Instructors

       Owner, director, and teacher Kamilah Simba-Torres is a graduate of Reedley H.S. and the Conservatory of Music at the University of the Pacific where she received her B.A. in music education.  After teaching 10 years in the public school system, she officially opened her own music school, Simba School of Music, focusing on the Suzuki Method. Teacher K.C. learned the violin through the Suzuki Method as a child and studied with Suzuki trainers Cathy Lee, Sandra Payton, and Joseph Kaminsky.  Her book training started in 1994 with Cathy Lee and she continued her studies of the Suzuki pedagogy with Judy Bossuat-Gallic, Joseph Kaminsky, Edmund Sprunger, Gail Johansen and Linda Fiore. K.C. runs her private studio at her school with over 40 private students and 30 years of teaching experience.  Her students have been selected through audition to play with National Honor Orchestras at Carnegie Hall and Sydney Opera House, San Francisco Conservatory of Music pre-collegiate programs,  the NAfME all-national honor orchestra and are consistently placed in concertmaster and principle chairs in county and state honor orchestras. Together, her studio family performs throughout the Central Valley as well as in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and NYC. 

     K.C. has sat principal 2nd violin with the Sequoia Symphony for over 20 years and plays professionally through the Central Valley.  She is also the owner of Arpeggio Strings which specializes in booking live musicians for weddings and events. K.C. often adjudicates for school orchestras throughout the Central Valley and is a member of American String Teachers of America, California Music Educators Association and the Fresno/Madera County Music Educators Association. She resides in Fresno with her husband and her two Suzuki taught children.

Boris Nixon is a local cellist with a long list of achievements. He currently teaches in his own private studio in Oakhurst Ca. as well as the Simba School of Music. He also performs regularly with numerous groups in the area including The  Sequoia Symphony were he occupies the assistant principle position on cello. Below is a list of some of his accomplishments throughout his career.

Educational Outreach &  Recordings

Fresno Philharmonic Up Close and Classical Program facilitator, San Francisco Symphony Keeping Score Education Pilot Program facilitator, California Opera Arts & Education Festival, Fresno Youth Symphony cello coach, Music Educators National Conference former member, Chowan College cello instructor, Eastern Music Festival, Sequoia Symphony, Kingsburg Symphony, Merced Symphony, Young Audiences of Virginia, Tidewater Youth Orchestra, Old Dominion Symphony Orchestra & Faculty String Quartet, Arpeggio Strings, Norfolk & Fresno State University’s Musical Programs, Fresno City College, and on staff with Fresno & Madera County Offices of Education. Recordings with John Adams, Harcourt, Brace, Janovich, McGraw Hill, MacMillan Publishing, Trinity Broadcasting Network, and solo engagements, including public television promotional appearances, radio, news, various special events appearances. Hand double for Jamie Fox in the movie The Soloist.