Luvi Avendano is an active singer, conductor, and educator in Southern California. Most recent engagements include performances with The Industry, Pacific Opera Project, Opera Santa Barbara, National Opera Association, The Opera Buffs, and The California Philharmonic. Luvi Avendano earned BM and MM degrees in Voice Performance and Choral Conducting from the University of Redlands and a DMA in Voice Performance from the University of California Santa Barbara.
Mitchell Calderilla; Mitchell is a trained vocalist who recently graduated with his Bachelor’s degree in Musical Theatre from the University of La Verne in May of 2023. Currently, he is studying at California State University Fullerton in pursuit of his Master’s degree in Human Communication Studies. An alum of ULV, Mitchell was involved with the ULV Chamber Singers, University Chorale, and heavily involved within the theatre arts department and their marvelous productions. Thank you for coming!
Kate Correnti; Kate is an experienced performer, specializing in solo concert work and choral/ensemble work. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of La Verne, class of 2022, with a Bachelor of Arts in Music. Since graduation, Kate has gone on to compete in the Whittier Regional Symphony Young Artist Competition, in which she won first prize. She is currently working at the Claremont Community School of Music, teaching private voice and piano lessons.
Zach DeChance is a collaborative pianist based in Greater Los Angeles. He enjoys accompanying for Mountainside Master Chorale, The Voices of Hope Children’s Choir, as well as the University of La Verne Chamber Singers. In addition, he is currently pursuing a Collaborative Keyboard M.M. through Chapman University.
Reed Gratz; Piano, composition – Reed is a Professor of Music at La Verne and a graduate of New England Conservatory and University of Miami. He has taught at Claremont McKenna, the Universities of Innsbruck and Leiden, and Washington State University.
Joachim Marcus Gratz de Lang; Bass, drums – Joachim is graduating senior majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies this May. He plays bass in the Jazz Ensemble, sings in the University Chorale, and serves as president of Tikkun Olam International.
Taurean Lister; Drums – Taurean (‘T’) is a freshman music student at the University of La Verne and plays drums in the Jazz Ensemble. He hails from Moreno Valley and has gained great experience playing drums at his church.
Jason Lo; Chinese-American pianist, teacher, and chamber musician, Dr. Jason Lo is an in-demand performer whose diverse talents bring him around the globe. Dr. Lo is hailed as “high voltage” with sensitive shading, a coloristic bent, and fine collaborative sensibility (New York Concert Review). Audiences enjoy his performances in Strasbourg, London, Chicago, Honolulu, New York, and throughout Southern California, where he is based. He is proud to have performed at Westminster Hall, the 2012 London Olympic Games, and on multiple occasions, Carnegie Hall. He completed his Doctorate of Musical Arts in Piano Performance from the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music in 2016.
Taiz Ortega; Hello, my name is Taiz Ortega. I am a third year biology major who hopes to become a nurse. I learned to sing at 10 years old, but found a new love for the art during my time at ULV.
Trevor Martinez; Classical guitarist from Fullerton, California who studied at the OCSA guitar & jazz conservatories. Currently he is studying Physics at La Verne and playing as a freelance musician.
Yosmar Mora; Music Major and 3rd year at the University of La Verne. I am a guitarist who’s been playing for 1 1/2 years now. I aspire to be a professional guitarist in the future, if not, an instructor at a college level. On my free time I play guitar and hang out with my friends at La Verne.
Hai Muradian- flute; Hai studied music at Mt San Antonio Community College and formed a well- known rock band called “Featherstith.” Hai is currently performing in 3 local bands, “Dynamite Dawson,” “Acoustical Mystery Tour ” and with Michael and Ken.
Taylor Murphy; Taylor Murphy is a third year Educational Studies major and Music minor. After graduation, Taylor plans to become an elementary school teacher, but still intends on staying involved with music. She enjoys performing with the school’s Chamber Singers, and would like to continue choral music in the future.
Michael Ryan- Guitar; Michael is a Professor of Practice at University of La Verne, teaching guitar classes, private guitar, guitar ensemble and songwriting. He produces and performs a variety concerts with an ensemble of musicians and dancers. His productions include: “Gypsy Passion,” “Spirit of Ireland,” and “Brazilian Nights.” Michael and Ken Soderlund perform every summer in Europe and begin their engagements at a Medieval/Renaissance festival in Bretten, Germany. Michael has seven CD’s: “Between Earth and Sky”, “Romance,” “What If,” “A Classical Guitar Christmas,” “Spirit of Ireland,” “Guitar by Candlelight,” and “Carnaval de Guitarras.”
Ken Soderlund- Guitar; Ken has a BA in Music Therapy degree from Chapman University and a BA in Cassical Guitar from Clark University. He has performed with the rock band, “Mirror Mirror.” Ken performs regularly with Michael as well as his jazz group ”PI.” He also works independently as a free-lance musician. Ken has two nationally distributed CD’s.
Dr. Grace Xia Zhao; Grace is a pianist who firmly believes in the power of music to transform lives. She has devoted herself to this philosophy as a pianist, educator, and scholar. Dr. Zhao comes from Sichuan, China, and started her musical journey at three. She has since established an international career, including performances in the United States, Europe, and China. Her notable accomplishments are solo recitals at the National Performing Arts Center in Beijing and collaborations with distinguished orchestras such as the Sichuan Philharmonic and Barbaresco Symphony in Italy. In addition to her musical achievements, she has a diverse academic background, including a BM, MM, and Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from the University of Southern California and a master’s degree in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. Currently, Dr. Zhao holds positions of Associate Professor of Music, Music Department Chair, and Director of General Education at the University of La Verne.
Adrian Zuñiga; Bass – Adrian is a 2022 graduate of the University of La Verne, majoring in music. He has been teaching at Rock Stars of Tomorrow for the past three years and finding success as a songwriter-producer.