Leadership and Administration

Peter is studying music in college at present and hopes to continue refining his craft by teaching music directing as many shows as he can. Peter enjoys teaching children and has spent many hours in classes and camps over the past two years working with Spindrift students from ages 4-18. In his free time, he enjoys playing video games with his friends, learning songs on the piano by ear and performing in theater. His most recent shows at Spindrift School of Performing Arts include School of Rock as Lawrence, Spelling Bee as Leaf Coney-Bear, and Disney’s Descendants as Ben. Along with performing in theater, Peter has also music directed seven junior musicals and assistant music directed Disney’s Descendants at SSPA.

Soprano, Sarah Benzinger holds a CA Secondary credential to teach Music and Mathematics and loves joining her students on their unique journeys of musical discovery on the piano and in voice. She currently co-teaches classroom music at Casa di Mir Montessori school in Campbell and has maintained a full studio in voice and piano at Santa Teresa Academy of Music and Dance for the past three years. She has taught and performed in the US and abroad, working with students through Opera Tijuana in Mexico, Opera Nova in Costa Rica, and with students at Lake County high school in Leadville Colorado. Previously she sang with the Oregon Bach Collegium, Lyric Opera of San Jose, Cascadia Concert Opera, Humboldt Light Opera, Portland Summer Opera Workshop, Vivace Vancouver, Chamber Music Silicon Valley, Redwood Symphony and at the Astoria Music Festival.

Elana is a professional singer, teacher, music director and choral conductor currently residing in San Francisco, Ca. Ms. Cowen has a Post-Graduate Certificate and Master’s of Music in Vocal Performance from San Francisco Conservatory of Music as well as a Bachelor’s of Music from Chapman University with a minor in Germanic Studies.  Ms. Cowen teaches voice and has musically directed all over the Bay Area, with companies including Starbound Theatre and Missouri Street Theatre to name a few.  Currently, Ms. Cowen is conducting with the San Francisco Youth Chorus as well as being a soloist at the Episcopal Church of St. Matthew’s in San Mateo.  Ms. Cowen is also an active performer, performing with companies all over the Bay Area including Pocket Opera, Lamplighters Music Theatre, West Bay Opera and recently debuting at Phénix Opera.

Audrey is extremely excited to join the Spindrift team. It is especially meaningful to her since she grew up in Pacifica, and teaching with Spindrift will allow her to give back to her community. From a young age, she has always loved singing and performing. Audrey holds an Associate’s degree in both Theatre Arts and Arts and Humanities, and she is currently studying Theatre at San Francisco State University. Audrey loves working with kids and has years of experience working in summer camps, after school programs, and various classes. Audrey is grateful and excited to share her love for performing arts with the children of the Spindrift community! 

Kaori graduated from Japan’s prestigious music school, Kyoto Horikawa Music High School, where she studied vocal performance. She earned her BA from Kobe College and graduated from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music with an MA in vocal performance, having studied with Herman Leroux and received a first place prize in the American Art Song Competition. She received preschool and teaching credentials from San Francisco State University, studied pipe organ with Wyatt Insko, and has Kodály training from Holy Names University. Kaori is passionate about teaching and has served as a choir director, pianist and organist for many organizations. These include the San Francisco Girls Chorus (20 years), A.P. Giannini Middle School choir, Christ United Presbyterian Church, and her very own children’s choir Kirakiraboshi Children’s Choir in Japantown. She currently teaches music to K-8th grades in San Francisco and San Mateo Counties and teaches private piano and voice students at Spindrift School of Performing Arts in Pacifica

George started dancing in 2007 at the beginning of his college career. Having graduated from College of San Mateo with an Associate’s Degree in Graphic Arts and from San Francisco State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Recreation, Parks and Tourism, George chose to follow his passion for dance and teaching post-graduation.

From 2009-2011, he trained with Academy of Villains, where he went on to teach at Kirkpatrick’s School of Dance. George has also danced for Allan Frias in his San Francisco-Based Dance Company, Mind Over Matter. George has coached Hip Hop and assistant coached Pom and Lyrical for Mercy High School Burlingame’s Dance Team with 2x State and National Championship wins, has choreographed group numbers that have been performed at games for The Golden State Warriors, has won Regional and National Overalls for Kirkpatrick’s School of Dance in Hip Hop and Contemporary as a dancer, a choreographer and a coach. George was also a Dance Program Coordinator for San Mateo Police Activities League.

George recently created his own Dance Company and Clothing Line, Folau House. 

Distinguished as a performer and teacher Larry Ferrara has the distinction of being the first guitarist to receive a master’s degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. His teachers have included Julian Bream in master classes, and George Sakellariou in studio lessons. A committed educator himself, Mr. Ferrara has taught for many years at the collegiate level at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and full time at City College of San Francisco. In addition to currently teaching at the Spindrift School of Performing Arts, Mr. Ferrara also teaches in the Pre-College, and Continuing Education divisions at the San Francisco Conservatory, and also teaches guitar and guitar ensemble at San Francisco State University.

As a performer Mr. Ferrara has played major recitals in San Francisco, Toronto, Barcelona, Los Angeles and at the Carnegie Recital Hall in New York. He has served on the Music Advisory Panel to the National Endowment of the Arts and is the author and performer of a best selling sequence of music books titled, The Student Repertoire Series for Guitar Vol. 1 and 2 , with accompanying CD’s, published by Guitar Solo of San Francisco. 

Tristana Ferreyra-Rantalaiho is a native of Buenos Aires, Argentina. She has a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from San Francisco State University and an undergraduate degree in choral conducting from Universidad Católica Argentina. She loves to premiere vocal works by new composers as a soloist and with choirs. She has worked as a singer and choral conductor in Argentina and Finland, relocated to the Bay Area with her family, and is a passionate musician, vocalist, and voice teacher. In California, she has sung in Convivium and is now in the 21V ensemble. She placed second at Cal Western Regional Student Auditions at the K Advanced Classical Level of The National Association Teachers of Singing (NATS). Currently, she also teaches voice at Piedmont East Bay Children’s Choir. She loves to hike, swim, and do yoga in her free time. She is thrilled to join the Spindrift School of Performing Arts.

Hyun Suk, “Suki” is a native of Seoul, Korea, performs and educates widely as a soloist, chorister, voice/ piano teacher and conductor. She has studied voice with many teachers and coaches in Korea, Germany, Italy and the United States. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in voice performance from SeJong University in Seoul, Korea, as well as a Master’s degree and Performance Certificate in voice performance both from DePaul University in Chicago. She taught voice at the University of Chicago and at New Trier High School and piano and theory at the Soar program (Statewide Opportunities for Art and recreation through DePaul University Community Music in Chicago). She was also a member of the Chicago Symphony Chorus and a Rockefeller Chapel Vocal Artist in Residence. She was also the conductor and artistic director of Little OL Korea Children’s Choir, an ambassador of Korean culture to America society through music and dances. She has performed numerous opera roles and oratorio works as a soprano soloist. She also performed the roles of Wardrobe M’tree, Confidante and understudy of Carlotta Giudicelli of The Phantom of the Opera in Seoul, Korea. She is the winner of various competitions, and she has appeared as a winner of the Chinese Fine Arts Society Competition at the Chicago Cultural Center. Currently, she sings with SF Symphony Chorus and has been a conductor of Children’s and Youth Choirs and soprano soloist at Episcopal Church of St. Matthew in San Mateo for 7 years. 

Introducing Connie Johnson: a versatile musician and actor with an unwavering passion for the arts. Connie is thrilled to bring his expertise to Spindrift as he takes on the role of a guitar teacher, leading both beginner guitar and songwriting classes.

Having embarked on his journey at Spindrift as a student in August of 2022, Connie's deep connection with the institution has fueled his excitement to now guide others in their musical endeavors. His extensive background in both music and theater provides a unique and dynamic perspective that enriches the learning experience for his students.

Connie's musical journey is underscored by noteworthy performances, showcasing his talent and dedication. Notable roles include Roger in "Rent" at Skyline College, Zack in "School of Rock," and Sam Carmichael in "Mamma Mia," all performed at Spindrift School of Performing Arts. These experiences have not only honed his skills but have also instilled in him a profound appreciation for the transformative power of music and storytelling.

As a guitar teacher, Connie is committed to fostering a supportive and creative learning environment. His classes are designed to cater to beginners, offering a foundation in guitar techniques while encouraging students to explore their own musical expressions through songwriting. 

Dancing makes me the ‘happiest’ and gives me the adrenalin to learn, perform and grow everyday. Dancing is the greatest connect one can have with the self and my dream of connecting people through dance and finding dance as the ultimate medium of expression is slowly coming to fruition. My motivation to learn dance started at the age of three. My mother’s need to instill a sense of hobby in me led me to embrace dancing as a creative form to express my emotions. My varied cultural background has changed my perspective and my teaching expertise imbibes this diversity making it a fascinating learning experience for my students. 

I have been teaching Bollywood dance in the Bay Area for both adults and kids for more than 6 years and to me dance is a way of celebration, frolic and happiness! 

I like to be a Fellow dancer to my students and not just an instructor and love seeing people Love dance.

www.dancewithriddhi.com

Ava Latz is a guitar player from Walnut Creek, CA. She has been teaching at Spindrift since early 2023. She is currently living in San Francisco studying at San Francisco State University. She hopes to graduate in Spring of 2025 with a Bachelor of Music in classical guitar performance. While classical is her focus, she has a background in both jazz and rock music! She hopes that her background in different styles of music translates through her teaching and gives her students a well rounded perspective and education on guitar!

Lauren Brown is a high school age performer based in Pacifica. She is currently attending Oceana High School, and has been performing with Spindrift for the last 5 years. Previous credits include Cady Herron in Mean Girls: High School Version, Evie in Descendants: the musical, Cheshire Cat/Tabitha in Alice by Heart, and Olive Ostrovsky in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, to name a few. Off stage, Lauren enjoys volunteering, dance, and working with her schools clubs and committees. She is beyond grateful and excited to be working with Spindrift, and can’t wait to meet you, on or off the stage! 

Randall Watts is originally from Kentucky, has lived all over the United States, but is thrilled to make his home for the past ten years in the bay area. He has toured as a professional music theater performer and music director for 12 years before retiring from living out of a suitcase. He holds a Bachelors of Arts in Music from Murray State University and graduate work in Opera and Music Theater Performance at Oklahoma University. He is currently a teacher with Mercy High School and performs in community theater on occasion. He is happy to be joining the faculty of Spindrift School of Performing Arts.

Randall has been seen as Nicely Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls with the Peninsula Ballet Theatre of San Mateo, Edna Turnblad in Hairspray at Ohlone College of Fremont, Father in Ragtime at MAD Theatre in Tampa, Florida, and the National Tours of A Christmas Carol and George M.

Maggie McGrann is a freelance costume designer and teaching artist currently residing in the Bay Area. She holds an MFA in Costume Design from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA as well as a BA from the University of Richmond in Virginia where she studied Theatre & English. Maggie has a graduate degree at the Juilliard School in NYC. Her most recent credits include: San Francisco - Cymbeline (SF Shakespeare Festival); Richmond, VA –  Winnie the Pooh for Kids (SPARC),The Inheritance (Richmond Triangle Players), Camelot Jr (SPARC), How I Learned to Drive (TheatreLAB); Pittsburgh – Chimerica (Quantum Theatre), I Hope They Haunt You (Carnegie Mellon); NYC – Jagged Little Pill (assistant shopper, Broadway reopening)

Ami is a prominent member of the Bay Area music scene, playing with numerous ensembles and bands including The Holloway String Quartet, Mission Baroque, All My Pretty Ones, as well as playing in numerous orchestras and pit orchestras. She studied chamber music under coaches including the Alexander String Quartet, Martina Trumpp, and Yuval Yaron; cello under Carol Rice, Geoffrey Rutkowski, Mario De Secondi, and Sandy Wilson; and played in master classes taught by such artists as the Juilliard String Quartet, Toby Appel, and David Requiro. She studied cello at the Ruth Asawa SOTA, UC Santa Barbara, San Francisco State University for a MA in Music, and at the Musikhochschule Trossingen in Germany.

Manu Petaia completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Piano Performance at San Francisco State University in 2016 under the tutelage of Dr. R. Woodward, and his Masters degree in the fall of 2021 under Dmitry Rachmanov. He began playing piano at the age of 6, and throughout his childhood and into early adulthood, was exposed to a great body of choral work through his Dad, who received his Bachelors from San Francisco State University before him.

He is very, very fond of the music of Bach and Mozart, and by extension, much of the music—both for piano and other instrumental ensembles—of the 17th and 18th Centuries. If given the opportunity, he would very much like to engage in a thorough study of the early Mozart Piano Sonatas.

Paige is a pianist and mathematician from North Dakota with a Master’s degree in mathematics and many years of piano training. She has already fallen in love with Pacifica where she lives with her husband and dog. Ms. Relling has been playing piano since the age of eight under the guidance of Nicole Antonenko, where she studied a variety of piano styles including all the musical time periods. While studying mathematics in college at the University of North Dakota, Ms. Relling joined the school’s women’s choir and the Sweet Adelines’s choir where she performed Music of the Night from The Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Georgiana by Dario Marianelli, written for the movie Pride and Prejudice based on the book of the same name.

Amy will be in charge of our ELOP program at Cabrillo Elementary. Her background includes dance, art, pilates and many performances on stage. She began her dance career dancing for a modern dance company called Pax Fiat in the greater San Diego area. She has taught dance to kids in the US and abroad for over 15 years. Most recently, She taught drawing and art to elementary aged children for the past 5 years.

Valeria is a profesional singer, pianist, and teacher from Lima, Peru currently living in San Francisco. Valeria has a bachelors of music performance and Pedagogy from Florida Gulf coast university and a Masters degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of music in voice perfromance. She has won multiple singing competitions and worked with Opera Naples, the Florida Southwest Symphony Orchestra, Pocket Opera and multiple other organizations. She has experience working with students of all ages, but has a soft spot for kids and teenagers. Valeria has experience in a wide range of genres but specializes in musical theatre, classical, and pop. She likes to swim, read, and colect colorful stickers! As a voice and piano teacher, she is commited to fostering a healthy and welcoming learning environment, where creativity is encouraged and students can find their love for music.