Black and white logo for Oregon Piano Institute featuring stylized pine trees and the text 'Oregon Piano Institute' underneath.

Staff

A man sitting in front of a black grand piano with a dark background.

  • Graphic Designer

    Dr. Juan Avendaño is a Colombian pianist with degrees in piano performance, collaborative piano and piano pedagogy from the University of Oregon, National University of Colombia and Western Michigan University. Juan has won several prestigious competitions and taught at institutions like the National University of Colombia and Western Michigan University. His performances include collaborations with the Rogue Valley Symphony and participation in festivals such as Bowdoin and Gilmore. Beyond music, Juan is also a visual artist, serving as a visual artist director, videographer, and photographer for organizations such as the Columbia River Chamber Music Festival and Piano UO Festival. He’s thrilled to join the Oregon Piano Institute team. More on his visual arts can be found at www.sebastianavendano.com

A young man with wavy brown hair, wearing glasses and a gray cable-knit sweater, is smiling softly against a black background.

  • Research & Student Outreach

    Nikita Istratov has been playing piano since the age of 6. He completed high school in Portland, OR with a full IB Diploma and is now beginning his first year at the University of Oregon, studying piano performance under Dr. Dossin. In his time in high school, he completed Level X of the OMTA Syllabus program “With Distinction”, performed at Weill Recital Hall in New York twice, won first prize at the 2021 Pittsburgh International Piano Competition, first prize at the 2021 Oregon State OPUS competition, and won the OMTA Donna and David Eason as well as Francis Virgina Melton scholarships. He was also selected for and attended the 2023 New York University MPAP Summer Piano Intensive. He has taken masterclasses with artists including Filippo Gorini and Julio Elizalde. Nikita loves attending concerts and studying classical music, from analysis to conducting to the psychology of music. Outside of music, Nikita also loves photography and got his pilot’s license last summer. 

  • Housing Coordinator

    Sofie Yang is a tenured violinist of the Eugene Symphony, Opera, Concert Orchestra, and Oregon Mozart Players, where she is also personnel manager and librarian. She holds performance degrees from Lawrence University with Samantha George, where she was featured on public radio, won the concerto competition, played in a fiddle club, and rocked in a heavy metal band, and from DePaul University with Janet Sung, where she was a regular member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago from 2017-2019. Sofie is currently pursuing a Certificate in Nonprofit Management at the University of Oregon along with a DMA in Violin Performance as a Graduate Employee and Promising Scholar studying with Dr. Sunmi Chang. During the summer, Sofie has worked for the Oregon Bach Festival as assistant librarian and orchestra, artist, and conductor liaison and has also been a residential advisor for the UO String Intensive. She volunteers for the Oregon Piano Institute and believes in the necessary work of music nonprofits for the community.