Applied Music Faculty Bios Bozena Jedrzejczak Brown - Piano
Ms. Brown holds a Masters degree in Harpsichord Performance (2000) from The Peabody Institute, in the studio of Webb Wiggins. She also studied harpsichord at Northern Illinois University, earning an Individualized Masters degree (1998), and received a BM in Music Theory (1991) from The Frederic Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, Poland. She is a piano instructor at Garrison Forest School’s Music and Arts Department, and teaches harpsichord and figured bass at The Baltimore School for the Arts. Ms. Jedrzejczak Brown free-lances as a basso continuo player on harpsichord and chamber organ, and has performed with many groups in the Mid-Atlantic region, including Washington Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble, Orchestra of the 17th Century, Richmond Symphony Orchestra, Mid-Atlantic Symphony, Bach Concert Series Orchestra, and others.
Hanchien Lee - Piano
Since her debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra at age sixteen, pianist Hanchien Lee has performed throughout the US, in Europe, and across her native Taiwan. She has delighted audiences at Steinway Hall in New York, Phillips Collection in Washington DC, the Basilica San Pietro in Italy, and the National Concert Hall in Taipei, Taiwan. As a concerto soloist, she has appeared with diverse ensembles such as the Taiwan National Orchestra, Capella Cracoviensis in Poland, the Plainfield Symphony in New Jersey, and the Chamber Orchestra of Perugia, Italy. Among her many awards are top prizes in the Heida Hermanns and Wonderlic Piano Competitions as well as the prestigious ChiMei Scholarship in Taiwan.
Ms. Lee earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Peabody Conservatory, the Master of Music degree and Artist Diploma from Yale University, and the Bachelor of Music degree from the Curtis Institute of Music, where she was admitted at age 11. Her principal teachers were Claude Frank, Eleanor Sokoloff, and Boris Slutsky.
Margarita Loukachkina – Piano and Flute
Margarita Loukachkina is a native of Moscow, Russia, Margarita (Maggie) Loukachkina began playing the piano at the age of five and at age six enrolled in Moscow’s prestigious Gnessin School of Music. Maggie has been awarded prizes in several international piano competitions, including the 2nd prize in the 1998 Konzerteum International Piano Competition in Athens and the 2nd prize in the 2003 Rubenstein International Piano Competition in Paris. Maggie moved to the United States in 2004. She received her Bachelors and Masters of Music degrees in Piano Performance from the Peabody Conservatory of Music where she is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Music degree in Piano Performance under the tutelage of renowned Russian pianist, Alexander Shtarkman. Her recent achievements include a performance of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No.2 with the Altoona Symphony (2006), 3rd prize in the Louisiana International Piano Competition (2008), and 1st prize in the Baltimore Music Club Competition (2009). She has also appeared as a guest soloist with the Nittany Valley Symphony and the Williamsport Symphony. Maggie is on the faculty of the Peabody Preparatory and also holds a graduate assistantship in Music Theory at Peabody Conservatory.
Joann Moorer – Voice and Piano
Joann Moorer, soprano, actively performs throughout the Washington DC and Baltimore region. Ms. Moorer began playing piano at a young age and continued her piano studies at Indiana University of Pennsylvania where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education, summa cum laude. She holds a Master of Music and Graduate Performance Diploma in Voice from the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University. Ms. Moorer was awarded two Peabody Career Development Grants, the Anita Erdman Prize in Opera and a graduate assistantship coordinating Peabody's Opera Outreach program. She won 1st place in the 2012 MD/DC National Association of Teachers of Singing competition and has performed regionally with Bel Cantanti Opera Company, Repertory Opera Theater of Washington and the Young Victorian Theatre Company. She serves as cantor for the Sunday evening mass at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Baltimore. In addition, Ms. Moorer serves as Assistant Director of Music at Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church in Washington D.C. and is a Colleague of The American Guild of Organists.
Aneta Otreba - Kuznik – Cello
Aneta Otreba- Kuznik received her doctorate degree in cello performance from the University of Maryland at College Park, where she worked as a graduate ensemble assistant and studied with Professor Evelyn Elsing and Peter Wiley. Ms. Otreba studied cello, pedagogy and chamber music with such renowned musicians and mentors as Cecylia Barczyk, members of the Guarneri String Quartet, Ina Esther Joost, Emilio Colon, Menahem Pressler, Gerald Fischbach, and Cliff Colnot. Ms. Otreba is a member of the Maryland Symphony Orchestra. Her additional performances include Concert Artists of Baltimore, Annapolis Symphony, New World Symphony (Florida), and Washington Summer Opera. Ms. Otreba is cofounder and a teacher of Suzuki group classes in the String Academy at the Notre Dame Preparatory School. She was accepted to the Hyogo Performing Orchestra in Japan and served as cello and chamber music faculty at the Siena Summer Session for Music and Arts in Siena University, Italy. Ms. Otreba won first place in Liberman Competition, Peggy Friedman Gordon Music Competition and Baltimore Music Club Competition.
Hyun Sook Park
Hyun Sook Park studied at the Peabody Conservatory, where she received her bachelor of music, master of music, and doctor of musical arts degrees in piano performance. A recipient of several prestigious awards, including a Korean Embassy Honor Scholarship and a Presser Foundation Scholarship, Hyun-Sook Park performs frequently as soloist, chamber musician and collaborative pianist. Recent engagements include appearances at Carnegie Recital Hall, Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall, Shriver Hall, and the Chamber Concert Series in the Friedberg Concert Hall at the Peabody Conservatory. She is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda, the National Music Honor Society, and also teaches in the Preparatory Division of the Peabody Conservatory.
Sanford (Sandy) Racher - Guitar
Mr. Racher received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Baltimore. Mr. Racher has been a professional musician for over thirty years. He has performed in musical groups appearing in nightclubs, shows and concerts locally and nationally. Mr. Racher has also recorded and done studio work. Experienced in teaching children and adults of all ages, he tailors his lessons to the individual student's musical taste and preferences.
Collette Wichert – Violin and Viola
Collette Wichert received her bachelor and master degrees in violin performance with Paul Rolland at the University of Illinois. She has also studied with such renowned teachers as Roman Totenberg, Dr. Shinichi Suzuki and the Guarneri String Quartet. She has served as Concertmistress for several community and regional orchestras. Having been a member of the Baltimore Opera Orchestra, she is currently a member of the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, the Gettysburg Symphony and the Shippensburg Festival Symphony. For many years she taught upper strings on the faculties of Quincy (IL) University and Towson University. Ms. Wichert is the Co-foundress and Musical Director of the popular F.A.M.E. Orchestra which has nurtured talented young string players in the Baltimore area for over 30 years. Each summer she conducts her own Chamber Music Invitational workshop for advanced young chamber music groups. In 2005 she was awarded the coveted "String Teacher of the Year" by her A.S.T.A. colleagues for the State of Maryland and D.C. as well as for the States of Pennsylvania and Delaware.