Music Academy Faculty - Rockford College

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Mary Ann Anderson, violin
Mary Ann has been with the Music Academy since 1989. She takes delight in starting each year's class of new beginners and has become a specialist with the baby beginners (ages 3, 4 and 5) and their parents. She is Suzuki certified through book 5, including long-term teacher training with Eleanor Stanlis. She is a past member of the Rockford Symphony and also served the symphony as librarian and personnel manager. She teaches strings at Keith School in Rockford. Mary Ann also serves as co-director of Music Academy’s summer camps.

Valerie Blair, early childhood

Valerie Blair holds a bachelor’s in music education and a master’s in piano from Northern Illinois University. She has played for local opera and musical theater productions, and voice studios in Chicago and suburbs, and in Buffalo, NY. For four years she taught general music for pre-K through middle school at Spectrum School here in Rockford, where she started the area’s first Music Together© Licensed Preschool Program. At the Music Academy of Rockford College she teaches early childhood music and recently launched a music program at the Rosecrance adolescent treatment center. At Rock Valley College she is the accompanist for Chamber Singers and Women’s Choir, as well as for voice students.

Marilyn Cade, piano
Marilyn Cade joined the Music Academy faculty in 1985. Cade earned a bachelor of music in piano performance and pedagogy from the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago and a master of music from the University of Nebraska with continued professional study with artists in the United States and Vienna, Austria. She has performed in numerous recitals as soloist, accompanist and member of chamber music groups, and played principal piano/celeste in the Rockford Symphony Orchestra for 15 years. In the teaching field, she has served on the music faculties of various colleges and universities including NIU, Beloit College and Rockford College, recently retiring as adjunct professor of piano from Rockford College. In July 2002, she received the Rockford Institute's Good and Faithful Servant Award for moral, cultural and spiritual contribution to the life of the community through her work. Cade is a member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA), the National Guild of Piano Teaches, Music Teacher National Association (MTNA) and their state and local chapters (ISMTA and GRMTA.)

Cindy Doering, violin
Cindy began her violin study at age nine and studied with Eleanor Stanlis as an undergraduate. She earned a bachelor of arts in education from Wheaton College and has done graduate study at Wheaton Graduate School and Vandercook College of Music. She toured with the Wheaton College Symphony Orchestra and is a past member of the Rockford Pops Orchestra and the Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra. She is currently completing a master of arts in teaching at Rockford College. Cindy obtained her Suzuki certification to book 5 through long-term study with Eleanor Stanlis and Peggy Crow. She joined the staff of the Music Academy of Rockford College in 1988. Cindy has the unique perspective of being a veteran Suzuki Mom. Her eldest son, Brian, studied with Eleanor Stanlis for many years and is completing a B.A. in music and education. Six of her eight children are currently or have been Suzuki students.

Richard Evans, cello
Richard Evans has completed a bachelor of music performance and a master of music performance with international soloists, Rajan Krishnaswami and Andres Diaz respectively. Throughout his studies, he earned high recognition for performance in solo and chamber recitals as well as being asked to serve as principle cellist for many orchestral concerts. Most recently he has performed with regional orchestras such as the Madison Symphony, Rockford Symphony, and with the Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra as well as in several chamber concerts. Evans’ Suzuki teachers have been Jean Dexter, Nancy Hair, and Catherine Walker and his Suzuki training is complete through book five. Evans joined the Music Academy faculty in the summer of 2007.

Martha Frantz, director and cello instructor
Marti is the Director of the Music Academy of Rockford College and has been in this position since 1987. Prior to assuming that responsibility, she taught cello with a loosely allied group of Suzuki teachers who collaboratively offered Suzuki group classes in space loaned by Second Congregational Church. From that group, the Music Academy of Rockford College was formed in 1985. Marti was involved with Eleanor Stanlis, Founding Director, in planning for and proposing the new school to the trustees of Rockford College. Marti began piano lessons at age 5 and cello lessons at age 10 and began to perform with the Rockford Symphony at age 13. She holds a bachelor's degree from Northern Illinois University and a master's degree from Rockford College. She played with the Rockford Symphony for 22 years prior to her "early” retirement to devote herself to the development of the Music Academy. Influential cello instructors have been Arthur Zack, Carol Tarr, Raya Garbousova and Richard Sher (formerly of the Vermeer Quartet).

Candy Glidden, piano

Glidden joined the piano faculty of the Music Academy of Rockford College in the summer of 1991. She earned a bachelor of music from Southwest Baptist College and attended graduate studies at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ken. where she studied with Maurice Hinson. Candy has Suzuki training through Book 4. Suzuki piano teacher trainers that have molded her teaching style have been Franciose Pierredon, Yasuko Joichi, Mary Craig Powell, Doris Koppelman and Nehama Patkin. Candy taught piano for 32 years, 16 of those years at the Music Academy. Candy has served as the director of the piano program and coordinator of the Early Childhood Program since 1995.

Rachel Handlin, violin
Handlin holds a bachelor of music and a master of music in violin performance from NIU and has Suzuki training through Book 7. Rachel currently serves as the Music Academy String Program director and as a violin private instructor. In addition to her teaching duties, Handlin performs as assistant concertmaster for Rockford Symphony Orchestra, concertmaster for Mendelssohn Chamber orchestra, and performs regularly with the Essen piano trio and Music Academy faculty piano trio. Handlin has performed as soloist most recently with the Mendelssohn Chamber orchestra playing the Four Seasons by Vivaldi and on an all Sibelius program where she performed Sibelius's 6 Humoresques. Each summer she plays as a member of the Mozart Festival Orchestra for their three week festival at the Woodstock Opera House in Woodstock, Ill. Handlin is pleased to be able to play music with her husband, Michael Beert (cellist) and to have her daughter study Suzuki violin at the Music Academy.

Patricia Jeske, piano
Patricia Jeske has been a member of the piano faculty of the Music Academy of Rockford College since 1998. She teaches traditional piano in addition to weekly group keyboard classes. She teaches piano and group piano at Rockford College. She is a performing member of the Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center and serves on the Artistic Advisory Board. She's active as an accompanist and church musician in Rockford. She is a regular contributer to the newsletter of the Illinois State Music Teachers Association regarding the Achievement in Music Exams. She is currently Vice-President of the Greater Rockford Music Teachers Association. She has taught in Texas, North Dakota, and Minnesota before moving to Rockford. She holds a bachelor of arts in applied piano from the University of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg, Texas and a master of music education in piano pedagogy from the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas.

Margaret Kleber, Music as Pleasure
Margaret Kleber earned a Bachelor of Music at Salem College, a Master of Music Literature at the University of Michigan, and has done post-graduate studies in Europe. She teaches "life-long learners” in an appreciation/survey course, "Music for Pleasure” at the Music Academy. Margaret believes students "put their musical clothes on in layers” – and her students demonstrate their desire to be well clothed by enrolling in these classes year after year.

Mary Kuchenmeister, violin
Mary Kuchenmeister earned a bachelor of music education at the University of Wisconsin, a master of music history from the University of Arizona, and did extensive post graduate work towards a doctorate of musicology at the University of Iowa. She spent 12 years teaching strings, and conducting junior and senior high orchestras in the public schools of Wisconsin, Arizona, and Iowa before coming to Rockford in 1970. In Rockford she taught strings in the public schools for 16 years prior to joining the Music Academy in 1987. Her violin teachers include Charles Treger, Vadim Mazo, Pierre Menard of the Vermeer Quartet, and John Kendall, with whom she received her Suzuki training through Book 10. She has had training in advanced string literature with Brian Lewis, and advanced violin techniques with Carol Dallinger. Her chamber music study has been with Clara Seigel, all four members of the Fine Arts Quartet, William Preucil, and E. Holm. From 1969-1971 she was the recipient of a three-year summer grant to study contemporary music at Oberlin College. She has played professionally in the Green Bay Symphonette, the Waukesha, Wisconsin Symphony, the Tucson, Arizona Symphony, and the Rockford Symphony and Chamber Orchestras. To further enhance her teaching, she has attended many summer institutes sponsored by the American String Teachers Association, The National School Orchestra Association, and the Suzuki Associations of the Americas. These include workshops in Bloomington, Indiana, the University of Wisconsin, Interlochen Music Camp, the International String workshop in Graz, Austria, The Suzuki institutes in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, Ottawa, Kansas, and the Chicago Suzuki institute in Illinois. In addition, she has attended almost all of the biannual International Suzuki Conferences held in Chicago and Minneapolis.

Hannah Lamm, violin and viola
Hannah Lamm is a violist who teaches Suzuki and Traditional violin and viola students. She earned her bachelor of arts at Northern Illinois University and is now pursuing a master of music degree in viola performance at NIU. She has studied viola with Anthony Devroye and Ann Montzka-Smelser and chamber music with the Avalon Quartet. Regularly performing with the Dubuque and Clinton Symphony Orchestras and Camerata Chicago, she also enjoys playing chamber music. Her Suzuki studies have been with Ed Kreitman, Ann Montzka-Smelser, Linda Fiore, and Joanne Melvin. Hannah joined the Music Academy faculty in the summer of 2007.

Kirsten LaPrade, voice
Kirsten LaPrade has a bachelor of arts in voice plus additional post-baccalaureate study in vocal pedagogy. LaPrade joined the Music Academy faculty in the fall of 2007. She is also on the staff at Rock Valley College.

Candy Lovan, piano
Candy Lovan is a pianist who received her professional training at the Moody Bible Institute and has completed Suzuki teacher training for books 1 through 5 under the guidance of Mary Craig Powell. Candy's Orff training is from the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota. Candy teaches Orff as a part of the piano group class curriculum, and is an occasional accompanist for the string program. She also teaches early childhood classes in the Music Academy’s Prelude program as well as the City of Rockford Head Start Program. Candy is a trained Music Together early childhood teacher. Candy began teaching piano at the Music Academy of Rockford College in 2000.

Kerena Moeller, cello

British cellist Kerena Moeller received her bachelor's degree in music from the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England and a master's degree in music performance and literature from Eastman School of Music. Moeller also received an Associate of the Royal College of Music in London England for post- graduate solo studies and a Graduate Performance Diploma from Peabody Conservatory of Music. Moeller previously served as a faculty member of the Maryland Conservatory of Music and at the Levine School of Music in Washington, D.C. Moeller is an active member of the Moeller Cello and Guitar Duo with her husband, guitarist Paul Moeller. Together, they have concertized throughout the United States, England and Italy. Their new recording, "My Better Half” features cello and guitar duets ranging from Baroque to Blues. Moeller joined the Music Academy of Rockford College faculty in the fall of 2009.

Paul Moeller, guitar

Paul Moeller received a Graduate Performance Diploma from Peabody, where he spent four years under the tutelage of world-renowned guitarist, Manuel Barrueco. Moeller holds a bachelor's degree from Northern Illinois University and a Master's from the Eastman School of Music, where he also gained a Performance Certificate. Moeller has taught the guitar at the Maryland Conservatory of Music and at the Levine School of Music in Washington, D.C. He is currently a visiting associate professor of guitar at Northern Illinois University. He joined the Music Academy of Rockford College faculty in the spring of 2009. Moeller has also seen success as a member of the Moeller Cello and Guitar Duo with his wife Kerena Moeller. The Moeller Duo has toured in the United Sates and England. In 2001, a debut recording Around the World and Bach which features solo performances as well as performances with the Moeller Cello and Guitar Duo was released. Their latest CD My Better Half is a complete duo CD with every track featuring the guitar and cello combination.

Janel Nelson, piano
Janel Nelson has been teaching Suzuki and traditional piano lessons at the Music Academy of Rockford College since 2003. She holds a bachelor of music in piano performance from the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh and a bachelor of arts in social work from the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater. She is a performing member of the Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center. In addition to being an active teacher and recitalist, Nelson is a foreign language enthusiast, having a particular interest in Spanish.

Anne Marie Olson, piano
Anne Marie Olson teaches on the piano faculty at the Music Academy of Rockford College where she is also an accompanist for the Suzuki string and flute program. Additionally, she is on the piano and chamber summer faculty of Kankakee Valley Piano and Chamber Music Camp, Bourbonnais, Ill., as well as the Green Mountain Suzuki Institute, Rochester, Ver. Her first piano teacher for many years was her father, Bruce Headlee. She studies presently with Dr. Bruce Berr of Chicago. In November of 2008 she was the recipient of a Steinway of Chicago Teacher Grant to continue her piano studies. Olson has been guest clinician for the Columbia Talent Education Association in Missouri as well as MacPhail Center for Music in Minneapolis. In summer of 2007 she completed her Suzuki training through Book 7 with Nehama Patkin in Colorado. Olson has written articles for Keyboard Companion Magazine, The Suzuki Journal and American Music Teacher Magazine. She is a Performing Artist for the Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center in Rockford and is pianist for the newly formed faculty piano trio in residence at the Music Academy. In June of 2006 she traveled to Japan as accompanist with Music Academy Suzuki string and flute students. Olson shares a home with her husband, Charles Olson, two cats, Joey and Dolce, and her dog, Louis. She happily spends every waking moment passionately pursuing her two favorite activities: playing piano and listening to her students play piano.

Stephanie Pedretti, flute
Stephanie Pedretti is a Chicago-based flute instructor and freelance performer. She received a bachelor of music from DePauw University and a M.M. from Michigan State University. She has over 10 years of experience teaching with the Suzuki Method, and is a graduate of the International Academy of the Suzuki Method in Matsumoto, Japan, where she studied with Toshio Takahashi, founder of the Suzuki Flute School. She has performed and taught throughout the U.S. as well as in Canada and Japan . She is currently on the faculties of DePaul University Community Music Division, the Music Institute of Chicago and the Music Academy of Rockford College. Pedretti joined the Music Academy faculty in the spring of 2008.

Jacques Saint-Cyr, flute

Jacques Saint-Cyr obtained a bachelor of arts in music education from University of Quebec in Montreal and a master of art in flute performance from the University of Montreal under the direction of Lise Daoust. Two-time recipient of a grant from the French Government, Jacques Saint-Cyr studied in Paris with Mr. Raymond Guiot and the baroque flute with Jean-Christoph Frish. During his studies in summer academies, he studied with Alain Marion, Leone Buyse and Trevor Wye and Robert Dick. He has completed his Suzuki teacher training through Book 4. Saint-Cyr has performed extensively in his home province New Brunswick as well as in Quebec, France and the United States. Saint-Cyr joined the Rockford community in 2003. He is on the faculty at the Music Academy of Rockford College, Rock Valley College and is a performing artist at Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center. He performed and programmed many concerts for this last organization, among them the Latin Landscape and a Poulenc Recital.

Eric Schroeder, guitar
Eric Schroeder joined the staff of the Music Academy in 2001 to teach Suzuki guitar and music reading/theory. He earned a master of music in classical guitar performance and pedagogy, after earning two bachelor's degrees-one in classical guitar performance and the other in mechanical engineering. Schroeder is one of only a few Suzuki guitar teachers in Illinois. He performs in a variety of genres including solo classical guitar, flamenco guitar, chamber music, choral and dance accompaniment throughout the United States and Canada. He has been a presenter at several Suzuki Association of the Americas conferences. He teaches both at the Music Academy of Rockford College and at the Community School of the Arts at Northern Illinois University.

Jung-ah Sombke, staff accompanist
Jung-ah Sombke began her piano study immediately after her adoption form Korea at age 12. Literally, music was her second language. She has taught piano since 1992 and serves as the adult choir and bell choir director at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Belvidere, Ill. Three of her four children study at the Music Academy. She serves as a staff accompanist and teaches chamber orchestra and music theory.

Nobuaki "Aki” Tanaka, violin
Bachelor of music in music performance and music education from Northern Arizona University with emphasis on Suzuki pedagogy; master in music performance and Suzuki Pedagogy from East Carolina University. Tanaka is the former Suzuki founder/director at Upper Valley Music Center and Twin State Suzuki Workshop in Lebanon, NH. A registered Suzuki teacher in Book 1 though Book 10, he has studied Suzuki pedagogy with Louise Scott, Karin Hallberg, and Joanne Bath, and has studied violin with Hana Aoto, Hal Grossman, Louise Scott, Victor Liva and Ara Gregorian. He teaches both traditional and Suzuki students.

Amber Veigel, piano
Amber Veigel was a student of Valerie Blair at the Music Academy of Rockford College before completing a bachelor of arts in music from Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla. and a master of music in piano pedagogy from St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, Minn. She is certified in Suzuki training through Book 4 with Caroline Fraser. Veigel is an instructor at Rock Valley College and joined the Music Academy faculty in the fall of 2007, teaching Suzuki and traditional piano.

Hui Wang, violin & viola
Hui Wang earned a bachelor of music from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, P. R. China. Recipient of the Boarding Scholarship, Wang earned a master of music from the Roosevelt University, Chicago. He obtained Suzuki violin teacher training, initially in the Chicago Suzuki Academy, where he studied with Margery Aber, and subsequently in the American Suzuki Institute, University of Wisconsin. Playing as the principal violist, Wang toured with the Shanghai Ballet Symphony Orchestra to various cities in Korea, Japan, Canada, and France. After his arrival in the U. S. in 1985, he played in Chicago Civic Symphony Orchestra and Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra, and he has been a member of the Rockford Symphony Orchestra since 1989. Wang taught in St. Therese School in Chicago, Lutheran High School in Rockford, and Highland Community College in Freeport. He has been the director of the Vivaldi String Orchestra at the Music Academy since 1992, and the director of the String Ensemble at the Keith Country Day School (Middle and Upper School) since 1998. Wang has been a violin/viola instructor at the Music Academy since 1991, teaching both Suzuki and traditional lessons.

Vicki Williquette, piano

Williquette joined the piano faculty of the Music Academy of Rockford College in the fall of 2003. She earned a bachelor of music and a master's degree in elementary education and was a school teacher for a number of years. She has Suzuki training through book three in piano, and book one in flute. She has been a member of the Rockford Wind Ensemble since its inception, and is active in her church music program.

Nadia Wirchnianski, piano
Long-time accompanist for the string and flute program, Wirchnianski joined the Music Academy piano faculty in the fall of 2007 teaching traditional students. Wirchniaski has a master of music from Northwestern University and many years of teaching experience with traditional students.

Tarrah Wolf, piano
Tarrah Wolf grew up as Suzuki student of both Candy Glidden and Marilyn Cade at the Music Academy. She has a degree in elementary education from NIU and Suzuki teacher training through book 3. She is also a trained Music Together early childhood music teacher. Wolf joined the Music Academy faculty in the fall of 2007. She teaches early childhood classes in the Music Academy’s Prelude program at the City of Rockford Head Start Program.

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