Michael Rudiakov Music Academy Staff

	Ariel Rudiakov Ariel Rudiakov is a third-generation musician, receiving his early musical training from his parents, Michael and Judith in Riverdale, NY. Rudiakov is currently Artistic Director of the Manchester Music Festival and is Music Director and conductor of the Danbury (CT) Symphony Orchestra. Ari holds viola performance degrees from SUNY Purchase (BM) and the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana (MM), and was a scholarship student at Yale University's masters program. He has been on the faculty of the Bennington, Middlebury and Green Mountain Colleges and Manhattan School of Music.
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	Joana Genova Joana Genova received her Bachelor of Music degree in Violin Pedagogy at the Conservatory of Amsterdam and her Master's degree in chamber music at the Rotterdam Conservatory. Joana started teaching at the Michael Rudiakov Music Academy in 2001, when it was first started. She is on the summer faculty of the Manchester Music Festival (MMF) and Williams College and has extensive experience working with children as part of educational outreach programs of the Brooklyn Philharmonic and the Manchester Music Festival, as well as leading string sectional rehearsals and judging auditions at the Empire State Youth Orchestra. Joana is active as concert violinist on the East Coast and resides with her husband, violist Ariel Rudiakov, and their two children in Manchester, VT.
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	Vessela French A native of Bulgaria, Vesela received a bachelor's degree in viola and music pedagogy from the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts in Plovdiv. She was a member of the Plovdiv Chamber Orchestra, Plovdiv Symphony Orchestra, and has toured throughout Europe. Vesela settled in Manchester in 2001. She created the student string program at the Mettawee Community School and currently teaches piano privately, in addition to violin & viola.
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	Jared Shapiro Jared holds a Masters degree in composition and cello from Bennington College. He is an Adjunct Faculty Member at Green Mountain College, Castleton State College, and teaches at the Community College of Vermont.
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