Music Theory and Composition Program

Darian Todd is a violist and educator, who has been performing and teaching in Arizona and Oregon since 2008. Darian conducts the Portland Chamber Strings Ensemble with the wonderful musicians of the Metropolitan Youth Symphony. Darian also serves as the Music Production Manager and Viola Faculty for Young Musicians and Artists, is a member of the staff at the David Kerr Violin Shop and maintains a private studio in NE Portland.

Darian strives to provide students with the tools and skills necessary for an evolving and changing musical world; instill practices that create independent musicians; foster a love of life-long musicianship and sharing; and build a community of musicians who support their colleagues and respect their audiences. Through partnerships with Young Musicians and Artists, Metropolitan Youth Symphony, and local symphony orchestras, Mr. Todd works to initiate more active involvement of students and parents in the artistic communities where he teaches and performs, and advocates for the importance of music in our schools and communities at large.

Darian holds a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Arizona, and a Master of Music in Music Performance with an emphasis in Violin and Viola Pedagogy from the University of Oregon.

Erica Boland, nêe Mehlhorn began studying violin through the Suzuki Method at the age of 3 under the tutelage of Susan Kempter in Albuquerque, NM. Erica decided to pursue a degree is music at the University of Texas at Austin where studied with Dr. Eugene Gratovich, and began teaching with the UT String Project Program. Erica graduated with a Bachelors of Music Studies with High Honors and received her K-12 teaching certification. Erica continued her musical studies at the University of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff, AZ. Erica studied violin with Dr. Louise Scott and worked as a graduate assistant to the Suzuki training program and the NAU conductor, Victor Liva. She performed with the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra and served as Principal Second Violin for a portion of the 2001-2002 season. Erica also directed the Flagstaff Junior Orchestra for 2 years during her studies. Erica graduated with a Masters in Music with Distinction and completed her long-term teacher training in the Suzuki Method Books 1-4. After her graduate degree, Erica moved back to Albuquerque, NM where she opened her own violin studio, taught Orchestra in the Albuquerque Public Schools, and taught sectionals with the Albuquerque Junior Symphony. Erica enjoyed performing at weddings and other functions with the Empire String Quartet. In 2014 Erica moved with her family to Portland, Oregon where she continues to teach and perform violin. Erica is a member of the American String Teachers Association, Suzuki Association of the Americas, and the Oregon Suzuki Association. 

Born in Belem, Brazil, Eri Nogueira began her violin studies at age 10 at Carlos Gomes
Music Conservatory with Mr. Alexander Serafimov, and later on with Mr. Serguei Firsanov. In 1994, Eri received the “Honorable Mention” prize at the “Young Musicians Competition” in Piracicaba, Brazil. Eri performed several annual solo recitals during her studies at the Conservatory and joined the Teatro da Paz Symphony Orchestra in 1997. Upon graduating, Eri pursued her bachelor’s and master’s degree in violin performance with Mr. Jerrold Rubenstein, at Antwerp Conservatory, in Belgium.

In 2006, Eri returned to her hometown and began teaching and coordinating the violin and chamber music departments at Carlos Gomes Conservatory and Vale Musica Foundation, an “El Sistema” inspired program, for underserved children. Concomitantly, Eri performed as assistant concertmaster at Theatro da Paz Symphony Orchestra. In 2008, Eri became a member of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Minas Gerais and Sesi Minas Chamber Orchestra in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. She also taught violin at after-school programs for underserved children during that time. In 2012, Eri moved to Portland, opening a private music studio, becoming a teaching artist at Oregon Bravo Youth Orchestras, and a member of Vancouver
Symphony Orchestra, Portland Columbia Symphony Orchestra, and concertmaster of Willamette Falls Symphony.

Shortly after earning a Master’s in Education degree from Portland State University in 2018,
Eri Nogueira joined the faculty team of Lake Oswego Middle School and Lake Oswego High
School as orchestra director. She also coordinated and taught at the Lake Oswego
Elementary Strings after-school program. Under her direction, the high school orchestra
program won the district league in 2019 and 2022. The middle school program won 3rd
place at the Music in the Parks Festival in 2019 and first place in 2022. In 2022, Eri was
nominated for the 2022 LifeChanger of the Year.

Currently, Eri Nogueira teaches general music at Palisades World Language School and
maintains her playing artistry by performing with various ensembles in Oregon and
Washington. Eri has great interest in nature, traveling and culinary.

David Eby, founding cellist for the internationally acclaimed band Pink Martini, has an active performing and teaching career on the West Coast. He performs with the Oregon Symphony, and is Director of Advanced Strings at Oregon Episcopal School.

As a youth, David made his solo debut with the Pittsburgh Symphony at age 16 and attended the Tanglewood and Aspen Music Festivals. He studied at the Eastman School of Music and received the Performer’s Certificate and BM degree under the tutelage of Paul Katz of the Cleveland Quartet. He had the great privilege of studying under Janos Starker at Indiana University, where he received his MM degree. He was the Principal Cellist of the Evansville Philharmonic and the Owensboro Symphony Orchestras, and founding cellist for the Evansville String Quartet. He was also the founding cellist for the musical storytelling troupe, Tales & Scales, where he developed his composing, improvising and acting abilities.

Along with 25 years of private teaching, he has taught at the Meadowmount School of Music, Louisville Suzuki Institute, Ithaca Chamber Music Institute, and Point Counterpoint. 

Ryan Francis’s music has received grants and awards including from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the Jerome Foundation, and the Augustine Foundation, and his music has been performed across the U.S. and internationally. Francis is a faculty member at Pacific University where he teaches music technology, music theory, and international music studies. Francis holds a B.M. in music composition from the University of Michigan and an M.M. and D.M.A. in music composition from the Juilliard School.

Kirsten Volness is an electro/acoustic composer and pianist whose music is inspired by nature, myth, science, spirituality, and environmental and sociopolitical issues. She has received commissions from New Music USA, the BMI Foundation, ASCAP/SEAMUS, The American Opera Project, Metropolis Ensemble, Hotel Elefant, NOW Ensemble, Transient Canvas, Ann Arbor Symphony, and Experiential Orchestra. She performs with Providence-based Verdant Vibes, a new music ensemble and concert series she co-founded in 2015. Recipient of the MacColl Johnson and RISCA Fellowships in Music Composition, Kirsten was 2017 composer-in-residence at the Music Mansion, creating the First Fridays concert series, and served on the board of directors as Secretary. She collaborates with Meridian Project on multimedia performances exploring astrophysics, writes and performs operas with the homeless advocacy group Tenderloin Opera Company, and is an affiliate artist of Sleeping Weazel theatre company. She earned composition degrees from the Universities of Michigan (DMA, MM) and Minnesota (BA summa cum laude) and has taught privately, at Lewis & Clark, Reed College, and the University of Rhode Island.