a sought-after chamber musician, educator, freelancer, and arts administrator. Currently, she is the Program Assistant at Youth Music Monterey County. Previously, she has been the Woodwinds Teaching Artist with Youth Orchestra Salinas as well as a faculty member at California State University Northridge, teaching clarinet and chamber music. In demand as a chamber musician, Candis has performed with numerous chamber groups, including the LA Chamber Music Company, the Felici Trio, N’Cinq Woodwind Quintet, Exploration Music Project, CSUN ChamberFest, and most recently with the Monterey County Pops Woodwind Quintet. Mrs. Badgley Carlson also founded Valley Chamber Ensembles, a Los Angeles-based non-profit that strives to enrich the community by providing an experience and an education through chamber music. Through four seasons, she programmed several unique concerts and became a grantee of the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture. An active orchestral musician, Mrs. Badgley Carlson has performed with several orchestras including OperaSLO, Mission Opera, Lompoc Pops Orchestra, Ventura Symphony Orchestra, Sierra Nevada Pops Orchestra, Valencia Philharmonic, Moorpark Ballet Company, and Monterey County Pops. She has performed as a soloist with the CSUN Symphony Orchestra as a winner of the 2016 Concerto Competition. Additionally, Candis has recorded for motion pictures, several short films, and can be heard on the Marks Record recording “Music from the Heart from the Heartland.” Additional experience includes recording for the BMI program Uni Music Mentors with Emmy-nominated composers Cindy O’Connor, Rebecca Kneubuhl, and Tony Morales. Most recently she can be heard on bass clarinet on the motion picture soundtrack SICK. Mrs. Badgley Carlson received her Bachelor of Music from Wichita State University under Dr. Suzanne Tirk and her Master of Music from California State University Northridge under Dr. Julia Heinen. Back to Staff

Artistic Staff Daniel Brier Music Director Conductor Daniel Brier enjoys a multi-faceted career which comfortably spans symphony, opera, ballet, and live movies. Since 2019, he has served as the Music Director and Principal Conductor of Opera Wilmington NC. In 2023, Mr. Brier was appointed Music Director of Youth Music Monterey County and Director of Orchestral Studies and Chamber Music at Biola University’s Conservatory of Music. As a guest conductor, he has conducted the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra, Toledo Symphony, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, Lexington Philharmonic, Adrian Symphony, Whiting Park Symphony Orchestra, and St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic. He has collaborated with a diverse range of artists including Bobby McFerrin, Pablo Sainz Villegas, Rachel Barton Pine, Jennifer Frautschi, and more. Previously, Mr. Brier served the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra as Interim Music Director (2017-18), Resident Conductor (2016-17, 2018-2022), and Assistant Conductor (2014-16). Under his leadership, the orchestra diversified its programming, expanded its community partnerships, innovated new concert series, and reached young people with inspiring and imaginative programming. He also served as founding Music Director of the Spectrum Orchestra, Assistant Conductor of the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra, and conductor of the University of Michigan Orpheus Singers. Mr. Brier previously held positions with Hope College, Andrews University, Western Michigan University, and the University of Michigan String Preparatory Academy. He has also worked with young musicians at the Kalamazoo Junior Symphony Orchestra, Kids In Tune, Orion Chamber Music Society, and more. Mr. Brier received his musical training at the University of Michigan’s renowned conducting program earning degrees in orchestral conducting with Kenneth Kiesler and choral conducting with Dr. Jerry Blackstone. In 2010, he was awarded a prize for his “exceptional conducting” during the St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic’s International Conducting Competition. Later, in 2012, he received an invitation to study with John Nelson at the Orchestre de chambre de Paris. Mr. Brier has conducted in masterclasses with Giancarlo Guerrero, Hugh Wolff, Jorma Panula, Alexander Polishchuk, Victor Yampolsky, Carl Topilow, and Ragnar Bohlin. Back to Staff

Farkhad Khudyev Conductor Back to Staff

Alumni Spotlight Alumni Spotlight: Michelle Maruyama Mar 15, 2021 4 min read Mariam Adam: Clarinet Masterclass Sep 5, 2020 1 min read YMMC 2018 Alumna of the Year, Mariam Adam May 6, 2018 3 min read Alexander Janko Aug 28, 2017 2 min read

Master Class and Interview Series presented by Youth Music Monterey County This Master Class is free, and no tickets are required. Upcoming master classes may be exclusive to YMM students, Check our Events page for details. For events happening during YMM rehearsals, please check our JYO rehearsal calendar for full dates and details. Many previous master classes are recorded and available to view, scroll down to access our archive of videos! Fresh Perspectives Recordings Archive Catalyst String Quartet Jan 24, 2021 Peter Scaturro - Video Game Music Jan 12, 2021 Interview with JoAnn Falletta Sep 19, 2020 Mariam Adam: Clarinet Masterclass Sep 5, 2020 Paul Hauer: Violin Coaching Sep 2, 2020 Past Fresh Perspective Master Classes