Our Instructors
All of Lumina’s teachers are classically trained concert pianists with many top prizes awarded to them in national and international competitions. They are experienced teachers with many years of private and collegiate-level teaching. They are adept at preparing students for ABRSM and NYSSMA examinations as well as college auditions, school recitals, and other competitions/performances. They are also active members of the Steinway STEP program, Music Teachers National Association, and Piano Teachers Congress of NY.
Since choosing a teacher is dependent on the “right fit” for both students and the teachers, for a limited time, we are happy to offer discounted 30-minute trial lessons with any of our instructors listed below, either in-person or online. Contact us today!
Head Instructor: Mr. Benjamin Dominguez
With a heart for reaching others through the art of music, Benjamin is a dedicated musician, concert artist, and teacher. Having studied the piano for well over two-thirds of his life, he continues to cultivate the passion that he received from his teachers and endeavors to communicate the vibrancy of music to his audiences and students.
Education:
MM Piano Performance, The Juilliard School (current)
BM Piano Performance, University of Kansas
Prizes:
Grand Prize Winner, Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Young Artists Piano Competition
Grand Prize Winner, Naftzger Young Artists Audition
First Prize KC Symphony Concerto Competition (performance with KC Symphony)
Presser Scholar Award for musical and academic achievement
2021 performance at Lincoln Center as part of Restart Stages alongside Emmanuel Ax
(and more…)
Head Instructor: Dr. Mai Li
An accomplished Chinese pianist and pedagogue, Mai Li is an artist dedicated to sharing the poetic and emotional qualities of music with audiences around the world. As an avid soloist and chamber musician, Mai has performed frequently throughout the United States, England, and China, presenting recitals in major cities such as Washington D.C, New York City, Cincinnati, Hastings, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and many others.
Education:
DMA Piano Performance, University of Kansas
MM Piano Performance, Cincinnati Conservatory of Music
BM Piano Performance, Xinghai Conservatory of Music
Prizes:
Top Prize Winner and Special Chinese Prize, International Young Artists Piano Competition (invited performance at the Kennedy Center for the Arts)
Top Prize Winnner, KU Piano Concerto Competition (performance with KU Symphony Orchestra)
Top Prize Winner, World Piano Teachers Association (WPTA) International Piano Competition
Many solo and collaborative performances across China, the USA, and England
Published a highly regarded doctoral dissertation, “A Pedagogical and Performance Analysis of Francis Poulenc’s Works for Two Pianos and Four Hands”
(and more…)
Born in Toronto, Ontario, pianist Roseanne Yu has made a triangular path across North America. Raised in Irvine, California, Roseanne started playing piano at the age of 8. At the age of 13, she began studying with Pamela Worcester, a graduate of Manhattan School of Music and teacher at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, and made the definitive decision to study classical piano performance at the age of 15. During her time with Pamela Worcester, Roseanne became a multiple time semi-finalist and finalist in the Southern California Junior Bach Festival, as well as winning a small handful of other local competitions.
Education:
MM Piano Performance, Mannes School of Music
BM Piano Performance, Carnegie Mellon University
Ms. Roseanne Yu
Ms. Efrat Berestizhevsky
Efrat Berestizhevsky is an accomplished pianist and music academic, teaching and performing classical and contemporary music. She is a recent graduate from the Steinhart School at New York University, receiving her second Masters of Music in Piano Performance. Alongside her graduate program at NYU, Efrat served as piano faculty, teaching group and private piano sessions to undergraduate students at all levels.
Education:
PhD musicology, University of Aberdeen, Scotland (current)’
MM Piano Performance, New York University
MM Piano Performance, University of Aberdeen, Scotland
BM Piano Performance and Pedagogy, Florida Atlantic University
Born in China, Tianmi Wu studied at Shanghai Conservatory from elementary-high school with Prof. Yunlin Yang. Ms. Wu earned her BM in Piano Performance and Music History at Oberlin Conservatory under Prof. Angela Cheng, receiving the 2017 Rudolf Serkin Prize, 2018 John Elvin Prize, and first prize in the 2019 Concerto Competition. After graduating, she pursued her MM and DMA at CCM with Prof. Ran Dank, receiving the Three Arts Scholarship and winning the 2021 Concerto Competition. In 2023, she won the Lima Piano Competition and performed with the Lima Symphony Orchestra.
DMA Piano Performance, Cincinnati Conservatory of Music
MM Piano Performance, Cincinnati Conservatory of Music
BM Piano Performance and Music History Minor, Oberlin College of Music
Ms. Tianmi Wu
Mr. Yitong Ding
Born in China, Yitong Ding has been studying piano since the age of 4 under professor Langqiu Chen for 9 years until he stopped taking lessons. In college he revived his passion for music, and decided to pursue it wholeheartedly. He has been the winner of the 2023 Bob Cole Conservatory Concerto Competition, and performed Mendelssohn Piano Concerto No. 1 with orchestra. Having a passion for teaching, Yitong has been both a music school teacher as well as a private piano teacher for over 10 years in Southern California. He has helped his students successfully pass both CM and ABRSM level tests.
Education:
MM Piano Performance, Mannes School of Music
BM Piano Performance, Bob Cole Conservatory