Accomplished musicians from the Greater Phoenix area mentor the next generation of jazz musicians in innovative education programming at The Nash.
Dr. Clark Gibson
Education Director
Music education has been a crucial part of Clark Gibson's career for more than 20 years. Gibson served as Director of Jazz Studies and Assistant Professor of Saxophone at Northeastern State University. During his time there, he worked closely with guest artists such as Doc Severinsen, Kevin Mahogany, Oliver Nelson Jr., Charles McPherson, Doug Beavers, and many others.
Gibson is a sought-after clinician for jazz ensembles and has judged numerous jazz festivals and saxophone competitions including the National Collegiate Jazz Saxophone competition at the 2016 North American Saxophone Alliance competition. Gibson has a bachelor's degree in Musical Arts from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle and master's and doctorate degrees in Jazz Studies from the University of Illinois.
Mary Petrich
Director, The Nash Women’s Initiative
Creative saxophonist Mary Petrich has been developing her own vision for the past 20 years. Her desire to push the boundaries has led her to many projects and collaborations, the latest being the album “Murmuration” with her quartet OpenHand.
With an abiding love for freestyle improvisation and the intimate collaboration of small group settings, she is equally at home playing standards and working in larger group formats. Large group work includes the Phoenix Symphony, the Grammy award-winning Phoenix Chorale, the Arizona Music Festival Orchestra, and the Nash Composer Coalition.
Christina Hall
Instructor, The Nash Jazz Vocal Ensemble
Christina Hall is a choral educator and professional singer based in Phoenix, Arizona. She recently completed her MM in Choral Conducting at Arizona State University, where she directed the treble ensemble, Sol Singers, and revived the ASU vocal jazz program through the newly formed ensemble, Mill Ave Jazz. Previously, she served as choir director at Millennium High School in Goodyear, Arizona, where she directed choir, class guitar, and established the district's first piano curriculum.
Vocally, Hall received training from Dr. Judith Cloud and has performed as a backup singer for Josh Groban and Sarah Brightman. She is a soprano in the GRAMMY-award-winning ensemble, the Phoenix Chorale and performs in the AZ Bach Festival and AZ Musicfest annually. An active member of the American Choral Directors Association, Hall frequently attends and presents at state, regional, and national conferences. She has served two terms as the Youth Repertoire & Resources Coordinator for ACDA Western Region and the Arizona ACDA Vocal Jazz Chair. Hall holds a Bachelor of Arts in Choral Music Education from Northern Arizona University and is a guest clinician for high school festivals around Arizona.
Eric Rasmussen
Instructor, The Nash Legacy Ensembles
Saxophonist, composer, and educator Eric Rasmussen spent years playing and teaching in New York City. He performed regularly with some of the most respected names in jazz and was the Director of Jazz Studies at Queens College. He has played at some of the most prestigious venues in the country including the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall.
Rasmussen leads the groups Running from Bears and the Eric Rasmussen Tristano Band. He has served as adjunct faculty for Mesa Community College and Paradise Valley Community College and was the Music Director for Young Sounds of Arizona. Currently, Eric is the Director of Instrumental Music and Jazz Studies at Scottsdale Community College. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Jazz Performance from California Institute of the Arts and a Master of Music degree in Jazz Performance at the New England Conservatory.
Natalie Gallatin
Instructor, The Nash Legacy Ensembles
Natalie is a saxophonist, composer, bandleader, educator, recording artist, and activist based in Phoenix, Arizona. She is a 21st century torch-bearer for the performance, education, and re-evaluation of the rich heritage of jazz music.
Driven by a dedication to nurture the next generation of musicians, Natalie has found joy in teaching private music lessons across various instruments including flute, saxophone, clarinet, and piano. She currently serves as the lead intern for The Nash Education Interns at The Nash, engaging in jazz performances and clinics throughout the valley’s schools. Additionally, Natalie shares her expertise as an instructor for The Nash Legacy Ensembles, guiding students through jazz standards, music theory, ear training, and the intricacies of the jazz language, laying a solid foundation for their musical journey.
Arsen Nalbandian
Instructor, The Nash Legacy Ensembles
Arsen Nalbandian is a jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and educator based in the greater Phoenix metro area. Over the past 8 years, Arsen has dedicated his time towards honing his craft in the jazz idiom, with his primary influences stemming from the music of jazz legends such as Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, Miles Davis, and Red Garland. He has also had the pleasure of performing live with jazz luminaries such as Sean Jones, Corcoran Holt, Doug Lawrence, Brad Leali, Dennis Rowland, as well as Lewis Nash.
Recently, Arsen recorded and released an album entitled "In Depth" featuring his intricately crafted arrangements of classic American songbook standards. As an educator, Arsen has provided private lessons as well as taught at various local institutions throughout the valley. He has also been a guest clinician for both high school jazz bands as well as local youth ensembles.
Beth Lederman
Instructor, Futures Ensemble
Arizona native Beth Lederman has been playing keyboards professionally for more than 40 years. She is a mainstay in the Arizona jazz and latin scenes, but her influences and experiences are widely spread across many different musical styles.
Beth grew up in a musical environment. Her family ran Lederman Music Co., a chain of music stores in the the Phoenix area and her father was a professional jazz pianist. Beth began classical studies at age 5 and went on to earn a B.A. in Music from Arizona State University after also attending several colleges in Oregon. She has backed many different groups and played throughout the Southwest, as well as gigs in Canada and Mexico, appeared with the Phoenix Symphony, and is a first call player for recording sessions and bands ranging in style from jazz to fusion to pop.
