Our Team

Karen Yap, Principal   She is professional cellist graduated from the Sydney Conservatory of Music (University of Sydney). A protégé of Professors Susan Blake, Barbara Woolley and Georg Pederson,   Karen was awarded prizes in the local Eisteddfod Music Competitions (Open and Chamber categories) and scored distinctions in her concerto recitals as an undergraduate. She has received training exposure from renowned cellists & violinists – like Lin Cho-Liang, Kiril Rodin, Laslo Vaagar, Steven Isserlis and Eleonore Schoenfeld, musicians from the Chillingirian Quartet. She won several awards including the Sir David Martin Memorial Award, through her active participation in chamber music groups and Master Classes.   Karen worked with the East-West Philharmonic Orchestra before returning to Singapore. A firm believer that performing should be a necessary part of all musicians , she has given many private and public cello performances locally , including invitations from private organizations , the SSO Music Education Department and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs , having also performed for the President , the late Mr. Ong Teng Cheong at the Command House . She had worked with chamber groups like the Singapore Lyric Opera and is a freelance SSO cellist to-date.   Karen started the Tanglewood Music School in 2000, the ONLY cello school in Singapore, inculcating performing as a necessary part of her music curriculum. In January 2003, the school expanded to include the Violin and Viola. In 2005, Karen led the first group of Singaporean players to Varna, Bulgaria for the children’s festival in June. And in 2007, she was appointed Honorary Teacher at the National Music School of Sofia.
Wilson Goh, Director of Curriculum   A dental surgeon and the managing director of Team GPA, group of dental clinics, Dr Wilson Goh is also an avid instrument collector. His love for music began when he was a kid and he learnt the violin at aged 9 and completed Grade 8 when he was 14 years old.   Between 1990 and 1994, Wilson was the Concert Master of the National University of Singapore Orchestra. He was also a finalist in the National Violin Competition in 1989.   Dr. Goh is currently in the National Arts Council’s Advisory Committee, Violin Loan Scheme.
Ivan Peev, Senior Violin Advisor/Associate   Ivan Peev, having been a Violin Professor of Bulgarian Conservatorium of Music since 1983 and a Concert Master of the Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra . Ivan has claimed valuable experiences, working with former Russian legends – composer Dmitri Shostakovich and Violinist David Oistrakh. Hailing from the Balkans, Ivan had also led the All’ Accademia Musicale Chigana di Sienna for an 18 year stint.   Ivan has had wide performing experiences with many famous musicians, singers and conductors. Among his awards, Ivan was winner of the Bulgarian National Competition for Musicians and Singers. He has also won the most prestigious national award in arts ‘The Golden Lyre’ for exceptional achievements in musical performance.   His professional experiences included conducting Master Classes in Bulgaria, which he held annually and traveling extensively overseas, conduction Master Classes in Italy & South Korea. Ivan has over 20 live performances yearly with the Bulgarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra in all countries in Europe as well as in the United States, South America and Asia.   Ivan is currently teaching Violin at Tanglewood Music School.
Gevorg Sargsyan, Conductor/Cello Associate   Gevorg “George” Sargsyan is a winner of the Sir Georg Solti Foundation grant-award in 2006 and is a renowned Armenian conductor. At 18 years of age, after graduating from the Orchestral Conducting Department of the Yerevan State Conservatory under Professor Yuri Davtyan, he was appointed to the position of assistant conductor of the Yerevan State Conservatory’s Symphonic Orchestra.   In 2002, he rose to become artistic director and conductor of Yerevan Youth Chamber Orchestra. Three years later, in 2005, George was appointed assistant director and conductor of the Armenian National Academic Opera & Ballet Theatre. George’s musical career started with the cello. Besides conducting, George has extensive experience in performing and teaching the cello. George is a “Masterclass” labeled artiste under the Armenian Music Center. Recordings of classical masterpieces made by George are an inherent part of Armenian Music Center’s productions.   In January 2007, George was included in the web-directory of the ‘1000 Armenian Famous Persons’, having been performing across Europe, particularly in countries like Armenia and Russia. With Tanglewood Music School, George hopes to cultivate and nurture young talents in the area of conducting.   George is currently teaching Conducting and Cello at Tanglewood Music School.
Gladwin Pantastico, Classical Guitar Associate   Gladwin Pantastico is a Filipino Classical Guitarist who has been performing as a resident musician in the Maldives since he began his career as a solo performer in 2004. He was awarded 1st prize in the 1st University of the Philippines “Gitara” Competition which was sponsored by the Spanish Embassy in Manila in 1999 and also received 2nd prize in the National Music Competition for Young Artists in 2002 (NAMCYA - Classical Guitar) at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Under the tutelage of Professor Ruben F. Reyes, Gladwin received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music at the University of Santo Tomas (UST), Conservatory of Music in the Philippines in 2004 and was immediately absorbed by the Conservatory as one of its guitar faculty.   He also received the highest grade on his recital where he performed Leo Brouwer’s “Concerto de Toronto” and Alberto Ginastera’s “Sonata for Guitar”.He actively participated in various music festivals including the annual “UST Summer Music Camp” and International Guitar Festivals in the Philippines and Thailand. He also played as a member of the premier guitar ensembles in the Philippines, The UST Guitar Ensemble and The UST Guitar Quartet, performing familiar classical tunes from Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite”, Bizet’s “Carmen Suite”, to modern music such as Steve Reich’s “Electric Counterpoint” and Andrew York’s works for guitar quartet.   As a solo classical guitar performer, his repertoire includes a wide scope of musical varieties from renaissance to contemporary and standard music.   Gladwin is currently teaching Classical Guitar and Theory at Tanglewood Music School.
Jenny Theresia, Piano Associate   Jenny Theresia graduated from the University of Melbourne, Australia with Bachelor of Arts (double m ajors in Mathematics and Linguistics) and Diploma in Music.   Under the guidance of the Russian concert pianists Olga Kharitonova and Igor Machlak, it was also during this time when Jenny was awarded Associate in Music, Australia (AMusA) by the Australian Music Examination Board (AMEB).  By the age of 15, Jenny had performed in two of the ABRSM high-scorers' concerts and completed grade 8.  In 1999, Jenny won the fifth prize in the Hong Kong International Piano Competition (Category Béla Bartók).   Jenny's love for education and teaching/tutoring grew from a tender age.   Jenny has been teaching piano (theory and practical), as well as other academic subjects, in her home country Indonesia, Australia, and singapore, dealing with students from various age groups and cultural backgrounds.   Jenny is currently teaching Piano, Theory, Aural, and Music Appreciation and does Piano Accompaniment at Tanglewood Music School.
Anne Francis-Green, Piano Associate   Anne received the B. Mus in piano pedagogy from the US. She won the Rudolf Ganz Scholarship piano prize while studying with Prof. Ludmilla Lazar. Post-graduate studies at The City University in London, studying with Prof. Carola Grindea, saw her being awarded the Robert Kitchen prize for an overseas student.   She attained the MA in piano performance studies in 1985. Anne has written book and piano reviews for the Piano Journal issues in 1985 and 1987. In November 1987, she was offered a recital at St. Martin-in-the -Fields, London, UK. Anne has been teaching music for 23 years. Her students have won places at Chethams, St. Mary’s and Wells Cathedral music schools in the UK, as well as to universities in the US, UK and New Zealand.   She believes in providing a well rounded music education for her students. Anne has organised concerts as well as accompanied students for recitals and various exams for the Trinity and Royal Schools in NZ. She is now teaching at the Tanglewood Music School.   Anne is currently teaching Piano, Theory, Aural, and Music Appreciation and does Piano Accompaniment at Tanglewood Music School.
Nina Brankovanova, Violin Associate   Nina Brankovanova graduated from Bulgarian National Academy of Music with Masters Degree in 2010.   During her education, she did Master classes with Mintcho Minchev, Vanya Milanova, Jury Jislin, Michael Frishenshlager in Bulgaria.   She worked five years with New Symphony Orchestra and she was the assistant concert master of Chamber Orchestra Orpheus.   Nina participated in the Youth Festival Orchestra, March music days and is now a permanent member of the National Youth Orchestra of Netherlands. She has been performing internationally in many countries such as America, Argentina, Italy, Germany and Netherlands.   Nina is currently teaching Violin at Tanglewood Music School.

 Aram Asatryan, Cello Associate

 Since 1997, Armenian cellist Aram Asatryan has been performing solo as well  aswith numerous orchestras playing both chamber and sumphonic music.

His repertoire includes a wide variety of classial composers from around the world,  especially, European, Russian and Armenian, ranging from early renaissance to contemporary music.

Aram is a graduate of the Yerevan State Conservatory after Komitas, where he studied under the guidance of prefessor Medea Abrahamyan, one of the most renowned cellests of the former Soviet Union.

Upon graduation in 2008, he has been sucessfully combining teaching the cello to students of various age groups and performing with numerous concerts in and outside Armenia thus providing those two types of activities can truly complete each other.His major hobby is playing the bass guitar where he also has a rich experience of performing with quite a few bands in rock, jazz and blue styles.

Aram is currently teaching Cello at Tanglewood Music School.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Eva Kochikyan, Piano Associate

Eva Kochikyan has an extensive experience in music and musicology.

She started her music career as a pianist and further pursed it as a musicologist andteacher.

Eva has graduated from Armenian State Conservatory in 2003 and since then, she 

is actively teaching and lecturing in different institutions across Armenia. She was a music teacher and method eveloper in Children Harmonic Development Studios (CHDS) in Armenia before joining Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra's program of promoting classical music for children.

Eva has also worked in the team of different magazines regarding music education in Armenia.

Eva is currently teaching Piano, Theory, Aural, Music Appreciation and does Piano Accompaniment at Tanglewood Music School.

 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Iryna Vokhmyanina, Piano Associate

Iryna Vokhmyanina graduated from the Moscow State Music-Pedagogical University with the specializing in Pedagogue of Music (Piano). Upon sucessfully completing her Bachelor and Masters there, she worked as a piano teacher and accompanist at Musical Colleges (Moscow, Russia) at Musical Pedagogical Colleges (Lvov, Ukraine) and at Kharkiv National Pedagogical University as an Associate Professor of the Department of Performing Arts and Orchestral Music Training.

 After completing postgraduate studies at kharkiv National Pedagogical University, specialising in 'Theory and Methodology of Professional Education' where she became the Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences and obtained her PhD.

Iryna has a rich teaching experience with more than 25 years. She teaches piano, chamber music and does piano accompaniment classes.

 Iryna became a laureate at several international competitions and festivals as an accompanist in Ukraine and Russia. Her latest acheievements include 'Award for Outstanding Teaching' at the International Music Competition in Lugansk, Ukraine; award for active participation and high level of work presented, certificate of Participation on the 10th Scientific-Practical Conference 'The professionalism of the teacher in the context of the European choice of Ukraine'; jury member of the International Music Competition-Festival 'Fortissimo'; project coordinator of lectures-concerts 'Mozart's effect' at Kharkiv Philharmonic.

Iryna is currently teaching Piano, Aural and does Piano Accompaniment for students at Tanglewood Music School.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Celia Lai, Piano Associate                                                                                    

Celia Lai graduated from National Dong Hwa University, Taiwan with a Bachelor Degree in Music and Education (double major).

	Ms. Felicia Fernandez Manager
Ms. Eva Fernandez Executive Manager	Ms. Jeanne Ma Accounts & Finance Manager