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MEET THE
PRODUCER, BAND, & TEAM
Carole Anne Kaufman:
PRODUCER, DIRECTOR
Carole Anne Kaufman, The Whistling Diva, is a Southern California native who has been whistling for nearly 4o years. As a contestant at the International Whistlers Convention, Carole received two World Championship titles; the first in Japan in 2008, and again in 2009 in North Carolina. She was also recognized as the 2012 International Entertainer of the Year Award winner in recognition of her contributions to whistling including PBS's Visiting with Huell Howser, interviews on NPR, and many public and private shows.
Carole Anne Kaufman's passion for performance and people lead her to create Studio C Productions, an event production company dedicated to bringing communities together through music.
Carole recently completed her Masters thesis at California State University, Los Angeles. Heresy to Artistry: The Upward Mobility of Musical Whistling through Rhetorical Reframing discusses the history of whistling, the repression of whistling and how gendered communication has restriced women's expression with regards to whistling. Carole's mission is for each individual to appreciate the artist within themselves.
Download a free copy of Carole's Master's Thesis about whistling -
Heresy to Artisty: The Upward Mobility of Musical Whistling Through Rhetorical Reframing.
Geert Chatrou: Head Judge, Distinguished Performer, Master Class Instructor.
Growing up in the Netherlands, Geert Chatrou began whistling at the age of 4 to his parents’ classical music. At 6 years old his dad, a recorder teacher, bought him - you guessed it - a recorder! Geert found love and talent for this instrument, and many more, as he went on to study flute, saxophone, and oboe throughout his musical career.
But the whistling never stopped. Growing older, Geert’s musical interests struck a broad range from hard rock to jazz, and world music to gypsy swing. All inspiring, and all ‘whistable’.
In 2004 a friend played a practical joke on Geert and signed him up as a contestant at the International Whistlers Convention in North Carolina. Geert decided that, yes indeed, he would compete in the world championships of whistling. Geerts virtuosic tone and rhythm lead him to win his first of many whistling championships that year. After his first spontaneous and unexpected success, he competed again in 2005 (United States) and 2008 (Japan), again taking first place. In 2010 Geert was invited to be a distinguished judge at the whistling world championships, hosted in China, and a few years later served as a judge at Japan’s World Whistling Convention.
Geert never ceases to amaze and move those who experience his whistling artistry and always leaves his audiences wanting more. Geert has been touring non-stop since 2004. He has been invited to whistle on stages all over the world. From Tokyo to Boston, and Helsinki to Berlin he has been the featured soloist in many chamber orchestra’s, jazz ensembles, symphonic orchestras and string quartets. His whistling can be heard on several recordings including a children's audio book written about his life, movie scores, and a collaboration with Klaus Badelt. Geert has recorded a variety of CD’s that have been distributed worldwide including Ornithology and Chatroubadour.
Mitch Hider: Master of Ceremonies.
Mitch Hider of Eugene, Oregon, has been a professional whistler and vaudeville style performer for 37 years. He is the 1982 Whistling Grand Champion, a member of the National Whistlers Hall of Fame, and a noted historian of musical whistling.
Mitch has been a master of ceremonies, performer, and workshop director at many whistling competitions in America, Japan and Canada. He also sings, yodels, scats, plays a variety of instruments including ukulele, harmonica, and drums. He also does a magic act as THE MAGNIFICENT MITCHELLI! Mitch performs for audiences from pre-school to the elderly. And he is the only whistler to do a duet with Bertha, the Harmonica-Playing Elephant!
"Whistling is a holiday for lips" says, Mitch. "We can celebrate every day, every where."
Ajay Satsangi: Musical Director, Guitar
Ajay Satsangi is a Composer, Producer, Songwriter, Music Director, Instructor and Guitarist, currently residing in LA, known for his unique ability to tell intriguing stories through his music. He has performed on some of the most elite stages in the US, including the Pre-MTV Movie Awards, NAMM and has also appeared on televised shows on major Networks including CBS.
He acquired his Associate of Arts in Guitar Performance from Musicians Institute, an institution known worldwide for the quality of scholastic achievement, where he was educated by foremost instructors such as Vadim Zilberstein (Earth Wind and Fire),Russell
Ferrante (Yellowjackets), and obtained a formidable background of superior knowledge and musical insight.
His notable engagements include performing at some of the most elite venues in the US including the Catalina Jazz Club, "The Style Mansion" Pre-MTV Movie Awards, The Globe Theater, Exchange LA, Fountain Valley Summerfest, The Mint, Genghis Cohen, Whisky a Go Go, and so forth. Ajay also appeared in numerous radio and TV interviews such as Film on TV ,Radio Azad, etc. Additionally, as a film composer he has scored music for Movies, TV Shows, Commercials and Documentaries both in the US and India.
Ajay’s brainchild “The Ajay Project” is a creative platform/outlet which combines top notch music production services, music studio services, band services all rolled into one brand
providing the perfect platform for Ajay to express his artistic ability to create vivid imagery through his music.The Ajay Project’s songs can be heard on multiple TV shows Networks and radios including CBS,Also the songs can be purchased at all the major online stores
including iTunes, Amazon, Google Play.
As a guitar player and performer, Ajay is also endorsed by Peavey Electronics corporation(U.S), Budda Amplification(U.S), Cordoba Guitars(U.S) and Essetipicks(ITALY). As an artist endorsed by Peavey Electronics Corporation, one of the largest audio equipment manufacturers in the world, Aj was featured on the American reality television series on CBS - ‘Undercover Boss’, playing a critical and crucial role in enabling mass awareness and
appreciation for the brand .His other successful endeavors with Peavey includes product demos, clinics, advertisements and most notably his performance at Peavey’s booth at NAMM 2014.Accolades of his work can be found on some of the world’s best recognized music magazines/journals including Music connection, Top 40 Charts, Vents magazine etc.
With a conceptual approach, he makes work that deals with the documentation of emotional events and the question of how they can be presented. And with the aid of his natural talent
to paint, he can clearly see and present those concepts into reality. Residing in Los Angeles,CA , gives Ajay the perfect surrounding and environment to serve, utilize and master his recipe with the melting pot that is Los Angeles.
Global Whistlers Ensemble:
Bianca C. Richardson:
Bianca C. Richardson is a native of Los Angeles, California. She received her degree from Musicians Institute where she received multiple scholarships and awards. She is a drummer, arranger, composer, musical director, drum technician, and a private instructor that works all over Southern California. She is also the L.A. based drummer for legendary bass player Marcus Miller and recently performed with him at the sold out 2017 Playboy
Jazz Festival.
She has received recognition for multiple competitions including 1st place in a Stanley Clark competition and 2nd Runner up for the International "Hit Like a Girl" Contest. She has landed distinguished reviews by Drummag, TomTom Mag, including a front cover article. Her work has been featured on Drum Workshop's Drum Channel and the web series "The Beat."
Bianca works with artists under Atlantic Records; K Michelle, Cottonwood Church, Latino Artist Ernesto Ramirez, and NBC's "The Voice" Contestant, Tanner Howe. Other gigs include Selena Gomez (background vocals); James David (Davie); Brazilian Guitarist/Songwriter Art Menezes; MTV featured Artist Prime, Writez Youtube Artist; The Legendary Bass Player.
Endorsements include Turkish Cymbals, Protec, GoPro, Percussion Kinetics, Evans drumheads.
Billy Lebua:
Billy started his music journey when he picked up a bossanova style-guitar at the age of nine. His early music education was taught by his talented older brother, Tong Chomphol.
His music style is heavily inspired and influenced by many Jazz/Fusion, Soul, Gospel and R&B artists such as Mike Stern, Dave Weckl, George Benson, Richard Bona, Jaco Pastorius,
Al Green, Marvin Gaye, Earth Wind and Fire, James Jameson and many more.
He is inspired and fascinated by the electric bass guitar, tenor saxophone, piano and music production.
Billy Lebua graduated from The Musicians Institute as a GIT Major and completed production extension program at University of California, Los Angeles.
He is established as a professional musician in Los Angeles, California USA where he has collaborated with many well-known US and international artists and has been a key player in numerous noteworthy musical projects, tours, jams and recording sessions.
Korey Fells Jr:
Korey Fells Jr (Korey Keys) is a multi-instrumentalist from Little Rock, Arkansas. His main instrument is the piano which he started playing at 4 years old. He sculpted other talents such as arranging, composing, and producing while studying at Berklee College of Music in Boston. Korey has performed behind many great Artists such as Brian Mcknight, TD Jakes, James Fortune, Avalon Young, and more. He enjoys playing almost all genres of music from classical to gospel to pop, and also enjoys all parts of the music industry and the industries surrounding it like fashion, film, etc. Korey's biggest goals in his lifetime include simply being happy and inspiring the world with his journey.
Ross Clark-- Judge
Ross Clark started his performing career with the National Ballet in Washington DC at the age of 7. It was his first chance to perform on stage in the Nutcracker. He continued to perform with the National Ballet when they needed a young boy in their cast until he was cast in his first Broadway show. He opened on Broadway in “Take Me Along” starring Jackie Gleason two weeks before his 10th birthday. He continued to work on Broadway and in National tours of “Music Man”, “Bye Bye Birdie”, “Gypsy”, “Oliver!”, “Mame”, “Annie Get Your Gun” and “The Lion In Winter” through his Jr. High and High School Years. He attended Northwestern University, Purdue University and received his BFA in Theatre from the Pasadena Playhouse as part of the last graduating class. He continued his studies at USC as a directing major where he received his MFA in Theatre and Film.
After graduation Ross began writing and producing shows for amusement parks all over the country. One of his favorite producing activities was producing the last four Ted Mack Amateur Hour specials for syndication. He has produced product introductions for companies such as Apple Computer, Ford Motor Company, Anheuser-Busch and Adobe Systems. While working with Apple Computer he developed teaching materials for multimedia and video production for community colleges. He served on several community college faculties developing digital media departments.
He recently returned to his theatre roots when he joined the musical theatre ensemble for children at the Pasadena Civic Ballet and with them helped bring children’s theater back to the Pasadena Playhouse. The program originally performed at the Carrie Hamilton Theatre at the Pasadena Playhouse but soon outgrew the 100 seat theatre. Performances are currently held at the Pasadena Scottish Rite Theatre in preparation for a return to the Playhouse main stage in the near future. Ross is a board member of the Pasadena Playhouse Alumni and Associates and is currently developing the research database for the Pasadena Playhouse to catalogue and document the over 6000 productions that have been produced at the Playhouse in their first 100 years.
Amanda Wilcox-- Featured Dancer
Friday Evening Concert
Amanda Wilcox is currently a member of Selah Dance Collective and Pasadena Civic Ballet as well as performing independently for ArtistsPlus Productions and Nebula Dance Lab. She has performed locally, nationally and internationally in a variety of roles including Snow White in Snow White for Pasadena Civic Ballet and the Gorgon in the The Unicorn, the Gorgon, and the Manticore for ArtistsPlus Productions. Fluent in a variety of dance genres including ballet, lyrical, modern, hiphop and charactere, she also teaches and choreographs in these styles. Additionally, she is currently completing her Bachelors in Fine Arts in Dance at University of California Santa Barbara.
Jason Victor Serinus-- Musical Consultant
Jason Victor Serinus was the whistled “Voice of Woodstock” in the Emmy-nominated Peanuts cartoon, She’s a Good Skate, Charlie Brown. Elected to the Whistler’s Hall of Fame, he is a second place International Grand Champion, and has judged whistling competitions in the U.S. and China. Jason currently serves as a music and audio critic for Seattle Times, Stereophile, Opera Now, American Record Guide, Classical Voice North America, San Francisco Classical Voice, and many other publications. He lives in Port Townsend, WA with three dogs, three fish, and one husband.
Diane De Franco Browne:
Production Consultant
Diane De Franco Browne is a Los Angeles based choreographer and producer.
She is the Director of Pasadena Civic Ballet, and ArtistsPlus Productions, as well as owner of Theatre Threads, a costume design company. Recent projects include events/choreography for Kidspace Museum, LA Children's Hospital, LA Art Show, Mus/ique, American Youth Symphony, Norton Simon Museum, LACMA, and Chorale Bel Canto.