|
Faculty Biographies
Mary Ann Anderson, violin
Mary Ann Anderson is a violin teacher who has been at 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 has Suzuki teaching training through book 5, including long term teacher training with Eleanor Stanlis. She teaches strings at Keith School in Rockford . Mary Ann also serves as the string program's reading/theory curriculum coordinator.
Marilyn Cade, piano
Marilyn Cade joined the Music Academy faculty in 1985. Marilyn 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.
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 Bachelors of Music Performance and a Masters 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. Richard 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. 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 twenty-two 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
Candy Glidden joined the piano faculty of the Music Academy of Rockford College the fall of 1991 and has served as the director of the piano program and coordinator of the Early Childhood Program since 1995. She co-directs the String and Piano Camp of the Music Academy . Candy especially enjoys working with young children and her Suzuki Piano teacher training has molded her teaching style in that regard.
Rachel Handlin, violin
Rachel holds a BM and an MM in violin performance from NIU and has Suzuki training through Book 6. Rachel currently serves as the Music Academy String Program director and as a violin and viola private instructor. In addition to her teaching duties, Rachel performs as assistant concertmaster for RSO, concertmaster for Mendelssohn Chamber orchestra, and performs regularly with the Essen piano trio. Rachel 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 Rachel plays as a member of the Mozart Festival Orchestra for their three week festival at the Woodstock Opera House in Woodstock, Illinois. Rachel is pleased to be able to play music with her husband, Michael Beert (cellist) and to have her daughter (nearly 5) 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 group keyboard classes and is co-director of the Chamber Music Camp. 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 serves on the Program Development Committee of the Illinois State Music Teachers Association and is a regular contributer to the state newsletter. She is currently membership chair for the Greater Rockford Music Teachers Association. She has taught in Texas , North Dakota , and Minnesota before moving to Rockford . She holds a B.A. in Applied Piano from the University of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg , TX and a Master of Music Education in piano pedagogy from the University of North Texas in Denton , TX.
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 twelve 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 will have both Suzuki and Traditional students. She is a former student of Rachel Handlin at the Music Academy and is pursuing an MM in Viola performance at NIU. Hannah joined the Music Academy faculty in the summer of 2007.
Kirsten LaPrade, voice and choir
Kirsten is launching a new program for us, a Suzuki-style vocal program that provides both private lessons and group lessons (ensembles and choirs). Kirsten has a BA in Voice plus additional post Baccalaureate study in vocal pedagogy. Kirsten joined the Music Academy faculty in the fall of 2007.
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 . She has two daughters who are Suzuki students— Erin is a violist and Leanne is a pianist. Candy also teaches Orff as a part of the piano group class curriculum and is an occasional accompanist for the string program. Candy began teaching piano at the Music Academy of Rockford College in 2000.
Janel Nelson, piano
Janel Nelson joined the faculty of the Music Academy of Rockford College in the summer of 2003, teaching Suzuki and traditional piano lessons. Soon thereafter, she became a performing member of the Mendelsshon Performing Arts Center. She earned a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh , studying under Beverly Hassel, and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin Whitewater . Before moving to Rockford , she taught piano in the Wisconsin cities of Oshkosh , Appleton , and Elkhorn . During this time, she performed frequently in solo and collaborative venues including the Oshkosh Symphony Orchestra and the University Opera Theatre. She holds class piano teacher certification from the Technics Music Academy and has completed her Suzuki teacher training through Book 3.
Anne Marie Olson, piano
Anne Marie Olson is a member of the piano faculty at Rockford College Music Academy, Rockford, Illinois. Additionally, she is also staff accompanist for the Suzuki string and flute program, traveling to Japan with these students in summer of 2006. Additionally, she is on the piano and chamber summer faculty of Kankakee Valley Piano and Chamber Music Camp, Bourbonnais, Illinois, as well as the Green Mountain Suzuki Institute, Rochester, Vermont. Her first piano teacher for many years was her father, Bruce Headlee. Other teachers have included Grace Welsh and Marilyn Taggart. She studies presently with Dr. Bruce Berr of Chicago. Anne Marie has been guest clinician for the Columbia Talent Education Association in Missouri as well as the Suzuki Institute at MacPhail Center for Music in Minneapolis. In summer of 2007 she completed her Suzuki training through Book 7 with Nehama Patkin in Colorado. Anne Marie has written articles for Keyboard Companion Magazine, The Suzuki Journal (summer ’07 issue), and American Music Teacher Magazine. She is a Performing Artist for the Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center in Rockford and a keyboard player for the Rockford Symphony Orchestra. Anne shares a home with her husband, Charles Olson, and two cats, Joey and Dolce. 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 B.M. from DePauw University and a M.M. from Michigan State University. She has over 10 years of experience teaching with the Suzuki Method, and recently graduated from the International Academy of the Suzuki Method in Matsumoto, Japan. 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 and the Music Academy of Rockford College. Stephanie joined the Music Academy faculty in the spring of 2008.
Alex Revoal, cello
An alumnus of the Denver School of the Arts, Alex holds a Bachelor of Music, magna cum laude from Lawrence University . He earned a Master of Music degree in cello performance and pedagogy (2005), and a Performance Certificate (2006) from Northern Illinois University , where he studied with Marc Johnson of the Grammy-nominated Vermeer Quartet. While at NIU he played in the Alla Corda Quartet, a resident graduate ensemble, and taught an undergraduate music appreciation course. In the fall of 2002, he studied at the Institute for the International Education of Students in Vienna , Austria . He has spent two summers at Rocky Ridge Music Center in Estes Park , Colorado , and he has observed world class Suzuki teaching in various cities in Korea and Japan . His teachers have included Janet Anthony, Carol Tarr, Christine Vitoux-Erben (wife and assistant to Valentin Erben of the Alban Berg Quartet), Elisabeth Anderson, and Stephen Harrison. He has played in master classes for cellists Anthony Arnone, Lynn Harrell and Brandon Vamos, and for pianists Paula Fan and Gil Kalish, and has received chamber music coachings with members of the Vermeer, Fine Arts, Pacifica , Brentano, Cavani and Ives Quartets. For three seasons Alex was the Principal Cellist of the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and he has also led the cello sections of the Lawrence Symphony Orchestra and NIU Philharmonic Orchestra. Fully committed to the continuous process
of pedagogical development, he has so far participated in Suzuki training for Every Child Can and books 1 through 7 at the Chicago Suzuki Institute, where his trainers included Nancy Hair and Jean
Dexter. Alex is currently on the faculties of the Rockford College Music Academy and the Western
Springs/Naperville School of Talent Education.
Jacques Saint-Cyr, flute
Jacques Saint-Cyr obtained a B. A. in Music Education from University of Quebec in Montreal and a M.A. 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. He has completed his Suzuki teacher training through Book 2. Winner of the New Brunswick Music Festival, Jacques Saint-Cyr has performed extensively in his home province as well as in Quebec, France and the United States. Jacques joined the Rockford community in 2003. He is on the faculty at Rockford College Music Academy, 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 the Poulenc recital.
Eric Schroeder, guitar
Eric 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. Eric is one of only a few Suzuki guitar teachers in Illinois . He performs in a variety of genres including solo classical guitar, chamber music, choral and dance accompaniment throughout the United States and Canada . He teaches both at the Music Academy of Rockford College and at the Community School of the Arts at Northern Illinois University.
Janine Solberg, flute
Janine became interested in the Suzuki method of instruction after earning a Master of Education from the University of Illinois , where she studied flute. She has completed her teacher training through Book 4, studying with Kenichi Ueda of the Children's Talent Education Center in London , Ontario . Janine enjoys performing with local chamber groups, but her passion is teaching young children. As a Suzuki mom herself, Janine cherishes the working relationship between parent, teacher, and child. Janine serves as Flute Program Director at the Music Academy.
Jung-ah Sombke, staff accompanist
Jung-ah Sombke began her piano study immediately after her adoption form Kor3a at age twelve. Literally, music was he second language. She has taught piano since 1992, and serves as the adult choir and bell choir director at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Belvidere, Il. Three of her four children study at the Music Academy. She serves as a staff accompanist and teaches music theory.
Amber Veigel, piano
Amber is a Music Academy of Rockford College graduate. She furthered her education, receiving a BM amd MM Piano Pedagogy and Performance from Northern Illinois University. Amber 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, Hui 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, Hui 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. Hui 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. Hui has been a violin/viola instructor at the Music Academy since 1991, teaching both Suzuki and traditional lessons.
Nadia Wirchnianski, piano
Long-time accompanist for the string and flute program, Nadia joined the Music Academy faculty in the fall of 2007 teaching traditional students. Nadia has a MM from Northwestern University and many years of teaching experience with traditional students.
Tarrah Wolf, piano. Tarrah 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. Tarrah joined the Music Academy faculty in the fall of 2007. |
