Our Voice Teachers

Sam Assefa

Sam Assefa holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music and Vocal Performance from Minnesota State University, Mankoto. She is currently a member of the East Bay Singers, who are based out of Cal State East Bay in Hayward, California. She has served as the vocal coach for the Eshee Havana Latin Jazz Band, Hasset Acoustic Band, Lubak Acoustic Band, and Take Five Jazz band. Sam was also the lead singer at the Take Five Music School and was the Alto section leader of the Wazema and Ethic-Groove band, based in Oakland, California. She was previously a member of the CSU Singing Society, the Edom Arts Youth Group, and both the Jazz Singers and Women’s Chorale of Minnesota State. Sam released her first original single in 2017 and is currently finishing her first solo album. She is pursuing a degree in guitar performance and also holds a degree in law from Addis Abada University in Ethiopia.

Eileen Chang

Vocal music has been a true inspiration to my life, beginning with my first choir rehearsal in third grade, where I was enthralled with the beauty of the human voice singing. I vividly remember the sound in my young ears and it remains in my heart even now.

Music education benefits students by teaching them communication and cooperation, as well as the joy of making music. In this age, children do not spend much time communicating with each other. The act of singing together is the ultimate act of communication. In performing vocal music, you learn to listen to others and to work with them to make a sound that belongs not only to you, but to the whole group.

While I treasure many musical experiences, I must say that I enjoy rehearsals and recitals the most, especially when I witness changes in my students’ progress and the delight they feel in the beauty of the music. It’s pure joy!  As music has inspired and changed my life, I want my students to experience the same in theirs.

Bringing a lifelong career of voice and choral instruction to Inspire Academy, Eileen Chang completed her undergraduate studies in Voice Performance at CSU Long Beach and her graduate studies in Choral Conducting at the Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey. Eileen studied with Dr. Joseph Flummerfelt and performed as a member of the Westminster Choir. She has performed at the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and the Spoleto Festival USA. Eileen has sung under the direction of Kurt Mazur, Lorin Maazel, and Wolf Sawallisch. Her teaching is influenced by the tutelage of Hoon Cha Chai, Joesph Flummerfelt, and Christian Grube.

Previously, Eileen was Artistic Director of the award-winning Cantabella Children’s Chorus, a non-profit organization committed to “nurturing beautiful children through beautiful singing.” Her honor choir won numerous awards at the Golden Gate International Children and Youth Choral Festival and the 2012 World Choir Game. Eileen was an invited guest conductor at the CMEA Central California Middle School Honor Choir Festival. Eillen is founder and current director of The New Choir, an adult choir in San Jose.

Sookyung KoSwanson

I am a strong believer of “enjoyment of music above all things considered.”  Unless you enjoy the music you are singing, listening, expressing or discussing then I think you are doing injustice to the music itself.  It is the attitude I have embraced toward music all my life that I hope it will have a tremendous contagion effect to all of my students.  

I believe sharing my experiences as a performer and incorporating various singing techniques I have learned & developed over the years will allow my students to gain confidence in their singing.  Furthermore, I hope they will learn to enjoy the music as they ought and will eventually inspire them to gain an utmost desire to grasp & develop better singing techniques.  

Sookyung was born and raised in Seoul, Korea. She discovered her love for music, especially singing, when she was six years old.  Singing and performing in front of audiences both small and large at such an early age prepared her to attend Kaywon High School of Arts in Korea.  She was a member of the North Korea Mission Choir throughout her high school years.  At one point, they were invited to perform in Japan.  This international performance experience further inspired her to pursue her music education in the United States.

Sookyung received her Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance at Northern State University in South Dakota.  Her passion and excellent musicianship earned her music scholarships during her junior and senior years.  She was an active member of Collegiate Choir & Chamber Singers throughout her college years.

After earning her degree in music, she returned home to Korea for a few years.  While back home, she leveraged her music background as well as a bit of business acumen to form a singing group called La Scala at the Grand Inter-Continental Hotel in Seoul, Korea.  They performed various arias and popular songs from various musicals while serving delicious Italian dishes to restaurant guests.  It was so unique that it appeared in one of Korea’s major newspapers.  Sookyung also earned her Kindermusik license in 2008 and worked as a children’s music director at the Kinderschule in Seoul, Korea.  Currently, Sookyung is an active member of the New Choir in Santa Clara, CA.

Patrycja Poluchowicz

I am a classically trained singer and I use this training to teach all genres. I love teaching my students to sing everything from pop, to musical theater, to opera. I choose pieces that are appropriate for the student's age, voice type, and temperament. I encourage all my students to explore different styles, which gives them the opportunity to grow and reach their full potential.

When I was growing up, I was very shy and introverted. Vocal lessons and singing on stage gave me a huge boost of self-esteem and confidence. I learned how to control my emotions and give my very best. During my classes, I teach my students how to open up and deliver an expressive performance and that means very often going outside their comfort zone. This skill is not only valuable on stage, but also extremely useful in life.

When Patrycja Poluchowicz launched her singing career in her native Poland at age 12, she focused mainly on the pop and musical-theater genres. Later on, she developed an interest in and everlasting love for classical music, graduating from the Music Academy in Lodz, Poland, with a master of arts degree in vocal music and acting.

Patrycja made her professional debut at Poland's Grand Theater, where she sang the roles of Susanna in Mozart's Marriage of Figaro and of Pamina in The Magic Flute. In 2001, Patrycja moved to the United States and earned a second master's degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Patrycja's many roles in opera and musical-theater productions have included the Countess (The Marriage of Figaro) at the Cowell Theater in San Francisco; Papagena (The Magic Flute) with the West Bay Opera; Olympia (The Tales of Hoffmann) at the Bay Area Summer Opera Theater Institute; and, recently, Anna (The Haunted Manor) with the Pocket Opera. Patrycja was also part of the Sarasota Opera's Young Artists Program in Florida, where she performed in many concerts and opera productions.

Her CD, "The Wonderful World of Opera and Operetta," was recorded with the Opole Symphony Orchestra and was released to great success. Patrycja teaches voice lessons to all ages at Inspire Academy. She also created the Tots & Tykes Program at Inspire Academy.

Bailey Sako

My goal in teaching voice lessons is to help students become well-rounded and versatile musicians, by giving them guidance and coaching in not just vocal technique, but also in sight reading, music theory, and music history. I believe that having these skills allows my students to take a deeper appreciation of music and apply it on their own to anything they sing. Through this balanced education I also hope to instill in them a long-lasting love and enjoyment of music that lasts the rest of their life.

Bailey Sako is a graduate of the University of Redlands where she received a Bachelor of Music in Music Education. Bailey began her singing education at the age of six and spent eleven years performing with Cantabella Children’s Chorus, where she is now the Director of Children’s Choir. While performing with Cantabella, they received awards at the World Choir Festival in South Korea and medaled numerous times at the Golden Gate Interational Choral Festival, among many other festivals and performances. During her time at the University of Redlands, Bailey was a part of many different vocal groups, including two different collegiate-level choirs, and was the director of an all-female a capella group called The Redlands Rhapsodies. Bailey has experience singing a wide variety of genres, including pop, musical theater, opera, and classical art songs. While at Redlands, she was trained in classical vocal technique and performed a number of solo recitals. Bailey has taught both voice and music theory up to the collegiate level, both in one-on-one and class settings.

Nyomi holds a bachelor’s degree in music from Azusa Pacific University and has a rich background in both performing and teaching. Throughout Nyomi's time at APU, she was an active member of their various vocal ensembles, including their East End Vocal Jazz Choir, their University Choir, and their Gospel Choir, showcasing her versatility and passion for music.

In addition to performing, Nyomi has a deep commitment to music education. She has extensive experience teaching music fundamentals to young children through the Azusa Conservatory's Tiny Tunes program. Her approach includes hands-on activities and carefully crafted lesson plans, designed to engage both children and parents, making the learning experience both fun and educational. At San Marino Music Center, Nyomi further honed her teaching skills, guiding children in vocal technique and helping them discover the joy of music.