Ashland

Tatsiana Asheichyk is a virtuosic pianist, organist, accompanist, and experienced teacher with Russian musical roots. She has performed throughout the United States and Europe. Ms. Asheichyk has been playing the piano since she was five years old. Prior to coming to the United States, she completed two years of study at the Belorussian State Academy of Music under the direction of Dr. Igor Olovnikov. She has had the privilege of being coached by such renowned teachers as John Perry and Paul Polley. Ms. Ascheichyk was graduated from the School of Music in Minsk, Belarus, from the Brest State College of Music in Belarus, and from Southern Oregon University (with the summa cum laude distinction from all three institutions). In June 2016 Ms. Asheichyk earned her master's degree in keyboard performance under the direction of Dr. Alexander Tutunov (piano) and Dr. Margaret Evans (organ).

Ms. Asheichyk has been first prize winner among pianists and has been the scholarship recipient of the statewide Oregon Friends of Music Scholarship Competition 2012. During her college career, she received the Evans Music Performance Scholarship, the International Cultural Service Program Scholarship, the SOU Diversity Scholarship, the Schneider Outstanding Music Student Award, Farrold Stephens Scholarship, State Merit Lottery Scholarship, Margaret Fuller Endowed Scholarship, American Association of University Women Medford Branch Scholarship, AAUW Ashland Branch Scholarship, as well as the Soroptimist International Scholarship of Ashland. Ms. Asheichyk was chosen as a prizewinner of the American Protégé 2013 International Romantic Music Competition.

Ms. Asheichyk has performed at iconic venues such as the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Green Show, the Craterian Theatre, Belarusian State Philharmonic Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and New York City’s Carnegie Hall.

Ms. Asheichyk’s peers have consistently recognized her accomplishments: “Tatsiana never fails to bring her best to every performance.” “She thrives on success and is determined to become the best pianist that she can be.” Dr. Alexander Tutunov has stated, "Undoubtedly, she is among the very top.”

Ms. Asheichyk was the accompanist for the SOU Concert Choir and Symphonic Band in 2010-2011. The conductor of the SOU Symphonic Band, Dr. Cynthia Hutton, said, “Tatsiana is an exceptional ... musician and accompanist, who is talented, hard working, serious, ready to collaborate.” Ms. Asheichyk has proven herself as an accomplished rehearsal and performance accompanist in the operatic world. She accompanied the 2011 Rogue Valley Opera in La Traviata and in the 2012 Ashland Chamber Music Workshop.

Ms. Asheichyk currently teaches piano at her Tatsiana’s Piano Studio in Ashland and Medford, OR. She is also the principal accompanist for Siskiyou Violins and is also the staff accompanist for Grace Lutheran Church in Ashland, OR.

Ms. Asheichyk plans on pursuing a doctorate in music in the very near future.

Eugene

Ellen McQuilkin is a pianist and teacher based in Eugene, Oregon who is passionate about music, teaching, and the learning process. Ellen’s formal study of classical piano began with Aurora de la Paz Arias Luna at the Escuela de Bellas Artes in Toluca, México. She continued her studies with Dr. Robert Bowman (California State University, Chico) and Dr. Dean Kramer (University of Oregon). She performs locally at OMTA events, and in 2006 she and pianist Margaret Little-hales premiered Legacies, a four-hand piano work by her husband, composer Terry McQuilkin, at the OMTA State Conference. In 2019 she performed at the Orfeo Music Festival in Vipiteno/Sterzing, Italy. She continues to be an active member of OMTA, serving at the state level as an adjudicator and member of the repertoire and syllabus committees, and on the OMTA Eugene District board.

Portland

Lilin Chen holds a doctorate in piano pedagogy from Indiana University, as well as master’s degrees in piano performance from IU and piano accompanying from the University of Southern California, and a bachelor’s degree in piano from National Taiwan Normal University. She has taught in universities and pre-college music programs in the United States and Taiwan. She was also a member of the Ars Nova Piano Trio, which toured Taiwan and the United States. In Indiana, she served as vice-president of the local branch of NFMC (National Federation of Music Clubs). Since moving to Portland in 2011, Lilin has her own piano studio, has taught at Reed College, has judged competitions and auditions, and is currently treasure of Trillium Music Club, a branch of OFMC (Oregon Federal of Music Clubs). She enjoys performing as a soloist and as a collaborative pianist with a variety of musicians.

Eugene

At the age of five, Kumiko Vanderbush began learning piano from her mother in Japan who is a piano teacher. She benefited from listening to her mother teach piano at home in her private studio. Kumiko went on to study piano in high school and college.

Kumiko graduated from Musashino Music High School and Musashino University with a Bachelors of Arts in Tokyo, Japan. She enjoyed spending her free time playing piano with vocalist, clarinet, trumpet, and percussion players. She also joined a hiking and backpacking club that explored the Japan alps.

After moving to Eugene, Oregon she and her husband raised three daughters. Kumiko received her Oregon Teaching Certificate, and taught them in elementary school. She has enjoyed being involved in her community, creating her own songs, skits and taiko songs to teach the Japanese language.

Kumiko is excited about starting her own piano studio.

In her free time, she takes pleasure in cooking, gardening, taking excise classes, reading, and watching ballet dance performances.

Eugene

Lucy Clevenger was born in Kiev, Ukraine in 1961. Her musical education included 7 years of preparatory music school, followed by music college from 1977 to 1982, and then graduate studies at Kiev State Conservatory from 1983 to 1989. From then until 1992, when Lucy emigrated to the United States, she worked as a music editor at the Ukrainian State Radio Station.

In 1995 Lucy began teaching piano privately in San Diego and continued until 2005, when she moved to Eugene, Oregon.Lucy was not a part of a music teacher organization in California but maintained an active studio there.. In 2006 she became a member of OMTA, and since then her teaching skills and confidence as a teacher have increased substantially. Lucy gained valuable instruction from her colleagues, from masterclasses and numerous district presentations, the syllabus program, and State conferences.

Lucy achieved national certification in 2014, and in 2015 she became a syllabus adjudicator. Working as an adjudicator has enhanced my teaching perspective. Her current studio includes many very talented students who participate in various district and state events. They win competitions, receive scholarships, and successfully participate in the syllabus program. To keep up with them, she must practice Chopin etudes, Beethoven Sonatas, Rachmaninoff Preludes, Prokofieff Visions Fugitives, and many other works. With my teaching studio firmly established and thriving, Lucy would now like to dedicate a portion of her time to advancing my personal performance skills.

Eugene

Alexis Gibbons is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music and has been teaching piano in Eugene, Oregon for over 13 years. She received a Bachelor of Music in Music Performance from the University of Oregon (UO) in 2010. At the UO, she studied performance with Dr. Alexandre Dossin, accompaniment with Dr. David Riley and pedagogy with Dr. Claire Wachter. She also earned a Bachelor of Arts in Russian and Eastern European Studies.

As a member of Oregon Music Teachers Association, she has volunteered in many positions at both the district and state level. At the district level, she has served as a corresponding secretary, chaired district festivals, and continues to volunteer as the website chair. At the state level, she served as Publications Chair and editor of Music News. She is currently volunteering on the Conference Committee.

In 2021, Alexis completed the training and final panel to become an OMTA adjudicator. She now adjudicates for OMTA Syllabus exams and festivals.

Alexis is continually working on keeping her studio active and vibrant. Her students perform regularly and participate in OMTA events.

When not teaching, she spends time with her partner, Micah and daughter, Iris. She also enjoys trail running, mountain climbing, mountain biking, skiing, reading, cooking, and playing with her dog and cat.