WHO WE ARE
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We welcome and encourage students of all ages!
Whether a student is a beginner or already has a lifelong relationship with music, we aim to help each individual develop their own understanding of music's richness and expressive means. Public performances, recitals and community outreach are encouraged to promote self-esteem, accomplishment and community building. |
We at Bay Area Harp and Music Academy believe that music and the arts should be incorporated into every individual's life to help shape and mold them to reach their full potential. We invite you to visit us to experience the wonderful things we are doing at the Academy: to hear the beautiful music that our students are creating, to appreciate their artistic work, and - most importantly - to see and hear the difference that we all can make in the lives of those in our community.
Faculty and Staff
Kristal Schwartz, Owner and Found since 2001
Harp, Piano, Voice, Music Education and more
West Valley College Professor: Biography
Kristal Schwartz has over 20 years of personal coaching, helping students thrive and find their inner voices. She is an experienced educator, harp entrepreneur, dynamic harp ensemble director, and freelance performer with over twenty-five years of performing and teaching achievements. She graduated in 2007 Masters Degree in Performance (with Honors) from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Ms. Kristal is a dedicated teacher who brings out the best in her students by concentrating on the individual details that produce an excellent performer. Her greatest joy is to see her students take flight. Ms. Kristal maintains a large thriving private studio in the Bay Area with over 30 students from beginner through professional levels. Her students performed at the 2018 American Harp Society Institute, get accepted to SFCM Pre-College, place and win competitions such as the Yvonne La Mothe Schwager, ASTA, SJYS and National Harp Competitions. Many of her students have gone on to work as a professional harpist, or major and minor in harp. Yearly, Ms. Kristal presents a community harp outreach concert featuring her students collaborating with professional musicians.
In 2008, Ms. Kristal, began building the first K-12 harp program in Northern California at Valley Christian Conservatory. She fosters harp-awareness in many schools such as Clark Elementary School, Harker, Mitty, Saratoga High School, and many more.
In 2010 Ms. Kristal began parting with San Jose Academy of Music to help build their music school into a multi-teacher prestigious school for piano, voice, and strings. She was co-owner of San Jose Academy of Music from 2010-2015.
Ms. Kristal is well known as the director and founder of the San Jose Youth Symphony Harp Ensemble. It is a pre-professional ensemble known for stunning performances, pioneering electric harp with traditional concepts. The ensemble performs Ms. Kristal own arrangements of contemporary and electroacoustic harp ensemble pieces as well as collaborative pieces of new and emerging composers and arrangers from around the world
Mrs. Schwartz is the director and founder of the San Jose Youth Symphony Harp Ensemble, a pre-professional ensemble known for stunning performances, pioneering electric harp with traditional concepts. The ensemble performs Ms. Kristal’s own arrangements of contemporary and electroacoustic harp ensemble pieces, as well as collaborative pieces of new and emerging composers and arrangers from around the world.
Harp, Piano, Voice, Music Education and more
West Valley College Professor: Biography
Kristal Schwartz has over 20 years of personal coaching, helping students thrive and find their inner voices. She is an experienced educator, harp entrepreneur, dynamic harp ensemble director, and freelance performer with over twenty-five years of performing and teaching achievements. She graduated in 2007 Masters Degree in Performance (with Honors) from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Ms. Kristal is a dedicated teacher who brings out the best in her students by concentrating on the individual details that produce an excellent performer. Her greatest joy is to see her students take flight. Ms. Kristal maintains a large thriving private studio in the Bay Area with over 30 students from beginner through professional levels. Her students performed at the 2018 American Harp Society Institute, get accepted to SFCM Pre-College, place and win competitions such as the Yvonne La Mothe Schwager, ASTA, SJYS and National Harp Competitions. Many of her students have gone on to work as a professional harpist, or major and minor in harp. Yearly, Ms. Kristal presents a community harp outreach concert featuring her students collaborating with professional musicians.
In 2008, Ms. Kristal, began building the first K-12 harp program in Northern California at Valley Christian Conservatory. She fosters harp-awareness in many schools such as Clark Elementary School, Harker, Mitty, Saratoga High School, and many more.
In 2010 Ms. Kristal began parting with San Jose Academy of Music to help build their music school into a multi-teacher prestigious school for piano, voice, and strings. She was co-owner of San Jose Academy of Music from 2010-2015.
Ms. Kristal is well known as the director and founder of the San Jose Youth Symphony Harp Ensemble. It is a pre-professional ensemble known for stunning performances, pioneering electric harp with traditional concepts. The ensemble performs Ms. Kristal own arrangements of contemporary and electroacoustic harp ensemble pieces as well as collaborative pieces of new and emerging composers and arrangers from around the world
Mrs. Schwartz is the director and founder of the San Jose Youth Symphony Harp Ensemble, a pre-professional ensemble known for stunning performances, pioneering electric harp with traditional concepts. The ensemble performs Ms. Kristal’s own arrangements of contemporary and electroacoustic harp ensemble pieces, as well as collaborative pieces of new and emerging composers and arrangers from around the world.
FEATURED TEACHERS
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Hannah Ewell - Harp, Piano, Theory
Hannah Ewell is a passionate and teacher with over ten years of harp education. She is classically trained and excels at romantic period repertoire as well as contemporary, jazz, Spanish music, movie themes and new age compositions. Hannah is an active participant of ensembles, bands, and orchestras such as San Jose Youth Symphony Harp Ensemble, San Jose Youth Chamber Orchestra, and West Valley College of Music Symphonic Band. She actively performs in various venues: weddings, funerals, special events, fund raising, churches and retirement homes. |
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Rick Silvestri - Guitar, String and Electric Bass, Cello, Music Technology, Composition, Jazz, Rock and more
MORE INFORMATION In addition to teaching all styles of guitar, Rick also serves as a bass instructor, teaching both electric and upright lessons. He specializes in rock, blues, and jazz, and takes students of all abilities. Rick has been teaching full time since 1997. He has performed with several premier Northern California rock and blues bands, as well as in local orchestras. Rick holds a Bachelor of Arts from Santa Clara University. |
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Cymber Lilly Quin - Piano, Harp, Voice, Composition and more..
Cymber grew up in a musical family, in a musical town – Greeley, Colorado. She lived on the Big Island of Hawai’i for 15 years, and recently returned to her roots in Parker, Colorado. She plays harp and sings professionally. She was named a Master Teacher at The Music Place, a children’s music school in California. She has completed Level III training of , a body-based singing instruction style. She is also trained in Heart-Based Singing, and Sounding Circles sound healing techniques. She has won 5 Big Island Music Awards for her harp music, was awarded as a Music Achiever by the National League of American Pen Women. And she has been featured on National Public Radio and Hawai’i Public Radio. She especially enjoys playing the music of Hawai’i’s last monarch, Queen Lili’uokalani. MORE INFORMATION |
Additional Teachers
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All of our professional teachers are successful and talented educators. We work hard to make sure each student has the perfect fit. Our fantastic educators are accomplished in more than just music. Advanced degrees in English, Business, Education, Accounting and more. If you are struggling in a school subject let us know and we can help you with more than your music education. |
