Staff

David S. Carter is a music theorist and composer. He has published scholarship examining popular music in the journals Music Theory Online, Theory and Practice, Intégral: The Journal of Applied Musical Thought, and Revue musicale OICRM. He has presented papers at the Society for Music Theory annual meeting, the National Conference of the College Music Society, and at both the U.S. and International conferences of the International Association for the Study of Popular Music (IASPM). His compositions have been performed or recorded by the JACK Quartet, the International Contemporary Ensemble, Ensemble Dal Niente, Ensemble Court-Circuit, and Ensemble Signal, among others.

Tashi Cardinali Bateman '05
Senior Administrative and Production Coordinator

Tashi is the Senior Administrative Coordinator for LMU Music. She performs a wide variety of administrative and professional duties to support the department chair, faculty, and students, as well as all concerts, recitals, and productions. In addition, she manages the department's recruitment efforts and auditions, and engages with prospective students and their families. She is an alumna of the program and holds a B.A. in Music, with concentrations in Vocal Performance and Music Theory/Composition.

Ben Johns is a professional singer, conductor, and voice teacher. He currently co-music directs and sings with the LA-based vocal ensemble, Resonant, and sings at St. Andrew Catholic Church in Pasadena. As a young person he acted in television commercials, sang in children’s opera choruses, performed in professional musical theater productions with Sacramento Music Circus, and trained as a dancer whose particular love was clogging. Dr. Johns ran an award-winning education program for Chanticleer, creating an elite youth choir program and establishing national youth choral festivals. Before guest conducting and teaching across the country, he performed as a choral artist and soloist at venues around the world.

Eric Escalante is a graduate of LMU, and earned his BA in Music with concentrations in Ethnomusicology and Classical Guitar Performance. Since his time as a student, he has been heavily involved with managing, coordinating, and producing live performances and events within Murphy Recital Hall. He now serves as the Production Manager for both the Music and Dance departments, respectively.

Hyunju is an award-winning, classically-trained organist and pianist who has performed throughout the United States and Europe, including Westminster Abbey, Coventry Cathedral, Grace Cathedral, and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Hyunju was born in Seoul, South Korea, and received her Bachelor of Music in Organ Performance from Yonsei University in Seoul, and her Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Organ Performance at the University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music.

For over 30 years, Valeria has been in high demand as accompanist for singers and all orchestral instrumentalists. She has been an official accompanist to festivals and has performed extensively throughout the U.S., Germany, and Japan. In addition to being an accompanist at LMU, Valeria is often engaged in that capacity at UCLA, USC, Cal State Long Beach, Colburn School, Montecito International Music Festival, Academy of the West and Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts.