Our Staff

Philip "Jay Jay" Lim
Teacher and School Manager

Jay Jay Lim received his B.S. from the University of Arizona, his B.M. in Music Therapy from Berklee College of Music and his M.M. in Jazz Studies from San Diego State University. He has been with Greene Music since 1999.

In addition to teaching for the Greene Music Education Center, he has represented Greene music as a music therapist, facilitating music therapy groups at various residential and assisted living centers throughout San Diego County. He also participated as a research team member in the Yamaha-sponsored Music Making and Wellness project of 2002-2003.

You may find him performing as a jazz pianist at various venues throughout San Diego, including Croce's (in the gaslamp, every Friday night), South Park Bar and Grill, and Cafe La Maze (National City, CA). He teaches Piano I and Introduction to Music at Grossmont College and is the music director for Park Hill United Methodist Church (Chula Vista, CA).

Elise Cho

Elise Cho received her B.M. from Wheaton College and her M.M. from Arizona State University. She has taught for Greene Music since the year 2001.

Mihoko Nemoto

Mihoko Nemoto received her B.A. from Kunitachi Music College. She has been with Greene Music for over 10 years.

Tanya Djangirov

Mrs. Tanya Djangirov joined Greene Music in 2003. She holds a B.A. in Music from Kurenkeev Music College and an M.M. in Musicology from the Institute of Arts in Bishkek, USSR, where she graduated with highest honors. Before becoming a certified Yamaha instructor, she has served as a professor of music history and theory at Bishkek Music College, USSR, and as a music instructor at Churter School in Kansas City, MO.

Harley Magsino

Harley Magsino is Greene Music's first guitar instructor and first studied as a child under the Yamaha Education System in the Philippines. He has since completed his B.M. in jazz studies from San Diego State University and completed his M.M. there as well. He is experienced in teaching classical guitar, electric guitar, electric bass guitar, cello, drums, and acoustic bass. You will also find him performing around town in various venues.

Elyse Reed

Elyse Reed has been playing the piano since the age of 3. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Music at Point Loma Nazarene University where she was awarded a Music Department Scholarship, Willow-May Beresford Scholarship for piano, Dean's Academic Scholarship, and MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) Scholarship. She also won first place for her classical piano performance at "MusicFest", South West CAPMT District I.

Elyse has studied with Larry Wagner at Wagner's World of Music, Ruby Styler, Eula Clark, Myrna Gowing, and Brenda Martin.

Elyse has accompanied for many ensembles, including numerous musical theater productions, musical theater class, gospel choir, concert choir, vocal jazz ensemble, orchestra (harpsichord and piano), ballet, opera workshops, vocal classes, and solo vocalists and instrumentalists.

Elyse comes to Greene Music with a background in teaching both private piano and group lessons, including beginning piano classes at Point Loma Nazarene University. She is pursuing a Masters of Piano Pedagogy at San Diego State University while continuing to accompany and teach.

Yuko Tanigami

Yuko Tanigami has been teaching piano (including both private instruction and Yamaha Music School group courses as a Yamaha Music Education System Certified teacher in the U.S.A. from 1998 until 2008) music composition, music theory, and music history for all ages and levels. She has over 25 years of teaching experience and has taught in both San Diego in California and Tokyo in Japan. She has also taught Yamaha Music Education at public elementary schools in San Diego.

She enjoys teaching children and adults and sees music as a universal language and a tool for expressing and sharing feeling of joy and pain.

Many of her students have won numerous piano competitions and have been invited to perform, including performing their own compositions.

She holds a B.M. degree in piano performance from Tokyo College of Music in Japan and an M.M. degree in piano performance from San Diego State University. She is a member of Music Teachers' Association of California, Music Teachers National Association, California Association of Professional Teachers, and Musical Merit Foundation of Greater San Diego.

Helena Wei

Helena Wei has toured extensively throughout North America and Asia as a soloist, chamber musician and lecturer. She holds post-graduate degrees in Piano Performance from the University of British Columbia (Canada) and University of Southern California (USA), and A.R.C.T. from the Royal Conservatory of Music, Canada. Prior to her recent move to San Diego, she was a professor of music from the University of the Pacific (USA), and Tunghai University (Taiwan).

Her active performing experiences include staff accompanist at the University of Western Ontario, Stockton Symphony, Cantabella Children's Chorus, Sycamore Strings, Musical Performance and Communications (sponsored by Arts Council Canada). She also serves on the board of Del Valle Fine Arts' selection committee.

Ms. Wei has over 25 years of teaching and coaching experience from beginner to advanced performing artist.