BRIAN GERARDO
Brian Gerardo builds “invisible stages” to elevate opportunities for others to dream, design, and do. A Teach For America alumnus, Brian is co-founder and Executive Director of the Baltimore Dance Crews Project, an organization empowering city youth through Hip-Hop dance. Prior to positions in education and in the dance community, Brian advocated for Asian American Studies as a leader in Virginia Tech’s Asian American Student Union and the Filipino Intercollegiate Networking Dialogue, Inc. Brian continues to serve Baltimore City students as a recognized Maryland Resident Teaching Artist and is part of the first cohort of the Design Leadership (MA/MBA) joint graduate program at the Maryland Institute College of Art and Johns Hopkins University.
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DAVE TAULER
Dave Tauler plays 28 instruments, speaks Korean, Spanish and English, and has won Amateur Night at the World Famous Apollo Theater in both the 2010 and 2011 seasons. Dave is also the 2007 Grand Prize and Lennon Award Winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest for R&B.In 2009, Dave was a winner of Washington FOX 5’s DMV Idol, earning him and his band a feature on FOX Morning News.
In January of 2012, Dave’snew band, DTMG, launched its first live music video on its new YouTube channel.Over the next few months DTMG’s YouTube channel gained international attention earning Dave a trip to Korea and a featured performance on Star King, one of Korea’s number-one rated Saturday night TV shows.Dave Tauler’s episode of Star King will broadcast later this fall.
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K- MURDOCK
Born in Washington, DC and raised during the golden era of hip-hop, K(yle) Murdock’s affinity for the music and culture was weaned by his older cousins. One crew in particular, The Native Tongues, changed his musical life when he stumbled upon the cassettes of two of the collective’s landmark groups (A Tribe Called Quest & De La Soul) back in the early ‘90s. The biggest thing K learned from the likes of those’ artist is consequently one of the biggest ideas he continually strives to get across in his own music- individuality!
Best known for being one half of the progressive hip-hop tandem Panacea, K, along with the group’s emcee Raw Poetic, has rocked shows all over the United States; Sharing the stage with legends like Brand Nubian & Rahzel of The Roots to new schoolers Little Brother, Lupe Fiasco & J-Live. K-Murdock’s self-proclaimed “Neosonic” (new-sound) productions have taken shape over the last decade and helped K garner respect from his contemporaries to some of K’s personal influences- DJ Spinna, Thes One (of People Under The Stairs) & Omm’as Keith (of The Sa-Ra Creative Partners). His mix of spacey elements fused with soulful sampling have allowed him to work with a range of artists including Grammy Nominated R&B singer Raheem DeVaughn to Capcom-licensed “nerdcore” rapper Random (aka Mega Ran), whom K has been collaborating & touring with since 2010!
Other notable career highlights for K include: Being selected as 1 of the 60 participants for the 2005 Red Bull Music Academy, having Panacea’s 2007 album The Scenic Route be named “Album Of The Year” in respected UK magazine Hip-Hop Connection & most recently being listed as one of the top producers of 2011 on the site Nerdcore.com.
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KYRA KOH
Originally from South Korea, Kyra is a classically trained soprano who has been singing in public for as long as she can remember. Kyra received her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music at the Catholic University of America.
In 2003, Kyra was a winner in the Urban Philharmonic’s Paul Robeson Vocal Competition and was voted “audience favorite.” As a singer, she has performed at a variety of Department of State events and was a member of the Loudon Lyric Opera. In July 2012, Kyra played the role of “Christmas Eve” at the Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre’s July production of Avenue Q. Kyra currently sings with the Dave Tauler Music Group (DTMG).
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SHAWN COSBY
Choreographer, Dancer, actor and singer Shawn Michelle Cosby has worked and performed alongside popular entertainers and well as the set of many great productions. She has been tapped to work with Busta Rhymes, Tabi Bonnet, Mya and may other prime entertainers. She has been featured and worked on the sets of commercials, the movie Step Up, MTV Video Music Awards, Teen Summit and the list goes on.
As an all around entertainer Shawn has opened for B2K, B5, Ashanti, Hilary Duff, 112, Boys 2 Men, Gerald Levert, Total, Lil Kim, Missy Elliot, KC and Jo Jo, New Edition, Kelly Price, Chico DeBarge, WNBA and Jaheim.
Shawn has also done production and theatrical acting on the stage renditions of Dreamgirls, Footloose,The Wiz, Seussical, Once On This Island, Ragtime, Honk, Annie, Little Shop of Horrors, Sound of Music, Fame, Beauty and The Beast, Grease ,Les Miserables and numerous show choirs.
Shawn Cosby is also the proud recipient of the Artists in Residence Master Teacher Award and the Alvin Ailey Award for Choreography.