Dr. Aram Kim
phone: 469-269-0902
. Aram Kim began to study piano when he was age 4 and he is performing piano for 30 years and teaching for 20 years. During his college period he studied at Kyunghee University in South Korea with professor Seo, who is a pupil of French composer Olivier Messiaen and his wife, Yvonne Loriod. Aram came to America in 2003 and continued to develop piano skills with top-class pianists such as Dr. Pamela Mia Paul and Professor Wodnicki at the University of North Texas. Under these dedicated teachers, he won various competitions in United States.
While Aram was obtaining master’s degree at U.N.T. he performed various piano solo works of Beethoven, Schumann, Chopin and Liszt including their piano concertos. He also acquired a lot of opportunities as a collaborative pianist while he was studying with Dr. Elvia Puccinelli. Since he participated in vocal accompanying, chamber music and other concerto works for audition and recitals, Aram enhanced diverse collaborative repertoires from the Baroque to the 21st Century.
​
Aram’s doctoral period at U.N.T. led him not only to build up his own characteristics of music but also to study integrated research of music that is a strong basis for his piano performance. Moreover, conducting orchestra, which was his related field for 4 years, affected him to investigate Beethoven’s symphonies and its’ arrangements for various piano works of other contemporary composers. This topic inspired him to initiate his doctoral dissertation, “Johann Nepomuk Hummel’s Transcriptions of Beethoven´s Symphony No.2 Op.36: a Comparison of the Solo Piano and the Piano Quartet Version. Scholars and performers are evaluating the dissertation as an impressive method that refocuses a forgotten composer, Hummel and his piano arrangements of Beethoven symphonies. In fact, multitude of American and European publishing companies such as Proquest and AV Akademikerverlag GmbH & Co. KG have recommended publishing the dissertation.
​
Since Aram has studied music, he has worked at church as a music director, conductor, keyboard player and pianist. On weekends, Aram played an electronic synthesizer in a Contemporary Christian Band as a music director at a local church. In 2011, according to God’s calling, his family moved to Gateway Church and Aram is currently serving Gateway Worship service as a keyboardist at Frisco campus.
​
Since Aram has instituted his private piano lessons in 1997, he has taught many students, and some of them are studying at prominent music schools such as U.N.T. and various colleges in South Korea. Currently, he has 18 piano students, and they proudly achieved their excellences throughout distinguished competitions and recitals. He founded ARK Music Academy in Frisco Texas in 2017.
Dr. Yulim Jung
Praised by Ronan O’Hora, Head of Keyboard at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, for her “exceptionally sensitive ear,” pianist Yulim Jung has established herself as both a distinguished performer and an inspiring educator. She is an international First-Prize and top-prize winner in major competitions, in both solo and duo categories.
She has enriched her artistry through masterclasses with world-renowned musicians, including Professor Oliver Kern of the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Frankfurt, celebrated pianist Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, and Sir Stephen Hough, internationally acclaimed concert pianist and Professor at The Juilliard School.
After completing her Master of Performance degree with Distinction at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) in the United Kingdom, she collaborated on Dr. Simon Parkin’s J.S. Bach Goldberg: Jazz Variations project, reflecting her musical interests beyond classical music into jazz. She currently works in Korea as both an orchestra and chamber music director, where she is admired for her artistry and leadership.
Since her studies in the United Kingdom, her musical journey has been deeply connected to pedagogy. She continues research in piano pedagogy with a focus on performance practice and teaching methods and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance at the University of North Texas under the guidance of Dr. Pamela Mia Paul, where she also engages in advanced pedagogy studies.
Dr. Yeonmi Kim
Yeonmi Kim is a dedicated pianist and educator. Currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance at the University of North Texas, she got a Master of Music in Piano Performance and Performance Certificate from Missouri State University, as well as a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from Seokyeong University in Seoul, South Korea. She is currently studying under Professor Adam Wodnicki as a doctoral student at the University of North Texas.
She has received several awards, including the Opera Workshop Scholarship for her work as an opera accompanist at Missouri State University, a Winner Concerto Competition award at Seokyeong University, and an Honorable Mention at the Missouri Music Teacher Association Graduate Piano Competition.
She has performed in numerous solo recitals, chamber music concerts, and collaborations with singers and instrumentalists. In addition, she has worked extensively as an accompanist for competitions, auditions, and concerts, collaborating with musicians across a wide range of instruments. Furthermore, she has participated in masterclasses with pianists such as Dr. Marina Lomazov, Dr. Anton Nel, Dr. Enrico Elisi, and Dr. Jason Kwak, and has performed at events such as the Texas State International Piano Festival.
In addition her active performing career, she is a passionate piano teacher with over eight years of experience teaching students of all ages and skill levels. She was also an active member of the Missouri Music Teachers National Association collegiate chapter.
Dr. Jiaxin Ou
Jiaxin Ou is a collaborative pianist and music educator currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree in Collaborative Piano with Dr. Steven Harlos and Dr. Elvia Puccinelli at the University of North Texas, where she serves as a teaching assistant on a full scholarship.
Originally from Guangzhou, China, Jiaxin earned her bachelor’s degree in Musicology (Music Education) from the School of Music at South China Normal University in 2019. With a deep passion for piano performance and musical collaboration, she continued her studies in the United States, earning dual master’s degrees in Piano Performance and Vocal Coaching from Oklahoma City University under the instruction by Dr. Sergio Monteiro between 2019 and 2023. During her time at OCU, she actively participated in musical theater productions, serving as an assistant music director for several programs.
Jiaxin has received recognition for her artistry in both national and international competitions. She won first prize at the Eighth Hong Kong International Piano Invitation Competition in 2018, organized by the Asia Musicians Association, and earned second prize at the 2019 Oklahoma Music Teachers Association Collegiate Competition.
Dedicated to fostering musical excellence and collaboration, Jiaxin continues to perform and contribute to the academic and artistic community at UNT.
Dr. Yuan Yeh
Dr. Yuan is an experienced pianist and dedicated music educator with a strong background in collaborative performance, vocal and instrumental coaching, and music instruction across diverse styles and levels. Currently pursuing a DMA in Collaborative Piano at the University of North Texas, She offers a well-rounded, pedagogically informed approach to piano instruction, grounded in academic excellence and real-world performance.
Dr. Yuan holds a Master of Music in Collaborative Piano from the Mannes School of Music, where studies focused on piano pedagogy, chamber music, and collaborative technique under esteemed mentors Dr. Audrey Axinn and vocal coach Bryan Wagorn. A Bachelor of Music in Musicology from the China Conservatory of Music provides a strong theoretical and historical foundation that shapes her teaching style.
As an instructor, Dr. Yuan emphasizes healthy technique, expressive playing, and musical understanding, tailoring lessons to each student’s age, ability, and goals. Instruction draws from a broad repertoire—classical solo literature, art songs, operatic arias, and instrumental works. She has coached and accompanied students of all levels in preparation for recitals, juries, competitions, and auditions.
Dr. Yuan has extensive experience as a collaborative pianist in both academic and professional settings, with participation in programs such as the Mannes Sounds Festival, Classical Lyric Arts Summer Program, and the Rhine in May Special Concert. Coaching work includes Mozart operas (Così fan tutte, La Clemenza di Tito) and repertoire from Baroque to 20th-century instrumental sonatas.
In addition to performance and teaching, she actively conducts music research, focusing on interpretive approaches to Schumann’s piano music and analytical methods for Brahms’s sonatas. This well-rounded background supports a deep, comprehensive approach to music instruction.
Dr. Mengni Tan
Mengni Tan, a native of China, is currently pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts in Collaborative Piano at the University of North Texas under the direction of Dr. Elvia Puccinelli and Dr. Steve Harlos, and the related field in Piano Pedagogy with Dr. Bradley Beckman. She also received her double Master’s Degree in Piano Performance and Collaborative Piano at the University of Central Oklahoma, under the tutelage of maestro Valery Kuleshov and Dr. Sallie Pollack. Mengni has worked as a staff pianist/piano collaborator/piano instructor for UNT,UCO, Oklahoma Christian University, McKinney High School, Santa Fe High School, Highland Park Baptist Church, Private Piano Institutions, and many others.
Mengni, as a piano soloist, won the first prize in the UCO Concerto Competition and performed with UCO Symphony Orchestra; runner up in the Music Teachers National Association Collegiate Competition of Oklahoma; semi-finalist in the Kuleshov International Piano Competition. As a collaborative pianist, Mengni won the first prize in the 2022 UNT Concerto Competition with her partner Margaret Gunter.
Mengni has had the privilege to perform and/or record in fundraising events, summer festivals, recitals, masterclasses, competitions, solo & ensemble contests, degree auditions (both instrumental and vocal), choirs, operas, music theatres, and church services throughout the United States, China, and Germany. Leadership experience through working with instrumentalists/vocalists and providing effective musical advice, assisting with their intonation and diction, giving suggestions for technical/musical practicing, and conducting. Mengni has also had 10 years piano teaching experience tutoring more than 200 students throughout young age children to college students. She is passionate and accomplished educator with a robust background in music history, theory, collaboration, and piano performance. She insists on her philosophy that it is better to teach a man how to fish than to give him fish.
Ms. Raquel(Pebbles)
Guest
Ms.Raquel (Pebbles) Guest is a contralto from Amarillo, Texas. Her journey into the world of opera began at the age of eight when she became a member of the children’s chorus for the educational opera "She Never Lost a Passenger." Presently, she is completing her final year as an undergraduate, pursuing a degree in Vocal Performance and Music Education at the University of North Texas. Raquel is actively involved in the Acapella Choir and Vox Aquilae. She has taken part in competitions organized by NATS, TMEA, and various scholarship events, and has showcased her talent in several operatic works, including "Le Nozze di Figaro," "Billy Goats Gruff," and "Cendrillon." Raquel is passionate about imparting her musical expertise and offers voice and piano lessons to aspiring students.
Dr. Yongseok Kwon
Korean pianist Yongseok Kwon started his piano studies at the age of seven. After graduating with a Bachelor of Music degree from Chugye University for the Arts in Seoul, Korea, Yongseok moved to North Texas to continue studying at the University of North Texas. There, he earned Master of Music degrees and is currently pursuing his doctorate degree under the guidance of Adam Wodnicki.
Yongseok Kwon has appeared in several recitals and concerts as both a soloist and collaborative pianist in both Korea and North Texas. He has also played in the UNT Symphony, Concert Orchestra, Wind Symphony, and Wind Ensemble, as well as the NOVA Ensemble.
Dr. Yonsoo Park
Born in South Korea, Yonsoo Park holds a Bachelor of Music from Boise State University and Master of Music from the University of Minnesota. She earned another Master of Music degree from Boise State University as a graduate teaching assistant. She is currently working on Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of North Texas, studying with Philip Lewis. She is currently a member of the Las Colinas Symphony Orchestra. She has served as concertmaster of the University of North Texas Concert Orchestra, University of Minnesota Symphony Orchestra, and Boise State University Symphony Orchestra. She has won numerous awards and was one of the finalists of the Music Teachers National Association Competition in 2018.
Dr. Crissanti Tamez
Born 1990 in Mexico City. She received her first violin lessons at the age of five.
At the age of seven she took up lessons with Lilia Vargas Aguayo as a junior student at the Conservatorio Nacional de Música and later on studied there under Boris Klepov, completing her undergraduate studies in 2011. Subsequently she studied at the University of Music Würzburg with Prof. Sören Uhde, finished her master’s degree in 2013, achieving an excellent mark, and continued her masterclass studies under Prof. Uhde, which she completed in November 2015.
Crissanti is currently working on her dissertation to complete her doctoral degree in music performance at the University of North Texas, where she studied with Dr. Felix Olschofka.
She has received many scholarships and performed as a soloist with the Orquesta de Cámara del Conservatorio Nacional de Música, the Orquesta Filarmónica de Tlalnepantla and the Orquesta Sinfónica de Tlaxcala. Other notable performances include her appearance on the radio in 2005. While in Germany she was a member of the Camerata Würzburg and in Mexico of the Orquesta Juvenil Universitaria Eduardo Mata. In her time in the United States, she has played with the Plano Symphony Orchestra, Irving Symphony Orchestra, San Angelo Symphony Orchestra, as well with the Abilene Philarmonic and the Lewisville Lake Symphony.
She has taken masterclasses with the Cuarteto Latinoamericano, Nicolas Dautricourt, Regis Pasquier, Scott Yoo and with Bartosz Bryła. She attended the Texas Music Festival in 2018.