Yi Yun Chin is a Malaysian-Chinese pianist, currently in her first year of Doctoral studies in Piano Performance at the University of Arizona. Born and raised in multicultural Malaysia, she grew up surrounded by both Western classical music and traditional Chinese music—an environment that shaped her artistic identity and broadened her musical perspective.
With over eight years of teaching and performing experience, Yi Yun is passionate about nurturing expressive, well-rounded musicians. Her background spans piano tutoring, vocal and instrumental accompaniment, chamber music, and ensemble collaboration. She has also served as a piano adjudicator for the Junior Music Festival (2023 & 2024) at Miami University. As a Graduate Teaching Assistant during her Master’s and now in her Doctoral studies, she teaches both functional piano group classes and individual lessons, gaining extensive experience in tailoring lesson plans to meet the needs of diverse learners.
She loves the piano for its beautiful tone and extraordinary versatility—an instrument that can sing melodies, weave harmonies, and creates its own unique musical world. As a teacher, she sees every student as a puzzle waiting to be understood. She enjoys discovering each learner’s unique strengths and musical “palette,“ guiding them step by step to express themselves and blossom with confidence through the joy of music.
Yi Yun’s teaching philosophy centers on developing deep listening skills, musical instinct, and expressive communication. She helps students build strong technical foundations while fostering creativity and musicianship. In addition, she is trilingual (English, Chinese, and Malay) and classically trained in both piano and guzheng. And thus, with a strong interest in cross-cultural music education, she enjoys incorporating classical repertoire, contemporary styles, and traditional East Asian music—including guzheng-inspired transcriptions—into her teaching. Fun fact: Yi Yun is also a big foodie and loves exploring good food around Tucson!
Nayeli Jimenez is in her fourth year working towards a BS in Environmental Science and a BM in Piano Performance with a minor in Spanish. She was born and raised in Tucson and has been involved in the vibrant music community her entire life. She loves the unique experience of immersing herself in the instrument as she plays the piano, and she loves that there are always improvements to make. As for teaching, she loves seeing students progress and make connections between what they’re learning with what they’ve learned in and out of the studio. She is fluent in both English and Spanish, and has taken graduate-level music theory. She was also a violinist for 13 years in both classical and mariachi. Some fun facts: she was an avid aquarist for 6 years, she has a twin brother who is finishing his engineering degree here at UA, and she has been to four continents/seven countries!
Hannah Lee is in her fourth year studying for a BS in Medical Pharmacology & Toxicology and a BM in Piano Performance with minors in Spanish and Korean. Her hometown is Tucson, AZ. What she likes most about playing the piano is the calm and focus she feels when she practices on her own. Her favorite part about teaching piano is when the student experiments with the music because it allows her to see where they would like to take their ideas. Her special skills include speaking four languages (English, Korean, Spanish, Mandarin) and being a certified EMT in the state of Arizona. Fun facts: Hannah has performed piano concertos with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra and the Civic Orchestra of Tucson and can also play the violin!
Originally from Seoul, South Korea, Somlee Lee is in her first year of the DMA in Piano Performance program at the University of Arizona. She completed her Professional Studies Diploma at the Cleveland Institute of Music and has performed in various international competitions and recitals, gaining broad performance experience. These experiences allow her to share practical tips and insights with her students, helping them grow both technically and musically.
Somlee has over 10 years of teaching experience, from beginners to advanced performers. She has served as a piano instructor at Avon School of Music (2023–2025) in Ohio and as a Graduate Assistant at Illinois State University, teaching students in the community piano program. She enjoys guiding students toward a deeper understanding of music—technically, artistically, and intellectually—helping them build strong foundations while encouraging creativity, independent thinking, and personal expression.
Outside of music, Somlee is a passionate coffee lover and home cook. She enjoys exploring new cuisines, traveling, and finding connections between music, culture, and everyday life.
Drew Le Febvre is a piano performance major in his Junior year. With two years of experience in providing piano lessons, he is excited to share his love for music and help others to gain the skills needed to enjoy playing songs they like on the piano. He has taught students of all ages. With experience playing classical music, worship music, contemporary music, jazz band and more, he is comfortable teaching all styles of music. He’s excited to meet you and help you achieve your goals!
Natalie McLaren is a junior here at the University of Arizona pursuing a double major in piano performance and music education. She is originally from a suburb of Dallas, Texas but moved to Arizona with her family in July of 2023. Transitioning to Arizona has empowered her to lead a very active lifestyle, and a few fun facts about her are that after the move, Natalie took up 4 new activities: rock climbing, pickleball, weightlifting, and hiking.
She has enjoyed playing piano for over 15 years and loves its capacity to break down barriers and create a universal language that connects all. Playing the piano is all about storytelling through sound, and she loves the versatility in the piano to depict anything the imagination can create. Natalie loves teaching it so that she can help others fall in love with the instrument in the way that she did. Her deepest desire is for piano to grow roots in her students’ lives and receives the opportunity to witness this occur as a gift.
Natalie has lots of experience teaching students with special needs and within all age ranges, including adults. She has worked with intermediate students yet has also taught students as young as 3 years old. She truly believes piano can be for anyone, and she’s looking forward to helping her students understand and love the art and discipline that has given her so much.
Sofia Nguyen is a Piano Performance major and a sophomore at the University of Arizona (UofA). She is originally from Vietnam. One thing she loves about playing the piano is that it allows her to express her emotions and feel fully like herself. Performing gives her a space to connect deeply with the music and communicate what she’s feeling in a way that words cannot. She also enjoys teaching piano because she learns so much through the process of teaching others. Every lesson gives her new experiences that help her grow as both a musician and a person. Sofia is bilingual in Vietnamese and English.
Fun facts:
She can’t start her day without music playing in the background.
She enjoys baking in her free time, especially desserts that remind her of home.
She loves to travel because discovering new cultures and scenery makes her feel refreshed and inspired.