CMP Junior Faculty

Anokyewaa Oppong - Violin and Viola

Anokyewaa Oppong Wadie is an experienced violinist of almost 12 years. She began her journey in violin studies after being inspired by Grammy award-winning jazz and classical violinist Regina Carter; about one year later she began her lesson in classical violin. Although Anokyewaa comes from a musical family, especially pianist, Anokyewaa was the first violinist in her family, and was taught classical violin at the age of nines specifically the Suzuki method. As the years would go by Anokyewaa grew a deep passion for the violin and began taking lessons from some of the best violinists in the Midwest and in the Chicago area. Her teachers spanned from Julia Sizer of University of Chicago Symphony to Lucinda Ali Landing of Chicago Sinfonietta and Suzanne Rickman of Illinois Philharmonic. After all this experience Anokyewaa decided to take violin studies as her major at Northeastern Illinois University where she is currently a senior of violin performance violin/viola teacher, performer, and pedagogue Dr. Jaime Gorgojo. As the daughter of first generation immigrants from Jamaica and Ghana, Anokyewaa has always felt the importance to work hard, have goals, and most of all achieve milestones in her career. Therefore, this teaching opportunity with the Community Music Program at NEIU is great for her, and she looks forward to seeing her growth as a teacher and violinist.

Teaching Approach

"As someone who comes from a background of educators, I have seen firsthand my whole life of teaching with care, consistency, review, and an upbeat non-judgmental environment. Teaching has always been one of my passions, and I cannot wait to continue my journey with the Community Music Program here at NEIU!"

Jair Manzanares - Drum set & Percussion

Jair Manzanares is a versatile musician and educator with a background in drum set, marching percussion, orchestral percussion, and Latin percussion. His experience across classical, contemporary, and Latin styles allows him to teach a wide range of students with different goals and interests.

Jair’s teaching is rooted in meeting students at their level and building strong fundamentals. Beginners start with stick grip, hand motion, and coordination, while more advanced students work on motion consciousness, rebound control, and rudiments. He teaches rhythm literacy through age-appropriate methods. Once students understand note values and drum notation, he introduces grooves, etudes, and coordination exercises. To support their growth further, Jair composes and arranges custom pieces that target specific concepts and keeps students challenged.

Creativity is built into his lessons. Jair incorporates improvisation, guided fills, and movement around the kit at every level, eventually helping students write their own drum parts and experiment with phrasing. Goals are personalized: younger and beginning students work toward coordination and reading, while older and advanced students focus on etudes, technique development, song study, and stylistic growth.

As a performer, Jair has worked as a member, session musician, and sub in both classical and contemporary settings. He has played with the NEIU Wind Ensemble, The Windy City Winds, The Chicago Clarinet Ensemble, and subbed for the Chicago Wind Symphony. In the Chicagoland music scene, he has performed with multiple bands in styles including Rock, Funk, Pop, Hip-hop, Blues, and more. He also plays Latin percussion in an ensemble that performs Cumbia, Salsa, and other Latin genres.

Jair’s diverse background and experience allows him to teach students of all ages and levels, from beginners to advanced players who have different goals and interests.

Teaching Philosophy:

To be able to play and create music is such an amazing gift. When I play drums, nothing outside the room exists — making music feels like meditation to me. There is nothing else in the world that gives me this feeling. I believe music is deeply intertwined with our emotions and allows us to express ourselves in ways that words cannot. Whether it’s singing or playing an instrument, music taps into something emotional and personal in a way nothing else can. I believe music is essential to a person’s education. Music education is more than just learning how to play an instrument — it teaches time management, discipline, and responsibility. It shapes the whole person and teaches lessons that go far beyond the classroom. As an educator, I want my students not only to develop musical skills, but to experience the emotional, creative, and personal growth that music has given me.

Ryan Susa - Guitar

Ryan Susa is a NEIU alumni and has a Bachelor's in Music Performance with a concentration on guitar. He has been playing and writing music with the guitar for over 16 years now. As someone who finds the joy of playing guitar and writing music as a catharsis for his mental health, Ryan finds music to be incredibly important and integral to his every day life. He is also a multi-instrumentalist and an indie singer-songwriter who records and produces his own original music and self-releases his songs. He is the first in his family to pursue music as a professional career and hopes to pass on his legacy to future generations.

Teaching Philosophy:

Ryan specializes in curating personal lesson plans with all his students. Every first lesson with any new student ends with the question: "What is your favorite song?" Combining guitar technique with music that his students love to listen to, Ryan tries his best to find common ground between invigorating music education and fun. He also likes to reiterate to his students that "perfection is not the goal". Progress and an eagerness to learn are the main important aspects in Ryan's lessons.

"Music is the universal language. It can be enjoyed by any person of any race or culture. That is what makes music so powerful."

Sivanart Akakulananta – Piano

Sivanart Akakulananta (Ms. Sivi) is a pianist and educator with a diverse musical background and a strong interest in piano pedagogy. Of Thai heritage, Sivanart is fluent in both Thai and English, allowing for communication with students and families from different backgrounds. Her musical journey began at a young age through exposure to multiple instruments, which provided a broad foundation in musicianship before focusing on piano. Sivanart is largely self-taught in piano during early childhood and later pursued formal classical training.

Sivanart is currently an undergraduate piano student at Northeastern Illinois University, where they have received formal training under Dr. Susan Tang and Dr. Kyung-Hoon Kim. Their studies emphasize classical piano performance, technical development, and effective teaching strategies- with a growing interest in pedagogy.

Teaching Philosophy:

“I believe that no two students learn the same way, and each student has their own goals for their musical life. My teaching approach is adaptable, supportive, and structured, with an emphasis on building strong fundamentals, musical understanding, and confidence at the piano. I follow a curriculum inspired by the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) while tailoring lessons to fit each student’s individual learning style and needs.”