Music Theory Certifications
Brenna Dickson
Brenna Dickson is a local Bay Area composer and clarinetist. Keeping music and the arts in her life was one of the most significant aspects of growing up, whether it was clarinet and bass clarinet in her school bands, playing bass guitar in jam sessions with friends, or playing music with her family. After graduating high school, Ms. Dickson continued her music studies at College of San Mateo where she immersed herself into the CSM Music Department studying with Mike Galisatus, clarinet/saxophone instructor Tim Devine, and jazz instructor Chuck MacKinnon. She also held an apprenticeship with San Francisco clarinetist and mouthpiece maker Clark W Fobes where she spent two years learning the manufacturing side of clarinet mouthpiece and barrel production. Ms. Dickson eventually moved to San Jose to begin her undergraduate studies at San Jose State University. She completed her Bachelor’s of Music in Composition from San Jose State University, studying under Dr. Brian Belet. Additionally, she has studied clarinet under Dr. Janet Averett at San Jose State University, and private instructor Mark Sowlakis. As a composer, her work The Night Lark was performed by the San Jose Chamber Orchestra by receiving the Allen Strange Memorial Composition Prize in 2019. She was a member of Chamber Music Silicon Valley’s Emerging Artist Fellowship for the 2019-2020 season. During this time she also developed her private teaching studio and curriculum for clarinet and music theory. She is currently a private instructor and educator in clarinet and music theory for a variety of schools in the Silicon Valley. Ms. Dickson’s approach to teaching involves detail-oriented instruction, thorough and adaptable communication for a diverse range of learners, exposure to a variety of musical concepts in addition to clarinet, and most importantly helping students to develop independent skills for learning, practicing, problem-solving, and critical thinking for all future challenges.
haruna shiokawa-mo
A Japanese native who graduated from Doshisha University, Japan as an Archaeology Major. After working for the state government, Xerox Corporation in Japan, she came to the U.S. and worked as a start-up member in Hosei University's Branch office. (One of the Japanese private universities in Tokyo's branch school & technology laboratory located in Burlingame, California). During her three years of work with Hosei, she launched an exchange co-program with California State University Hayward (currently East Bay). After an enormous commitment of start-up work, her long term passion for music made her go back to school and shifted her career in her mid-thirties while she was raising her two children. Ms. Shiokawa- Mo studied piano and voice degree at University of Alabama, Ohio State University for two years and earned BA of Music degree from Iowa State University in Voice (minored in Piano). She also received a graduate degree at San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She performed at Oregon Medford Theater, San Francisco Lyric Opera, and Fresno Summer Festival. She taught general music to regular and special needs students in Cupertino Union School District and Cupertino Union School District & City of Cupertino’ s and Discovery Charter School, San Jose’s after school programs for ten years. In 2009-2011, Ms. Shiokawa-Mo had received a recognition for her teaching by the California State Legislature. Many of her private piano students were selected as honor students in California Music Teachers Association(CM), National Teachers of Music Association, American College of Musician Guild Piano Audition, and Royal Academy of Music (ABRSM) grade level evaluations and auditions (2000~2019). Her Voice students received the top prizes in the VOCE competition state final (Music Teachers Association of California) in 2011 and CAPMT (linked to MTNA) West Coast Regional Competition in 2017. Many of her students has been selected as state honor and panel honor students and had master classes at state conventions (2004~2019). Furthermore, her private students of voice received the 1st prize in Classical, Broadway, and Romantic Music solo and duet categories in American Fine Arts Festival International Competition (Golden Voices of America: Students were invited to Winner's Concert at Carnegie Hall , NY (2009~2018). Ms. Shiokawa-Mo devotes herself to cultivate her students every day with a very encouraging manner. Her dream of combining all the instruments instructions into one place and holding teacher concerts and student recitals together led to the opening of Legato Music School in 2009. She served as a board of directors in the Music Teacher's Association of California Santa Clara Branch from 2009 to 2015.