Our Faculty & Staff

Michael Blutman enjoys a diverse career as a trumpeter and music educator. A graduate of Juilliard and the University of Maryland, his teaching, performing, and recording credits include: Ithaca College, Five Towns College, Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts, Sting, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Paragon Ragtime Orchestra, Orpheus Chamber Orch, Broadway shows, and many others. Michael also co-founded the music education publishing company Pinnacle Music Press (www.pinmusicpress.com).

Andrew R. Steinberg is a Boston-based saxophonist performing throughout North America, Asia, and Europe. Praised for his “beautiful tone” and “lyric playing,” Andrew has sought to perform neglected works as well as present premiere performances. An advocate of music that is equally gratifying and challenging, his repertoire focuses on works that highlight the “sound-of-sax” in ways never heard before, particularly in terms of tone color, range, and aesthetic approach. In addition to performing, Andrew lectures at venues including Boston University, New England Conservatory, Brookline Adult & Community Education, as well as the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Andrew  is currently completing his doctorate at New England Conservatory and is the Founder and Music Director of the Megalopolis Saxophone Orchestra.

What will be your focus for the upcoming camp season? 
This summer, Saxophone class will focus on team activities, including saxophone quartets and ensembles, as well as discussions of the saxophone repertoire and its rich history.    
 

Boris Deviatov earned his Master’s and Doctorate of Music in the Ukraine. A member of the Leontovich String Quartet, Boris has appeared in the major concert halls of North America and Europe. As well, he is a winner of several competitions, both as a violist and conductor.

Cyndi Feinman has been teaching music in the Roslyn Public Schools for over 12 years. In addition to leading chorus in the district’s Middle School, she directs the Spotlight musical. Currently, Cyndi is the chairperson for Division V All-County Mixed Chorus, and a co-chair for the NY/ACDA (American Choral Directors Association) Middle School Division. She also adjudicates NYSSMA Levels One through Six during NYSSMA season. Her greatest goal is to bring the joy of music— particularly vocal skills and choral music— to a new generation. She has received Orff levels from Trevor Day School and Hofstra University and Kodaly levels through the Hartt School of Music in Connecticut. Her studies also include “Music and the Brain training” and World Drumming Level I.
 

Why did you choose to work at Usdan? 
I believe in the mission and I believe that students should have a place they feel safe to experiment with things they love. 

Paula Berardinelli, Ph.D,  teaches Class Piano at both Hofstra University and Molloy College, and is the organist of St. Mary's Church in Roslyn Harbor. As a freelance pianist and organist, she has performed extensively in the classical, jazz and commercial genres, often serving as accompanist for pop artists such as Al Martino, Buddy Greco, Connie Francis, and Jerry Vale. Paula was featured at the Chelsea Center Concert Series, and appeared with the Minnewaska Chamber Music Society performing works for two pianos by Debussy, Gershwin, Faure and Bolling. She holds degrees from Hunter College, C.W. Post, and New York University. 

Born in Ohrid, in the Republic of Macedonia, Vasko Dukovski began playing with sound at age five and started his musical education at the age of eight. His dedication to music and the clarinet earned him a Fine Arts Award from the Interlochen Arts Academy, which he attended before receiving a Bachelors and a Masters Degree from The Juilliard Schools of Music.  Today, he is a New York-based multidisciplinary performing artist ,composer and advocate of  contemporary classical and experimental music.  Vasko has collaborated with some of New York’s most respected ensembles including Argento New Music Ensemble, S.E.M Ensemble, Bang on A Can All Stars, and others. In addition to being a front man of his world music quartet, Tavche Gravche, Vasko, is a member of Either/OR Ensemble, Mise-En Ensemble, Lost Dog Ensemble and Ensemble. He regularly appears in Europe, The Middle East, North Africa, China, and extensively in the U.S. in venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Symphony Space, BAM, Roulette, LPR, and Miller Theater at Columbia University, The Met Museum and MOMA.  

Aaron Korn is a highly sought-after freelance horn player in the Tri-State area.  Returning to Usdan for the ninth year, he has previously held the positions of 2nd horn with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra in Israel and the Princeton Symphony in NJ as well as 4th horn with the Allentown Symphony Orchestra, PA. In addition to his role at Usdan, Aaron currently teaches at Hunter College and The Juilliard School - Music Advancement Program.  His performance career includes Broadway shows such as Cinderella and Rocktopia as well as the beloved Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall. He is a graduate of the Yale School of Music, where he received his Master of Music degree, and the Manhattan School of Music, where he earned his Bachelor of Music degree. 
        
Why did you choose to work at Usdan? 
I have taught at Usdan for the past nine years, and I always love my summers there. The students remind me of what I was like when I was their age, and I hope to be as inspiring to my students as my former teachers were to me.

Artist/Educator Cristalina Denicola is a high school art teacher in the Brentwood Union Free School District.  A Usdan alumna and graduate of Pratt Institute, Cristalina is sculptor specializing in ceramics. She enjoys working and building with her hands, believing that there’s something beautiful about creating work that starts from flat 2D static nothing and transforms into a 3D artwork that shows movement. 
 
Why did you choose to work at Usdan? 
Attending Usdan as a child inspired me to become an artist/teacher, and I wanted to give my students a similar positive experience.

Usdan alumna and freelance fashion designer Sonya Korder is the founding teaching artist of Usdan’s Sewing & Fashion Design program.  Over the past few years, she and her team have focused on applying real-life industry skills to educational.

Why did you choose to work at Usdan? 
As a student, Usdan provided a nurturing and accepting environment where I was able to pursue my interest in the arts. I chose to return to Usdan's Art Department to be able to recreate those special summer memories with the next generation of artists and learners. It has been exciting to grow with Usdan!

Dana Neger-Lagos is a Master Model Maker, Jeweler, and Sculptor who has been teaching at Usdan for the past six years. For the first 14 years of her career, she designed and manufactured for the commercial jewelry industry. Designing and creating jewelry, belt buckles and accessories for companies such as Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren, Nautica, Calvin Klein, Wathne Ltd., QVC, Susan Lucci, Jeffery Stevens, and many more. She is a working artist in Smithtown, New York and, for the past five years she has been teaching at the Art League of Long Island; Plainview Old Bethpage School District; and Long Island Libraries Adult Education Program. Her artwork can be seen at East End Arts Council, South Hampton Cultural Center, West Hampton Beach, South Hampton Beach, Gallery North, Art League of L.I.,Sachem Public Library, Sweetbriar Nature Center and the Johnny Coltrane Jazz Festival.  She has a BFA in Jewelry Design and Silversmithing from Parsons School of Design in New York City.

What’s the most unusual or interesting part of the teaching process? 
The most interesting part of the teaching process are the children and their interpretation of a project. I can teach 15 students the same technique and get 15 different and wonderful versions of that technique.

Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Laura Lannes is an award-winning illustrator and cartoonist living in New York City.  She graduated in 2015 from the School of Visual Arts, where she studied Illustration. Laura balances commercial work and passion projects including two comic books coming out in 2018: in the fall; one in the U.S., by publisher Retrofit Comics; one in Brazil, by Companhia das Letras.    

What are you most excited about for this coming summer season? 
I can’t wait to meet all the campers and learn about each of their particular interests and artistic leanings! 

Lauren Ruiz is a research-based multimedia artist addressing ecological contamination and the corrosive effects of human activity. Her research currently focuses on the amount of artificial plastics that exist within the human body at a cellular level, and on water scarcity and its relation to the civil unrest.  She received a Bachelor of Science in Fine Art and Film Production at Hofstra University in 2012 and is currently pursuing her Masters of Fine Arts at Stony Brook University. As well, she currently teaches beginning drawing at Stony Brook University.

What other departments are you most excited to collaborate with? 
I would be excited to work with the Nature team and possibly bring in some projects that look at the environment or recycling, as part of a more social practice project with the students.

A practicing artist and educator, Krista Biedenback’s passion has always been drawing and painting. She currently teaches drawing, sculpture and studio art courses at Hicksville High School and produces large-scale mixed media drawings and paintings out of her studio in Port Jefferson, NY. Krista’s past experience includes coordinating exhibitions for galleries in Manhattan and on Long Island, as well as serving as the Assistant to the Director of the Pollock-Krasner house in East Hampton. She is thrilled to be returning to Usdan this season for another summer of art exploration and growth with her students.    

Why did you choose to work at Usdan? 
Usdan is a magical place. From the beautiful surroundings to the enthusiastic students, it is a place for all to grow and learn from each other in the arts.

Tom Brydelsky in an artist living and working in New York. His mixed-media encaustic pieces have appeared in numerous publications and televised features on art and home décor, as well as in group and solo exhibitions and many prominent public and private collections. Tom is also a seasoned museum educator and has served at many notable New York intuitions including The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum; The Queens Museum of Art; The Hecksher Museum of Art; and the Parrish Art Museum. 

Have you won any accolades/awards in your creative profession?  
I’m recently received the Pollock-Krasner Award grant  -- a great honor.

Chris Vivas returns to Usdan for the ninth year this summer. He was selected for artist residencies throughout the world, including The Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park in Japan; the Museum of Arts and Design in New York City, AIR Vallauris in France, and Babayan Culture House in Turkey. And, his ceramic sculptures have been exhibited throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. In addition to Usdan, Chris teaches at St. Joseph’s College and Suffolk County Community College.

What will be your focus for the upcoming camp season? 
Working with students to develop their own creations; spark their creativity; and offer challenging projects and puzzles tengage their minds as well as bolster their skill sets.    

Annie Ewaskio is a Teaching Artist at Studio in a School and Abrons Arts Center.  She has participated in solo and group shows at galleries across the United States, including Elijah Wheat, GP Presents, A.I.R., and Underdonk (New York); Zolla/Lieberman (Chicago); Texas Christian University (Fort Worth); and Current (Baltimore). Her work has appeared in publications including The Brooklyn Rail, The New Yorker, and New American Paintings. Annie is the recipient of two Kossak Painting grants; the Jerome Foundation Travel & Study grant,; and the William and Dorothy Yeck award from Miami University. Her residencies include The Arctic Circle Program and the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts in Omaha, NE. She has an MFA in Painting from Hunter College, and lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.

What are you proudest of in your career? 
Getting funding to go to the Arctic for research, and going to Bemis as a resident artist.
 

One of Long Island’s top 10 players, Joel Salman is a professional Chess Master who has been teaching chess to children in schools and libraries on a full time basis since 1994. The Long Island native joined the faculty of Usdan in 2003, where he co-chairs the Chess Department.

What are you most excited about this summer?

To have another opportunity to help established players improve their games, and the chance to introduce new students to the wonderful world of Chess.

Dancer/choreographer Gentry George began his artistic studies at age eight with the Founder of The Community Book and Dance Academy Linda Agyapong. He went on to graduate from New World School of the Arts in 2008 and graduate from Juilliard in 2012.  A former Dance Artist for the Dance Theatre of Harlem, and Ailey II, Gentry is currently a Guest Artist at Randolph College; Central Connecticut State University; and Newark Arts High.  He also teaches Ballet and choreographs for the youth ensemble both at the Dance Project of Washington Heights. Gentry received a Level 1 ARTS award, given by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, and is featured on HBO’s “Masterclass.” He has presented work throughout New York, New Jersey, and Florida including NYC’s SummerStage; Dixon Place; HarlemStage Gatehouse Theater; The Wassaic Project; Jamaica Center for the Arts and Learning; Madiba Harlem; and Fort Tryon Park, among others.

Born and raised in New York City, Jessica Azenberg made her professional debut on ABC’s One Life to Live as “Baby Jessica.” A serious ballet student growing up, she trained at the School of American Ballet, Manhattan Youth Ballet, Ballet Academy East, Miami City Ballet and the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. She attended high school at the Professional Children’s School and received a B.F.A. in Dance from The Boston Conservatory. Since graduating college, Jessica has worked at many theaters around the country. Some of her favorite theatre credits include Spamalot (Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Geva Theatre), Hello! My Baby (Goodspeed Musicals), A Christmas Carol: The Musical (Pioneer Theatre Company), Hello, Dolly! (Cape Playhouse) and Thoroughly Modern Millie(Ogunquit Playhouse). In addition to performing, Jessica is a passionate dance instructor and currently teaches at Shuffles Broadway Tap and Musical Theatre School and Dance With Miss Rachel in New York City.    

Did you yourself attend Usdan?  
I attended USDAN when I was 8 and 9yrs old. My major was ballet and my minor was Tap. I actually started Tap Dancing at USDAN!

Artist and yogi Karine Falleni has been practicing yoga for 20 years and instructing for 13. She has taught for Canyon Ranch and Miraval Resort in Tucson, AZ in addition to Charter schools, community outreach programs and local studios. Karine has done extensive trainings in yoga therapy, prenatal and Anusara. She has taught a wide range of classes including meditation, restoratives, and breathing, in addition to all levels of alignment based Hatha. She is passionate about bringing yoga outside of the traditional studio and making it accessible to all.    

What are you proudest of in your career? 
I'm just grateful to lead a life that allows me to pursue what I love.

Christina Pawl is a dancer, singer, and actor whose credits include performing in the Tony Award-winning production of CABARET, Meet Me In St. Louis, and the revival of South Pacific. As well, she has taught jazz dance at Broadway Dance Center, “Beginnings” workshops; Main Street Theatre; and Dance Alliance Roosevelt Island.

What's the most unusual or interesting part of the teaching process? 
That the students teach me as much as I teach them/being open to that. I love the discoveries that happen along the way.

A member of Actors’ Equity Association, James is a freelance actor and also serves as the vocal director of Beyond the Stage Studio in Plainview, NY. Previously, James worked as an actor at Woolly Mammoth Theater Company, Shakespeare Theater Company, Pioneer Theater Company, Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival, Prospect Theatre Company, and on the national tour of Peter and the Starcatcher. As a child, he studied Musical Theatre, Jr. Chorus, and Tap at Usdan and credits the camp for introducing him to the many musicals and plays he now cherishes as an adult.

Is this in keeping with your current work outside of camp?
 Yes, my entire life is devoted to the theater and the arts.
 

Michael Janover is a Long Island-based Musical Director/Actor/Composer/Arranger who regularly works in the theater as a music director and pit orchestra musician. He is a motivated and outgoing individual with a passion for and a belief that music can heal and connect all people.

Jim Invorvaia is a high school AP English and Theater teacher returning to Usdan for his 27th year.  A Long Island native, Jim lives in Westbury and leads the charge for Usdan’s Theater Department, planning, scheduling, and producing the Camp’s annual 35-day, 11-show season for 300-plus theater students.

What are you most excited about for this coming summer season?  
The whole season.