Dr. Schuler was the recipient of several major scholarships, grants, and fellowships. He was an invited speaker at national and international conferences and workshops in Germany, Czech Republic, Sweden, England, The Netherlands, South Korea, and throughout the United States and Canada. His main research interests are interdisciplinary aspects of 19th and 20th century music, methods and methodology of music analysis, computer-aided instruction (CAI), computer applications in music research, as well as world music (especially selected aspects of West African and of Korean music).

In 1995, having had professional voice training since the age of 11, Russell joined The London Philharmonic Choir where he has performed many of the large-scale choral works including Verdi's Requiem, Aida, Gershwin's Porgy & Bess and Beethoven's "Choral" Symphony. In a 1998 Chandos recording of music by Sir Thomas Armstrong, Russell was one of a small group of singers chosen to premiere several part-songs on disc. During 1996 - 1997, Russell sang regularly with the Exmoor Singers, performing works including Bach's St. John Passion and many chamber works from composers including Tippett, Rachmaninov, Tavener and Finzi. Exmoor Singers were semi-finalists in the 1996 Choir Of The Year competition.

In 1997, Russell performed as a soloist with the Avanti Chamber Orchestra as part of the Royal Festival Hall's Meltdown Festival. At the 1997 and 1998 Resolution Festival, London's biggest open platform for dance companies, Russell was one of the soloists performing works by Tavener, Duruflé and Tippett. In October 1998 Russell sang solo alongside Joan Rodgers in a performance of the Fauré Requiem with the London Philharmonic Choir conducted by Neville Creed. In November 1998 Russell had a small solo role in a concert performance of Peer Gynt with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir conducted by Kurt Masur.

In addition to bringing out new facets of the traditional repertoire, Dr. Shpachenko enjoys applying her deep interpretation to new repertoire by performing and premiering music by contemporary composers. Her recent notable premieres include Michael Garson’s Homage to Ligeti at Carnegie Hall, a Piano Quartet by Ukrainian composer Yuri Ishchenko at the Ukrainian Institute of America, and the West Coast premiere of Elliott Carter’s Dialogues for Piano and Chamber Orchestra with the Nimbus Ensemble in Los Angeles. Dr. Shpachenko is also touring a series of lecture-recitals exploring the relations between modern art and modern music, including one on Unorthodox Use of Piano by 20th Century American Composers and one commissioned by the Phillips Collection in Washington, DC to accompany its Modigliani exhibit.

Born in Ukraine, Dr. Shpachenko completed her Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music degrees at the University of Southern California, where she was awarded the title of Outstanding Graduate. Her principal teachers have included such distinguished musicians as John Perry in Los Angeles, Victor Rosenbaum in Boston, and Victor Derevianko in Israel. She has won top prizes in numerous competitions, including the California International Young Artists Piano Competition, Wideman International Piano Competition, Grace Welsh International Prize for Piano, Corpus Christi International Piano Competition, National Federation of Music Clubs Young Artist Competition, MTNA Collegiate Piano Competition, and the USC Piano Concerto Competition. Dr. Shpachenko has performed at the International Holland Music Sessions, Aspen, Cliburn, Manchester, Orford, Sarasota, Music Academy of the West, Tel-Hai, and Saluzzo International Music Festivals. Her performances have been featured on many radio and television stations in California, Massachusetts, New York, Ukraine, the UK, and Italy and released on CDs in Europe and the U.S.

In 2004, Jessica began her clarinet performance training with Andrew Lamy, Miriam Lockhart and David Sapadin. Jessica began her composition studies under Daniel Bar-Hava at the Manhattan School of Music Precollege, where she had her orchestral and chamber works frequently featured in performances. She has had both her orchestral works and chamber music performed by the Kinhaven Music School Symphony in 2003 and 2004.

Jessica continued her education at the New England Conservatory of Music with a minor in composition under Malcolm Peyton and studied clarinet with Ricardo Morales and Craig Nordstrom. In Boston, Jessica has had her music performed at venues including The New England Conservatory of Music’s Jordan Hall and Williams Hall, as well as the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Café. Jessica was accepted into the prestigious New York Youth Symphony’s Making Score, where she studied under Derek Bermel. After the NYYS Making Score Final Concert at CAMI Hall, Jessica was mentioned in The Symphony Magazine (October, 2004) as having given “a star-turn performance” of her Clarinet Quintet. Jessica has had a reading of her music with the American Composers' Orchestra in May 2008. Her most recent performances include her Octet at Symphony Space in 2008, Debut Concert at The Kaufman Center’s Merkin Concert Hall in June 2009, and featured performance at Galapagos Art Space in August 2009.

I am currently in my 3rd year at Trinity college of music studying for a degree in Music Performance with study options including conducting, instrumental conducting, communication skills, arts in music, instrument repair, music therepy and music technology.

I have played with many ensembles and orchestras. At current I am the Principal Bass Trombone of the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain and Principal Bass Trombone of the North London Philharmonic and Ernest Reed Symphony Orchestra. I also play in a Brass Quintet that does workshops and recitals throughout London and has been to Seattle.

Interesting work in the UK has included a series of concerts with Patrick Moore, the astronomer, where Debra appeared as guest artist and sang many of Mr. Moore’s own compositions. Extensive work abroad has included Operas and Concerts in Dortmund, Zurich, Munich, Berlin, Luxembourg, Venice, Japan and Jerusalem. As a renowned oratorio specialist her repertoire includes The Creation (Haydn), The Messiah (Handel), Nelson Mass (Haydn), Petite Messe Solenelle (Rossini), Carmina Burana (Orff) and the Requiems of Faure, Brahms and Mozart. Her operatic roles include Susanna (Marriage of Figaro), Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Sophie (Der Rosenkavalier), Queen of the Night (Magic Flute), Norina (Don Pasquale), Olympia (Tales of Hoffman), Despina (Cosi fan tutte) and Micaela (Carmen).

With Coro Cervantes Debra has performed in Spain, Mexico and Russia. She was featured soloist on Coro Cervantes’ first CD O Crux, which was voted Gramophone’s Critic’s Choice of the Year. As a session singer, Debra has recorded vocals for film soundtracks, CD library music, launch music for car companies and radio jingles. She was featured soloist during the opening and closing ceremonies for the Commonwealth Games in Manchester with music especially commissioned for the occasion and also performed the vocals for the soundtrack for the Beijing Olympic Torch Ceremony in London.