Alena Bernardi (Founder)
Alena received her BM in Music Education from Michigan State University as well as a certification in Music Learning Theory at the Early Childhood Level from University of South Carolina. Before creating UMA Alena worked as the Music Director at the renowned Los Angeles Elementary and Early Childhood educational institution: Hollywood Schoolhouse for 8 years producing hundreds of children’s musical productions as well as co-creating Mercury Band a kids rock band with a group of parents.
Alena hopes to inspire and provide practical approaches to music making with her work that are lifelong and fulfilling.
Catriona Fray (Catriona Fray Studios for the Performing Artist)
Catriona has been privately coaching voice, guitar, and piano for nearly 4 years after graduating from UCLA’s School of Theater, Film, and Television in the Musical Theater Department. She is a RYT-200 hour certified Yoga instructor through Yoga Alliance. Catriona stands by that private lessons are essential to get personalized feedback and attention in your practice in a safe space to explore, evolve, elevate, and expand within the mind, body, and soul.
Catriona is a resident artist with Homegrown Recording. Catriona and Alena work closely together producing all showcase concerts as well as all other studio offerings.
Danny Pravder (founder of Homegrown Recording)
Danny is pianist, composer, songwriter, and producer. At 16 years old, Danny won grand prize in a national jazz piano competition, and was the recipient of the Young Emerging Artist Scholarship in honor of legendary jazz pianist Dave Brubeck.
Since then Danny has founded Homegrown Recording; a soulful community driven recording studio with a mission is to provide a creative and accepting space for artists to create music. Danny works closely with the UMA Young Artist program helping young musicians to develop their songwriting skills in the studio and inspiring them to use their internal guidance system to discover their voice as a recording artist.
Richard Miller (founder of Balanced Guitar)
Richard Miller earned a Ph. D. in music theory from Catholic University of America and a Masters in guitar performance from Manhattan School of Music. Very active as a performer in New York City and abroad, Richard has been touring with his Brazilian group “Choro da Manhã” and with the Ukrainian group "Gerdan."
With UMA Richard co-created the online songwriting series Balanced Unicorn where Alena and Richard supported students in developing a connection to their inner song as well as provided skills to develop mastery in rhythm, beat, harmony, lyric writing, and melody.