As often happens, the talk turned to careers. Goldberg told the couple (their names turned out to be Chuck and Kim) that she was a longtime music professor at Cal State San Marcos. The couple told Goldberg that they both worked in the cybersecurity field.

When Goldberg’s face betrayed that she knew nothing about cybersecurity, Chuck and Kim launched into a brief introduction. As Goldberg listened to them, it occurred to her that she might have a personal story that at least touched on cybersecurity. She recounted it to them, and after she was done, Chuck and Kim had to pick their jaws up off the floor.

“They were like, ‘Oh my God, you are going to become famous,’ ” Goldberg recalled.  

Within weeks, Goldberg had been introduced to the organizers of the biggest cybersecurity event in the nation, the RSA Conference in San Francisco, and she was invited not just to appear, but to be a keynote speaker. Soon after that, Jen Easterly, then the director of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (commonly known as CISA), approached Goldberg and asked her to join an upcoming lecture circuit.

Goldberg’s life hasn’t been the same since that chance encounter in La Jolla. Now, she’s in the process of achieving an even greater level of exposure.

She turned her amazing tale into her first book (non-textbook category), “Notes of Deception: How a Quartet of American Musicians Outwitted the KGB,” released Aug. 25 by HarperCollins, one of the largest book publishers in the world. The book – co-written with Vince Houghton, director of the National Security Agency’s National Cryptologic Museum – chronicles an almost-too-bizarre-to-be-believed episode from the mid-1980s, years before Goldberg joined the faculty at CSUSM.

“I had been sitting on the story for decades,” she said. “I didn’t realize the extent to which people would be really interested.”

More than four decades ago, Goldberg was a saxophonist for the Klezmer Conservatory Band (KCB), a Boston-based group that played mostly Yiddish music. This was during the height of the Cold War, when the United States and the Soviet Union were locked in a battle of nuclear brinkmanship.

Through a newspaper article, the KCB became aware of a musical group in the Soviet republic of Georgia called the Phantom Orchestra, composed mainly of so-called refuseniks (the term for Jewish people who were denied permission to emigrate by the Soviet government) but also Catholic and human-rights activists and artists. The Phantom Orchestra was using music to circulate their story to the Western world, and the KGB (Soviet state police) increasingly viewed the musicians as a threat.

Urged on by locals in their Boston suburb, Goldberg and three of her bandmates decided to travel to the USSR to meet with the orchestra in a show of solidarity. But there was one big catch.

“The caveat was that this had to be undercover, a secret mission,” Goldberg said. “We couldn't tell anybody about it, except for our parents and if we had a boyfriend or girlfriend. Not only that, but in order to take information in and out, we had to have a secret code because we couldn't walk in with people's names and addresses. They would get in trouble.”

Goldberg had the perfect secret code in mind. As musicians, of course, the KCB would be bringing sheet music to Georgia. What if they were to use that as a cipher – effectively obscure their hidden messages in plain sight?

“So it looks just like piano music, but actually it’s directions on how to get to someone’s apartment because their phones were disconnected,” she said.

Goldberg and her bandmates felt thrilled by their proposed deception, by the notion that they would be acting like real-life spies. After the first in-depth interrogation by the KGB, however, their headiness turned to fear. Yet they made it into the Soviet Union with their code undetected, and once they met the members of the Phantom Orchestra, they grew more emboldened.

“We gained so much confidence from them,” Goldberg said. “We became less afraid of the KGB and more defiant, and that helped our ability to manage a difficult situation and what potentially was a very dangerous situation.”

After spending eight days behind the Iron Curtain, Goldberg and Co. tricked the KGB on their way out as well. Then they went to work, lobbying members of Congress and playing concerts to raise awareness of the refuseniks’ plight. Their advocacy ultimately factored into the negotiations between President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev on easing Cold War tensions, and the USSR finally dissolved in 1991.

“Once people started being able to emigrate, of course, our story faded into the woodwork of history,” Goldberg said.

“Notes of Deception” is her latest, boldest attempt to change that. A self-described “pack rat,” she saved all the archival information – reports, news clippings, photos – from the spy mission, suspecting that it could prove useful someday. But none of it emerged until 2022, when the accidental meeting with Chuck and Kim yielded the cybersecurity conference speaking gig, which in turn yielded an exclusive feature about the saga in Wired magazine that attracted widespread attention.

Goldberg decided that she wanted to tell her story in her own words. She had written much of a manuscript – using a sabbatical to piece it together – but was struggling to find a literary agent.

Enter Houghton, the NSA official who had heard about Goldberg’s speeches and read the Wired article. As a historian of cryptology, he was dumbfounded that the tale of Goldberg’s band was unknown to him. He contacted Goldberg, and they hit it off. After Goldberg described her book project, Houghton told her she might have a better chance of getting it published if she recruited a co-author who could sprinkle in more historical context.

“I was like, ‘Hey, Vince, how about you? Do you want to take this on with me?’ ” Goldberg said.

Houghton agreed, and with him on board as an experienced writer (one of his colorful titles is “Nuking the Moon: And Other Intelligence Schemes and Military Plots Left on the Drawing Board”) a bidding war ensued to publish the book.

Now it’s here, and the reception has been enthusiastic. People magazine published an extended excerpt last month, and the Wall Street Journal reviewed the book (among many other outlets). Goldberg already has been interviewed by multiple podcasts and TV stations, and she spoke on a panel at the recent KPBS book festival in San Diego. She also has embarked on a national book tour that will extend through May (she’s able to do it because she has entered the Faculty Early Retirement Program, having taught her final class last spring).

Asked what she hopes readers take away from the book, Goldberg said: “What we did was a little over the top in terms of making a difference in people's lives, but advocacy absolutely makes a difference. Every single day there's something that you can do to change someone's life in a little way. Also, music is a very powerful language in terms of communicating, but also self-empowerment. It's really important for people to have music or the arts or even sports, to have something that they can hold on to that takes them out of their brains to reconnect, recharge and be mindful.”

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

This season boasts a diverse selection of eight events as the university hosts renowned guest speakers and performances.

Attendees can reserve tickets online via the Arts & Lectures website now.

Movement Mystics: Alchemy, Resilience and Transformation

Sept. 18, 7 p.m., Arts Building 111

This captivating dance performance celebrates the richness of Brazilian culture through timeless feminine stories and symbols. Inspired by Brazil's many dance traditions, it explores themes of strength, transformation and the wisdom carried within the body.

Drawing from world mythology, Yoruba beliefs, Jungian psychology, Clarissa Pinkola Estés' “Wild Woman” archetype and the vibrant rhythms of Brazil, the performance uses movement to honor the past, express the present and connect with something deeper.

More than a celebration of culture, this work is a personal journey. It explores how dance can help us navigate life's biggest challenges and reconnect with our inner strength.

CSUSM students: Free

Faculty/staff/alumni: $5

Community: $10

CHABSS Networking Night: Transformative Leadership and Social Change

Oct. 7, 5 p.m., USU Ballroom

Join CSUSM students, alumni, artists and community leaders for an evening of ideas, creativity and connection. The event will highlight how leadership emerges through the arts, media, public service and civic engagement.

Enjoy appetizers, drinks, live music and an inspiring panel of alumni and community leaders sharing how their work creates meaningful social impact. The evening will conclude with structured networking designed to foster meaningful conversations, explore career paths and build lasting connections.

Whether you’re seeking mentorship, expanding your professional network or discovering new opportunities, this event offers an engaging space to learn, connect and be inspired by those shaping the future of our communities.

CSUSM students: Free

Faculty/staff/alumni: Free

Community: Free

‘The Canary Code’: Designing Workplaces Where Different Minds Thrive

Oct. 12, 6 p.m., USU Ballroom

Our ability to thrive in the workplace is highly dependent on how we relate to one another. Ludmila Praslova, author of “The Canary Code: A Guide to Neurodiversity, Dignity and Intersectional Belonging at Work,” shares insights on how we can prioritize neuroinclusivity in the workplace to foster connection and a sense of belonging.

Praslova draws from her perspective as a first-generation academic and a neurodivergent woman. She is a professor of industrial-organizational psychology at Vanguard University in Orange County and a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Psychology Today and Forbes.

CSUSM students: Free

Faculty/staff/alumni: $5

Community: $10

‘You’re No Indian’

Oct. 26, 6 p.m., USU Ballroom

Come attend a screening of “You’re No Indian,” which is not just a film – it’s a call to action. At the heart of this 2025 documentary lies a battle for identity and justice, where militias storm casinos, graves are pillaged for DNA evidence and even proven lineage cannot save individuals from disenrollment.

More than 10,000 people have been disenrolled from their tribes in recent years, eviscerated from their communities and families. Research confirms disenrollment’s relationship to tribal gaming and even the corruption of tribal politicians. Not only does it result in financial ruin for the disenrolled, but immeasurable psychological harm when they are now told “you’re no Indian.”

This film exposes the dark intersection of power, greed and cultural erasure. It’s a powerful stand for those whose voices have been silenced, urging viewers to join a growing movement for truth and accountability.

CSUSM students: Free

Faculty/staff/alumni: $5

Community: $10

The Power of Transformation: From Gang Life to Community Leadership

Nov. 3, 6 p.m., USU Ballroom

Luis J. Rodriguez – an award-winning poet, acclaimed author and community activist – draws from his own life and shares how he overcame gang involvement to become a leading voice for hope, healing and social justice. His inspiring story reminds us that people can change, communities can heal and everyone deserves the chance to build a better future.

CSUSM students: Free

Faculty/staff/alumni: $5

Community: $10

Pasifika in Entertainment: Navigating Culture, Language and Performing Arts in Disney’s Live-Action ‘Moana’

Nov. 16, 6 p.m., USU Ballroom

The release of Disney’s live-action “Moana” film this summer involved local expertise and talent from CSUSM and the surrounding area. Attendees will learn about the making of the film through the perspectives of the Oceanic Cultural Trust, a group created by the film company to serve as cultural consultants on Oceanic language and performing arts. 

CSUSM professor Grant Muāgututi'a served as the lead cultural consultant for the film. His work focuses on the need for Oceanic language conservation efforts through mainstream popular media, independent documentary film, community partnership programming and higher education institutions both locally and abroad. He and others involved in the film will reflect on their roles in making the live-action film. 

Members of the Oceanic Cultural Trust and actors from the film will engage the audience with behind-the-scenes stories and live musical and dance performances to inspire everyone to reimagine how grassroots cultural arts education can shape more inclusive experiences of higher education and impact popular media representations.

CSUSM students: Free

Faculty/staff/alumni: $5

Community: $10

Capturing Complexity: Theater as a Means of Self-Exploration and Reconciliation

Nov. 17, 6 p.m., Arts 111

Join us for a staged-reading presentation of “Pride: Mortal BEINGS part 1,” a one-person play written and performed by Terrell Donnell Sledge, a San Diego actor, writer, director, advocate, empowerment coach and CSUSM theatre arts lecturer. The story is an alternative telling of the fall of Lucifer – from Lucifer's perspective – hinging on the questions of free will, love, loyalty, suffering, suicide, forgiveness and redemption.

After the performance, Sledge will be joined by Stephanie Sledge – an artist, associate clinical social worker and CSUSM alumna – for a conversation about narrative representation and creative expression for self-exploration and healing. Stephanie will interview Terrell about the process of writing the play as a form of self-preservation when he was navigating academic environments prone to stereotyping and erasure of Black male identity. Guests will depart with the building blocks for harnessing their own creativity as a therapeutic tool.

CSUSM students: Free

Faculty/staff/alumni: $5

Community: $10

Serenades, Fantasies and Songs: Camarada With Aaron Humble, Tenor

Nov. 19, noon, Arts 111

Camarada, a resident ensemble at The Conrad in La Jolla, will present a unique concert spotlighting the remarkable tenor of CSUSM professor Aaron Humble. This diverse and engaging program takes audiences on a journey through the history of music, spanning from the Baroque era to the 20th century.

The instrumental portion includes works by Baroque master Telemann, Romantic composer Robert Fuchs and contemporary composer Ian Clarke. Vocal selections will highlight lyrical and expressive works by Benjamin Britten, Italian opera composers Gaetano Donizetti and Ruggero Leoncavallo, and an exquisite French masterpiece by Georges Hüe. Performers include Beth Ross Buckley, flute; David Buckley, violin; Travis Maril, viola; and Dana Burnett, piano.

Join us for an inspiring midday concert as we explore the world of vocal chamber music and more.

CSUSM students: Free

Faculty/staff/alumni: $5

Community: $10

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

As it often goes, he didn’t hear back from one of the groups he reached out to – True Concord Voices and Orchestra based out of Tucson, Ariz.

On a gig months later in Santa Fe, N.M., the Cal State San Marcos associate professor of music was approached by a fellow tenor explaining how a group in Tucson needed another tenor for an upcoming project. Humble booked the trip and enjoyed a week of recording and camaraderie.

“The first conversation I had with the conductor was him sort of sheepishly saying, ‘Hey, I’m really sorry that I never responded, but I do really like your audition materials and we’d love to have you sing with the group,' ” said Humble, who is co-chair of the music department and also filling the role of director of the dance studies program.

About six years later, a weeklong recording session with True Concord resulted in “A Dream So Bright: Choral Music of Jake Runestad,” which debuted in August 2024 at No. 2 on Billboard’s Classical Albums chart. Three months later, the recording was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance, a realization of a lifelong dream for Humble.

True Concord didn't win when the Grammys were held last February. But the experience of recording and, months later, riding the wave of the highest nomination for a recording artist is one that Humble puts high on his list of career accomplishments.

And it came with the group that previously had ignored his inquiries.

“It’s up there in the top for sure,” said Humble, who has performed at such iconic venues as the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center and the Library of Congress. “It’s not something you can will to happen because you’re relying on democracy. You’re relying on the members of the (Recording) Academy, the majority of whom I don’t know. And so it does feel like this sort of grassroots recognition of an accomplishment.”

In his career as a solo artist, Humble has performed in opera, recital, concert and chamber music venues, enjoying solo appearances with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Boston Pops. During his tenure singing with Cantus out of Minneapolis, he sang more than 800 concerts and recorded 10 albums with one of the nation’s premier vocal ensembles.

CSUSM's School of Arts is making a concerted effort to hire and encourage its faculty to stay active in their respective industries.

Ching-Ming Cheng, music co-chair, gives piano concerts both solo and with renowned performers routinely. She just completed a fall series of concerts with cellist Paul Tseng and harpist Vanessa Fountain throughout San Diego County, including on campus and at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido.

“Part of it is to feed my artistic soul and sort of keep that fire burning,” Humble said. “Creative activity is part of our scholarship as applied faulty in the arts, so that’s part of it. But in terms of teaching, it also helps me stay relevant. I’m teaching students how to practice, how to perform, and if I stop doing it, I won’t be as good at teaching that.”

Originally from northeast Ohio, Humble was the director of choral activities at Minnesota State University, Mankato before coming to CSUSM. A graduate of Millikin University in Illinois, he has a Doctor of Music degree in vocal performance and literature from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.

Humble and his husband, Xu Zou, have a home in New York primarily for Zou’s work there. Their main residence is in South Park with their two cats, Chopstick and Toothpick.

Humble and Cheng are in the process of proposing a music recording and production degree program in the music department. Music technology is currently a minor.

“I think that will bring a whole different set of students here as well,” Humble said. “And for the students who are really looking for that ramp into a vocation, into a career, that’s a great degree for them.”

His dream is to host a music therapy program at CSUSM. There are no such programs in San Diego, an area rich with the therapeutic power of music.

Humble directs the university choir, which is an SATB (soprano, alto, tenor and bass) ensemble that is open to students of all majors and other members of the campus community. The choir does not require an audition.

Humble slowly has been building small group opportunities for students who are looking for more advanced repertoire. That’s innovation.

For him, it’s about finding the right pace and fit while pushing the students to discover new opportunities within themselves. That’s acceleration and cultivation, the key tenets behind CSUSM’s Blueprint for the Future fundraising campaign, in which the College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences lists “Anchoring the Arts” as one of its two initiatives.

“I don’t know if we’re quite there yet, but we’re close,” he said. “It’s just nice to give those students who want that extra challenge with harder repertoire, with things that are a little more on the art music side of things and might challenge students in a way that those kids want but other students don’t want. To have space for them to do that.”

The concert that the music department is working on this semester is about belonging and unity.

Earlier this semester, Humble wasn’t feeling well at choir rehearsal while recovering from getting vaccinated. He ended up having a great rehearsal and left feeling much better.

It reminded him that he hears the same from students often. They may arrive to campus in a bad mood but leave their interactions upbeat and ready to go on with their day.

Being on the receiving end of that community of care is a gentle reminder that he and other faculty often provide the same.

“People need those safe spaces more than ever and those moments of community,” Humble said. “I feel really fortunate that I get to teach in a place that wants that for all of our students. And that I get to make music and build that community in an artistic environment with my students as well.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

The concert will be held Oct. 23 at noon in Arts 111. Cheng will perform with cellist Paul Tseng, music director of the San Diego Music Society. The performance unites two internationally acclaimed musicians and will feature pieces from Mendelssohn and Schumann.

“These are the two representative romantic composers,” Cheng said. “I would like to point out that, especially in the Mendelssohn piece, even though it's called ‘Cello Sonata,’ the piano part has maybe 50 times more notes than the cello. It's very lively and fun yet challenging.”

Cheng joined CSUSM as an assistant professor of music in 2011; she is now the chair of the music department. Her work at CSUSM has helped her achieve the Top Music Teacher Award from Steinway & Sons every year since 2016. In 2021, she received the CSUSM President’s Outstanding Faculty Award in Service and Leadership. In 2023, Cheng was inducted into the Steinway & Sons Teacher Hall of Fame.

The concert is a preview of Cheng’s upcoming concert at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, on Nov. 2 at 4 p.m.

“It’s a chamber concert with piano, cello and harp. The theme of the concert is ‘284 Strings,’ the total number of strings of the three instruments combined,” Cheng said.

The full list of Cheng’s performances includes:

• Oct. 9, 1 p.m., Palomar College, Howard Brubeck Theatre
• Oct. 23, noon, Cal State San Marcos, Arts 111
• Oct. 28, 2 p.m., Grossmont College, Performing and Visual Arts Center
• Nov. 2, 4 p.m., California Center for the Arts, Escondido
• Nov. 9, 2 p.m., Point Loma Community Center

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim assistant director of editorial and external affairs
ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

She grew up in Vista in a household where music was the background noise of life. Her father’s side of the family is populated with music teachers and choir directors, and during the holidays especially, the whole clan would congregate to play instruments or sing hymns.

Davis attended an elementary school where music education was strongly emphasized, and she began to come out of her shell through musical theater.

“Music is something that brings my family together and gives me joy,” Davis said. “It’s something I’ve been surrounded with my whole life.”

When Davis enrolled as a student at Cal State San Marcos in 2018, however, she did so with the intention of pursuing a major in literature and writing studies. She wanted to become a teacher like those who had inspired her as a child, but English struck her as a far more plausible discipline than music, or the arts in general. Such jobs, she reasoned, don’t exactly grow on trees.

In California, though, suddenly they might. In November 2022, the state’s voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 28, which will provide about $1 billion in funding each year to support arts education in public schools. Schools must spend 80% of that money on teachers and aides, which means that California has an overnight need for about 15,000 teachers in the arts, and San Diego County for about 500 such teachers.

This marks a sea change in the field of arts education, and CSUSM now is well-positioned to be a leader in the space. The university has received grants of $308,260 from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and $50,000 from the Clarence E. Heller Foundation to launch a program that will streamline the process for CSUSM students to become arts teachers.

Under the new CSUSM Art Credential Pathway, the university will be the first in the CSU system to create a pathway specifically for undergraduate arts majors who aspire to teach. Center ARTES, an organization dedicated to arts education and integration in K-12 schools that was founded by CSUSM music professor Merryl Goldberg in 2003, will partner with the university’s School of Arts and School of Education to develop and implement the pathway to prepare CSUSM arts students to reimagine high-quality arts education for the San Diego region and serve as a model for the state.

The future arts teachers will be recruited from CSUSM’s undergraduate arts and liberal studies students, as well as teaching artists and existing teachers in the San Diego community.

“We’re setting the course on this,” Goldberg said. “We’re not the only CSU that’s doing any work in this area, but we’re way ahead of the curve in terms of the partnering of the School of Arts and School of Education. That makes us a standout.”

To be able to teach in the arts, students typically need to earn a single-subject teaching credential in the arts, which CSUSM does not yet offer. What the new pathway will do is allow undergraduate arts and liberal studies students to complete a one-year multiple-subject credential program as long as they have accumulated 20 credits of arts classes, which could be dance, music, theater or visual arts.

“In the past, we haven’t really looked at that as a viable option for our students because there haven’t been jobs in the arts,” Goldberg said. “But now that there are probably 500 jobs alone in San Diego, this is such a no-brainer way to get our students into this career path.”

Working with Goldberg to institute the program is a team of faculty that includes education professor Christiane Wood, dance professor Cherie Hill, theater professor Judy Bauerlein and media arts professors Lucy HG Solomon, Kristin Moss and Julie Goldstein.

“This program is a game-changer for students looking to impact children’s lives through the arts,” Hill said. “I am excited that this pathway will cultivate future dance and arts educators.”

“Our on-the-ground efforts should translate to increasing the arts in schools and helping CSUSM students and area artists get jobs in the arts,” Solomon said. “In the not-so-distant future, we will be admitting new undergraduate students who have had classes in the arts throughout their education in the public schools. And it is likely that CSUSM alumni will have taught them. That’s exciting!”

“This initiative provides an opportunity to transform the arts education landscape by nurturing talent, igniting creativity and equipping future educators with the skills and knowledge to inspire the next generation of artists, serving as a blueprint for the state of California in support of Prop 28,” Wood said.

Planning and development of the pathway program started this semester and will continue in the spring. CSUSM also will seek to solidify connections with local arts organizations and teaching artists that will serve as partners in the program, including the Museum of Making Music, New Village Arts, The Old Globe, A Step Beyond and the Oceanside Museum of Art.

The first cohort of students pursuing a credential to teach the arts will launch next fall. Goldberg says the goal is to recruit 24 students for the yearlong program. The foundation funding will last for three years, meaning that there will be at least two cohorts.

Many of those two dozen future teachers were on campus Saturday, Nov. 4 when CSUSM hosted a workshop in the Arts Building that drew more than 75 people. The event introduced attendees to the road to becoming an elementary arts teacher in the areas of dance, theater, music, visual and media art. It featured activities, a panel with current arts teachers and an information session about the different ways to pursue a career in arts education.

“There was definitely a buzz of excitement there; it was just a really bright energy,” said Davis, one of the attendees. “A lot of the people on hand had no intention of being art teachers before Prop 28 passed. They just wanted to teach elementary education or maybe high school history or something. But now you can do both in the same program. I think that that's so wonderful, opening up these opportunities for people who might have never considered arts education.”

While she studied literature at CSUSM, Davis decided to take a couple of music classes just for fun, and she enjoyed them so much that she added music as a second major in 2020. She will graduate as a double major this month (though she’s walking in the spring) and take three pre-credential program classes next semester before joining the first arts pathway cohort in fall 2024.

When she’s not taking classes, Davis gives private voice lessons (she has sung at several CSUSM commencement ceremonies over the years) and teaches in after-school music theater programs at a couple of elementary schools in Escondido. Her goal is to teach both music and English at a school in San Diego County, preferably one where arts resources aren’t as bountiful and her skills are more needed.

“I've always been a huge advocate for arts teaching, especially in primary education,” she said. “I think it's so important to introduce kids to art at a young age. It inspires you to be a better person and motivates you; it's a great way to express yourself and to have a voice in the classroom. So I was really excited to hear that the state was pushing arts education a little bit more heavily.”

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

Cheng, who joined CSUSM’s faculty in 2011, played an integral role in the university becoming an All-Steinway School, a prestigious designation held by fewer than 200 colleges, universities and conservatories worldwide.

“To be inducted into the Steinway Teachers Hall of Fame, seeing my name and also Cal State San Marcos listed on the walls inside the legendary New York Steinway factory for generations to see, this whole journey is just beyond this world,” said Cheng, who was in New York for the ceremony earlier this month. “To be recognized by Steinway, alongside some world-famous piano teachers like Norma Kreiger and Dr. Robert Weirich, I am so grateful and humbled.”

Every two years, the Steinway & Sons Teacher Hall of Fame selects the most committed and passionate piano teachers from the United States and Canada for this prestigious honor.

Cheng, who began her musical training at age 5, has performed around the world, and she has been a recipient of Steinway’s Top Music Teacher Award every year since 2016.

“While performing is part of my career, teaching and working with students makes me a better teacher and the experience has been so rewarding and fulfilling,” she said. “With this recognition, I hope I continue to motivate students in the way that they will find inspiring and enthusing in their own musical journey.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist
ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

They went their separate ways after high school, easily losing touch in a time with no social media.

While Kao moved to the United States to study at USC, Cheng stayed in Taiwan to further pursue her love of piano.

This week the childhood friends will be reunited nearly 7,000 miles from where they grew up together – at Cal State San Marcos.

The two classically trained pianists are performing a “Piano for Two” concert Friday at 7 p.m. in the Arts building as part of the Arts & Lectures series. The event is free for CSUSM students; $5 for faculty, staff and alumni; and $10 for community members. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door if available.

“You have to be on the same wavelength in order to feel the harmony,” said Cheng, a professor and the chair of the CSUSM School of Arts music department. “If you don't really like the person, you have to play together, and imagine that kind of conflict. So it's been really fun to play with a real friend. I used to play and perform with musicians that I probably would only meet once. And then we will have to work together, which is fine. But that's more like just business. We get the performance done, and we move on. But with Janet, it's been very rewarding, and we learn from each other.”

Cheng is an award-winning piano virtuoso who has performed for audiences around the world. She has been honored by several organizations for her playing as well as by educator groups for her teaching. She’s been a faculty member at CSUSM since 2011.

Kao is a lecturer in the College of Performing Arts at Chapman University. She has received teaching fellowships from the Julliard School and the USC Thornton Opera and is a vocal coach who has contributed her expertise to many operas in Los Angeles and worldwide.

After reconnecting about five ago after two decades apart, they have been driving back and forth between Orange and North County to rehearse. But to both, it’s been more about reconnecting with an old friend rather than deciding who plays what part.

“It’s so wonderful to collaborate with a childhood friend like Ching-Ming,” Kao said. “We had similar musical backgrounds, and we knew each other really well. It makes the rehearsal process really fun. When we get together to rehearse, it’s like a high school reunion. We practiced and discussed the music in detail, and we ended the day with some yummy meals.”

The duo prepared a concert during the pandemic, but it involved each of them on their own piano. It was part of Cheng’s concert series that she developed while thinking about the true purpose of performance and how that drastically changed a few years ago.

A trained solo pianist, she used to prepare for concerts by playing pieces by herself for hours. Isolated from the outside world as best she could. While getting a chance to step back and reflect in 2020, Cheng kept asking herself what she missed most during a time performances were shut down.

The answer for Cheng was simple. It was the same as the purpose she discovered for herself many years ago – to share music with people.

“Art is everywhere in life,” Kao said. “I think people of all ages should attend art shows and performances so you not only learn things from textbook, but you get to experience art itself in the performance.”

This unique “one piano, four hands” technique means the duo sitting side-by-side playing classical pieces. While the right-side pianist primarily plays the melody as the lead, the partner on the left side plays a more supporting role.

It plays perfectly to Kao’s style as a coach as she’s used to listening and following.

The most fascinating parts of Friday’s show could be when there’s overlapping. There has been a lot bumping into each other during rehearsals so the choreography of the show may be just as impressive as the final pieces themselves.

The end result this week will be a unique concert featuring the works of classical composers Schubert and Fauré.

But the process matters. As much as the duo takes pride in the final product, the journey to get here has been about reconnecting with a childhood friend.

“Making music is not just playing, there's a lot of ideas that we need to be on the same page,” Cheng said “It's funny because when I met her, we were in high school. I had only known her for three years and that was 20-something years ago. We went through so much in life. Time and space change the person, and there's a difference. Now we're in 2023.

“So getting to know the person, the personality, the philosophy for life, or how she would interpret music. It's all part of the process. It's not just play notes together. We have to speak the same language so that we can be in sync when we perform.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

The concert is at 7 p.m., March 3 in the Arts Building. The event is free for CSUSM students. Faculty, staff, alumni and community members can purchase tickets online via the Arts & Lectures website. 

Cheng, a classically trained, award-winning piano virtuoso who has wowed audiences around the world, will present a piano recital alongside Kao. The two pianists will perform repertoire written specially for four hands on one piano. There will be festival, dance, fantasy and more.  

CSUSM’s Arts & Lectures series offers a diverse lineup of artistic, cultural and scholarly events every semester based on input and proposals from students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members.  

What: Arts & Lectures event “Piano for Two”  

Who: Pianists Dr. Ching-Ming Cheng and Dr. Janet Kao

When: 7 p.m., Friday, March 3 

Where: Arts Building 

Cost: Free for CSUSM students; $5 for faculty, staff, alumni; $10 for community members   

Tickets: Register online  

Information: Arts & Lectures website  

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

For Rachael Groeneweg, it was merely the kickoff for what will surely be a summer to remember for the rest of her life.

Groeneweg, who graduated from Cal State San Marcos last month with a degree in music, sang “America the Beautiful” at three of the university’s five commencement ceremonies. But before that, she was selected by Fox 5 San Diego following an extensive regional search to sing the national anthem during the telecast of the annual Big Bay Boom fireworks show on July 4 on San Diego Bay.

Big Bay Boom is the largest fireworks show in California, and the television audience stretches from San Diego to Sacramento. So even though Groeneweg has sung the national anthem at a few dozen events over the years, this will be her most significant assignment yet.

“It’s a very big audience, and this is a big deal to me,” Groeneweg said. “Starting with graduation, it’s been a whirlwind, an awesome experience, and I feel honored and humbled and grateful.”

Fox 5 originally was seeking a teacher to sing the national anthem as a tribute to the role that educators have played during the COVID-19 pandemic. The producers who conducted the search, however, were swayed by both Groeneweg’s vocal talent and her personal story.

The broad outline is that she’s a military wife who’s married to a staff sergeant in the Marines, and that her adoptive mother is a high school choir teacher. That checks two big boxes for the TV station. But the deeper contours of Groeneweg’s background are even more compelling.

She was born and raised in Poway, and her parents divorced when she was 7. When her father left the picture, Groeneweg was stuck with a mother who was physically and emotionally abusive. Always possessing of a dynamic singing voice, she found refuge in youth theater through her church and other community organizations.

Groeneweg didn’t tell anyone about the tribulations she was experiencing at home until her sophomore year at Mt. Carmel High School. As a freshman, she had met Marti Martinez, the longtime choir director at the school whose eyebrows were raised when the precocious teen boldly declared that perhaps she was too good for beginner choir, the placement for all first-year students.

“She’ll say, ‘That’s when I knew I loved her,’ ” Groeneweg said. “We just clicked right away.”

Martinez learned that Groeneweg lived a block away, and since her mother was disinclined to take her to school, Martinez began driving her to Mt. Carmel most mornings. She also cast Groeneweg in the major role of Fantine in the school’s production of “Les Misérables” – she was the only sophomore who earned a part – only to be dismayed when the student regularly missed school and, by extension, rehearsals.

When Martinez finally confronted her about her absences and its effect on the musical, Groeneweg broke down – and opened up.

“I was shocked,” Martinez said. “I knew her mom wasn’t the best mom, but I didn’t know she was abusive.”

Martinez called Child Protective Services, which sent officials to interview Groeneweg, but because she was an older child and had other places to live via friends in youth theater, CPS didn’t consider it an emergency case and thus didn’t remove her from her home. Martinez managed to pull off the delicate trick of convincing Groeneweg’s mother that Rachael would be better off living elsewhere, though Martinez’s own house wasn’t an option because she already had three older sons.

Over the next several years, Groeneweg’s mother was arrested twice – the first time on four counts of grand theft and then, after her daughter’s high school graduation, for stealing Rachael’s identity in connection with credit cards. Groeneweg has cut off all ties with her mother and doesn’t even know where she lives.

Martinez never officially adopted Groeneweg, but for years they have called themselves mom and daughter.

“Even though I didn’t live with her, she’s always been my guardian angel,” Groeneweg said. “We’ve had a bond since the day we met. It’s been mom and family ever since.”

Because she has been financially independent since she was 17, Groeneweg didn’t have the typical college experience. After high school, she attended a series of community colleges to earn music credits while holding down jobs to pay her rent and put food on the table. She got a certificate in graphic design from CSUSM Extended Learning and has been working for years as an independent contractor for Mt. Carmel, designing choir posters and programs and doing assorted administrative tasks.

It wasn’t until Groeneweg married her husband, Tymon, four years ago that she was able to fully commit to education. She enrolled at CSUSM in fall 2019 and graduated with her music degree two years later, with more than half that time remote as she moved to Fresno when Tymon was assigned duty as a Marines recruiter. She intended to pursue a master’s in vocal performance at Fresno State, but she’s expecting her first child – a boy due in November – so that plan is on hold.

Groeneweg had a short but impactful stint at CSUSM. Last fall, she was invited by music professor Mtafiti Imara to participate in the pilot of an exchange program, through the Office of Inclusive Excellence, between CSUSM and historically Black colleges and universities. Designed to be held in person, the program went virtual because of the pandemic, and Groeneweg was mentored by Malesha Taylor, a voice teacher at Clark Atlanta University who’s also a lecturer for CSUSM. 

Working with Taylor as well as longtime music professor Merryl Goldberg, Groeneweg completed a project on protest songs that involved a research paper and an original composition. The song, the first one she has created from scratch, is titled “You Is (Kind, Smart, Important),” and it’s inspired by a line spoken by a Black maid to a white girl in the 2011 Oscar-nominated film “The Help.” 

On the strength of that effort, Groeneweg was a finalist in the CSUSM Symposium on Student Research, Innovation and Creative Activities, and she advanced to the CSU statewide competition. She also was named the 2021 Scholarship and Creative Works Champion by the College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences.  

“I feel honored to have had the opportunity to work with Rachael,” Goldberg said. “She is so talented, inspiring, reflective, profound, provocative and empathetic. She is already making a difference in the world. One day, when she’s super famous, I’ll be able to say proudly, ‘I know her!’ ” 

Groeneweg is less interested in fame than in returning to her roots. She aspires to earn a teaching credential in music and take over the Mt. Carmel choir program from Martinez when the latter retires in four years.  

“I’m really excited to have someone to leave my program to and know it will be in good hands,” Martinez said. “If I could do it tomorrow, I would.” 

That’s for down the road. This month is all about preparing for Big Bay Boom. Groeneweg already sat with Martinez for a Fox 5 interview in the Mt. Carmel choir room. She visited a Mission Valley recording studio to lay down the national anthem vocals (“I made the owner cry,” she says proudly). She had a wardrobe consultation and a hair and makeup session. And, most memorably, she boarded the Star of India on a beautiful San Diego night, with tourists on the Embarcadero gawking, to pre-record “The Star-Spangled Banner.” 

Groeneweg has sung the anthem dozens of times. But it never has been like this.  

“I’m always emotional when I do it, especially being a military wife,” she said. “But filming it on the deck of the Star of India, seeing how we’ve come together as a community, what’s possible in a year’s time, I definitely felt it more than usual. And not only where we’ve gotten as a country, but also myself. If you had told senior-in-high-school Rachael she’d be singing on TV, she probably would have laughed in your face.” 

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

This season boasts a diverse selection of five events as the University hosts renowned guest speakers and performances. Attendees can purchase or reserve tickets online via the Arts & Lectures website beginning Aug. 27.

Back to School Dance Battle with Johnny5 and TURFinc

6 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 20

Arts Building 111

Join us for a back-to-school hip-hop dance battle in which dancers face off and try to outperform one another using their best tricks, flips and breaks. A dance battle is inclusive so that during a battle anyone can sign up to compete, which means in addition to watching the battle you can face off with the TURFinc dancers.

TURFinc is an Oakland-based dance company that specialize in a style called “turfing.” The dance form originated in the boogaloo movement in Oakland. Turfing is a social critique and recognition of lost African American lives, police brutality and race relations in Oakland.

Resistance is Life, Film and Q&A with the Director

6 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 25

University Student Union Ballroom

From a refugee camp on the Turkish-Syria border, “Resistance is Life” features the story of 8-year-old Evlin, a Kurdish refugee who embodies the resilience of her community and hometown of Kobane against the occupation of ISIS militants. Told from her perspective, this feature-length, award-winning documentary introduces the many faces of resistance over the course of eight months on both sides of the Turkish-Syrian border and provides an inside look at the extraordinary spirit behind the first major victory against ISIS militants.

Director Apo Bazidi, whose films underscore the importance of global cultural interactions, presents the film in person and will host a Q&A.

From Forgiveness to Peace and Restorative Justice

6 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 27

University Student Union Ballroom

Mindful CSUSM firmly believes that a more just society has to be based on principles of compassion and a true belief that every single one of us matters and is worthy of the opportunity for a full life. Award-winning author and peace activist Azim Khamisa teaches us by example and by thoughtful examination of the choice we can make to follow a path of compassion and forgiveness, as he has done, following the murder of his son by a 14-year-old boy. He will talk about his realization that there are victims on both sides of the gun and about the Tariq Khamisa Foundation which has reached more than half-a-million children as part of its mission to reduce youth violence. He will also talk about restorative justice and his efforts to provide a path to productive citizenship to incarcerated individuals in the federal prison system.

Sponsor: Mindful CSUSM, Office of Inclusive ExcellenceCo-sponsor: CLIMB (Center for Leadership Innovation and Mentorship Building)

Tango Obsession

7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 16

Arts Building 111

Camarada, San Diego’s premiere Chamber Ensemble, presents a sizzling array of tango music and dance. Raúl Juarena is a master of the button accordion, known as the bandoneon, and earned praise from Argentinian nuevo tango icon Astor Piazzolla. This concert features Jaurena’s tango interpretations, which are enriched by influences of jazz and spontaneous improvisations that will fascinate a new generation of listeners. Featured dancers will be Tango Alma, a masterful tango team with an ability to flow from sensuality to comedy and sassiness while keeping faithful to the magical embrace that makes tango the world’s most expressive dance. Camarada musicians will include CSUSM faculty pianist Dana Burnett, flutist Beth Ross Buckley and string players David Buckley and Jeff Pekarek. Music will include new compositions by Raúl Jaurena and arrangements and original works by the Tango master Astor Piazzolla.

Charles McPherson

7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 23

Arts Building 111

CSUSM welcomes saxophonist and composer Dr. Charles McPherson to teach a Master Class on improvisation and perform with the jazz faculty. McPherson has performed globally, most recently showcasing original compositions at the Lincoln Center. In addition to being an integral member of the great composer-bassist Charles Mingus’ band (1960-72) he has performed with jazz greats Barry Harris, Dizzy Gillespie, Tom Harrell, Randy Brecker, James Moody, Wynton Marsalis and others.

McPherson has over 30 recordings as a leader and many more as a guest, including with: Art Farmer, Kenny Drew, Toshiko Akiyoshi, the Carnegie Hall Jazz Orchestra and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. His most recent recording is the highly acclaimed “Manhattan Nocturne.” He was the featured saxophonist in the 1988 Clint Eastwood biopic on Charlie Parker, “Bird.”

Co-sponsored by the CSUSM Music Department

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Only Academic Hall, Craven Hall and Science Hall 1 had been built. As for a state-of-the-art music studio, well, only if you count a closet in Science Hall 1.

“It was not a lot bigger than my office,” Bradbury said. “We had a mixing board and some mics and I could squeeze about eight or 10 students in the closet.”

Times have certainly changed.

In the past three years alone, CSUSM has added a music major, an innovative music lab and received the prestigious designation as an All-Steinway School, among other milestones.

“It’s really a new era for music on our campus,” Bradbury said. “There are a lot of exciting things happening for our students.”

Inventory upgrade

Earning the All-Steinway School designation was not even on Ching-Ming Cheng’s radar when she arrived at CSUSM in 2011.

Cheng, an associate professor of music and a renowned classical pianist, took one look at the 61-note keyboards being used by students at the time and knew an upgrade was paramount.

By 2015, thanks to a fundraising event at which Cheng performed, CSUSM was able to open a music lab with 30 new, 88-key digital pianos.

The music lab was the first step on an important journey for the University’s music program.

In October 2016, nearly $150,000 was raised for the purchase of a Steinway D Concert Grand piano, the instrument of choice for most concert pianists. CSUSM students experienced playing on the Steinway D in the spring as part of their senior capstone projects.

“It’s like you’ve been driving a Volkswagen and all of a sudden somebody gives you a Tesla,” said Dana Burnett, a lecturer in the music department.

Building on the momentum from the acquisition of the Steinway D, the University publicly announced its goal to become an All-Steinway School on April 9, 2017, following a performance by Cheng at the California Center for the Arts Escondido. CSUSM reached its goal exactly one year later, joining an exclusive group of fewer than 200 universities and conservatories worldwide with the All-Steinway School designation.

“In music, especially in piano performance, having a good instrument can bring you to the next level,” Cheng said. “For all the elite music schools around the world, becoming an All-Steinway School is really the goal. When you present yourself as an All-Steinway School, you don’t really need to say much more. That’s when you know that the teachers know what they’re doing, and the school knows what’s important and how to support students.

“I’m really grateful and happy to be in this community where everybody supports music so much.”

Student-centered approach

The All-Steinway School designation and the music lab aren’t the only unique aspects of the program.

Music professor Merryl Goldberg, who arrived at CSUSM the same year as Bradbury, notes that the small professor-to-student ratio is a boon for students, who are able to provide input into the structure of their degree.

“Their path might be rock ’n’ roll, it might be classical or mariachi or some type of folk music, but we’re able to support and nurture students in any path they choose,” Goldberg said. “It’s really student centered.”

The program has a group of core courses that all music majors take and then they are free to emphasize a specific area based on their interests.

“The flexibility in creating your own degree that works for you is really unparalleled,” said Spencer Osborne, who will graduate in spring 2019 with a degree in music composition. “I don’t know another school that does that.”

Students’ musical experience when they arrive at CSUSM runs the gamut from those who are highly skilled to others who are at a beginner level.

Kristina Vo is one who arrived at CSUSM highly skilled on the piano, but she never considered majoring in music – not until she took a course with Cheng.

Kristina started playing the piano when she was 7 years old and continued through high school. Then she quit, figuring it was time to focus on her economics major when she enrolled at CSUSM.

Then Kristina signed up for an intermediate piano class taught by Cheng. With her previous playing experience, Kristina figured she would get an A in the class before moving on to fulfilling other graduation requirements. Instead, with encouragement from Cheng, Kristina added a second major and graduated in May with degrees in economics and music.

“The professors are really passionate about teaching and conveying their passion to students,” Kristina said.

Burgeoning program

The growth over the past few years has attracted talented musicians eager to be part of CSUSM’s burgeoning music program.

“We have really high caliber faculty,” Bradbury said. “There’s a lot of faculty-student interaction, which is really important, especially in music.”

Renowned trumpeter Curtis Taylor, a Grammy Award-winning artist who has played in a dozen countries and with some of the heavyweights of jazz, is one such instructor.

While some of his students are relatively new to their instrument, Taylor embraces the challenge of getting them up to speed. A music lecturer at CSUSM since spring 2016, Taylor begins each semester by finding a common starting place and building upon everyone’s knowledge base.

“That happens through the instruction and the concepts I teach, but it also happens through the students who know a little more helping the students who don’t know as much,” Taylor said. “I try to foster that team-building environment.

“It’s so rewarding. Even if people don’t go on to have a career in music, you can take the skills you learn from music in practice and discipline and consistency, and you can apply it to any area of your life that you want to excel in.”

Malesha Taylor is another recent addition to the music program, becoming the department’s voice teacher in the spring.

Malesha Taylor taught Vocal and Instrumental Instruction in the spring and will be leading a performance ensemble that will perform traditional and contemporary gospel music in the fall.

“What I really like about this music department, which is unique to all music departments that I’ve ever seen, is the students are learning different genres,” said Malesha Taylor, noting that the repertoire of her students includes classical, Latin jazz, traditional jazz, musical theater, pop and soul, among other genres.

Bright future

Curtis Taylor and Malesha Taylor are two of nearly a dozen lecturers in the music department. Bradbury, Cheng, Goldberg and department chair Mtafiti Imara comprise the full-time faculty.

Their presence and work toward developing the music major – not to mention the revamped music lab and All-Steinway School designation – have helped put CSUSM’s music program on the map throughout the region.

“Our award-winning music faculty are skilled and talented artists, teachers and scholars,” said Julia Johnson, dean of the College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences. “They have won multiple awards, including Emmys and grants from organizations like the National Endowment of the Arts or the Federal Department of Education Arts in Education Program.

“Additionally, they travel globally to perform for and to educate audiences in every part of the world. Students studying music at CSUSM have the benefit of learning from these accomplished professionals as they work toward their own professional goals as musicians.”

Bradbury still remembers the email he sent to faculty when the music major was approved three years ago. He noted that the “grunt work” was done, referring to the committees, the seemingly endless paperwork and designing the curriculum. It was time to start the “real work.”

“Now we have students coming here expecting this degree,” he said. “We have faculty with so much energy who are so supportive of the students. It’s really an exciting time.”

The department members aren’t resting on their laurels. Space constraints are an ongoing issue as the music department shares Arts 111, the campus’ lone performance hall, with dance and theater classes. One of the more immediate priorities is raising funds for student scholarships.

But seeing all that has been accomplished in a short period of time, Cheng has no doubt they can reach these goals and more.

“Every semester something good happens,” Cheng said. “We’re growing so fast. We keep getting the right support.

“The community really sees the importance of music education and arts education.”

“A lot of people think you can’t have a musical career, that it’s just a hobby,” said Taylor, who joined CSUSM’s music department as a lecturer in January. “I want students to feel like they can look into jobs and opportunities in the music field.”

An accomplished musical artist herself, Taylor is certainly setting the right example.

Taylor got serious about singing while in high school. Her choir teacher recommended she look at Cal State Fullerton, which has a well-regarded music program. After earning her bachelor’s in music with a concentration in vocal performance there, Taylor received her master’s in music from USC. She has been performing and teaching ever since.

Among Taylor’s numerous solo performances are appearances with the American Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops Orchestra and Hollywood Bowl Orchestra.

Taylor, a classically trained opera singer, has also participated in unique projects, including “Guerrilla Opera.”

“It started as a joke,” Taylor said. “Someone said, ‘You should just bust into a corner store one day and start singing opera. Shock people.’ ”

As Taylor mulled over the idea, she thought about having a video person follow her to capture the reaction from people. From there it grew into a serious project.

Living in Brooklyn at the time, Taylor went into barbershops, bodegas, buses and laundromats for impromptu opera performances. Her work became part of an exhibition called “Cultural Fluency: Engagements with Contemporary Brooklyn,” hosted by a Brooklyn gallery.

Taylor revisited the idea after relocating to San Diego, participating in the Museum of Man’s “Art Crawl” in 2016.

Taylor said “Guerrilla Opera” draws varied reactions and often leads to deeper conversations about class and classism.

“You never expect opera to be in those places and why is that?” she said.

While Taylor has an opera background, she is comfortable in a wide range of genres, which is one of the reasons she was a perfect fit at CSUSM.

The University’s music department is unique in its approach, allowing students to learn different genres rather than discouraging crossover. Taylor supports students no matter their interest, whether it’s jazz, pop, soul or something else entirely.

“It’s very liberating for students to come in and know that I’m going to support what they want to learn and that I’m not going to impose a genre on them,” Taylor said.

Taylor works in group settings with students as well as individually. They routinely do mind and body exercises, including stretching and yoga, as well as a variety of vocal exercises. She also works with students on overcoming nerves that may accompany performing.

“It changes everything when you’re nervous,” she said. “We talk about coping skills, how to think about your audience, how to think about yourself and how to be well prepared. You have to practice so that you’re less nervous.”

With her first semester at CSUSM complete, Taylor is looking forward to picking back up again in the fall. She will be directing a new gospel choir, which is open to students, faculty and staff, while continuing her vocal work with students.

“I’d like them to look for opportunities near campus to perform,” Taylor said. “I want them to find places where they can share their gifts because they’re all very gifted.”

Learn more about Taylor's work at her website.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Acclaimed saxophonist. Leader in arts education. Wang Family Excellence Award recipient.

One achievement that probably doesn’t come immediately to mind?

Skilled boxer.

A longtime professor of music at Cal State San Marcos, Goldberg used to tour around the world as a saxophonist. She is a well-known leader in arts education through programs like ART=OPPORTUNITY, which focuses on providing a meaningful education by improving literacy through the arts. She received the 2018 Wang Award, a prestigious California State University system-wide honor, for her exemplary contributions and achievements.

But it’s a good bet that accomplished boxer is not among the traits most people associate with Goldberg.

“Who would think this 5-foot-1, somewhat middle aged person would get into boxing?” Goldberg said. “But I absolutely love it.”

Goldberg’s introduction to boxing began on a dare. There was a boxing gym between a Sprouts grocery store and a dog groomer. Every time she walked by, she thought to herself, “Oh my God, I think I’d really like to hit something.”

Goldberg never ventured inside until dared to by a friend to try it. She had her hands wrapped, started a class and immediately discovered the similarities between boxing and music.

“The first thing I noticed was it was all rhythm,” she said. “Everything had a rhythm to it. It just immediately appealed to me because it was so music like.”

While Goldberg has plenty of friends who do meditation and yoga, few are into the “Sweet Science.” But as Goldberg quickly learned, boxing has its own community, opening the door to her befriending many people she may not have otherwise met.

Goldberg is typically at the boxing gym four days a week and wouldn’t mind adding a fifth day. She takes classes three days a week and twice a week has individual training sessions, which includes weight training and mitt work.

The mitt work is her favorite part of the workout.

“When you hit a bag you can make a nice sound,” she said. “But when you’re hitting mitts it’s almost like the crack of a bat at a baseball game, which I think is the best part of going to a baseball game. That sound is so wonderful. If you hit correctly, you get that nice, crisp sound. It just feels so good.”

Goldberg spars on occasion, but only with a trainer. She often is asked if she would like to compete. While intrigued by the possibility, Goldberg has decided it’s not for her for two reasons. First, she has been told that she has “heavy hands,” meaning she hits hard and could potentially do some damage to an opponent.

“I would feel awful if I hurt somebody,” she said.

The other reason?

“I don’t want to get hurt,” she said. “I think I’m pretty good and I’ve learned defensive moves, but I think it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to show up to class with a broken nose or a black eye.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

“It’s a pretty big deal to play on a Steinway,” said Kristina, who will graduate in May with a double major in economics and visual and performing arts with a music concentration. “If they were cars, they’d be the McLarens or Ferraris of cars. They’re really nice.”

Cal State San Marcos music students will have numerous opportunities to play Steinways thanks to the support of donors who provided funds to help the University become an All-Steinway School.

The All-Steinway School designation is held by fewer than 200 colleges, universities and conservatories worldwide. CSUSM joined this select group when Steinway representative Robert Snyder made the designation official during an on-campus celebration on Monday night.

“This is beyond my dreams,” said Ching-Ming Cheng, a CSUSM associate professor of music and a renowned classical pianist. “For all the elite music schools around the world becoming an All-Steinway School is really the goal.

“This marks the beginning of a new chapter for CSUSM’s music program.”

CSUSM’s journey to becoming an All-Steinway School began in fall 2014 when Cheng performed as part of a fundraiser for an innovative music lab at the University. More than $100,000 was raised for the purchase of 30 new, 88-key digital pianos to replace the limited number of 61-key mechanical models previously used by students.

In October 2016, nearly $150,000 was raised for the purchase of a Steinway D Concert Grand piano.

Building on that momentum, the University publicly announced its goal to become an All-Steinway School on April 9, 2017, following a performance by Cheng at the California Center for the Arts Escondido. Exactly one year later, CSUSM received the prestigious designation.

“This milestone symbolizes the excellency of the fast-growing music program at CSUSM,” said Cheng, who performed on the University’s new Steinway D Concert Grand piano as part of Monday’s All-Steinway School celebration. “Being an All-Steinway School makes it possible for students to reach a level where they can explore and discover the immense possibility in creating music on the instrument that provides the greatest potential in the creative art of music.”

Spencer Osborne got to find out first hand earlier this month when he performed on the Steinway D as part of two student performances on April 3. While the piano still needs to be broken in, a process that will be ongoing in the coming months, Spencer was impressed.

“The tone is incredible,” said Spencer, who will graduate in spring 2019 with a degree in music composition. “It’s got a warm, rich sound. Arts 111 is pretty dry as far as playing classical music, but it cuts through a lot of that, which is really nice. Every concert that we do, it’s just going to get better and better as more people are able to break it in more.”

Two more students – Kristina and Taylor Tickner – will perform on the Steinway D as part of their capstone projects, starting at 6 p.m. April 20. The performances are in Arts 111 and open to the public.

Playing on the Steinway D presents a whole new experience for the students.

“The keys are deeper, they’re longer, you get more sound,” said Dana Burnett, a lecturer in CSUSM’s music department. “It’s like you’ve been driving a Volkswagen and all of a sudden somebody gives you a Tesla.”

To receive the All-Steinway designation an institution must meet certain criteria regarding ownership and maintenance of Steinway and Steinway-designed pianos, including an inventory of at least 10 pianos.

CSUSM’s Steinway piano purchases were made possible by the Hunter Family Advised Fund at the Rancho Santa Fe Foundation; the David T. and Dorris E. Staples Foundation; the Epstein Family Foundation; Carolyn Funes; Carol Lazier and Jay Merritt; and the support of other generous donors who wish to remain anonymous.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

The All-Steinway celebration begins at 6 p.m. and includes a presentation of the designation by Steinway representative Robert Snyder and a performance on the University’s new Steinway D Concert Grand piano by Dr. Ching-Ming Cheng, a CSUSM associate professor of music and a renowned classical pianist.

Dr. Cheng is available for media interviews and a demonstration of the Steinway D Concert Grand piano from 3:30-4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 4. Please contact Eric Breier at ebreier@csusm.edu for parking and location details if you plan to attend the media session.

The April 9 celebration is free and open to the public, but tickets must be reserved in advance due to space limitations. Tickets can be reserved online. Complimentary parking will be available on Level 6 of CSUSM’s parking structure.

Less than 200 conservatories, colleges and universities hold the All-Steinway School designation, which demonstrates a commitment to excellence by providing students and faculty with the finest equipment possible for the study of music.

To receive the All-Steinway designation an institution must meet certain criteria regarding ownership and maintenance of Steinway and Steinway-designed pianos, including an inventory of at least 10 pianos.

CSUSM’s Steinway piano purchases were made possible through donor support of the Epstein family; Carolyn Funes; Rick and Ann Hein; the Hunter advised fund of the Rancho Santa Fe Foundation; Carol Lazier; and the David T. and Dorris E. Staples Foundation.

What: A celebration of Cal State San Marcos’ prestigious designation as an All-Steinway School, including a special concert featuring renowned pianist Dr. Ching-Ming Cheng, a CSUSM associate professor of music

When: 6-7 p.m., Monday, April 9

Where: Arts 111 on the campus of California State University San Marcos

Tickets: Free, but must be reserved in advance online

Parking: Free on Level 6 of parking structure

About California State University San Marcos

Building on an innovative 28-year history, California State University San Marcos is a forward-focused institution, dedicated to preparing future leaders, building great communities and solving critical issues. Located on a 304-acre hillside overlooking the City of San Marcos, it is the only public four-year comprehensive university serving North San Diego, Southwest Riverside and South Orange Counties.

The University enrolls nearly 17,000 students. With approximately 2,000 employees, the institution is a Great College to Work For® (The Chronicle of Higher Education). As a recipient of the annual HEED Award since 2014—a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion—CSUSM is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment.

As a fifth grader in Bedford, Ohio, Taylor had no doubts after attending a symposium designed to help students find an instrument to their liking.

Then he found out the cost of a student model saxophone.

Taylor and his mother had recently moved into the school district and the moving costs made it difficult to justify the expense of the saxophone. Fortunately, the school’s band director suggested a more affordable trumpet.

It turned out to be a wise choice.

Today, at 32, Taylor is a renowned trumpeter, a Grammy Award-winning artist who has played in a dozen countries and with some of the heavyweights of jazz.

Despite his impressive résumé, Taylor said students in his Cal State San Marcos jazz ensemble class usually aren’t familiar with his background, at least not right away.

“I like letting them discover on their own,” said Taylor, who has taught at CSUSM since January 2016. “It’s always fun when they do. They’ll say, ‘I didn’t know you know that person.’

“But I’m not really here for that. I’m invested in trying to get them to learn these concepts and become better musicians.”

Taylor is focused on growing CSUSM’s music program. He said students arrive at varying levels of ability. He works to find a starting point at the beginning of the semester where they can all come together to begin building upon their knowledge base. That process not only occurs through the instruction and concepts that Taylor teaches, but also from students helping one another.

“It’s great when they have those ‘a-ha’ moments,” Taylor said.

Taylor’s own musical journey began at that elementary school instrument symposium. Two years later, he attended a concert that included renowned trumpet player Jon Faddis, among other musicians.

“They just looked like they were having a really great time on the stage,” Taylor said. “I thought, ‘You get paid to do this? Sign me up.’ ”

After earning his bachelor’s in jazz studies at Michigan State, Taylor attended Rutgers for his master’s and studied with William “Prof” Fielder, who was known for teaching numerous jazz notables, including Wynton Marsalis.

Taylor recently released a new album called “#Hashtagged,” which he describes as a concept album that provides a soundtrack to popular social media hashtags. Samples from the album can be heard on Taylor’s website.

Taylor also recently did an op-ed piece for the San Diego Union-Tribune as part of the newspaper’s series on “Why the Arts Matter.” He not only noted the importance of music in his life, but how it can teach much-needed skills for other fields.

“Even if people don’t go on to have a career in music, you can take the skills you learn from music – from the practice and discipline and consistency – and you can apply it to any area of your life that you want to excel in,” he said. “I’m living proof.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Not Goldberg.

“It’s a priority issue,” said Goldberg, who is entering her 25^th year as a faculty member at Cal State San Marcos.

Goldberg points to the Chula Vista Elementary School District as an example. The district’s superintendent has committed to ensuring that every child receives an arts education.

“He didn’t have any extra money, he just reallocated the budget,” Goldberg said. “He put money toward that as a priority, and every other school district can do that as well. It’s really a matter of priorities, not budget. And results and research shows it’s paying off.”

Goldberg has devoted her career to ensuring that all children have the opportunity for an education that includes learning in, with and through the arts. The CSU Board of Trustees has recognized her efforts, honoring Goldberg with the prestigious 2018 Wang Family Excellence Award for Outstanding Faculty Teaching.

The Wang Family Excellence Award annually recognizes four outstanding faculty members and one outstanding staff member from throughout the 23-campus CSU system who, through extraordinary commitment and dedication, have distinguished themselves by exemplary contributions and achievements. Each recipient is given a $20,000 award.

CSUSM is the only university to have a faculty member receive the Wang Family Excellence Award each of the last three years.

For Goldberg, the award is evidence of the value the CSU places on arts education, and not just in higher education but also within K-12. She notes that research shows that children who have arts in their background have a significant edge in college readiness, success in college and careers, and in developing skills such as empathy, risk-taking, thinking outside the box and collaboration.

“There’s a big disconnect between those who have arts and those who don’t,” Goldberg said. “For me, it’s an especially important, critical time where we need to ensure that all kids have access to arts in their education.”

Goldberg is doing her part through myriad projects, including ART=OPPORTUNITY. This county-wide campaign focuses on providing a meaningful education by improving literacy through the arts. A research-based initiative, ART=OPPORTUNITY offers leadership training, literacy residencies, summits, workshops and anchor events for educators, parents, youth and arts providers.

“Bottom line, it’s not fair that some kids have arts and some don’t,” Goldberg said. “The other thing that blows me away is when I think of the talent that’s wasted because a kid didn’t have a chance.”

Goldberg often thinks about a former student who she writes about in her book, “Arts Integration: Teaching Subject Matter through the Arts in Multicultural Settings.”

Alex arrived at Goldberg’s popular Visual and Performing Arts 321 class with a skateboard covered in artwork. When Goldberg asked about the art, Alex told her that he had drawn it. Goldberg soon learned that Alex never had an art class during his K-12 education.

Later in the semester, Alex shared a self-portrait and wrote, “No other subject at school achieves such an incredible level of self-realization and self-worth. When a student looks down at the paint on their hands and a work of art they just made, they say to themselves, ‘I made this.’ There is no feeling like that of one who has just created.”

“There are so many students like Alex,” Goldberg said.

Goldberg said one of the goals of ART=OPPORTUNITY is to ensure that everyone from parents to children are aware of the research that shows the arts matter so that they can ask for it.

“Parents have so much power in school districts,” she said. “What parent doesn’t think their kid should receive the best education? That includes arts and science and everything else. Getting them educated with regard to there being research to back all of this up is a super powerful thing.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

-- Dr. Ching-Ming Cheng

A new major in music. A new lab with two dozen, 88-key digital keyboards. A new Steinway grand piano for an acoustically advanced Performance Hall. Dr. Ching-Ming Cheng, an associate professor of music at Cal State San Marcos, looks at the developments and says matter-of-factly: “We’ve come a long way in a very short time.”

Cheng has been leading the charge. A classical pianist who has wowed audiences from Taipei to Texas and a leading educator who has taught on two continents, Cheng’s goals are simple.

“We want to establish a rigorous program that provides an excellent caliber of music education in the North County,” she said. “We want the best facilities and the best instruments for our students to give them an alternative of leaving the area to study music.”

Cheng has been studying music all her life. She found her path when instructors were drawn to her perfect pitch while growing up in Taiwan and accompanying an older brother to his lessons. She studied piano and double bass as a child, won several competitions at a young age, and performed professionally as a teen.

She came to CSUSM six years ago to help build the music program here. Private piano recitals raised funds for the new music lab and Steinway grand piano. Her recent public performances included an April 9 solo recital at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido and a May 13 piano concerto at Palomar College.

“Performing is a passion but I think teaching and influencing and bringing music to students’ lives is just as meaningful and rewarding,” Cheng said.

All attendees must purchase or reserve tickets online via the Arts & Lectures website at www.csusm.edu/al. Complimentary parking is available for all events in specified lots.

---------------------------------------------SCHEDULE OF EVENTS----------------------------------------------

The Sand Dog Cometh featuring Mary Pearson

Tuesday, February 2 at 7:30 p.m.

CSUSM, Arts Building, Performance Hall 111

• CSUSM Students: Free with online ticket
• CSUSM Faculty/Staff: $6
• Community Members: $12

This multi-disciplinary solo is written, directed and performed by dance and performance artist Mary Pearson (UK). It pays homage to the avant-garde, to kitsch, shtick, snobbery, trash and easy laughs.

Inspired by 'high' and 'low' culture, the 70’s, unintelligible academic language, classic crooners, Rihanna, musicals, Scouse female fashions, dereliction and shopping centers, The Sand Dog Cometh offers: Virtuosity? Intellectual stimulation? Distraction? Provocation? Catharsis? Dear Audience: What is it you care about? To learn more about this artist, visit her website here.

Las Cafeteras at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido

Friday, February 19 at 5 p.m.

California Center for the Arts in Escondido

340 North Escondido Boulevard

Escondido, CA 92025

• CSUSM Students: FREE with online ticket
• CSUSM Faculty/Staff/Alumni: $9
• Community Members: $18

Las Cafeteras fuses the unique sound of East LA with Afro-Mexican rhythms, zapateado and powerful lyrics. Born in the streets of Los Angeles, the group merges roots music and modern day stories with what the LA Times has called a “uniquely Angeleno mishmash of punk, hip-hop, beat music, cumbia and rock … Live, they’re magnetic.” Their songs tell stories of a community seeking love while fighting for justice in the concrete jungle of LA. To learn more about this artist, visit their website here.

Project Brainwash: Why Reality TV is Bad for Women (...and men, people of color, the economy, love, sex and sheer common sense)

Wednesday, February 24 at 6 p.m.

CSUSM, University Student Union, Ballroom

• CSUSM Students: FREE with online ticket
• CSUSM Faculty/Staff/Alumni: $5
• Community Members: $10

Using clips from some of the most popular TV shows of the decade, media critic Jennifer Pozner takes a fierce, funny and in-depth look at how reality television warps our ideas about gender, race, class and sexuality. How do The Bachelor, Keeping Up with the Kardashians and other reality TV staples impact our beliefs, behavior and culture? Pozner reveals who is profiting from this pop cultural backlash against gender and racial justice - and how you can become a critical media consumer while still enjoying your favorite shows. To learn more about this speaker, visit her book website here.

Diversity’s Promise for Higher Education: Making it Work with Daryl G. Smith

Tuesday, March 1 at 6 p.m.

CSUSM, University Student Union, Ballroom

• CSUSM Students: Free with online ticket
• CSUSM Faculty/Staff: $6
• Community Members: $12
• Kids 12 & Under: Free with online ticket

Dr. Daryl G. Smith is a nationally renowned expert in diversity and inclusive excellence. She is a Professor Emerita of Education and Psychology at the Claremont Graduate University. Her research and publications have been in the areas of organizational implications of diversity, assessment and evaluation, leadership and change, and faculty diversity. Dr. Smith will discuss how to build capacity and leadership to achieve diversity and inclusion goals under the new diversity plan. To learn more about this speaker, visit her website here.

Co-sponsored by the CHABSS Engaging Diverse Dialogues Initiative.

Who We Be: The Colorization of America

An evening with Jeff Chang, Co-Founder & Executive Director of the Institute for Diversity in the Arts, Stanford University

Tuesday, March 15 at 6:30 p.m.

CSUSM, University Student Union, Ballroom

• CSUSM Students: FREE with online ticket
• CSUSM Faculty & Staff: $6
• Community Members: $12

Jeff Chang has written extensively on the intersection of race, art and civil rights and the socio-political forces that guided the hip-hop generation. He brings fresh energy and sweep to the essential American story, offering an invaluable interpretation at a time when race defines the national conversation. His new book, Who We Be, is a powerful, challenging and timely cultural history of the notion of racial progress, tackling pertinent themes of multiculturalism, student and political activism, the state of the arts and the politics of abandonment.

Co-sponsored by: Cross-Cultural Center, Co-Curricular Funding, USU Activities Board, College of Education, Health & Human Services, Extended Learning, Associated Students, Inc., Latin@ Center, Office of Diversity, Educational Equity & Inclusion and Ethnic Studies.

Techno-Folklorico

Tuesday, March 29 at 6 p.m.

CSUSM, Arts Building, Performance Hall 111

• CSUSM Students: FREE with online ticket
• CSUSM Faculty/Staff/Alumni: $5
• Community Members: $10
• Kids 12 and under: FREE with online ticket

Native American Artist-Scholar Cristobal Martinez will discuss and perform Techno-Folklorico, a re-imagined indigenous ceremony that includes music, dance, narrative, and moving images, and brings together electronic tools (such as hacked electronic musical instruments and computers) and traditional ceremonial implements (such as indigenous flutes, rattles, and animal calls). The purpose of this cultural work is to encourage community dialogues and build local literacy capacities to critically engage increasing technological velocities and their implications for daily life. To learn more about this artist, visit his website here.

Cultivating a Creative Mind: Nurturing 21st Century Skills
Presented by Simón Silva 

Wednesday, April 6 at 6 p.m.

CSUSM, University Student Union, Ballroom

• CSUSM Students: FREE with online ticket
• CSUSM Faculty/Staff/Alumni: $6
• Community Members: $12

Simón Silva shares an insightful view of the arts and creativity, while telling a compelling story of struggle and hope. He connects with the audience in a powerful manner, and sends a positive message about perseverance and determination to succeed. This inspirational keynote clarifies the importance of the arts and creativity, in order to give all individuals a greater degree of success in the 21st century. To learn more about this speaker, visit his website here.

No I am Not a Terrorist 

Wednesday, April 13 at 6 p.m.

CSUSM, University Student Union, Ballroom

• CSUSM Students: FREE
• CSUSM Faculty/Staff: $5
• Community Members: $10

Are all Muslims terrorists? What does Islam say about “terrorism”? What is behind the veil? Over 50 percent of Americans have no basic understanding of the Muslim faith, which causes discrimination and intolerance on campuses. Using humor and personal experiences, Zohra educates others about diversity. Her programs promote dialogue and foster tolerance towards people of all races, religions and backgrounds regardless how tough and sensitive the subject matter. To learn more about this event, visit the website here.

"The first step in nurturing and training our young artists and musicians is to provide them with the right tools for the job," said Jacquelyn Kilpatrick, founding director of CSUSM’s School of Arts. "Our students of today are our artists of tomorrow, helping us to understand ourselves and our world through their interpretations. Empowering artists is vital to all—and the support of our friends ensures that we can provide the dynamic, creative environment that is integral for success."

Majumdar is India’s foremost flautist on the bansuri. His music spans a wide range, crossing genres and musical boundaries. Rajasekar is recognized as one of the best Saraswathi veena players of today. She is a consummate artist who has earned a special place in the hearts of audiences around the globe. The master mridangam player Thanjavur K.Murugaboopathi and rising star on the tabla Ajeet Pathak will accompany both musicians.

This event is co-sponsored by the School of Arts music program and the Indian Fine Arts Academy of San Diego.

For more information, please contact Ria Custodio, CHABSS communications specialist, at rcustodio@csusm.edu.

What: “Sounds of the Ancient,” a free and open to the public Indian classical music concert.

When: Sunday, Oct. 25 at 6 p.m.

Where: CSUSM, University Student Union, Ballroom - 333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Rd., San Marcos.

Directions and Parking: Directions can be found at www.csusm.edu/guide. On-campus parking is available with rates from $3 to $9 depending upon length of stay. It is suggested that attendees of this concert park in Parking Structure 1.

About the Funes Fund

The Funes Fund was established in 1999 to memorialize founding faculty Donald Funes who was the architect of the Visual & Performing Arts program—now the School of Arts—at the CSUSM College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences. As a composer, performer and ethnomusicologist, Funes’ intent was to expose his students to arts from across globe and to expand student access to cultural opportunities. The Funes Fund continues Funes’ vision into perpetuity.

“People who want to study music really need a more focused and thorough curriculum,” Dr. Cheng said in discussing the desire for the new program. “We’re committed to providing our students with the essential understanding, skills and musical chops so they are prepared for their future in this field.”

Key to the new program is the new music and keyboard lab, an effort orchestrated by Dr. Cheng. The lab will include up to 25 new, 88-key digital keyboards, a huge improvement over the limited number of 61-key models now on campus. Dr. Cheng recently performed at a local salon event to raise donations for the new lab, raising a total of $115,000.

“It’s going to enhance the learning experience,” she said. “Right now we’re teaching students on portable keyboards. It’s like learning how to drive with a toy car.”

The new music major and music lab are just two examples of Dr. Cheng’s dedication to Cal State San Marcos.

“She is not only helping to build the music program, but she’s helping to shape it as well,” said Dr. Merryl Goldberg, a professor in the School of Arts and director of CSUSM’s Center ARTES program, which works with K-12 schools and community organizations to promote music and the arts in North County. “And she is one of the most wonderful professors a student could wish for.”

Loc-Ha Le, who is studying piano under Dr. Cheng, agrees. “She is dedicated to teaching and works tirelessly, nonstop with her students. I truly hope with her love and dedication, the music program will continue to grow, for music is a language of the soul which grows from hearts of people.”

One way Dr. Cheng is helping to grow CSUSM’s music program is through her community performances. Upcoming concerts include a March 1 performance at the Center for the Arts in Escondido and April 19 concert at Palomar College. The March 1 concert will feature Dr. Cheng playing an elaborate piano solo as she performs with the Center Chorale’s tribute to Ludwig van Beethoven.

The April 19 concert at Palomar College is a solo performance that includes a broad range of classical music.

“She is an amazing ambassador for our music program because she’s just such a wonderful performer,” said Dr. Goldberg, who noted that Dr. Cheng has been active in connecting music professors to the community and bringing the community to the CSUSM campus for performances and competitions.

Dr. Cheng’s musical journey began as a young girl growing up in Taiwan. While tagging along to her older brother’s lessons, Dr. Cheng began to draw attention for her perfect pitch and musical talent, and she later was admitted into a rigorous “music talent class” in the third grade. Playing piano and the double bass, Dr. Cheng won several competitions at a young age and began performing professionally.

“It was very, very intense and very, very exhausting,” she said. “Plus you had to practice two instruments a couple hours every day, on top of all the regular studies such as math, history, English, etcetera. Even though I am very grateful for all the solid foundation I have established as a musician, when I look back at all the hours of dedication that it took, sometimes I wonder how I survived.”

Now her career is reaching a crescendo. Dr. Cheng has toured around the world both as a soloist and as a collaborative pianist, including gigs at the National Taiwan Normal University Music Festival in Taipei and the Piano Texas Festival at Texas Christian University.

“I’m very content with where I am,” Dr. Cheng said. “I really enjoy what I do. I feel like I’m opening windows to students and influencing them by what I do.”