Melissa Christopher Green, Choir Director
Aylene Fallah, Teaching Artist,
Max Martin, Music Director Max is a graduate of McGill University. He has been playing and writing music his entire life. He studied music with renowned bassist Nicholas Walker and has experience playing a variety of styles from classical to bluegrass to experimental. Max has played upright bass in a number of distinguished ensembles such as the Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra and the McGill Symphony Orchestra. He was also a member of the popular Montreal based bands Hearts of Palm and National Parks. He currently plays bass for Washington D.C. based hip-hop group Dr. Birthday.
Leila Milani, Executive Director
As an attorney, Leila has worked on the promotion and protection of human rights at the State Department, Congress, at the White House and at the UN. Leila was the director of a youth performing arts group for seven years, leading kids to perform dances and dramatic presentations about social issues. Currently, Leila is an independent consultant and works on a variety of initiatives dealing with international human rights issues. Leila's own training has been in dance, both modern and jazz. She believes that the arts are a critical medium for addressing important issues, and that through the arts children can develop intellectually, physically, and spiritually.
Shadi Mojgani Peikari, Teaching Artist,Visual Arts & Stage Design
Nooshin Naderi Reimer, Director of Choreography
Nooshin has a BA in Psychology from New York University and an MA in Curriculum and Instruction from George Washington University 's school of Education and Human Development. She has taught elementary education and ESOL in Montgomery and Fairfax County schools, adapting educational curricula and instructional materials to meet the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse and/or exceptional students. Nooshin was the president of Terpsichord, a modern dance company in Chattanooga, TN where she studied choreography and Martha Graham technique. Nooshin later performed with the Young Choreographers Series at the University of Georgia. She has also choreographed and performed many modern dance pieces on social issues.
May Yazdi, Teaching Artist, Music & Dance
May Yazdi is a freshman at George Mason University receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, with the aim of enrolling in a nursing program in the near future. She has been trained in all types of dance including: modern, lyrical, ballet, point, hip-hop, and jazz for eleven years at Buffa’s Dance Studio. She has also been trained for ten years to play classical style piano by Golnoush Khaleghi. May was always active in her high school’s Honors Choir and participated in Lake Braddock’s Oklahoma! and High School Musical.
Jennifer Atala “Jennifer Atala currently works as a Sr. Consultant with Booz Allen Hamilton. Prior to her role as a domestic government consultant, she served in a number of field posts in the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) as an international development professional and MENA specialist. Ms. Atala is an avid musician and dancer, and has served in a number of music and dance ensembles around the world. Ranked the top piccolo player and one of the top 3 flautists in New Jersey by her senior year in high school, she chose to continue her music career informally, performing with local folk bands when studying in Chicago and with an Irish band while working in Israel. Ms. Atala has also been studying international dance since her middle school years, and has performed with two semi-professional Middle Eastern folk dance troupes in both Chicago and Washington, DC.
Fernando obtained his bachelor’s degree in music education/ vocal performance from the Catholic University of Bolivia and the National Conservatory of Bolivia. He also attended the prestigious Tubingen University in Germany and obtained a vocal teaching certification. Fernando currently works as a music teacher, orchestra and choir director for an inner city school in DC. Fernando, a.k.a. Mr. V, was featured on all major local channels in Atlanta when he created the youngest choir in America. He was also recently invited to appear on the Fox morning show “Holly Live” with his choir. As a performer he worked in Europe for two years with the Wurttemberg Philharmonic Orchestra. As an opera singer he had the opportunity to perform in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Ireland and Turkey. He had the honor to privately perform for former President of France (Jacques Chirac) and Princess Masako Owada from Japan. His professional career also includes performances at the most prestigiousmusic festivals in South America such as Cosquin in Argentina and Ypacarai in Paraguay. He currently serves as a board director for the Opera Camerata of Washington and also as an advisor for the South American region with the World Intellectual Property Organization.
John Albertson, Teaching Artist, Music
John is Professor of Classical and Jazz Guitar at The George Washington University. He is director of the GW Jazz Combo and a member of the Faculty Jazz Quartet, which gives weekly concerts and workshops. John studied at The Julliard School and Catholic University, and has performed at The Kennedy Center, Smithsonian and Blues Alley. He teaches private lessons at his studio in Falls Church, Virginia. His latest CD is called Jazz Guitar Solo.
Kristen Arant, Visiting Artist, Drums Kristen Arant is a performing artist and drum instructor living and working in Washington, DC. She began her drumming career by co-founding the activist rhythm ensemble Rhythm Workers Union in 2001, through which she became enthralled with the Djembe (W. African) drum due to its power to heal and transform. In 2005 she founded the Young Women's Drumming Empowerment Project - a DC-based non-profit that gives rise to young women's self esteem, creative self expression and positive development through drumming, poetry, movement and song. YWDEP runs an enrichment program every summer and performs as an all-female drum troupe through the year. In 2007, Kristen began teaching, organizing and performing full-time. She has taught drumming empowerment workshops at dozens of local schools and youth centers, and has her own class for adult students on Sundays in Takoma Park, MD. More info is available on her website at www.drumlady.com.
