Meet Our Teaching Faculty
San Francisco’s Best Music Teachers & Educators
Our Team, One Commitment
Our faculty is deeply committed to teaching as a profession, dedicated to helping students meet their unique goals.
Blue Bear teachers also work as musicians, expert in their individual crafts, with significant experience in the music industry.
Teacher Bios
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Ariel B
Ariel B has seen success on the local San Francisco music scene. She expanded her horizons in classical music while attending The Ruth Asawa School of the Arts High School in San Francisco. She sings in Italian, French, and German. She also sings at several clubs in the Bay Area doing covers and originals. Ariel has previously worked with famed producer Narada Michael Waldon; Narada has produced the greats – Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, and Mariah Carey are among this celebrated group. Her latest release finds Ariel B set to make a winter splash with her first holiday collection featuring “Candy Coated Love,” an original song co-written by Ariel B and Troy Laureta (Ariana Grande) and produced by Grammy-winning producer Jeffrey Weber.
For her holiday set, Weber invited an all-star group of musicians and singers to perform with her, live, in the studio. Her band includes Joe Otis – drums (Beyonce, Ariana Grande), Rhonda Smith – bass (Prince, Jeff Beck), Tariqh Akoni – guitar (Josh Groban, Aretha Franklin), Troy Laureta – arranger, keyboards (Ariana Grande, David Foster), Will Wheaton – background vocals (Michael Jackson, Natalie Cole), Bridgett Bryant – background vocals (Phil Collins, Stevie Wonder) and Jason Morales – background vocals (Lalah Hathaway, Harry Styles, Lenny Kravitz).
Ariel B – “Music has always been my beacon. When I first discovered I could sing I knew I would never be alone again. I sometimes forget how blessed I am to have one of the greatest and most influential gifts bestowed on me. It has given me strength in times of weakness, joy in times of sadness, and also helped many others around me through the phases of life.”
Ariel teaches private lessons for ages 8 and up at Mission Bay on Saturday mornings.
Lea Centauri
Lea Centauri has been singing since age four and is a master vocalist and instructor with experience teaching Voicedance, from Paris to Istanbul. Voicedance is the breath and music of singing as expression, for all singers wanting the experience of Voice.
A mezzo-soprano, Lea lived in Paris for several years, performing and teaching throughout France as well as in Turkey and other countries in Europe and North Africa. She is a vocal coach for all genres–Jazz, Pop, Blues, R&B, Rock, Show Tunes, Hip Hop, and Rap–working with individuals on technique and preparation for recording and performance, and also working with those who just want to sing for fun and personal enjoyment. Her Voicedance program starts with breathing exercises for relaxation and clearing of energy, moving to vocal scales for tuning, range, stamina, and feeling good within as you sing, then to singing triplets for vocal control and expression, and finally to songs to enhance your vocal ability and build a repertoire of material you want to sing. Lea is also a songwriter and teaches beginning piano as well. She teaches only private online lessons.
What students are saying:
- “Lea is absolutely the best vocal coach I’ve ever had. Working with Lea has completely elevated my tone, range, and breath control. She makes sure that I do it right every time, with grace. She patiently allows me to correct my mistakes to ensure I get it right, and that I understand how to correct it. ” – April W.
Sharman Duran
Sharman Duran, vocalist and keyboardist, has been performing jazz standards, Top 40, Soul, Rock, Pop, and Latin jazz in bands since 1976. She works with adults and students in 7th grade and older. Sharman teaches private lessons in voice and piano at Fort Mason on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
Rick Harrell
Rick Harrell has been a voice and guitar teacher in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. He currently serves as the Founding Director of Heroes’ Voices, a nonprofit service organization for veterans. Rick leads therapeutic singing and guitar music workshops for veterans with PTSD and other challenges.
Rick teaches singers in many genres including classical, folk, rock, country, and Musical Theater. He has been a voice teacher and guest Master Class instructor at universities and training programs including Yale, Indiana University, Chautauqua Institution, Loyola University, Mannes School of Music, University of Richmond, Virginia State University, and the University of Florida.
Recently a music professor at City College of San Francisco, Rick has served as Director of the Juilliard Department of Vocal Arts, Director of the San Francisco Opera Center, Head of Faculty for the Opera Training Program of the New National Theatre in Tokyo, Director of the Opera Program for the San Francisco Conservatory, Artistic Consultant and Principal Stage Director for the Bangkok Opera, and senior faculty for the Opera Studio of the Netherlands.
Rick performed as a baritone soloist with such companies as Lincoln Center Theatre Company, La Scala, Vienna State Opera, Washington Opera, Baltimore Opera, Fort Worth Opera, Opera Omaha, New Jersey Symphony, Richmond Symphony, and National Symphony. He recorded the role of Bernardo on the album West Side Story conducted by Leonard Bernstein and is featured on the recording of Bernstein’s last opera, A Quiet Place.
A frequent judge for vocal competitions, he annually adjudicates for the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Originally from Oklahoma, Rick grew up in northern Virginia, attended college in Washington, D.C., and New York City, and has lived for many years in San Francisco. Rick teaches group classes and private lessons in voice and guitar at Fort Mason.
Spencer Layne
Spencer Layne is a 27-year-old professional multi-instrumentalist musician/producer with 16 years of experience. His resume includes sold-out performances at The SF Fillmore, Santa Ana Observatory, and Catalyst Santa Cruz, opening for Green Day, and a Hollywood-recorded debut album with his band Carpool Tunnel. Spencer graduated with a B.A. in Guitar Performance from Berklee College of Music and intends to continue dedicating his time and energy to all things music.
Spencer teaches private lessons, band workshops, and group classes at Fort Mason and is Blue Bear’s All Star Band director. He’s available for lessons on guitar, bass, drums, voice, and ukulele.
Francesca Lee
Francesca Lee graduated from Sir Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Institute For Performing Arts (Music) in 2002 majoring in pop vocal performance and songwriting with disciplines in both guitar and keyboard. She is best known for her soulful/sultry vocals and music that merges styles of Folk, Pop, Blues, and Jazz.
During her residency in the U.K., Francesca performed as a backup singer for the popular televised awards show, The Top of the Pop Awards at The Manchester Arena alongside artists like Nellie Furtado, Tom Jones, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, Kylie Minogue, Wyclef, and Travis. She was also featured in a pilot episode for the MTV Networks show (The Real World). She recorded her first debut independent album with Scottish Sony recording artist Sandi Thom, who later topped the Billboard charts in the U.K. with her song “I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker.”
In 2004 she moved to San Francisco and established herself in the Bay Area music scene as a singer-songwriter. A top ten regional finalist in The Lilith Fair Talent Search through Ourstage.com, songs from her album The Pieces Left, produced by Michael Winger, Executive Director for NARAS (The Grammys), was featured on KFOG’S LOCAL Scene Vol. 6 and Songwriters Unplugged-Live at Yoshi’s.
She has been working as a professional musician in The Bay Area since 2004 and has been a staff show producer for Bread & Roses Presents since 2010. She is passionate about guiding students on how to discover their own unique sound, carve out their niche, and how to develop their craft as singer-songwriters. She has also served as a previous judge for West Coast Songwriter’s monthly songwriting showcase & competition.
Francesca teaches private lessons at Fort Mason for ages 8 and up.
Kevin Mullane
Kevin Mullane graduated from Columbia College in Chicago with a B.A. in Music. He has taught students of all ages and levels in Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, focusing on the individual student’s development of the skills necessary to enjoy playing the music they love. He has been a performing musician for many years and currently plays guitar and sings lead vocals with the Bay Area bands System 9 and The Nakano Jazz Quintet.
Kevin teaches private lessons (at Fort Mason, SoMa, and online) in electric and acoustic guitar, bass guitar, voice, and ukulele, group classes, and band classes, using song suggestions from students as a vehicle to learn about chords, melody, rhythm, song structure, and technique. Students can explore theory, harmony, and composition in a variety of styles, including rock, jazz, blues, soul, funk, folk, and more. He encourages students to play music on their own, jam with friends, or perform with a band. Whether you want to pursue music professionally or simply develop your skills and have fun, Kevin offers all levels of instruction.
Janak Ramachandran
Janak Ramachandran has been playing guitar for the better part of five decades and teaching it for more than 30 years. His acoustic guitar technique is designed to progressively build the skills needed to become a one-man or one-woman band. With the use of songs specifically chosen for their instructive value, Janak’s teaching approach can take you from your first notes and chords to the complex rhythms, chord progressions, and scale knowledge that can make you a complete guitar player. Electric guitar shares many skills in common with the acoustic guitar, of course, but Janak’s electric approach includes more tailored skill building with regards to both the tools of phrasing (particularly as it applies to single-note lead work) and the aesthetic variety of different chord styles. Since Janak also teaches voice and songwriting, he is a one-stop shop for anyone wanting to eventually sing and play together, whether learning to create their own music or interpreting the songs of others.
Janak began his vocal training at the age of six and eventually studied more professionally following college in various styles including Bel Canto and Speech Level Singing. By combining ideas from these and other vocal schools of thought (e.g., Alexander Technique), he forms his foundational vocal philosophy, upon which he layers his own technique. He has had success coaching beginning students unable to match pitch to eventually perform on stage as well as guide professional singers in the studio when recording an album. He has fronted (both with and without an instrument) numerous bands, performed in musicals as well as dramatic and comic stage plays, and developed an acting technique for singers and instrumentalists designed specifically for musicians performing on stage. In 2008, Janak’s band Bottoms Up! was the top cover band in a California battle of the bands competition. His teaching credits include the children of Todd Rundgren and Linda Ronstadt as well as numerous local musicians in bands like Tainted Love and The Doorslammers, some of whom have studied with Janak for years.
Learn more about Janak at musiclessonguru.com. Janak teaches private lessons in guitar and voice online (Mondays) and group voice and guitar classes in-person at Fort Mason.
What students are saying:
- “Every week is challenging, requiring lots of practice in between, but rewarding because skills that seemed impossible when they’re introduced come easily within a couple weeks. The variety and progression by which skills are introduced simply cannot be reproduced in a self-taught environment & the group setting provides the additional motivation to practice during the week. I feel fortunate to have stumbled upon Janak from the beginning and I highly recommend him to anyone similarly looking to learn guitar from the ground up!” – Forbes H.
Marianne Valentine
Marianne Valentine is a dynamic and accomplished vocalist with extensive experience in opera, jazz, and choral leadership. A graduate of the University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance (1994), her musical path reflects a deep commitment to excellence and a passion for a wide range of musical genres.
She has performed leading roles such as Cio-cio-san in Madama Butterfly and Gretel in Hansel und Gretel, and appeared with companies including the Golden West Opera Company and Nevada State Opera. Her repertoire spans roles in works by Puccini, Humperdinck, Strauss, and Mozart. Marianne has also served as a soloist and choral section leader for numerous churches, temples, and cathedrals across the Los Angeles area, performing in major works including Faure’s Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, and Carmina Burana.
Her versatility extends to jazz and contemporary music, with experience as a soloist and arranger in both vocal and small instrumental ensembles. She has also performed as a Victorian caroler with The Music Companie and worked as a ringer and substitute for a variety of religious institutions.
Marianne is passionate about musical eclecticism and music appreciation. Her listening and performance
palette includes early music, classical, jazz, blues, rock, punk, new wave, alternative, and dream pop. She believes all musical genres are interconnected, evolving through mutual influence across time and
culture.
In addition to her strong stage presence and vocal technique, Marianne is proficient in interpreting
repertoire in Italian, German, and French, with deep knowledge of diction, translation, and expressive
nuance for performance. Her repertoire spans opera, oratorio, musical theatre, choral, and contemporary
styles.
With a growing focus on teaching and mentorship, Marianne aims to share her knowledge, experience,
and passion with the next generation of musicians—fostering a love for music that crosses boundaries
and enriches lives.
Marianne teaches private lessons and group voice classes on Thursdays at Mission Bay.
Amanda VanderMeer
Amanda VanderMeer graduated with high honors from Portland Community College’s Professional Music Program and has been playing and writing music for twenty-five years, touring the globe and releasing two studio albums. Since 2006, she has taught a wide range of ages in drums, piano, vocals, music theory, and songwriting. She plays drums in her current band Deathtrap America. Amanda teaches online private lessons in piano, drums, and voice.
Daniel Zarb-Cousin
Daniel Zarb-Cousin is a pianist, vocalist, and composer with seven years of teaching experience, bringing equal warmth and skill to lessons with children, teens, and adults. A graduate of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in Composition, he has taught at the Lycée Français de San Francisco, Vibo Music, and in his own private studio, alongside work as a church and choral singer.
With classical training at his foundation and fluency in jazz, pop, and improvisation, Daniel guides students not only in playing pieces and songs but in understanding the language behind them. His teaching blends solid technique with creativity, improvisation, theory if desired, and context—whether it’s a favorite pop tune, a Beethoven sonata, or the ability to sit down and play something original on the spot. Known for his eclectic repertoire and engaging style, Daniel’s lessons aim to inspire curiosity, confidence, and a lifelong love of music . . . ultimately, the cultivation of a developed musical mind.
Daniel teaches private lessons on piano and voice on Wednesdays at Mission Bay.
