Grisell Velázquez- Báez, Singer and Music Teacher, was born and raised in Puerto Rico. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Vocal Performance at Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music and has certification in the Despertal Musical concept, a special Spanish program of the Conservatory. Grisell has been teaching vocal technique and elementary music education since 2004. Her love of singing and teaching brought her to California in 2010 to pursue  her Master’s Degree in Music Education with an emphasis in Kodály Method at Holy Names University, Oakland. Recently, she completed all three of Orff Schulwerk, Certification Program from the San Francisco School.  She is currently working at the International Renaissance School in Oakland as conductor of  Voci Pure Chorus and Koday teacher since 2015. Grisell enjoys developing both curriculum utilizing traditional English and Spanish folk songs with singing games, rhymes, dances, percussions instruments, and music concepts.

Daniella Urban was born and raised in Hungary. She’s been singing since she was born and learned music (szolfézs) with the Kodály method in the National Music School of Hungary, then she went to a special high school for musicians, studying vocals, conducting and harmonics at an advanced level. She plays the violin and the piano. She founded and directs the first Hungarian chamber chorus in the Bay Area: Corvinus (2015). She also sings tenor with the Oakland Symphony. She started at TRIS in January of 2016. Urban received her bachelor’s in Transportation Engineering, and she had worked for the US Military as a contractor for many years (served in two wars: Balkan & Iraq). She runs her own business as an Autoimmune Lifestyle Coach, helping chronically ill people to heal naturally and live a healthy, happy and full life. She is also a personal trainer, as she used to fight MMA (Muay Thai is her specialty). When she has extra time, she hikes with her vizsla, or knits, scrapbooks, reads, cooks, or swims.

Katrina Turman is a Bay Area native and grew up singing with the Piedmont East Bay Children’s Choir. She went on to study voice at the University of Oregon under the tutelage of Laura Decher Wayte and Dr. Sharon Paul.  After travelling in Europe and performing with the Munich Bach Choir, Katrina returned to California and was introduced to the world of Kodály music education while working for the Piedmont East Bay Children’s Choir. Inspired by the advanced technical skills and genuine joy in music-making displayed by students under the Kodály program, Katrina pursued further studies in Kecskemét, Hungary at the Kodály Institute. There, Katrina had the opportunity to study with numerous world-renowned teachers, including advanced choral conducting teacher, Peter Erdei. While in Hungary, Katrina was also lucky enough to develop high quality methodology skills as well as learn about the highly sought-after Kokas Method, a music program that incorporates free-movement. Katrina joined TRIS in 2016.

Sarah Plovnick is originally from Boston, and earned a B.A. in Music and Comparative Arts from Washington University in St. Louis. She recently completed a Fulbright Scholarship in the Dominican Republic where she taught in a music education non-profit organization and researched combinations of jazz and traditional Dominican music. She also taught at a music camp in Maine for four summers and worked with two youth organizations in St. Louis. She actively performs on both jazz piano and French horn. Sarah joined TRIS in 2016.