Faculty
Rem Djemilev
BPC String Orchestra Leader
Originally from Russia, Rem Djemilev has had a distinguished professional career in the Bay Area as well as in his native country. He received his B.A. at the Music College of Moscow Conservatory and his master’s degree at the Conservatory of Music, also in Moscow. Before moving to the Bay Area, Rem performed for 12 years with the Moscow Symphony Orchestra and for 17 years with the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra. He currently performs with the California Symphony Orchestra and The Arlekin String Quartet. He also teaches at The Crowden School and conducts both the Young People’s Chamber Orchestra in Berkeley and Community Arts Youth Orchestra in Walnut Creek. Rem joined the Black Pine Circle School music faculty in 2002.
Quick Fact
Creates musical arrangements for fun
Other Faculty for This Grade
Aïda Garcia-Pons
Lower School Spanish Teacher
Aïda attended the same elementary school as opera tenor Josep Carreras.
Alyson Mitchell
Eighth Grade History & Geography Teacher
Keen on floating houses and mutant Basset Hounds
Anatoliy Gulimovskiy
Seventh Grade Math Teacher, Math Club / Math Team Coach
Played soccer on a Zambian teacher team
Carwai Seto
Eighth Grade Math Teacher and Dean of Upper School Curriculum and Instruction
Loves to travel
Chelsea Feldman
First Grade Head Teacher, Kindergarten and First Grade Garden Teacher
Learning to play the Celtic Harp and studying Irish Gaelic
Gerry Branner
Upper School Physical Education Teacher, Upper School Athletic Director, and Dean of Upper School Student Citizenship
Jerry Kennedy
Seventh and Eighth Grade Music Teacher, Band Director
Performed music in South Africa during the end of legal apartheid.
Nicole Lockwood
Lower School Science and Second – Fifth Grade Garden Teacher
Apprenticed at the National Theater of Croatia
Romina Ronquillo
Second Grade Head Teacher and Lower School Assistant Teacher Coordinator
Mad for dancing
Tess Leverenz
Third Grade Head Teacher
Took three and a half months to bike across the country with my husband
Torin Coffino
Sixth Grade History Teacher
Played Gaelic Football as a youth, and won a Minors championship in Ireland
