OCCASIONAL BRASS - Key Persons
Abigale Reisman is a violinist, composer, improviser, and educator. She earned her Bachelor's degree at The Manhattan School of Music in Classical Violin Performance. In New York, she became involved with the contemporary music scene and Klezmer music. Abigale went on to receive her Master's degree at The New England Conservatory in Contemporary Improvisation. There, she developed her compositional skills while working in a rich collaborative environment. She has toured the world performing Klezmer, classical, rock, and contemporary music. Abigale has had the privilege to share the stage with great musicians such as David Krakauer, Anthony Coleman, Jeffery Zeigler, Amanda Palmer, Sarah Jarosz, Hankus Netsky, and Jherek Bischoff.
Alexandra Johnson is a University of Massachusetts Amherst graduate in trumpet performance and music education, cum laude. Since graduating, Alexandra has performed with the Symphony Pro Musica, Metrowest Symphony, and the Waltham Chamber Symphony. She has also performed in numerous pit orchestras for musical theatre productions such as Gypsy, Annie, and Guys And Dolls. Alexandra's primary teachers have included Eric Berlin, Tony D'aveni, and James Pendolfi. Her background in music education has provided her with many teaching opportunities from teaching private lessons to leading larger jazz and classical ensembles as well as general music classes.
Pianist Amy Lee is an active musician in the greater Boston area. She graduated from the Longy School of Music with a Master's of Music degree, where she studied with Randall Hodgkinson. Amy is multi-faceted musician, passionate about collaboration, chamber music, and education. She has played concerts throughout the Northeast and abroad, with solo performances at the Gardner Museum, New England Conservatory, Harvard University, Bentley University, the Brevard Music Center, chamber music recitals in New York, the UK, as well as the the Sheung Wan Civic Center in Hong Kong. Amy teaches piano, music theory, coaches piano ensembles, and composes arrangements. She is the currently the co-Chair of the Piano Department at the Indian Hill Music School.
Amy started playing the violin at age 6, after her parents joined an itinerant bluegrass band. After playing with such banjo greats as Ben Eldridge from The Seldom Scene, she went on to study more classical pursuits. Her teachers have included Blair Milton, Margaret Pardee, and Charlie Castleman from the Eastman School of Music. After attending Northwestern University for violin performance, she took a slight detour and received her Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Finally recovered from this indiscretion, she has once again returned to the violin, and has performed with a variety of groups in the area including the Nashua Symphony, New Bedford Symphony, Granite State Symphony, Portsmouth Symphony, Portland Ballet, PORTopera, North Shore Music Theatre, and the Merrimack Repertory Theatre.
Angel Hernandez Dominguez was born in Cuba, where he began his studies on the violin at the Manuel Saumell Conservatory in Havana. At the age of 16, he moved to Mexico. There he held positions in the Aguascalientes Symphony Orchestra; the Queretaro Philharmonic, with whom he also performed as soloist on several occasions; and most recently the OFUNAM Philharmonic in Mexico City. Angel moved to the United States in 2006. He is currently on faculty at Cushing Academy in Ashburnham; Shrewsbury, MA Public Schools; and Indian Hill Music School. He maintains an active performance schedule as a member of the Nashaway Trio, Camerata New England, and the Bangor Symphony Orchestra in Maine. Angel lives in Holden with his family, where he also builds and repairs violins.
Venezuelan Trombonist Angel Subero started his musical studies at the age of 13. He attended the Conservatorio Itinerante, where he studied with the legendary Michel Becquet. In the U.S., he studied with Lawrence Isaacson, John Rojak, Claudio Roditi, and Jeff Galindo. Angel attended The Boston Conservatory and the New England Conservatory (NEC), where he received the NEC Merit Award, graduated with distinction in performance and studied with Douglas Yeo of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO). He has performed with the BSO, the Boston Pops, the Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP), and many others. Angel has worked with such conductors as James Levine, Seiji Ozawa, John Williams, Kurt Masur, Keith Lockhart, and Robert Spano. He currently serves as bass trombone faculty at The Boston Conservatory.
Annalisa Boerner, viola, earned both her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from the Cleveland Institute (CIM), under the tutelage of Jeffrey Irvine (CIM) and Lynne Ramsey (Cleveland Orchestra). Annalisa has played with the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra (MA), Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra (CT), CityMusic Cleveland (OH), The National Repertory Orchestra (CO), and The Columbus Bach Ensemble (OH). As a Viola Fellow with Community MusicWorks Players (RI), Annalisa was part of two world premiere performances of music by Gonzalo Grau and Kareem Roustom. She has collaborated with such artists as the Kronos Quartet, the Cavani String Quartet, the Claremont Trio, and members of the Cleveland Orchestra in concert. Annalisa lives and teaches in and around New Haven, CT.
Aubrey Johnson is a New York and Boston-based vocalist, composer, and educator who specializes in jazz, Brazilian, and creative contemporary music with and without words. She holds a Master of Music degree in jazz performance from the New England Conservatory and is set to release her debut album under saxophonist Greg Osby's new record label Inner Circle Music within the next year. In 2011, she joined the voice department at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, becoming their youngest current voice teacher. In 2012, she joined the faculty of the New England Conservatory as the director of the school's vocal jazz ensemble. Aubrey has performed and/or recorded with jazz greats Bobby McFerrin, Lyle Mays, Steve Rodby, Mark Walker, Paul McCandless, Fred Hersch, and Jimmy Cobb.
Barbara Zdravesky began playing the cello at the age of eight in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In high school, she moved to Rhode Island, where she played in the Youth Symphony of Rhode Island. Barbara started her studies at the University of New Mexico with Joanna DeKeyser, and finished with George Mack at Rhode Island College (RIC). She received degrees in music and anthropology from RIC and has been performing in New England for more than twenty years. In addition to chamber ensembles, theater groups, and churches, Barbara has played in orchestras such as the Rhode Island Civic Chorale Orchestra, the Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra, the New Bedford Symphony, the Thayer Symphony, and held the principal cellist seat in the Rhode Island College Symphony under Edward Markward for two decades.
Job Titles:
- Instructor at the Upper Valley Music Center
Benjamin Kulp is the cello instructor at The Upper Valley Music Center in Lebanon, NH. He graduated from St. Olaf College with a Bachelor's in Music Performance, and a Master of Music from Ball State University, with further studies with Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi and Brant Taylor. Ben is a former member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and the Miami Symphony Orchestra, and he founded the Logan Chamber Players, a not-for-profit chamber music orchestra in Chicago dedicated to bringing accessible classical music to local communities. Ben enjoys playing classical, jazz, pop, and more, all over NH and VT for OB&S and numerous other ensembles.
Job Titles:
- Member at the Concord Community Music School
Bethany Landby is a faculty member at the Concord Community Music School and holds positions with Albany Symphony, Santo Domingo Music Festival, Orchestra of Indian Hill, and West Virginia Symphony. Her varied performance career has taken her to Iceland, Spain, Central America, and throughout the United States. Bethany earned a Bachelor of Music and Performance Certificate from the University of Denver's Lamont School of Music and a Master of Music degree from Carnegie Mellon University as a full scholarship student of Andres Cardenes. She has performed with artists such as Josh Groban, Ben Folds and the Transiberian Orchestra. When not performing or teaching, Bethany can be found in nature, with a good book, or social dancing.
Bozena O'Brien was born in Poland and, at age 10, came to the United States. She trained at Tanglewood, Boston University and studied with Marylou Speaker Churchill of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. She holds a certificate for Suzuki pedagogy, Suzuki Book 1, and is in her 29th year of teaching at Concord Community Music School, where she is string department chair. Bozena has taught at St. Paul's School, Concord, NH for 20 years, Plymouth State University, Holderness Preparatory School, and Kimball Union Academy. She performs with the New Hampshire Music Festival, Vermont Symphony Orchestra, CCMS Musicians of Wall Street, Brinkler Piano Trio, Handel Society of Dartmouth College, and various other choral and orchestral ensembles. Bozena maintains a home studio and continues to perform as a freelance violinist.
Brian Wallace attended the Berklee College of Music, earning a bachelor of music in music education. While in college he had the privilege of studying under such notable trumpet players as Wayne Naus, Lin Biviano, Tiger Okoshi and Jeff Stout. After college, Brian spent 4 years touring with original funk group, Rippopotamus, a group that has shared the stage with national acts such as Queen Latifah, Phish, Fishbone, De La Soul, and the Beastie Boys. Rippopotamus released five albums, wrote and performed the theme song for MTV's show, Singled Out, and were a featured act at the Montreal Jazz Festival. He has performed with the likes of Deana Martin, Bobby Rydell, Roger Ingram, Kayvan Vega, Don Sonero and Luisito Carrion. He regularly performs with Goza, Mikata, and the Rob Zappulla Orchestra.
Bryan Hilliard studied with Vincent Macrina (Brockton, MA), then with Jeff Holmes and the late Walter Chesnut at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. During College, he found the funk and joined Rippopotamus (Rippo), a Boston-based funk/rock band. During his tenure with Rippo, Bryan opened for a variety of national acts, including Queen Latifah, Phish, Fishbone, De La Soul, and the Beastie Boys. He can be heard around town playing weddings, musicals, funk, rock, big band, dixieland, salsa, merengue, and even a circus gig or two. Bryan earned a BA from UMass Amherst and an MBA from Boston University. After completing his MBA, Bryan founded Occasional Brass & Strings, which now employs over 150 musicians!
Caroline Reiner-Williams completed her undergraduate degree in cello performance at the age of 19. Prior to accepting a full scholarship to pursue graduate studies at the Longy School of Music, she toured the U.S. and seven European countries as a member of several chamber ensembles. At 21, she received her master's degree in cello performance. A faculty member at the Joy of Music Program in Worcester since 2009, Caroline is also on the adjunct music faculty at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI); Shrewsbury Public Schools; and Indian Hill Music School. She is active throughout New England as a chamber and orchestral musician, performing regularly with the Bangor Symphony Orchestra, where she is contracted associate principal since 2009, and as a founding member of the Nashaway Piano Trio and Trio Nuevo.
Andy Cormier grew up in Waltham, MA and studied trumpet with Charles Schlueter, former principal trumpet of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, while at the New England Conservatory of Music (NEC). While at NEC, he also studied improvisation with Jazz trumpeter John McNeil, and was selected as principal trumpet of the 1992 All-American College Orchestra at Disney World. Andy has also played trumpet for two North American tours of Broadway musicals, and has played professionally in the Boston area for over 20 years. He can be found in horn sections, jazz bands, church ensembles, and pit orchestras throughout New England.
Inventive and innovative, classically-trained violinist Chris Baum is rapidly becoming a prominent force in contemporary music circles around the globe. Baum's strength lies in his versatility, consistently pushing the boundaries of the violin while molding his playing to fit ensembles and genres often deemed unsuitable for the instrument. The Berklee College of Music graduate's growing list of credits include collaborations with The Dear Hunter, Dropkick Murphys, Amanda Palmer, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Symmetry, Wheat, Art Decade, Guy Mendilow, Jherek Bischoff, and the Video Game Orchestra, who featured Chris as a soloist at Boston's Symphony Hall and on the ensemble's tour of China.
Clayton DeWalt began touring and recording professionally at age 15. He excels in many musical styles: from South African pop, blues, R&B, and classical chamber music, to salsa, Balkan brass, jazz, reggae, and folk. From Lincoln Center to the Monaco Opera House, Clayton has worked with many talented artists: Toshiko Akiyoshi, Nancy Wilson, John Brown's Body, Robin McKelle, Cecil McBee, The New York Voices, the Gene Krupa Orchestra, The Temptations, and Regis Philbin. He is an adjunct professor at Babson College, a resident artist at the Conservatory Lab Charter school, teaches music in the Lincoln public schools, and maintains a private studio. Clayton holds a B.S. in Music Ed. from Slippery Rock University, a M.M. in Jazz Studies from New England Conservatory (NEC), and is pursuing his D.M.A. in Jazz Studies at NEC.
A graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music (M.M '07, B.M.'04), Dan has performed with many of the top professional orchestras in New England. He has been hired by the New Hampshire Pops, Granite State Symphony, Granite State Opera, Orchestra of Indian Hill, Nashua Symphony, Symphony by the Sea, and others. An active teacher, he is the principal brass instructor for the Northborough, MA school system. Daniel also performs frequently with various chamber groups, funk and rock bands. When not playing trombone, Daniel enjoys strumming guitars and drinking coffee.
Daniel Pelletier is a world fusion multi-percussionist soloist and combo leader. He is a modern composer for orchestra, choir, wind ensemble, percussion ensemble, chamber and solo instruments with/without tapes. In addition, Dan produces electronic and live music. He is a classically trained composer, arranger, mallet/hand percussionist, and timpanist. He received the Michael Kamen Solo Award from Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation. Dan regularly plays in Musical Theater Pit Bands, Jazz Combos, Percussion Ensembles, Concert Orchestras, and Wind Ensembles in the New England region.
A Rhode Island native, Diane Guillemette studied viola at the University of Rhode Island (Bachelor of Applied Music) and McGill University in Montreal. She is a founding member and violist at Musica Dolce, performing in string quartets and trios at venues in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Diane is an active freelance musician who has performed with Chorus of Westerly Festival Orchestra, the RI Civic Chorale & Orchestra, Southeastern Connecticut Symphony, and RI Philharmonic Pops. She has been with Occasional Brass & Strings since 2008, and was one of our first RI-based strings.
Diantha Millott, originally from Las Cruces, NM moved to the Boston area in 1998. Her horn professors include Jon Boen, whom she studied with at DePaul University where she graduated with a BM in horn performance; and Paul Ingraham, whom she studied with at the Yale School of Music where she graduated with a MM in horn performance. Upon graduating from Yale, Diantha auditioned for and won a position in the Air Force Band of Liberty (1998-2002), where she continued her musical studies with Eric Ruske. Making her home in Concord, MA she continues to enjoy freelancing in various ensembles in the greater Boston area.
Job Titles:
- Director of Jazz Studies at the University
Dr. Chris Oberholtzer, Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Southern Maine, completed his Doctor of Arts degree in Trombone Performance/Pedagogy with a Secondary Emphasis in Jazz Pedagogy at the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley. He earned his Master of Music degree in Jazz Studies from Indiana University, Bloomington, and his Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from the University of Southern Maine, Gorham. Chris maintains a busy schedule as a professional freelance trombonist. He has performed, toured, and recorded with many groups in various genres. His playing experience includes touring with the Artie Shaw Orchestra, the Guy Lombardo Orchestra, Ringling Brothers Circus, Toni Tenille, Capitol Center Jazz Orchestra, and Holland America Cruise Line.
A native of Seattle, WA, Jeanne received Master of Music degrees in both piano and viola from the University of Washington before moving to Boston to pursue a Doctorate in viola at New England Conservatory with Carol Rodland, Marcus Thompson, and Kim Kashkashian. She frequently performs with many area orchestras, including principal viola with the Cape Ann and Brockton Symphonies. Over the past three decades, Jeanne has been heard in theater pits, as part of a jazz ensemble, playing chamber music in Jordan Hall, as a concerto soloist in Seattle's Meany Hall, performing in Swiss chapels, and at many windy weddings. She hopes to one day be a college professor.
Chamber performer and soloist Lizary Rodriguez Rios attended the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico and studied with noted Puerto Rican harpist Maria Rosa Vidal. She earned both Masters and Doctoral degrees from the University of Arizona, where she studied with world renowned harpist Dr. Carrol McLaughlin. She subsequently finished two postgraduate degrees from Madrid's Royal Conservatory of Music, studying under the tutelage of celebrated harpist Dr. Maria Rosa Calvo-Manzano. In addition to her career as a soloist, she has toured with the Grammy nominated international harp ensemble, Harp Fusion, performing in the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Spain and Russia.
Dr. Sara Wilkins has established herself as a versatile and energetic cellist in the Boston area. An active performer, she has toured and given masterclasses with the Tarab Cello Ensemble, performed with the American Chamber Opera in Chicago, and currently serves as principal cellist of the Rivers Symphony. Recent appearances include Symphony New Hampshire, Symphony-by-the-Sea, and Company Theatre. An experienced teacher, Sara is currently on faculty at All Newton Music School, Sharon Music Academy, the Rivers School, and Beaver Country Day School. She also serves as String Department Coordinator at All Newton. Sara has taught cello, violin, group strings, and general music to students ranging in age from 2 to 73.
Emily Halpern Lewis has been a featured soloist with the Bridgeport Symphony, Salem Philharmonic, North Shore Philharmonic, the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, the Portland Chamber Orchestra in Maine, and most recently with the Walden Chamber Players. She is the winner of several awards including a three time winner of the Elizabeth Herbert Hobin Harp Scholarship and a recipient of a fellowship at the Tanglewood Music Center. Emily began her harp studies with Lucile Lawrence, and continued studying with her at Tanglewood and Boston University. A much sought after teacher, Emily Halpern Lewis has served on the faculty at Gordon College, Boston University, and is currently teaching at MIT, the Phillips Academy at Andover, and
Emmett Harrity is an active pianist in the Southern ME region who performs and enjoys a wide variety of music, specializing in jazz and other improvised music. A 2012 graduate cum laude of the University of Southern Maine School of Music, he now resides in Portland and spends his time performing, accompanying and teaching private lessons. He is the pianist for The Fogcutters big band and the piano trio Standard Issue, both based in Portland. Emmett can be heard featured as the pianist on multiple recordings by both the Fogcutters and Standard Issue, as well as the Maine Saxophone Project's album Celebration.
Violinist Eric Wuest is a versatile musician, equally accomplished as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player. He has performed as a soloist with many orchestras, including the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the University of Michigan Philharmonic Orchestra, and the UCLA Philharmonia. Eric has participated in the Second Benjamin Britten International Violin Competition, the 10th Pablo Sarasate International Violin Competition, and 8th Seoul International Music Competition. He has played under such notable conductors as James Conlon, Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Sir Neville Mariner, Nicholas McGegan, David Robertson, Michael Stern, Leonard Slatkin, and David Zinman. Eric was also the principal second violinist on the multi-Grammy Award winning album "Songs of Innocence and of Experience" by William Bolcom, which was recorded at the University of Michigan in 2004.
Born in Vermont, violist Eve Boltax is an active performer and teaching artist in the Boston area. She is a founding member of the Cardamom Quartet and the saxophone and viola duo, patchtax, who collaborates frequently with a wide variety of artists across various disciplines. Eve has performed as principal violist with Boston's Symphony Nova, the Banff Festival Orchestra, and the Longy Conservatory Orchestra and in the sections of many local orchestras including the New Bedford Symphony and Cape Ann Symphony. She received her Master of Music degree at the Longy School of Music as a student of Dimitri Murrath and was the recipient of the President's Award for Teaching Artistry. Eve graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Massachusetts Amherst where was a student of Elizabeth Chang and was the 2010 Concerto Competition Winner.
Grant Randall performs in the Boston and New York area. He plays with many professional orchestras such as the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra, the Masterworks Chorale Orchestra, and the Männedorf Collegium Cantorum of Zurich, Switzerland. He also performs and records with many big band leaders and jazz composers such as Omar Thomas, Nick Grondin, Nick Urie, and the Beantown Swing Orchestra. Grant holds performance degrees from St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN, and the New England Conservatory of Music, Boston, MA, where he studied voice and piano in addition to low brass. He is currently the tenor vocal soloist at St. John the Evangelist Episcopal church on Beacon Hill in Boston.
Helena Veranian received her M.A. in Piano Performance and Choir Conducting from the Erevan Conservatory in Armenia. She took numerous organ performance classes, and perfected her skills under the tutelage of concert organist Berj Zamkochain. Helena has participated in more than 500 concerts throughout Russia, Armenia, Georgia, Italy, Austria, Germany, Spain and the United States. She has been the organist and accompanist at Crawford Memorial United Methodist Church in Winchester (MA) since 1995. Helena is married to Maestro Arthur Veranian.
Jake Pietroniro is a violist and New Hampshire native. He began his studies at age nine, participating in ensembles like the Keene Chamber Orchestra and the Boston Youth Symphony during his high school years. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of California at Santa Barbara, where he studied with Helen Callus, graduating with magna cum laude academic honors and a distinction in his Bachelor of Arts degree. In addition to viola performance, Jake is fascinated with the use of metaphor in pedagogy, and has published a paper on the benefits of its use. He is currently pursuing his Master's degree in viola performance on scholarship at The Hartt School, where his chamber group recently won 1st prize in the annual Hartt Chamber Music Competition.
Jane Kittredge began playing the violin at age four. A native Vermonter, she is the youngest of five children and the first to pursue music professionally. Jane is often seen playing with The Vermont Symphony Orchestra along with the Distinguished Concerts International Symphony Orchestra in New York City. Her orchestra engagements have taken her from Canada to Mexico, New Hampshire to California, and rock'n'roll stage to SONY recording studio. Jane's experience, however, is not limited to classical music: most recently, she shared the stage with Sarah McLachlan for a sold-out audience at the Shelburne Museum grounds in Vermont. She toured briefly with Trey Anastasio of the Phish, and now plays with the alternative indie-rock band, Secret Radio, as well as the New York City-based Beatles' band, Bubble.
Jennie Backstrom takes the same approach to music as she does to life, love, and spiritual practice: express yourself radically and honestly. With a voice often compared to Joni Mitchell, Backstrom's claim to fame is her ability to quiet a rowdy barroom when she steps up to the mic and expels a voice which - grounded in an operatic background - climbs to the ceiling and down without flaw or effort. The Worcester-based singer/songwriter recently released her debut album. In Emotions Sit, Jennie supplements her arsenal of songs like the soulful and sultry "To My Next Lover" with mandolin crowd-favorite "Rain". Not knowing what comes next is a thrill for Backstrom, whose whimsical, free-spirited nature often finds her jumping on a stage, jamming with a street musician, or collaborating with excited, hungry musicians like herself.
Jennifer Yeaton-Parris earned her B.A., summa cum laude, in Music History and B.M. in Flute Performance from the University of New Hampshire and her M.M. in Performance from Boston University. She has performed with the New Hampshire Music Festival, Granite State Orchestra, Concord and Manchester Chorale Societies, and the Cornell Festival Orchestra. She has given solo recitals at St. Gaudens, the Balsams, Dartmouth College, and Keene State College. She is a former adjunct faculty member of the University of New Hampshire, Plymouth State University, and Cornell University. Jennifer is currently an adjunct instructor at Saint Paul's School and on the faculty of the Concord Community Music School, both in Concord, NH.
A native of Austin, TX, Jerome Smith attended College at UT Austin, then relocated to Boston to work on his Doctorate in Trombone at Boston University. Being no stranger to the freelance music scene, Jerome doubles on Tuba, Euphonium, and Bass Trombone, as well as encompassing all styles of music from Classical, to Jazz, Rock, and even Country/Western. You can check him out at a Red Sox game, jamming with the Hot Tamale Brass Band, or around town just rocking out. Blessed with perfect pitch and amazing musical sense, Jerome has his sights set on a professional orchestra gig.
has studied at the University of Indiana (Bloomington), DePaul University (M.M.), Yale University (A.D.), and Boston University (D.M.A.). At DePaul, he studied with Floyd Cooley, who was Principal Tuba of the San Francisco Symphony for 31 years. While attending Boston University, Jerome studied with Mike Roylance, Principal Tuba of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO). He has performed with the BSO, Boston Pops, Tanglewood Festival Orchestra, Honolulu Symphony, Chicago Civic Orchestra, and many others. Jerome is currently an Adjunct Professor of Tuba and Euphonium at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, and maintains a busy schedule of teaching and performing.
Jerry Merra has been touring and performing as a professional saxophonist/woodwind musician for over 20 years. After studying music at the University of Massachusetts (Amherst), Jerry moved to the West coast. From his home base in Las Vegas, Nevada, Jerry was able to share the stage with many renowned artists including Celine Dion, Bette Midler, Tony Bennett, Bill Champlin, Toni Braxton, Sheena Easton, Gladys Knight, Wayne Newton, Kenny Loggins, The Temptations, and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. Jerry has also performed with Cirque du Soleil and as a member of the cast of the smash hit show Jersey Boys. Jerry's television appearances include The Tonight Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The View, and live concert performances on HBO.
Jessica Helie holds a bachelor of music degree from Syracuse University and a master of music degree from the Longy Conservatory. She studied with Laura Bossert-King at the Longy Conservatory, Muneko Otani of the Cassatt String Quartet, and James Dickenson of the Degas String Quartet. Jessica has performed with the Granite State and Nashua symphonies, Granite State Opera, and Lyrica Chamber Music in Chatham, NJ. In addition to running a private studio, she teaches strings in the Timberlane Regional School District and Violin/Viola at the Portsmouth (NH) Music & Arts Center.
John Stevens IV was the sixth-place finalist on the third season of the television series American Idol. His favorite singer is Frank Sinatra, to whom his vocal style has been compared. He has also earned the nickname "Teen Martin" because of his Dean Martin impersonation and ability to croon at such a young age. Stevens was signed to Maverick Records and released his debut album Red in 2005. It was produced by Steve Tyrell and executive produced by David Foster. It features covers of The Beatles' "Here, There and Everywhere" and Maroon 5's "This Love," both arranged and performed in a relaxed jazz/lounge style. John currently sings with the Boston-based Beantown Swing Orchestra,[2] focusing on the classic big band arrangements that were originally performed by Frank Sinatra and Bobby Darin.
Josh Goldman attended Brandeis University, where he focused in percussion performance, studying privately with Richard Flanagan, and received the Rosalie Warren Award for Excellence in Music Performance. He has performed avidly in and around Boston for the last six years in ensembles as diverse as symphony orchestras, big bands, orchestra pits for musicals, rock bands, and jazz combos. In 2010, Josh attended the NYU Broadway Percussion Seminar to intensively study Broadway Percussion with industry professionals and in 2014, he was the percussionist/drummer for the French Woods Festival for the Performing Arts, teaching & performing around the clock for two months in the summer.
Juli Miller is an active freelance harpist in the Boston area. She has worked with many local orchestras and chamber groups, including Alia III, BMOP, the Boston Pops, the New England Philharmonic, the New Hampshire Symphony, and the Springfield Symphony. A graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy and the New England Conservatory, she subsequently studied with Marcel Grandjany, the New York Met's Reinhardt Elster, and the BSO's Ann Pilot. She won the Princeton University Concerto Competition, which led to performances of Ravel's Introduction and Allegro and Debussy's Dances Sacree et Profane with the Princeton University Orchestra. She has also played with the New Jersey Opera and the American Shakespeare Theater, and in Indiana with the South Bend Symphony.
Cellist Junko Fujiwara is a jazz improviser and an active classical musician. Her current performing groups include: Eric Hofbauer Quintet, BOLT: Adventurous Improvised Music, Mimi Rabson's String Theory Trio, a recurring duo with pianist Steve Lantner, the Evocation Trio based out of Milwaukee, and the classical chamber group Kalliope Piano Trio. Junko holds cello faculty positions at Boston College, Governor's Academy, Masconomet Regional School in Topsfield, Ipswich Public Schools, and also maintains a studio of private students. She has a Master of Music degree from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and a Bachelor of Music degree from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin.
Kate Jensik is a graduate of Ithaca College with a bachelor's degree in Music. She received an Artists Diploma from Brandeis University and a master's degree from the Boston Conservatory, studying with renowned teacher and performer Rhonda Rider. She also studied at the Janacek Academy of Music in the Czech Republic and has participated in master classes with Yo-Yo Ma, Benjamin Zander, and Paul Katz. Late has taught at the Powers Music School, the Rivers Music School, Ithaca Talent Education Suzuki School, Ithaca College, and Brandeis University. She is currently on the faculty of the Concord Community Music School, and is an active freelance musician throughout New England.
Job Titles:
- Trumpet ( S ), Flugelhorn, Vocals
Kathleen (Leenie) Doran grew up in Westport, MA and in high school was a scholarship student at Interlochen Arts Academy. While at Oberlin College she spent her summers in Lenox, MA participating in the Tanglewood Summer Youth Orchestra. She later attended the University of Missouri (Kansas City) and studied with Bobby Watson, performing in his big band. In summer of 2009 she won "best brass" award at the American Brass Quintet Seminar at Boston University. She then attended the Berkelee College of Music as a World Scholarship Tour Student, studying trumpet with Tiger Akoshi and Darren Barrett and playing in Phil Wilson's Rainbow Band. A member of the trumpet section of the Beantown Swing Orchestra, Leenie is also the lead vocalist.
Kevin Scollins is a Boston-based guitarist, composer, and educator. Some notable artists that Kevin has worked with include Sean Jones, Wycliffe Gordan, Marshall Gilkes, Peter Eldridge, and Marlon Saunders. He is a native of Foxboro, Massachusetts where he also teaches guitar at the local high school. Kevin is a graduate of Berklee College of music and currently works at Berklee as a staff accompanist for the voice department. He has played at venues including Rose Hall at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Symphony Hall, The Regatta Bar Courtyard, The Hanover Theatre, and Boston Common to name a few. Kevin keeps an active performance schedule and plays many styles of music as a freelance musician all over New England.
Lauren Nelson received her Bachelor's of Music from Eastman School of Music, her Master's of Music from the University of Kentucky, and her Graduate Diploma from New England Conservatory. She has studied with Roger Tapping, Deborah Lander, and John Graham. Lauren maintains a busy performance schedule with the Harvard Baroque Chamber Orchestra (MA), the New World Symphony (FL), the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra (MA), and the Portland Symphony (ME). She won first prize at both the Colorado College Music Festival Solo Competition (CO) and the MaCauley Chamber Music Competition (KY). Lauren maintains a busy teaching schedule as Co-Artistic Director of Youth and Family Enrichment Services, (YOFES) in Hyde Park, MA, and with her own private teaching studio in Jamaica Plain, MA.
Linda Chase is a composer, performer and professor at Berklee College of Music and New England Conservatory in Boston. Her courses include: Music of the Whole Earth, Music, Spirit and Transformation, Interdisciplinary Collaborations in the Arts, Conceptual & Inter-arts Improvisation & Composition, and Music & Nature. Linda's collection of chamber pieces, "Reflections on Rumi," was written with partial support of a Berklee College of Music Faculty Fellowship, and "Tanabata Star Festival," was the winning piece in the 2007 Kaji Aso composer's competition. "Starlight Dreaming" and "First Darkness then comes the Moon" received a Berklee Recording Grant and Artist's Residency at the Morris Graves Institute in California. Her choral music has had numerous performances at the Old Cambridge Baptist Church.
Lynne Canavan received her undergraduate degree in violin performance from The University of Lowell, Massachusetts, and master's degree in management from Lesley College. She has studied violin with Alfred Schneider, Joseph McGauley and John Lowry. Lynne has been a freelance violinist in the New England area for over 30 years, performing many with symphony orchestras including The Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra in Milford, MA. She is currently in her 17th year as Assistant Director of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Music Coach for WPI's Medwin Honors String Quartet. Among her many past accomplishments, Lynne has taught traditional and Suzuki violin lessons, and she also successfully designed and implemented a pilot string program for the Billerica Public School system.
A native of Japan, flutist Mana Washio received her performance degrees from the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music (B.M.), the Oberlin Conservatory (A.D.), and Boston University (M.M.). She has played with the Boston Lyric Opera, the Opera New England, the National Lyric Opera, the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, the Granite State Symphony Orchestra, the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra, the Chorus Pro Musica, the Musica Sacra, and the Orpheus Singers. Mana has also held principal flute positions with the New England Philharmonic, the Neponset Valley Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Metropolitan Wind Symphony. She actively performs in various chamber music ensembles: flute & guitar, flute & harp, flute & marimba, woodwind duo, trio, quintet, and many others.
Mark Zaleski is an active saxophonist, clarinetist, flutist, bassist, and educator. He has an impressive level of experience, having performed with leading entertainers like Joe Piscopo, Joan Rivers, and Connie Francis, as well is some of the world's most in-demand jazz musicians like Dave Brubeck, Christian McBride, and Robin Eubanks. Perhaps most notable (and almost comical) was his time spent touring the country in 2006 as the clarinetist and bass clarinetist for classic rock legends Jethro Tull. Out of high school he was one of two college saxophonists in the country selected for the Dave Brubeck Insitute Fellowship Program to study jazz music at University of the Pacific. He is a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, MA.
Megan Koch has worked and performed throughout the United States, Asia, and Western Europe. She has a Masters in Chamber Music from the San Francisco Conservatory and a Bachelors of Music from the Peabody Institute. Megan plays in the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and the Cape Cod Symphony, and is currently on the faculty of the Rhode Island Philharmonic Music School. As a founding member of the Rivendell String Quartet, she had the opportunity to travel to Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic, in association with the US State Department and Carnegie Hall. The quartet also traveled to Singapore, where they mentored young musicians at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory and performed several concerts.
Megan Riccio is a passionate performer and educator. She holds Bachelor of Music degrees in Horn Performance and Music Education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She also holds a Master of Music in Horn Performance from the Longy School of Music. Her principal teachers have included Laura Klock, Jean Rife, and Kevin Owen. Megan performs all over New England in a variety of settings, including: symphonic orchestra, theatre orchestra, jazz, chamber music, and solo recitals. She maintains a large private teaching studio with students from South Shore Conservatory, Derby Academy, and the Duxbury Public Schools. Megan is also a full time faculty member in the Lexington Public Schools, teaching instrumental and classroom music.
Meghan O'Connor began studying the violin at the age of six. A 2002 graduate of Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY, Meghan received a BA degree with honors in music and mathematics. She is a private violin instructor and freelances throughout Southern New England. She has performed with the Eastern Connecticut Symphony, the Rhode Island Pops, and the Rhode Island College Symphony Orchestra. Meghan is a member of the Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra, Musica Dolce, and is concert master of the Newport County Community Orchestra. In the spring and summer she manages the Box Office for the Newport Music Festival.
Michael Stephan is currently the principal tuba for the Orchestra of Indian Hill, acting principal tuba of the Brookline Symphony, tubist with the Bay Colony Brass and Occasional Brass and Strings. An active freelance musician, Michael has performed with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Opera Company, New World Symphony Orchestra, Naples Philharmonic, Boston Philharmonic, West Virginia Symphony, Vermont Symphony and many orchestras throughout the New England Region. He has an Artist Diploma from Duquesne University, a Masters in Music from NEC, and a Bachelor of Music from UMass Amherst. In his spare time, Michael loves to ride bicycles, hike mountains and play outside!
Monique Weiss Byrnes is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where she studied organ with Haskell Thompson while earning a Master's degree in Teaching with a Choral Emphasis, after earning her Bachelor's degree in Organ Performance. She has performed the music of Bach, Buxtehude, Brahms, Franck, Hindemith, Mendelssohn, Messiaen, Mozart, Vierne, Vivaldi and Widor on organs throughout the United States. She spent two years studying music in Bayreuth, Germany; Vienna, Austria; and London, England, and played organs in Austria, Belgium, England, France, Germany, and the Netherlands. Monique also studied jazz piano with Harvey Diamond and Charles Banacos and jazz voice with Lisa Thorson, Bob Stoloff and Sheila Jordan. She has been a jazz and classical pianist/singer in the Boston area since 1988.
Neil Godwin holds a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Music in Conducting from the University of Mississippi. He also holds a Master of Horn Performance from Boston University, where he studied with Eric Ruske (Cleveland Symphony, Empire Brass Quintet). Neil has a wide range of experience as an orchestral, chamber, and solo performer, and has appeared with the Arlington Street Chamber Players, New World Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic, Mississippi Symphony, Meridian Symphony, and Monroe Symphony. He is an active teacher and performer in the New England area.
Nicole DeMaio is a New Jersey based composer, performer, and educator currently living in Boston. She graduated from Montclair State University with degrees in Music Education and Music Theory/Composition. Nicole currently attends The Boston Conservatory and is working towards her master of music composition in the studio of Marti Epstein. An avid performer on multiple woodwinds, she is a member of Michael Norsworthy's clarinet studio, and is proficient on saxophone, flute, and bassoon. For several seasons, Nicole acted as Surflight Theatre's principal woodwind doubler. She is a co-founder of the new music ensemble, Black Sheep, and performs with the group on low woodwinds. Nicole can also be seen performing with the Dudley Orchestra in Harvard on clarinet, and is an active freelancer in the Boston area.
Paul Geresy brings to the table a diverse palate of musical experience and a deep knowledge of the history of the American drummer. Paul has performed or worked with the likes of Jerry Bergonzi, Bob Moses, Bob Brookmeyer, George Garzone, Dave Holland, Robin Eubanks, Lee Konitz, Sam Rivers, George Russell, and many others. He performs locally in Boston, nationally, and internationally with various small and large ensembles, while maintaining a full and active teaching studio. In addition, Paul directs the Merrimack College Concert Band, Pep Band, and teaches percussion students at the college. Paul holds degrees from the University of North Texas (BA '05) and the New England Conservatory (MM '09).
Cellist Rachel Barringer, a Los Angeles native, has performed in numerous chamber music festivals including Zephyr (Italy), Bowdoin, and the Summer Institute of Contemporary Performance Practice at the New England Conservatory. She was a core member of Juventas, the ensemble in residence at the Boston Conservatory, from 2010-12. Rachel can also be seen performing with local rock bands Future Carnivores, The Grownup Noise, Guillermo Sexo, Mascara, and Ryan Lee Crosby. Rachel is a graduate of the California Institute of the Arts, where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts, and the Longy School of Music, where she earned her Master of Music. Her principal teachers are Erika Duke-Kirkpatrick and Terry King. Rachel can be heard on the pfMentum, Cold Blue, 7Tangram Records, Afrasia, and Innova record labels.
Rachel Daly received her Bachelor of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music in horn performance and Masters of Arts degree from Columbia University in music education. She studied under David Jolley, William Brown, Laura Klock, and George Lessard. Rachel is a founding member of Hornithology Ensemble and the Lakeside Brass Quintet. She has performed with many area orchestras and chamber groups including the Civic Symphony Orchestra of Boston, Plymouth Philharmonic, New Bedford Symphony, Symphony by the Sea, Clafin Hill Symphony, and Charles River Sinfonietta. Along with a home studio, Rachel teaches at lessons programs at Hopkinton High School and King Philip High School. She is also a visiting lecturer at Bridgewater State University.
is a fiddler, teacher, and improviser. In 2009, she founded Rhode Island Fiddle Project, a free music program based in Pawtucket, RI, teaching traditional fiddle and dance music to students ages 7-17. Rachel is a contra dance fiddler with bands French Roast and Pizzazz, she performs classical music with the Cardamom Quartet, tells stories with Thread Ensemble (an improvisatory trio of violins, voices, and vibraphone), and has recorded with The Bourbon Boys, Tallahassee, and Neha Jiwrajka. Rachel's fiddling was part of the Emmy-nominated soundtrack for the 2009 PBS documentary "The Mosque in Morgantown." She has a Bachelors Degree in Anthropology and Music from Vassar College, and a Masters of Music in Contemporary Improvisation from New England Conservatory.
Renee Legendre began formal training at the age of 12. During her teenage years, the influence of her father's music (Jim Porcella) led her to study and begin performing jazz vocals. Renee continued vocal technique and pedagogy (classical and jazz) at Westfield State College before moving to NYC to further develop as a performer and continue her studies in private studios. While in NYC she performed in several Cabaret shows and mastered her craft as a musical theater performer. When she returned home, she completed a BA degree in Education from Bay Path College. Locally, Renee has performed with piano players, jazz trios, and in the two-part vocal show Just the Two of Us, with her father Jim Porcella. In addition, she is the current choir director at St. Bernadette's Parish in Northboro, MA.
Born near Eindhoven, Netherlands, Robert Bekkers earned his performing and teaching degrees (Bachelor and Master of Music) at the Conservatory of Maastricht. During the seven years there, he won a scholarship to study contemporary music with Angelo Gilardino in Italy. He has performed in master classes for internationally-known guitarists such as David Russell and Pepe Romero. After his education, Robert developed his career as a soloist and chamber musician, playing with orchestras, choirs, and giving solo recitals. He recently completed his Doctor in Musical Arts (DMA) in classical guitar at the New England Conservatory under Eliot Fisk. He is also instructor of guitar at South Shore Conservatory in Hingham, MA and Gordon College in Wenham, MA.
Russell graduated Cum Laude from UMass Amherst with a B.A. in Music Education. He planned to audition for Orchestras but joined the Rock Band Rippopotamus instead, taking on the alter ego "Roof". Rippopotamus went on to win a Boston Music Award for Outstanding Funk Band, licensed a song as the theme song for MTV's Singled Out with Jenny McCarthy, won a WFNX award for Best Jam Band and has played around the country and the Montreal Jazz Festival in Canada. Russell has played with numerous ensembles from Orchestral to Jazz and from Dixieland to Funk.
Beginning his violin studies at six years of age in Houston, Texas, Sam grew up with an inquisitive mind for expression and collaboration. Sam holds a B.M. from the University of Houston, M.M. from Mannes the New School for Music, and graduated May 2017 from doctoral studies at Boston University as teaching assistant to Michelle LaCourse. Other major teachers and influences include Wayne Brooks, Karen Dreyfus, Kyung Sun Lee, Laurie Smukler, and Bayla Keyes. Described as "dynamic and committed" by the Boston Globe, Sam performs regularly in New England with ensembles A Far Cry, Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Guerilla Opera, Callithumpian Consort, Sound Icon, and various regional symphony orchestras.
Sarah Mitchell, soprano, has been an active performer throughout the greater Boston area for the past seven years. Most recently, Sarah performed with the award winning choir the Tallis Scholars in a Carnegie Hall masterclass Venetian Voices. Opera and baroque singing experiences include The International Rameau Ensemble in London, The Fairy Queen and Le Carnaval Masquerade at the Madison Early Music Festival, Amherst Early Music Festival, and the Baroque Festival at Queens College, lead performances with the Harvard Early Music Society and Lowell House Opera in Cambridge, and performing in Il Ritorno d'Ulisse in Patria as the Boston Early Music Festival soprano young artist in 2015. Sarah has also music directed several shows, including 42nd Street, Peter Pan, In the Heights, The Phantom of the Opera, and The Little Mermaid.
Sassan Haghighi completed his M.M. under the tutelage of Astrid Schween, and has also studied and played for well known cellists such as Marcy Rosen, Zvi Plesser, Brooks Whitehouse, Rhonda Rider, Pieter Wispelway, and David Finckel. After attending Ameropa Music Festival in Prague Czech Republic, Sassan was invited to study at the Prague Conservatory under the instruction of Vladan Koci. Sassan has won several awards, scholarships, and competitions including the Music Academy of North Carolina Strings Competition. An active teacher, Sassan is on cello faculty at the Prodigy Program in Westwood and the Four Strings Academy Summer Festival in Boston. He also teaches music theory at Boston's Symphony Hall for Project STEP.
Shay Rudolph serves as Assistant Principal Cellist with the New Bedford Symphony, is a contracted member of the Orchestra of Indian Hill, and performs with the Portland Symphony, Cantata Singers & Ensemble, Springfield Symphony, and Worcester Chorus. Nationally, she performed in the North American tour of Star Wars: In Concert, which featured C3PO actor Anthony Daniels as narrator of a large-scale multi-media production. Other highlights include playing with the Cleveland Orchestra and with the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra in Los Angeles. Abroad, she's enjoyed performing in Sweden, Finland, Spain, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Canada. Shay serves on the cello faculty of Clark University and on the chamber music faculty of the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras.
Stan has been performing professionally for 30 years. In addition to his work with us, he has been performing for weddings, holiday celebrations, and sacred music and is currently on staff with Entertainment Specialists and Groove Entertainment agencies. Stan has performed at music festivals in Montreaux, New Orleans, Chicago, Memphis, and Detroit. Recently, performances included a Western US tour with Mighty Sam McClain, sideman with guitarist Rick Russell and organist Ron Levy, and trumpet for the Sweet Willie 'D' Band. He also performs with his own jazz trio.
Hailed by The Boston Globe as a "radiant mezzo," Stephanie Scarcella originates from Wyoming, but has gladly made New England her home since 2006. Stephanie has become a sought-after classical vocalist in New England. She has sung with Boston Lyric Opera, Odyssey Opera, Opera Company of Middlebury (VT), Arcadia Players, Longwood Opera, Opera on Tap, in addition to presenting solo vocal recitals and performing as a soloist in concert settings. Stephanie received her BM in Vocal Performance, and MM in Opera from The Boston Conservatory. She was a New Orleans District Winner for the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in 2011, and a Semi-Finalist (Young Artist (2013) and Graduate (2011) Levels) for the Classical Singer Magazine Competition in 2010.
Susan Kirchhausen began her musical studies on piano and violin. A graduate of Florida State University (Music Performance - Viola), she went on to earn her Masters in Music Education at UMass Amherst. Susan played with the Disney All-American College Orchestra and the Tallahassee, Greensboro, and Savannah Symphony Orchestras. She has particularly enjoyed working with Sarah Chang, Jian Wang, Ray Charles, The Moody Blues, Dave Brubeck, Rosemary Clooney, and Mariachi Cobre. Recently, Susan and her viola spent some time acquainting themselves with improvisation and the Great American Songbook. Susan is an experienced youth orchestra conductor, as well as an active chamber music coach, and currently maintains a sizeable studio of viola, violin, and piano students of all ages.
A native of Japan, Takatsugu Hagiwara (Taka) received a Bachelor of Music degree from Showa College of Music in Japan, a Graduate Performance Diploma from Boston Conservatory, and a Master of Music degree from Boston University. His principal teachers include Chitate Kagawa (Sapporo Symphony Orchestra), Kensuke Yao (Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra), Andrew Miller (Alabama Symphony Orchestra), Charles Villarrubia (Rhythm and Brass), and Mike Roylance (Boston Symphony Orchestra). As an orchestral player, Taka has performed with the BSO, Boston Pops, Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Albany Symphony Orchestra, and Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra. He is currently a member of the Majestic Brass Quintet, and the principal tuba for both the Vermont Symphony and the Symphony New Hampshire.
Tev Stevig is a guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, specializing in banjo (tenor and 5 string), ukulele, steel guitar, and a variety of plucked string instruments. He performs with his solo/duo project called Jeni Jol, which incorporates elements of music from the Balkans, Greece, and Turkey in his original compositions and arrangements for clawhammer style fretless guitar. Tev also performs and records with Klezwoods, Orkestra Marhaba, Hickory Strings, and Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica. He has a degree in jazz guitar performance from Berklee College of Music, having studied with Mick Goodrick, Hal Crook, Rick Peckham, Jon Damien, and Brett Willmott. Tev teaches privately in the Boston area and at Berklee College of Music's City Music Program, Passim School of Music, the Lexington Montessori, and is the Guitar Chair at Powers Music School.
Thomas Gregory received a Bachelor of Music in tuba performance from the Boston Conservatory of Music and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Rhode Island College. He has performed with The Civic Orchestra of Chicago, The Bolshoi Ballet Orchestra, Harry Connick Jr., The Rhode Island Civic Choral and Orchestra as well recorded live performances in Boston, Chicago, and Norfolk, VA. He served for seven years as a tubist and electric bassist in the US Navy Bands in Norfolk and Chicago. He has performed in England, France, Iceland and 38 of the 50 United States.
Todd Brunel, who performs extensively as a classical and jazz musician, is a member of Musaner, Know Orchestra, the Eric Hofbauer Quintet, the Sonic Explorers, and The Circadian Rhythm Kings. He performs frequently with pianist Peter Cassino and has been awarded grants by the Somerville, Cambridge, Arlington, and MA Cultural Councils. Recent appearances include Carnegie Hall, Brandeis University, Dartmouth College, the Longy School at Bard College, Spazio Teatro NO'HMA in Milan, the Out of the Box Festival, Gould Academy, and the Academy of Music Dance and Art (Bulgaria). Todd is on the faculty of Wheaton College, the Powers Music School, the Lexington Music School, and is a NEST artist with the NE Foundation for the Arts. He holds a M.M. from Brooklyn College Conservatory and a B.M. from Boston Conservatory.
A native Bostonian, Tom attended the Pennsylvania State University to study flute performance and music theory. In addition to weekly performances for 110,000 of the best football fans in the world as part of the Penn State Blue Band, Tom was also a member of the Penn State Glee Club. In his downtime, he could also be seen performing throughout the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. Tom is most often found in the pit for many local musical theatre productions, either conducting, playing keyboard, jamming on his sax or clarinet, or playing some version of a flute (piccolo, alto flute, etc). Tom currently serves as the music director for Emerson Umbrella Center for the Arts in Concord, MA, and can often be heard performing with the Chelmsford
A native of St. Louis Missouri, Tony recently relocated to Boston after completing his Masters of Music in performance at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Tony held an assistantship in the MU Graduate String Quartet, served as concertmaster of the MU philharmonic, and served leadership roles in the Columbia Civic Orchestra. Currently, Tony performs with the Boston Civic Symphony, the Cape Anne Symphony, the Missouri Symphony, and the Du Bois Orchestra at Harvard. In addition to performing, Tony also spends many hours teaching privately and with the Boston String Academy. Tony has studied privately with Lucy Kaymakanova, Amy Oshiro, David Gillham, and Eva Szekely.
Flutist Trisha Craig received the BM from Ithaca College and the MM in Flute Performance from Longy School of Music, where she studied with Robert Willoughby. She currently teaches flute at The Governor's Academy (Byfield, MA), the Ted Herbert Music School (Manchester, NH), and is the Conductor of the Northeast Massachusetts Youth Orchestra (NMYO) Flute Choirs. She owned Music Makers, a music school on the NH Seacoast, for twenty-two years; has taught Applied Flute at Johnson State College and Flute Teaching Methods at University of New Hampshire; and has been a clinician and adjudicator at various festivals and workshops throughout the region. Trisha specializes in 20th Century and contemporary repertoire, and performs in solo, chamber, and orchestral settings. Her students have won awards at the local, regional and national levels.
A graduate of the Berklee School of Music, Valerie Thompson is a well-rounded musician that is comfortable in any playing situation. She divides her time between a very active cello studio, performing regularly with Laura Cortese & the Dance Cards, writing music and performing with Goli (a Cello/Marimba/Vocal ensemble), and attending a plethora of weddings and events for Occasional Brass & Strings. Valerie grew up in Kansas City, MO and now resides in Central Square, Cambridge, MA. She has a Masters Degree in Contemporary Improvisation (CI) from New England Conservatory, and has toured with Mary Chapin Carpenter, Laura Cortese, and more. Valerie is a cellist with the Vitamin String Quartet and appeared in the television series Gossip girl as part of that ensemble.
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music
Wendy Klein is an Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music (Contemporary Writing and Production), and is the Chair of the Jazz Department at the Rhode Island Philharmonic Music School. She received her B.A. from Brown University, her Masters of Music from the New England Conservatory, and a Bachelor of Music from Berklee. Wendy is a member of the Joe Parillo Ensemble, Intermezzo, and the Music School Faculty Touring Ensemble. Her recordings include Block Island Summer and Almost Carefree with the Joe Parillo Ensemble and Holiday Reflections with the Nature Company.
Zack Grass is a low brass musician and teacher currently living in the Boston area. A native of Waynesboro, PA, Zack started his tuba career working at Hershey Park in the Chocolate Covered Band. Currently, Zack is pursuing his Doctorate of Musical Arts (DMA) at Boston University in tuba performance with Mike Roylance (Boston Symphony Orchestra), and freelancing in New England. Zack was the former teaching assistant for the BU athletic bands and is currently an arranger/composer for the groups. Other groups that Zack has performed with include the Hot Tamales Brass Band, Symphony New Hampshire, Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra, PRISMA Music Festival in Canada, the Eastern Music Festival, the Butler Symphony Orchestra, and the New England Brass Quintet.
Zoia Bologovsky is an active musician in the New England area. A graduate of the Juilliard School, Zoia has had many adventures touring as first violinist with the Arden String Quartet around America and Europe. She has held positions with the Portland and Springfield Symphonies and Rhode Island Philharmonic. Currently, Zoia is Concertmaster of North Shore Philharmonic, MetroWest Symphony, and the Portsmouth Symphony. She is also Principal 2nd violin of Nashua Symphony and PORTopera, and can be found teaching at St Paul's School in Concord, NH, the Cooperative Middle School in Stratham, NH, and her studio in Stoneham, MA.