Applied Music Faculty
Brian Alhadeff
Brian Asher Alhadeff is a conductor and pianist who has been on the faculty of Cuesta
College since 2018. Alhadeff has held the position of General and Artistic Director
of Opera San Luis Obispo since 2011. He is also currently the Artistic Director and
Principal Conductor of the Lompoc Pops Orchestra, and Principal Conductor of Civic
Ballet San Luis Obispo, and State Street Ballet Santa Barbara. Alhadeff was Artistic
Director and founder of the Hradec Kralove International Summer Opera Festival which
took place in the Czech Republic, and he also conducted the Albanian premier of Howard
Hanson’s Symphony No. 2 with the Albanian National Radio and Television Orchestra.
Guest conducting highlights include Marina Del Rey Symphony, Phoenix Symphony, Tulsa
Ballet, South Florida Opera, Long Beach Opera, Ballet Tucson, Bourgas Opera Ballet,
and Prague State Opera Ballet and Chorus, in addition to many other orchestras, opera,
and ballet companies throughout the U.S. and Europe. In 2015 Alhadeff was hailed by
805 Living magazine as the Maestro of California’s Central Coast. Alhadeff studied
conducting at the Peabody Conservatory and Janacek Academy of Music. A California
native, Alhadeff holds a Bachelor of Arts from Loyola Marymount University, Masters
of Music from California State University of Los Angeles, and Doctorate of Musical
Arts from UCLA.
brian_alhadeff@cuesta.edu
David Becker
Recording Arts, Music Appreciation, Applied Saxophone/Clarinet Instructor
Dave Becker has been on faculty at Cuesta College since 2001. He instructs Recording
Arts, Rock, World and Jazz Appreciation as well as Applied Music. Dave has a bachelor’s
and master’s degree in music education from the University of Florida. He is an active
professional musician on the Central Coast fronting music ensembles of various jazz
genres. He has arranged for SLO Wind Orchestra, San Luis Symphony, Orchestra Novo
and others. In addition to his past and current college teaching experience at Cuesta
College, Allan Hancock College, Cal Poly, and the University of Pikeville, KY, Dave
has also been a clinician at the Gordon Goodwin Big Phat Band Camp and other camps
and schools throughout Florida and along the West Coast. Lately, Dave has enjoyed
producing concerts featuring the music of great jazz legends such as Art Blakey and
Charlie Parker as well as featuring several of his former students in his popular
Saxophone Summits.
dbecker@cuesta.edu
Robert Bennett
Applied Trumpet Instructor
Bob Bennett is a former member of the Woody Herman and Brian Setzer Orchestras and
former lead trumpet for the Artie Shaw Orchestra. Mr. Bennett is a graduate of Morro
Bay High School, Cuesta College and has a Masters Degree in Jazz Studies from California
State University Long Beach. In addition to playing professionally for 30 years in
the Los Angeles area, Bob is a former member of the Mount San Jacinto Community College
faculty. Bob has also won Jazz Soloist awards from the Fullerton Jazz Festival and
The International Trumpet Guild. He recently returned to the Central Coast and is
currently teaching trumpet at Cuesta College.
robert_bennett2@cuesta.edu
Idona Cabrinha
Class Piano, Applied Piano Instructor
Idona Cabrinha has a B.A., California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo;
M.M., (Piano Performance and Pedagogy), Northwestern University; additional studies:
Westminister Choir Conservatory of Music, Vallejo Conservatory of Music: Student
of Sylvia Wang, William Spiller; masterclasses with David Buechner, Peter Takacs;
pedagogy studies with Francis Larimer; Suzuki pedagogy studies, early childhood educator;
extensive experience as pianist and accompanist in West Coast and Chicago areas;
former adjudicator in Chicago area; awards and honors: Dorothy L. Pound Award, Northwestern
University School of Music Grant, First Place Winner Allied Arts Competition; former
Performance Syllabus Chair North Shore Music Teacher's Association; former faculty
member: Northwestern University Academy; former lecturer, Class Piano, DePaul University
School of Music.
idona_cabrinha@cuesta.edu
Dorian Hachigian
Dorian Michael started playing guitar at age 7 and apparently didn’t know when to
stop. He has been a working musician and guitar teacher for 57 years. His having worked
in about every genre of American music has given him a versatility and real-life musical
experience that informs his teaching with a practical vantage point. He does have
a degree in music from CalState Northridge, and though that was a long time ago he
feels it does give him academic credibility.
dorian_hachigian@cuesta.edu
Ken Hustad
Applied Cello and Bass Instructor
Ken Hustad is principal bass for the San Luis Obispo Symphony and the San Luis Obispo
Master Chorale and also performs with the Santa Maria Philharmonic, Orchestra Novo
and the Symphony of the Vines. He is bass instructor at Cal Poly University and Cuesta
College as well as maintaining a private bass studio. In addition to playing orchestral
and chamber music he is an active freelance bassist performing with many jazz, rock,
blues, Americana and country artists. As a freelance player Mr. Hustad has had the
opportunity to perform locally with many national touring artists such as the touring
Broadway production of “Chicago”, Pink Martini, Garrison Keillor, Marvin Hamlisch,
Diane Schuur, Mark O’Conner and Edgar Meyer among others. From 1994 through 2014 he
was a member of the Mozart Festival/Festival Mozaic orchestra under music directors
Clifton Swanson, Jeffrey Kahane and Scott Yoo. In 2021 he gave the west coast premier
of Stefan Podell’s Concerto for Double Bass and Orchestra with the San Luis Obispo
Symphony under Andrew Sewell and in 2023 he was a featured soloist on Mozart’s concert
aria for bass voice and double bass obligato with the San Luis Obispo Master Chorale
under Thomas Davies. His teachers have included: Clifton Swanson, Buell Neidlinger,
Paul Elison and Stuart Sankey. Ken_Hustad@cuesta.edu
John Knutson
Director of Choral and Vocal Jazz Program
John Knutson is Director of Choral Studies at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo, CA.
He is a former member of the professional vocal jazz ensemble Vocalogy, formed by
Phil Mattson in 1998. Before moving to California, John taught at Southwestern Community
College in Iowa. While at Southwestern, he performed all over the US and Europe with
the award-winning vocal jazz group VoicesIowa. Prior to that John lived in New York
City, where he taught vocal music at JHS #263 in Brooklyn, and performed with the
acappella cabaret group, the QuintEssentials. The Cuesta College ensembles John directs
have performed at the Jazz Education Network conference in New Orleans in 2017, and
in Reno in 2019. They have been headliners at the Santa Cruz Jazz Festival several
times, and also headlined the 2009 California Music Educators Convention. His classical
choir received 2nd place at the Vokal Total Festival in Austria against professional
choirs from Europe and Asia. Under his direction, the Cuesta Chamber Singers performed
at the Festival International Choral en Provence in four times since 2008. Other prestigious
performances include the American Choral Directors Association National Convention
in Los Angeles, the Montreux Jazz Festival, and the International Association for
Jazz Education Convention in Toronto. He directed the California All-State Vocal Jazz
Choir, and in was named Cuesta College’s Teacher of the Year. John has served as a
clinician at jazz and choral festivals in 18 states, and in five Canadian provinces.
John has numerous choral compositions; his vocal jazz arrangements are available through
UNC Jazz Press and Anchor Music Publications. John holds a Masters in Conducting degree
from Northern Arizona University and a Bachelors in Piano Performance from the University
of Minnesota.
JKnutson@cuesta.edu
Emily Lanzone
Applied Violin Instructor
Emily Lanzone earned a Bachelor’s degree of Music in Violin Performance from the University
of Oregon, MM from the University of Nevada, Reno, and a Professional Studies Diploma
from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She has led the San Luis Obispo Symphony
as Concertmaster since 2020. Lanzone is a frequent guest in many California orchestras,
including Fresno, Monterey, Santa Maria, and Santa Barbara. A member of the Santa
Cruz Symphony, and the Oregon Coast Music Festival in Coos Bay, Oregon, Lanzone is
also active in chamber music and never misses an opportunity to do something different,
be it New Music or Taylor Swift. Lanzone is on faculty at Cuesta College and Cal
Poly, and maintains a private studio of violin and viola students. She lives in Los
Osos with her husband Brian, two kids and two cats.
emily_lanzone@cuesta.edu
Jennifer MartinCuesta Wind Ensemble, Music Theory, Guitar Class, Applied Trombone Instructor
Jennifer Martin joined the Music Faculty at Cuesta College in the summer of 2004 as
the conductor of the Cuesta Wind Ensemble. In addition to her conducting duties, she
coordinates the department's Applied Music program, and teaches Class Guitar. In 2008,
she was selected to be the Performing Arts Division Chair, and was appointed to the
post of Interim Coordinator of Cuesta’s new Cultural and Performing Arts Center in
2009. She became a staff conductor for the San Luis Obispo Wind Orchestra in 2010.
Previous to her appointment at Cuesta, she was the Music Department Chair and conductor
of the Reno Winds and the Truckee Meadows Community Orchestra at Truckee Meadows Community
College in Reno, NV, where she was the founding faculty of the Music Department.
JMartin@cuesta.edu
Ron McCarley
Cuesta Jazz Ensemble, Evening Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Combos, Jazz Improvisation, Music
Theory
Ron McCarley, Director of Jazz Studies is a graduate of CalArts and Westmont College.
Before teaching at Cuesta, Ron was directing professional and collegiate big bands
and small groups in the Santa Barbara area. He has had many students go on to successful
music careers and many years of experience in jazz performance and education. As a
performer, he doubles on all saxophones, flute and other woodwinds and plays a wide
variety of music locally and throughout Southern California. When he is not playing
music or teaching, he spends his time with his wife, Laura, and their two children.
RMcCarle@cuesta.edu
Lisa Nauful
Applied Bassoon Instructor
Lisa Nauful holds a master's degree in bassoon performance and orchestral literature
from Southern Methodist University as a Meadow's Scholar and her bachelor's degree
from the Eastman School of Music in bassoon performance. Her post-graduate studies
were in Vienna, Austria. She attended Settlement Music School in Philadelphia for
chamber music under Sol Schoenbach and Shirley Curtiss. Lisa was a member of the Dallas
Ballet and Dallas Opera Orchestras for five seasons, and has appeared with the Dallas
Symphony, Concerto Soloists of Philadelphia, the American Symphony, and the New York
Pops. Among her teachers were Bernard Garfield, K. David Van Hoesen, Karl Ohlberger
and Wilfred Roberts. Lisa is currently the principal bassoonist for the San Luis Obispo
Symphony and Opera San Luis Obispo. Lisa_Nauful@cuesta.edu
Marshall Otwell
Applied Piano Instructor
Marshall Otwell was pianist and musical director for Carmen McRae for more than eight
years, performing all over the world and recording numerous albums with her, one of
which, “Live at the Great American Music Hall” featuring Dizzy Gillespie, was nominated
for a Grammy.He has toured extensively with Freddie Hubbard, Dee Dee Bridgewater,
and Charlie Musselwhite in addition to Carmen McRae.
During his career he has performed and/or recorded with many of the best known musicians in jazz, including Ruby Braff, Michael Brecker, Ray Brown, Benny Carter, Richie Cole, Chick Corea, Ray Drummond, Robben Ford, Dizzy Gillespie, Percy Heath, Herb Jeffries, Kitty Margolis, Gerry Mulligan, Mark Murphy, John Patitucci, Della Reese, Zoot Sims, Andy Simpkins, Cal Tjader, Mel Tormé, Sarah Vaughan, Ernie Watts and others.He has also recorded albums for Barbara Adamson, Ernestine Anderson, Andrea Carter, and Steve Wilson.
He played solo jazz piano at the Monterey Bay Aquarium as opening act for Diane Schuur (2004) and LaVay Smith (2006) in the annual Kuumbwa Jazz Center fundraising events. Additionally, he performed with his own trio at the Monterey Jazz Festival in 2011, 2012 & 2013, and with Dave Becker’s Central Coast All-Stars in 2018.
He was a member of the faculty of Jazz Camp West in La Honda, California from 2007 thru 2012.He was a member of the Kuumbwa Jazz (Santa Cruz, California) Board of Trustees from 2009 thru 2013.
He currently lives in Los Osos, teaches jazz piano part-time at Cuesta College in
San Luis Obispo, and enjoys the simple life.
marshall_otwell@cuesta.edu
Chad Ruyle
Applied Voice Instructor
Chad Ruyle, vocal instructor, and tenor is a graduate of California State University,
Northridge with his Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance. Mr. Ruyle is a new
resident of the central coast, hailing from the Los Angeles area where he spent the
last twelve years teaching and performing in the operatic realm. Mr. Ruyle made his
professional operatic début as Don Curzio in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro. During his graduate studies he enjoyed the roles ofSpärlich in Otto Nicolai’s Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor, as well as Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus, Sam in Susannah, and Ferrando in Così fan tutte. Chad was a recipient of the Village Voices scholarship where he performed as a soloist
at the Thousand Oaks Performing Arts Plaza. For his undergraduate degree Mr. Ruyle
attended California State University, Fullerton where he was very active in the Chamber
Singers under the direction of John Alexander, and in the operas Dialogues of the Carmelites by Francis Poulenc, and Die Entführung aus dem Serail by Mozart to name a few. During his time at Cal State Fullerton Mr. Ruyle performed and toured with such orchestras
as the Boston Pops Orchestra, and Pacific Symphony. As an emerging solo artist, Mr. Ruyle has performed numerous recitals in the Los Angeles,
Orange County, and Riverside areas. Chad spent eight years as the tenor soloist and
section leader for the First German Speaking United Methodist Church in Glendale. Holding the utmost respect for the art of vocal pedagogy and vocal health,
Mr. Ruyle has commanded an active teaching repertoire. Mr. Ruyle looks forward to
expanding his student’s vocal endeavors at Cuesta College, and sharing his love of
performance.
Chad_Ruyle@cuesta.edu
Inga Swearingen
Applied Music Instructor
Inga Swearingen received her bachelor of music degree from California State Polytechnic,
San Luis Obispo and her masters in choral conducting from Florida State University.
Ms. Swearingen has performed over a dozen times on Garrison Keillor's renowned radio
show, "A Prairie Home Companion", won first place and audience award at the Montreux
Jazz Festival Shure Vocal Competition, and has been a featured soloist in Weill Recital
Hall at Carnegie Hall. She also teaches voice and improvisation privately.
Cassandra Tarantino
Applied Voice Instructor
Cassandra Tarantino has her Master’s degrees in Choral Conducting from San Jose State
University and Performance Flute from California State University, Northridge. Her
Bachelor’s Degrees are in Church Music and English Literature from Westmont College
in Santa Barbara, California. Mrs. Tarantino has participated in music festivals as
a flutist and conductor at the Oregon Bach Festival, Aspen Music Festival, Apple Hill
Chamber Music Festival in New Hampshire, Abeyrstwyth Music Festival in Wales, and
Morges Chamber Music Festival in Switzerland. She took sabbatical in Northern Ireland
to study Classical and traditional music and the Irish-Celtic Language. In 2005 Mrs.
Tarantino was hired by Cuesta College to begin a choral program at the campus in Paso
Robles. The Cuesta Concord Chorus has since become a thriving community of singers
that regularly performs locally and tours throughout the US and Europe. Since 2005
Mrs. Tarantino has conducted, taught private flute and voice, music theory and music
history at Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, California. In 2013, Mrs. Tarantino co-founded
with Marcy Irving the Central Coast Gilbert & Sullivan Company, a community-based
opera company. In 2017 Mrs. Tarantino was hired as the Director of Music at St. Stephen’s
Episcopal Church, San Luis Obispo. In 2021 Mrs. Tarantino completed her Level III
Sommelier Exam through the International Sommelier Guild and is the Sommelier for
CASS Winery in Paso Robles, California. Folk music and dance are a passion for Cassandra,
and you will often find her playing and dancing traditional Irish, English Country
and Contra Dance music. She loves to play with her menagerie of animals, garden, and
travel the world with her ever supportive and awesome husband, Dr. Jon E. Tarantino,
(supra genius).
Ctaranti@cuesta.edu
Darrell Voss
Applied Percussion Instructor, Educator/Performer
Darrell Voss has taught applied percussion for Cuesta College since 2000. Practically
a San Luis Obispo native, Darrell was raised in a musical family and has played drums
since the age of 3. After graduating from San Luis Obispo High School in 1983, he
pursued a career as a drummer and percussion instructor. Cuesta College was an important
training ground for his music studies; he obtained an AA degree in 1989. As a member
of the Charter Class of Music graduates in 1994, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree
from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.
Darrell_Voss@cuesta.edu
