Meet Our Master Teachers

Yung-mee Rhee

Yung-mee Rhee is an accomplished pianist and teacher who judges the Southwestern Youth Music Festival and the Music Teacher’s National Association Bartok Competition annually. A Scholarship recipient of Indiana University’s acclaimed music school, she studied under the direction of renowned pianist Menahem Pressler, the founder of the Beaux Arts Trio, Michael Block and Francois Regnat. Yung-mee Rhee’s accomplishments include many esteemed recitals and concerts both solo and with orchestra. Her performances have been shot on live television throughout Indianapolis, Indiana, broadcasted on Live Radio Broadcast in South Bend, Indiana, and she has captivated audiences through the National Canadian Public Radio. She has performed as a soloist with the Indianapolis Symphony, the Owensboro Symphony, IU Concert Orchestra, Kingsport Symphony, the Lima Symphony, and the L.A. Chamber Orchestra.

Under her guidance, many of her students have claimed top titles such as Young Pianist at the Southwestern Youth Music Festival (SYMF) held in Southern California, won awards at the M.T.A.C. Bach Festival, Korea Times Youth Music Competition, San Francisco National Young Artist Competition, YMF Scholarship Competition, and the Elvin Samuel McGaughey Music Foundation competition, where her students have also earned the Grand Prize. To further extend their studies in music, Rhee’s students have been accepted into schools such as the Manhattan School of Music, Indiana University, Eastman School of Music, California State University at Northridge, UCLA, Stanford University, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and USC Thornton School of Music with full scholarships.

Yung-mee Rhee opened the Music Academy in 2011 with a piano faculty of qualified and experienced teachers, all with professional music and performance degrees from prestigious music schools including Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, Yale School of Music, Thornton School of Music at USC, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, and Manhattan School of Music. Now, the Academy also boasts a faculty of accomplished string and wind instrument teachers with 30+ years of teaching experience.

Joong-In Rhee

  • Undergraduate – Indiana University
  • Graduate school – Yale University
  • Studied under – Jano Starker (IU)
  • Seoul Symphony (Second principle) (1998-2000)
  • Koryo Symphony (Principle)
  • Finalist – Achievement Brazil International Competition
  • 1st Prize – Bloomington Concerto Competition
  • 1st Prize – Indianapolis Young Artist Competition
  • 1st Prize – Lima Young Artist Competition
  • 1st Prize – National Fischoff Chamber Music Competition
  • 1st Prize – I. U. Concerto Competition ( Youngest in history to win the Competition)
  • 1st Prize – Owensboro Young Artist Competition winner of student’s achievement
  • Performance Certificate – Indiana University
  • International prise chamber music to perform at Lincoln Center
  • SYMF Winners
  • Students went on to I.U., New England Conservatory, Peabody, Usc, UCLA with full scholarship.

Currently

  • IIMF – Artist Director
  • Master teacher at La Canada School of Music