Faculty – Young Pianists

Elizabeth Yao, Director

Elizabeth Yao earned her Doctor of Music at the Jacobs School of Music, in the studio of André Watts, with double minors in music theory and music history. As a teacher, she strives to create a positive learning environment tailored to each student’s needs and goals. In addition to co-directing the Young Pianists Program, she is the coordinator of collegiate secondary piano at the Jacobs School of Music.

Dr. Marianne Ackerson

Dr. Marianne Ackerson, classical/jazz pianist, is a graduate of the Jacobs School of Music, as well as the University for Music and Theatrical Arts in Vienna, Austria. She has had extensive experience as a piano teacher having taught in Vienna, Austria for 14 years, in the Young Pianists Program at IU for 16 years, and privately in Bloomington for 14 years. Her training as a classical as well as a jazz pianist is extensive and she has played with distinction in both venues throughout her professional life.

Cecilia Bass

Cecilia Bass attended Vanderbilt University for her undergraduate studies and earned a Master of Music in Piano Performance degree from the Jacobs School of Music. She has enjoyed teaching for the Young Pianists Program since 2013 and currently works in the Jacobs Deans’ Office.

Yujun Cao

Yujun Cao is currently a Doctorate Student in Jacobs School of Music under the tutelage of Norman Krieger. He decided to pursue being a professional pianist after being admitted to Oberlin Conservatory for BM, and earned his Master Degree in Piano Performance and Literature at the Eastman School of Music.

Pei-Tsun Chiang

Pei-Tsun Chiang, Taiwanese, is currently pursuing a doctorate at IU under the instruction of André Watts where she earned a Performer Diploma. She holds a bachelor’s degree in piano performance from National Taiwan Normal University, and a master’s degree from the Jacobs School of Music. She has been teaching piano in Taiwan and the United States for more than five years.

Karina Maucha Cohen

Recognized as a sophisticated and versatile artist, Brazilian-born pianist Karina Maucha Cohen is a pedagogue, lecturer, arts advocate, recitalist, and chamber musician whose performances have spanned the United States and South America. After graduating from the Hartt School of Music (MM in piano performance), Karina earned a Performance Diploma in fortepiano from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. During her training, she performed in masterclasses for many leading international artists. Her teaching focuses on how to achieve optimal habits in piano practice and technique, as well as providing a solid foundation in aural skills and music theory.

James Featherstone

James Featherstone is a graduate student at IU Jacobs School of Music in the Master of Music degree program where he studies with Edward Auer. James holds a Bachelor of Music from JSoM, during which he studied with Karen Shaw, as well as Associate and Licentiate Diplomas from the Royal Conservatory of Music of Toronto

Fred Hammond

Fred Hammond (B.M., M.M., Juilliard) has been teaching for the Young Pianists Program for more than 20 years. In 1999, he and his wife, Marina Berretta Hammond, formed a piano duo, performing often in South America, Spain, and the U.S. They gave the South American premiere of Schnittke’s Concerto for Piano Four Hands with the acclaimed Simón Bolivar Orchestra.

Marina Berretta Hammond

Marina Berretta Hammond (M.M. Piano, Indiana University) has taught for Young Pianists for more than 20 years and has taught piano and chamber music at Rocky Ridge Music Center (Colorado) since 2004. With husband Fred Hammond, she has concertized in the U.S., Spain, and Latin America. Their CD of Latin American music for two pianos was produced by the IU Latin American Music Center.

Jacqueline Hsiao

Jacqueline Hsiao, a native of Taiwan, earned her Bachelor of Music in piano performance from the Eastman School of Music, and a Master of Music from IU Bloomington where she currently pursuing her Doctoral degree. She places a strong emphasis on establishing healthy habits early on for a secure foundation in her students’ long-term musical development.

Hyeseon Jin

Hyeseon Jin was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea. She earned her B.M. degree at Seoul National University and M.M, P.D at Indiana University. She is currently a Doctoral Candidate in Piano Performance with minors in Music Theory and Arts Administration while serving as an Associate Instructor at IU, Instructor of the PCAMP at the University of Indianapolis, President of MTNA Collegiate Chapter at IU, Executive Assistant of Young Pianists Program and Piano Academy at IU, and Musical Time project Co-Lead.

Ryo Kaneko

Winner of the 2014 Miami Music Festival Piano Competition and the 2015 Jacob Flier International Piano Competition, Japanese pianist Ryo Kaneko is a rising star in the next generation of pianists. He has performed with conductors such as Vladimir Feltsman, Michael Rossi, Victoria Gau, and Bohuslav Rattay and has presented recitals on many prestigious venues including the Kennedy Center, New World Theater, Rosa Hart Theater, McKenna Theater, Manhattan’s Steinway Hall, and the Studley Theatre. His performance has been consistently praised for his unrivaled, visceral energy. Times Herald-Record’s Mr. James F. Cotter vividly describes Mr. Kaneko’s performance of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s first piano concerto: “The final allegro takes the form of a scherzo, which Kaneko brought to a rousing climax that brought theaudience to its feet with shouts of ‘Bravo.’”

Mr. Kaneko received his undergraduate and Master’s degree at Rice University, where he studied with the internationally acclaimed artist Dr. Robert Roux. Currently, he is earning his Doctor of Music in Indiana University under the guidance of Professor Emile Naoumoff.

Seri Kim

Seri Kim earned her Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from Ewha Womans University in South Korea and a Master of Music from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. She has extensive teaching experience, which began when she was 18. She focuses on making piano playing enjoyable for children.

Ubeeng Kueq

Ubeeng is a doctoral student at IU, where he also completed his master’s degree and performer diploma. Ubeeng began working with a wide range of students of varying ages and levels in Salt Lake City during his undergraduate years at the University of Utah. He is an enthusiastic teacher who particularly enjoys exploring various techniques of piano playing and interpretations of music through theory-based ideas.

Chenchun Ma

Chenchun Ma, originally from Shanghai, China, is currently pursuing a doctoral degree at IU Jacobs School of Music, under the tutelage of Émile Naoumoff. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Juilliard School. She has been an Associate Instructor in piano at IU, a piano instructor of the P.A.L.S. program in Aspen, and a teaching artist for Instrument Petting Zoo in The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Besides piano teaching, she was a Gluck community service fellow, performing for and interacting with the residents of hospitals, hospices, and similar institutions in the New York metropolitan area, and an Ear Training teaching fellow at Juilliard.

Eunjin Oh

Eunjin Oh, a South Korean pianist, holding a Bachelor’s degree from Seoul National University, she is currently furthering her expertise through a Master’s program at IU Jacobs School of Music. From her college year onward, she skillfully combined her college education studies with teaching, nurturing students with both knowledge and passion for music.

Kait O’Hanlon

Kait O’Hanlon received her B.M. in piano performance from Susquehanna University in 2022 and recently received her M.M. in piano performance at Butler University in 2024. Currently settled in Bloomington, she is a collaborative pianist and teacher striving to inspire students to be independent and curious learners.

Molly Patrick

Molly Patrick is an organist originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. She holds a bachelor’s degree in organ performance from Brigham Young University – Idaho, where she was a student of Dr. Daniel Kerr. She was a recipient of a 2015 Oundle for Organists Recital Award. After her undergraduate studies, she held a presence throughout the church music scene in Anchorage, Alaska for six years. She primarily served as Music Director and Organist at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. An active violist, Molly played in the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra for three seasons. She ran a private studio in the Anchorage/Eagle River area for four years, teaching students from age 4-64. Molly is pursuing a Master of Music degree in Organ Performance at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. She studies with Dr. Janette Fishell. She hopes to find beauty and purpose where the viola and organ collide, and to saturate that into her studies and future career. Molly enjoys yoga, cycling, and long walks with her golden retriever.

Karen Taylor, Founder and Director Emerita

Karen Taylor is Founder/Director Emerita of the IU Jacobs Academy Young Pianists Program and Summer Piano Academy (inaugurated 1986), and former Coordinator of Piano Pedagogy Studies at the Jacobs School of Music. She has performed solo recitals across the United States and in Europe and has presented more than 85 master classes and workshops. Dr. Taylor’s many teaching honors and awards include a Teacher of the Year citation by the IMTA (1988), a Harriet Hale Woolley Scholarship, and grants from the Ecole Normale de Musique (Paris) and the French government for study and research in Paris. Her articles have appeared in the Journal of the American Liszt Society and Keyboard Companion, among other publications.

Andrew Sohn

Andrew Sohn has been a piano instructor with the IU Young Pianists program since 2019. He holds a Doctor of Music degree from Indiana University, a Master’s from the Eastman School of Music, and a Bachelor’s from the University of South Carolina. Andrew is actively involved in several local and national music organizations and is frequently invited to serve as a juror and presenter. He enjoys teaching students from diverse backgrounds, adapting his approach to meet the unique needs of each individual. Additionally, Andrew currently works in the Jacobs School of Music Undergraduate Office.

Rachel Sohn

Rachel is currently a Doctoral student in Piano Performance minoring in Music History and Collaborative Piano at the Jacobs School of Music. She studies under the instruction of Evelyne Brancart, with whom she previously earned her Master of Music degree. She was formerly under the tutelage of Alexander Kobrin at the Eastman School of Music, where she received her Bachelor of Music degree with High Distinction.

Rachel has been teaching students since she was in high school and has held an Associate Instructor position throughout her time at Jacobs. With her sensitivity and receptiveness, she aims to create a nurturing environment for students throughout their musical journey.

Chaojeng Yu

Chaojeng Yu is a doctoral student at the Jacobs School of Music, where he also earned a Master of Music in Piano Performance and a Performer’s Diploma. He is an associate instructor for piano as well as a member of the Young Pianists Program faculty. He earned his bachelor’s degree from National Taiwan Normal University.

Anan Wang

Anan Wang is currently a PD student under the tutelage of Émile Naoumoff in Indiana University, where she also completed her Master’s degree. She is a passionate instructor, who is dedicated to develop student’s curiosity in music.

Jin Wu

Jin Wu is an active pianist and piano teacher. She received her BM in University of Kansas, and MM in Mannes School of Music. Currently, she is a DMA candidate in University of North Texas. Jin Wu finds passion in teaching piano. She devotes herself to piano pedagogy, so that she can better help students achieve their goals.