Academy Faculty

Debbie Barker – Director

Debbie Barker brings a wide array of musical and administrative skills to the Tallowood Academy of Fine Arts. She has been active in church music ministry for the past 38 years. With her organization skills, she has been the orchestra manager/librarian for 26 years at Houston’s First Baptist Church and currently serving in that same capacity at Tallowood. Being involved in the education world, Debbie has 34 years of music education experience in the public schools in the role of Orchestra Director of grades 6-12. She is involved throughout the state as a clinician in orchestra and string pedagogy workshops, and is also active as an adjudicator and consultant for various school districts.

Debbie studied violin at the University of Houston where she graduated with a Bachelor of Music Education degree. She continues to perform as a freelance musician in orchestral and chamber settings. Being a native Houstonian, she is highly respected in the music community as a contractor of musical services. She has served in leadership roles in the TMEA Region and State organizations. The professional organizations she is affiliated with are: Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Orchestra Directors Association and Mu Omicron, an elected music honor society.

Her students have won numerous awards such as consistent Sweepstakes Awards at UIL Competitions and Texas Music Educators Association All Region and All State Orchestra placement. Her Junior High String Orchestra was awarded by her peers the most prestigious award in the state: TMEA Junior High Honor Orchestra. With her successful track record in the classroom, she frequently mentors teachers new to the profession.

Debbie has been actively involved with several youth community groups: Houston Youth Symphony- clinician, Virtuosi of Houston- volunteer, Bay Area Youth Symphony- Advisory Board, and Boys Scouts of America- Committee Member.

Elijah Baik – Cello

Elijah Baik earned his Doctorate of Musical Arts in cello performance at Arizona State University, where he studied with Thomas Landschoot and served as a teaching assistant. His past education includes receiving a Bachelor of Music at the Cleveland Institute of Music with Mark Kosower, principal cellist of the Cleveland Orchestra, and a Master of Music at the New England Conservatory with Lluis Claret. In addition, he has had the privilege of studying privately with Hans Jørgen Jensen and Brinton Averil Smith, principal cellist of the Houston Symphony.

He made his solo debut with orchestra starting at the age of fifteen as a result of winning competitions such as the Houston Civic Symphony’s Young Artist Competition, the Clear Lake Symphony’s Concerto Competition, and the Houston Youth Symphony’s Concerto Competition. In addition, he has attended summer music festivals such as the Meadowmount School of Music, Heifetz Institute, PyeongChang Music Festival and School in South Korea, and Sarasota Music Festival.

He is a very active chamber and orchestral musician. He has had the chance to collaborate and work closely with members of the Borromeo, Cavani, and the Cleveland Quartet as being part of the advanced string quartet programs at both CIM and NEC. He has also participated in the advanced trio program at CIM, where he had the chance to work closely with both Jamie Laredo and Sharon Robinson. He has also served as principal cellist for the Sarasota Summer Festival Orchestra under the direction of Jeffrey Kahane and has collaborated on stage with distinguished artists such as Ani Kavavian, Steven Doane, James Dunham, and Jeffrey Kahane. In addition, he has served as principal cellist of the Arizona State University Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Jefferey Meyer and was a regular substitute cellist for the Phoenix Symphony from 2022-2025.

He has experience teaching students of all levels ranging from beginner to advanced. During his time studying at ASU, he also had the experience teaching collegial level students as part of his teaching assistantship for Professor Thomas Landschoot. In addition, he was on the faculty at the Hammer and Strings Conservatory, a highly respected music school located in Gilbert, AZ, where he taught students ranging from all levels and ages. He was also a cello instructor for Harmony Project Phoenix, a non-profit organization providing music lessons for the low income community of Phoenix, AZ. He feels extremely privileged and excited to be joining the faculty for the Tallowood Academy of Fine Arts and to continue sharing his passion for education and teaching.

Mei-En Chou – Piano

With a mother devoted to choir practice and a father who regularly listened to classical music radio, Mei-En Chou grew up surrounded by classical music and developed a passion for music and life. Seeking to inspire diverse audiences, she gives annual recital tours with duo MusiC Square  (with pianist Chiao-Ju Hung), and has appeared as a soloist with the Dallas American Asian Youth Orchestra (Carnival of Animals), the Greece Symphony Orchestra (Beethoven Emperor Concerto), the Red River Wind Symphony (Rhapsody in Blue), and the Sun Philharmonic Orchestra (Beethoven Triple Concerto and Mozart Two-Piano Concerto, K.365). Her performance with the North Texas Wind Symphony of the Husa Concertino was released as part of the CD “Domains” in December 2008 (GIA Publications).

In addition to being an active collaborative pianist, Dr. Chou taught at Louisiana College (Pineville, LA) as an Assistant Professor and Artist in Residence from 2008-2016. For five years, she was the Director of the Junior Level of the Louisiana International Piano Competition. She has also taught at Calvary Conservatory of Music (Alexandria, LA), Heart & Soul Creative Arts Academy (Frisco, TX), and certified as a high school music instructor from the Ministry of Education (Taipei, Taiwan). She has served as an adjudicator for competitions and festivals.

Dr. Chou holds a doctoral degree in Piano Accompanying and Chamber Music at Eastman School of Music, under the tutelage of Dr. Jean Barr. She also attended the Collaborative Piano program at the Aspen Music Festival and School in 2018. She earned her Master’s in Piano Performance from the University of North Texas with Dr. Pamela Mia Paul, and received a bachelor’s degree from National Taiwan Normal University. Currently, Dr. Chou maintains a private studio and serves as a freelance pianist in the Greater Houston area.

Laura Cividino – Violin/Viola

Laura Cividino received her two violin diplomas and a piano diploma from
her home country, Italy. She continued her studies on violin in Austria, to receive a second violin diploma. Later, Ms. Cividino also received her viola diploma at the G. Tartini Conservatory of Music in Trieste, Italy. She graduated with a Master in Violin Performance from the University of Houston, Moores School of Music under the tutelage of Professor Andrzey Grabiec

During her career Ms. Cividino has performed in various cities both locally and internationally. She has been a member of Youth Orchestra of the Americas, Brazos Valley Symphony, “Mercury–the orchestra redefined,” Bach Society Houston, Austin Baroque Orchestra and the Symphony of Southeast Texas. She is a founding member of the Houston-based Carya String Quartet, a group dedicated to creating community through chamber music concerts and educational programs.

Ms. Cividino strives to instil a deep appreciation of the art of music in her students through the mastery of playing an instrument. She leads by example through her own performances. She enjoys teaching students of all ages and levels of performance. We are happy to have Laura join our TAFA faculty.

Hannah Deplazes – Cello

Originally from North Dakota, Hannah Deplazes began playing the cello at the age of eight under the guidance of Dr. Erik Anderson of Minot State University. She spent many summers honing her craft at festivals, including the Eastman Cello Institute, the Dakota Chamber Music, the University of Utah Chamber Music Workshop, the High Peaks Music Festival, and the Texas Music Festival: Orchestral Institute. She has also competed in several competitions, including the MTNA and the national Jugend Musiziert Wettbewerb, and won two solo competitions, which resulted in solo performances with the Minot Symphony Orchestra in 2014 and 2021.

Hannah has extensive performance experience in orchestral, operatic, and chamber music settings, gained through her studies in the United States and Europe. She holds a master’s degree from the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music, where she studied with Mr. Anthony Kitai. During her time at UH, she had the opportunity to participate in masterclasses with many esteemed musicians and was a member of the Tomatz String Quartet.

Currently, Hannah is a member of the Carya Quartet, which aims to foster community through chamber music throughout the Houston area.  With eight years of teaching experience, Hannah is an adaptable teacher and loves to find the best learning style for each student. She is comfortable teaching students of all ages and strives to provide a positive learning environment. Along with private lessons, she has experience coaching youth orchestras and leading beginner orchestra classes.

Marina Burguete i Diago – Cello

Marina Burguete i Diago is a cellist and educator from La Valld’Uixó, Spain. From a very young age, she has been part of various symphonic bands in her region and has performed concerts throughout Spain, Italy, the US, and the Dominican Republic.

Upon her arrival in the United States, Marina began regularly playing with the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra (LA), Acadiana Symphony Orchestra (LA), Panama City SymphonyOrchestra(FL), Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra(FL) and Mobile Symphony Orchestra(AL). As a soloist, she won the Southeastern Concerto Competition in 2019 performing Haydn C Major Cello Concert with Southeastern Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, she collaborates with chamber music projects such as Discovery Music and various chamber music series in Florida.

Marina is a passionate music educator with more than six years of experience teaching students of all ages, from kindergarten through adult levels. Some of the places where she has taught include Centro Instructivo de arte y cultura de La Valld’Uixó(Spain), Southeastern Community Music School(LA), and Thomasville Academy of the Arts (FL).

Marina holds a Master’s degree in Cello Performance from Florida State University (FSU) and a Bachelor of Music in Music Performance with a minor in Spanish Studies from Southeastern Louisiana University(SELU). Currently, she is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Houston (UH).

Kelly Hearn – Violin/Viola

Kelly Hearn, violinist, began her love for music as a young child. She has been continually active as a freelance musician in the Houston area for the past 25+ years. Kelly maintains a private violin studio coupled with teaching orchestra at Northland Christian School. She attended Peabody Preparatory School Followed by Ithaca College in New York where she earned her Bachelor of Music in Performance and Education degrees. She is a trained Suzuki teacher of Book 1-3 as well as holding a Texas Teacher Certificate. Kelly’s goal is to instill a love and appreciation of music, while teaching a solid foundation of technique and theory, meeting the student’s needs and helping them reach their full potential. Her students consistently earn high ranking in TPSMEA Region Orchestra, TMEA Region and All-State Orchestra and Houston Youth Symphony. Kelly is beginning eleventh year teaching at TAFA.

Eugene Holton – Piano

Eugene Holton is a classically trained pianist and graduate of the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Kiev,Ukraine. He achieved his Bachelor’s Degree in Music in 2009 and in the following year, his Master’s degree in Piano performance. His principle teachers being Professor Alexander Petrovich Lisokon, the late Professor Nataliya Nikolaevna Vitte, and Nataliya Rzhanov, wife of the famous Ukrainian pianist Evgeny Rzhanov.

Eugene’s musical career started at an early age when his mother took him to a classical concert as a young boy where he was then inspired to dedicate his life to music. After several years of study he graduated from Russian music school no.9 with the highest honors. He then spent the next two years under intensive preparation for entry into the Kiev Conservatory guided by laureate pianist Sergei Mizhega. Eugene entered the conservatory with the highest marks and was among the youngest students to ever be accepted into the musical institution.

Mr. Holton’s most notable performances have been at the Kiev Conservatory, performing works from varying periods including classical, romantic and jazz pieces. He has also performed at the prestigious Revutzky Music College in Chernihiv,Ukraine and also at the St. Sophia Orthodox Cathedral in Kiev. Eugene was also Church Music Director at Living Water Church in Kiev for 8 years directing the adult choir and worship services, accompanying various musicians.

Sunjung Lee – Piano

Sunjung Lee is a Korean-born pianist who is actively performing solo and ensemble. She brings to TAFA over fifteen years of teaching experience of all ages from beginners to advanced (college level). She enjoys teaching private and group piano classes. Her favorite part of teaching is to share the joy of playing the piano and learning music with her students, and to help students understand the principal of music. Sunjung received her Doctor of Musical Arts in piano performance from the University of Kansas. Previously, she received her Master of Music from the University of Houston as a student of Tali Morgulis, and earned a Performer’s Diploma from Indiana University-Bloomington while studying with Karen Shaw. She also earned a Bachelor of Music degree at Hansei University. Dr. Lee has performed with several orchestras as featured soloist including the Kansas University Orchestra, Hansei University Orchestra, and Korean Philharmonic Orchestra. She also was involved in the AURA contemporary ensemble. She performed at many music festivals including Busan International Music Festival, Music Fest Perugia, Atlantic Music Festival, Beijing International Music Festival and Academy, and Winter Euro Music Festival. As a collaborative pianist, she has performed many chamber concerts, including with the Borromeo Quartet, and attended the Atlantic Music Festival as a fellow pianist. She recorded duo piano music with Tali Morgurlis on a CD released by American Recording. She has also performed on KUHF Houston Public Radio on 87.9.

Sarah Mason – Viola

Sarah Mason, violist, grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. She initially began her studies on violin but switched her focus to viola during high school when she started studying under Arianna Quartet violist, Joanna Mendoza. Sarah attended Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music for both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees where she studied under the tutelage of Ivo van der Werff and James Dunham. During her time at the Shepherd School, she also had the opportunity to study with the principal violist of the Houston Symphony, Joan DerHovsepian. An avid lover of chamber music, Sarah has been privileged to collaborate with esteemed artists Kathleen Winkler, Jon Kimura Parker, and Masumi Per Rostad. Sarah enjoys performing frequently as a substitute musician with the Houston Symphony and the Houston Grand Opera, and she is thrilled to be a member of the Houston Ballet Orchestra viola section.

Passionate about education, Sarah enjoys teaching viola, violin, and beginning piano. She has taught private lessons, all-state preparation classes, and coached chamber music at schools in the Houston area for the last five years. Her students regularly receive top ratings at solo and ensemble contests and place highly in the TMEA ratings. She enjoys working with students of all ages and is committed to cultivating a love for music within each person she teaches. 

Lisa McCarroll – Piano

Dr. Lisa McCarroll is an awarding-winning pianist from Derry, Northern Ireland and has performed extensively throughout Europe and the United States as a soloist and collaborative pianist. Bryce Morrison, noted piano scholar and critic, has described her playing as “a technique that disguises technique, and an art that disguises art.”

A passionate advocate of Irish classical chamber music, Lisa has made it her mission to promote and perform works of perhaps lesser-known Irish composers throughout the world. Her interest and extensive research into Irish music led her to pen the only Doctoral document in existence on the Enniskillen-born composer Joan Trimble “The Celtic Twilight as Reflected in the Two-Piano Works of Joan Trimble (1915-2000).” Dr. McCarroll has become a specialist in Trimble’s piano works and in 2012 premiered The County Mayo for voice and two pianos in Houston, Texas. Most recently she has recorded Trimble’s two-piano works The Green Bough and The Humours of Carrick, with her brother and pianist Paul McCarroll, for “Piandemia,” a University of Houston funded project showcasing music from all over the world. She has also been invited to give lectures on Joan Trimble and her two-piano works to students at Soochow University in Taipei, Taiwan.

Lisa remains an active recitalist and has enjoyed the stage with established artists such as Grammy Award-winning Soprano Jessica Jones, British Opera and Westend Star, Baritone Rodney Earl Clarke, Clarinetist and Artistic director of Sydney Omega Ensemble David Rowden and Award-winning Colombian percussion ensemble, Tamborimba.  She currently is a core member of the Tallowood Concert Chamber Series in Houston, where she regularly performs with stellar musicians including cellist Hyeok Kwon, violinist Dr. Mauricio Oliveros, trumpeter Matt Barker of the Baltimore Symphony and double-bassist Dennis Whittaker.

Throughout her career Lisa has worked with many distinguished artists and pedagogues such as Dr. Frank Heneghan, Michael Young, Diana Ketler, Nancy Weems, Timothy Hester, Jan Cap, Réamonn Keary, Martin Jones, Fanny Watermann (founder of the Leeds International Piano Competition), Michael Dussek, Petras Geniušas, Patsy Toh, Daniel Sher, Anne Epperson, Boris Berman, Andrew Brownell, Luíz de Moura Castro and Jun Kanno. Dr. McCarroll holds a Bachelors and LRAM degree from the Royal Academy of Music in London and Masters and Doctorate degrees from the University of Houston, Texas.

As an educator, Lisa holds Adjunct Faculty positions at University of St. Thomas in Houston and Lone Star College-North Harris and is a piano faculty member at the Tallowood Academy of Fine Arts. Her teaching emphasizes tone quality, a wholesome technique and the biomechanics of piano playing.

Emily Moscoso – Oboe

Award-winning oboist Emily Moscoso recently returned to her hometown of Houston after completing two seasons with the San Diego Symphony. Previously based in New York City, Ms. Moscoso pursued her Master’s degree at The Juilliard School studying with Elaine Douvas. During the 2016-17 season, she joined the Colorado Symphony, where she held a one-year position as 2nd and Assistant Principal Oboe. To expand her studies further, she has spent her summers at the Vermont Mozart Festival, Aspen Music Festival and School, the Brevard Music Center, the Hidden Valley Music Seminars, and the Round Top Festival Institute.

In her home state of Texas, Ms. Moscoso completed a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Texas at Austin where she studied with Rebecca Henderson and Andrew Parker. Since returning to Houston, she has established a thriving freelance career by performing as a substitute with the Houston Symphony, the Houston Ballet, and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra as well as other regional orchestras. Additionally, Ms. Moscoso won Third Prize in the Gillet-Fox Young Artist Competition of the International Double Reed Society held in New York City in 2014. A passionate believer in arts education, Ms. Moscoso coaches oboists in the Houston Youth Symphony and is beginning to establish a studio of her own throughout the Houston area.

Mauricio Oliveros – Violin

Dr. Mauricio Oliveros is the Associate Concertmaster of the Symphony of Southeast Texas and is on the Adjunct Faculty at Houston Baptist University and holds faculty positions at the Tallowood Academy of Fine Arts and The Kinkaid School. He is a former member/mentor of the YOA Global Leaders Program and has given masterclasses in the USA, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay Cuba and Mexico. He is co-founder, member, and arranger of the HBU Ensemble-in-residence Terra Nostra Ensemble.

An avid clinician and adjudicator in the Greater Houston Area, Dr. Oliveros’ students regularly achieve top positions in competitions such as TMEA Region/All-State, Clear Lake Symphony Concerto Competition, Houston Young Artists’ Concerto Competition, as well as placements in universities, prestigious youth orchestras, and summer programs nationwide. His teaching philosophy is based on creating a strong technical command of the violin through the study of etudes, scales and exercises which allows his students to perform traditional violin repertoire expressively and at their maximum potential of musicianship.

Aimee Petersen – Violin

Aimee Petersen graduated from the University of Houston with a Bachelor of Music Education degree and a Texas Teacher Certification. She has over 25 years of teaching experience in both private and public-school settings with 15 years teaching junior high orchestra in Spring Branch and Katy ISD. She is Suzuki trained and is a member of the Houston Area Suzuki Strings Association and Suzuki Association of America. Other professional memberships include Texas Music Educations Association, and Texas Orchestra Directors Association. She teaches beginning students through advanced levels.

Ms. Petersen’s students consistently earn top ratings in Solo and Ensemble Competition, Region Orchestra and Houston Youth Symphony. She is a freelance musician around the Houston area and in addition to classical violin, she enjoys playing the “fiddle”. Aimee begins her ninth year of private teaching at TAFA.

Jisu Shin – Violin

A native of South Korean, Jisu Shin started playing the violin at the age of four. She received her Bachelor’s degree at Korean National University of Art. During her undergraduate studies, she toured in Paris, Vienna and Hong Kong as a soloist. After she earned her degree, she served her musicianship at the Korean Symphony Orchestra as a member in the first violin section from 2007-2008. Since 2008, she has come to America to study with Kyung Sun Lee. Jisu has received her Master’s degree at the University of Houston and continued to study to receive her doctoral degree studying under Frank Huang in 2011.

Honors and awards include, first place winner of the Han Kook Ilbo newspaper competition and Han-Sae University competition as a high-school student, second place at University of Houston concerto competition, and a finalist in the Corpus Christi International Competition. She has attended prestigious music festivals across the world, including Texas Music Festival, Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival, Bowdoin International Music Festival (2011 and 2013), Pyeong Chang Music Festival, and Masters de Pontlevoy International Music Academy Festival in France.

As an educator, she taught at Texas All-State Strings Camp and Bay Area Chamber Music Festival as a faculty member. She is currently a registered member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA) and a violinist at Clear Lake Chamber Ensemble. She is happily married and mother of an absolutely angelical three-year-old girl.

Hannah Watson – Violin

Originally from central Illinois, Hannah Watson moved to Houston to attend Rice University for her bachelor’s degree in violin performance, studying with Kathleen Winkler. Subsequently, she attended Indiana University, where she completed her Master of Music degree in performance. During her time at IU, she completed a secondary focus in string pedagogy.

Upon graduating with highest honors, Hannah returned to Houston and began a rich freelancing career that combines both of her professional passions: teaching and performing. Hannah has enjoyed serving through various musical outreach programs, such as collaborating in the development of Houston Symphony’s School Residency Program, serving as an instructor and coach for Mercury Chamber Orchestra’s Academy for Professional Musicians, and teaching for Houston Youth Symphony in several capacities. Hannah enjoys maintaining her teaching studio where she most directly nurtures her students’ love of music, encourages excellence in their art, and help them grow individually. Her students consistently place with high rankings in competitive environments from solo performance, Youth Orchestras, and TMEA Region and All-State rankings.

Hannah begins her ninth year of teaching at the Tallowood Academy of Fine Arts.

Jennifer Trent – Piano

Dr. Jennifer Trent has been teaching piano since the age of 17, running studios
in Dallas and Houston. Coming from a musical family, Dr. Trent, her siblings, and her
mother were all pianists and her father was a lifelong supporter of the arts that “played
the stereo.” She began studying piano at the age of 5 with her mother, who still
manages the Gray School of Music in Dallas. She received her Bachelor of Music with
distinction in Piano Performance from Eastman School of Music, a Master of Music in
Piano Performance from the University of Texas-Austin, and a D.M.A. in Piano
Performance from University of Houston.

An entrant of competitions nationwide, she was a Mu Phi Epsilon Doty Award
winner and semi-finalist in the Beethoven Club competition. Dr. Trent has held staff
positions at University of Houston, Lone Star College, San Jacinto College, American
Festival for the Arts, St. John’s School, and multiple community fine arts schools. She
was a member of TMTA, National Guild, and National Federation as a private teacher,
retiring from her private studio after 25 years of teaching in order to focus on her three
children, the youngest having autism. As a freelance pianist, she has played for local
solo and ensembles, community musicals, worship teams, collegiate choirs and
recitals.

Carrying on the family musical tradition, her daughters both play violin and her
son plays the drums. Dr. Trent is married to Mike Trent, who is a criminal defense
attorney and a tenor in Texas Master Chorale. In her spare time, she enjoys Bible study,
cooking, crocheting, and camping with her family.

Dr. Trent is excited to return to teaching at Tallowood Fine Arts academy and
looks forward to her students participating in festivals and TMTA activities.