Faculty

Dr. Yu-Mei Huang, assistant professor of upper Strings in Texas A&M International University and concertmistress with Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra. She is a native of Taipei, the capital city of Taiwan. At 15, she won first price in violin performance Competition in Taiwan. Educated in Florida, Dr. Huang received both her B.M. and M.M. from Florida International University. She served as the concertmistress with the symphony orchestra, as well as the assistant conductor of wind ensemble during her studies at the FIU. Ms. Huang received full scholarship and assistantship at the University of Miami, and earned her Doctor of Musical Arts in 2005 under the guidance of Professor Glenn Basham. She was the concertmistress and associate conductor with the University of Miami Symphony Orchestra, and the instructor of Strings for Kids program.

Dr. Huang has been reinventing the string ensemble to incorporate her exploration into Asian traditional and world music. She earned an outstanding reputation as a violin soloist and chamber music player, as well as an educator. Prior to her appointment in Texas, she is the chair and coordinator for International Chamber Music Festival. Her recent performing activities include events in Florida, Texas, Los Angeles, China, and Taiwan. In addition, she also serves on the judge panel of Texas Music Educator Association.

Melissa Treviño is the upper strings instructor at La-Re-Do Music Academy. She is pursuing a Music Education degree at Texas A&M International University under the direction of Dr. Yu Mei Huang.  She began playing violin in the sixth grade and continued her violin studies throughout high school, where she also attended the Vidal M. Trevino School of Communications and Fine Arts. She is an active member of the Chamber Orchestra Of Laredo and the Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra. She is a founding member of the Stringendo String Quintet and plays music throughout the community.

Billy Thatcher is the director of the International Guitars of VMT, Mariachi de Oro and the Conjunto Jarocho. A native of Zapata, Texas. Mr. Thatcher grew up playing a variety of instruments ranging from percussion to stringed instruments and traveling throughout the southern region of the U.S. with a norteno band playing mainly the bajo sexto. In 2002, he was the recipient of a full scholarship from TAMIU. That same year, he traveled to San Antonio to compete at the Vargas Mariachi Extravaganza with the Mariachi Internacional from TAMIU playing a harp solo, and won for the first time the title “National Champions”.

Mr. Thatcher was a student of Dr. Gilberto Soto where he studied classical guitar. In the summer of 2007, he was invited to play with the TAMIU guitar ensemble as the principal guitarist by Ms. Hazlerig to Crestone, Colorado. In the same year, Mr. Thatcher received his Bachelor’s of Music with all level certification from Texas A&M International University.

Szu-Ting Chou received her Bachelor of Music degree at Texas A&M International University in Music Performance double-majoring in piano and flute under the instructions of Dr. Fritz Gechter and Dr. Susan Berdahl. Miss Chou, a native of Taiwan, was a graduate of the Municipal Fu-Xing Senior High School as a music major student. She started learning piano at the age of six; and flute at the age of twelve as her secondary instrument. She was the first exchange student from Taiwan majoring in music at TAMIU in 2006. In the following year, she was admitted to Texas A&M International University with a TAMIU Merit Scholarship and an International Performance Scholarship. In 2009, she was invited by TAMIU and LCC combined Orchestras to perform Piano Concerto No.5 by Beethoven as a featured soloist. In the same year she also received the

Joel Bazán-Goméz is pursuing a Bachelors Degree, in Vocal Performance at Texas A&M International University, and is a D.D. Hachar Honors Scholar.  Joel began his vocal training as a freshman at TAMIU under Prof. Dana Crabtree, and is currently studying under Prof. Suzanne Ramo.  He is a member of the TAMIU Chamber Singer and the Laredo Philharmonic Chorale.  He is an active performer, and has starred in L’Ormindo, Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat, and in LTGI’s 2009 production of Man of La Mancha as Padre Perez.

Justin Balli is pursuing a degree in Music Education at Texas A&M International University. He is currently studying with Brendan Townsend and is a recipient of the D. D. Hachar String Quartet Scholarship. Justin began learning cello in the sixth-grade and continued his cello studies throughout high school, where he also attended the Vidal M. Trevino School of Communications and Fine Arts. He regularly plays with the Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra Of Laredo and most recently performed with the Kingsville Symphony Orchestra. Justin is also a founding member of the Stringendo String Quintet, which is a group that plays around the community for various events.

 

Lexie DeAnda is a vocal performance major originally from McAllen, TX in the Rio Grande Valley. She recently received her Bachelors of Music at TAMIU, she studied under the direction of Dana Crabtree. Throughout her college years she performed in various university and community musical theatre and operatic productions in Laredo and in the RGV. Her roles vary from 'Maria' in The Sound of Music to 'Aldonza' in Man of La Mancha.  She was a finalist in the NATZ competition in San Antonio and received the honor of being chosen as a featured guest soloist for the Valley Symphony Orchestra and Chorale directed by Dr. Peter Dawbroski during their 2007-2008 season. She began teaching music theory and private voice lessons when hired by the Edinburg School District to prepare students for Solo and Ensemble Competition. After moving to Laredo she was hired by the LA-RE-DO Music Academy where she has been working since it's opening in 2009.

Marissa Treviño is a piano instructor at LA-RE-DO Music Academy. She began her piano studies at the Vidal M. Trevino School of Communications and Fine Arts under the direction of Dr. Mary Grace Carroll. Her music studies began at the age of eleven in middle school orchestra under the direction of Mrs. Bea Balli. She continued her music studies throughout high school and college. She is currently studying with Dr. Gechter, the piano instructor at Texas A & M International University.

Noe Benavides is a student at Texas A&M International University pursuing a degree of Bachelor of Music with All Level Certification under the tutelage of Brendan Townsend. A native of Laredo, he is a Graduate of J. W. Nixon High School and the Vidal M. Trevino School of Communications and Fine Arts where he studied under the direction of Juan A. Valenciano and Bob Compton, respectively. He has been playing the cello since middle school and has participated in several ensembles throughout the community. Noe is currently in the Chamber Orchestra of Laredo (C.O.O.L.) formerly known as the LCC/TAMIU Combined College Orchestra. He is also a  member of the Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra and Laredo Philharmonic Choral and enjoys performing chamber music throughout the community.

Dr. Yu-Mei Huang. Violin, Piano, and Kinder-music instructor.