cademy Personnel Bios
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CHLOE ABEL - Dance
No biographical information at this time.
SCOTT ANTHONY - Piano
Scott Anthony earned his Bachelor of Music degree and a Master of Music degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music, where he studied piano with John McIntyre. 2008 marks his tenth year teaching piano for the Academy. In addition to teaching, Anthony has performed locally as a pianist and accompanist and has served as chorister at the Episcopal Cathedral of Kansas City. A proponent of interdisciplinary cultural studies (his Master's thesis compared musical and architectural theory in the Italian Renaissance), Anthony is committed to art and music education in the community. With a diverse spectrum of students, he enjoys exploring music and developing the potential of each student, regardless of age or level. Awarded membership in the honor society of Phi Kappa Phi for academic excellence, Anthony is also a member of the American Musicological Society and the Music Teachers National Association.
REBECCA ASHE - Music Appreciation and Flute
Rebecca Ashe earned her Bachelor degree in Applied Music (flute) at the Eastman School of Music, where her principal teacher was Bonita Boyd. She earned both Master of Musical Arts and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from the University of Missouri –Kansas City, studying with Dr. Mary Posses. In 1998, she was the only American and one of four flutists worldwide to be chosen for Trevor Wye’s prestigious one-year course in Kent, England. Other major teachers have included William Bennett and Karl Kraber. In 2007, Dr. Ashe collaborated with three composers, Christopher Biggs, Ryan Oldham, and Jorge Sosa to premiere three new pieces for flute. A recording project for the pieces is underway, with a release expected in 2009. Dr. Ashe has performed recitals throughout the United States, Canada, England, and Latvia. In 2003, Dr. Ashe and pianist, Inara Zandmane, gave a recital at the Academy of Music in Riga, Latvia. Ms. Ashe was the first American flutist to perform a recital at the Academy, which was broadcast on national radio. She also gave a master class at the E. Darzins Academy of Music, the most prestigious preparatory music school in Latvia. Along with her recent collaborations, Dr. Ashe has premiered several pieces, including the Kansas City premier of Chen Yi’s The Golden Flute, for flute and orchestra, in 2003, and Hsueh-Yung Shen’s …And Then Things Changed, for flute and piano. She was the winner of the UMKC Concerto-Aria Competition in 2003 and the Young Artist Competition Winner at Park University in 2005.
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REBECCA BELL - Accompanist
No biographical information at this time.
JENNIFER BENJAMIN - Canta Filia
Jennifer Benjamin, a native of Los Angeles, earned a B.A. in vocal performance from Loyola Marymount University in 1992 where she studied conducting with Paul Salamunovich. She moved to Kansas City in 1993 to study at UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance, where she earned her M.M. in music history and literature and her M.A. in music education. At UMKC, she studied conducting with Charles Robinson and Eph Ehly. She served as music director at St. Teresa's Academy from 2000 to 2005. Under her direction, the St. Teresa's Academy A Cappella Choir performed at the MMEA Conference in Osage Beach, Missouri in 2004 and the ACDA National Convention in Los Angeles, California in 2005.
LEON BUGG - Piano
Leon Bugg, a native of Ft. Smith, Arkansas, pursued doctoral studies at UMKC under the tutelage of Richard Cass. He earned his Master of Music degree with a major in Piano Performance and a double minor in Electronic Composition and Voice from the University of Arkansas. His Bachelor of Music degree with a double major in Piano Performance; and Theory and Composition was earned from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas. Other musical studies include organ with the late Hattie Mae Butterfield, and piano and harpsichord with Jim Groves of Ft. Smith, Arkansas. His most recent solo performance with orchestra was with the Fort Smith Symphony. He has accompanied extensively, and continues to perform on recitals. He holds the position of Professor of Piano at Rockhurst College, and has taught for UMKC Continuing Education since 1981. He is an active member of the Kansas City Music Teachers; Association and the Music Teachers; National Association. He is also an alumnus of Phi Mu Alpha, a professional music fraternity. Who's Who in the Midwest (26th edition) published Bugg's biography.
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ANGELA CANNON-HIRTE - Flute, Recorder, Piano
Angela Cannon, flutist and pianist, is an active soloist, chamber player, and instructor. She has appeared as a soloist with the Spartanburg Symphony Orchestra, the Converse Chamber Orchestra, the Performing Arts Symphony, the Collegium Musicum of Florida State University, the University of Missouri- Kansas City Chamber Orchestra and various other groups. She makes appearances as a guest artist, instructor, and adjudicator at flute fairs and musical events throughout the United States and Canada. She currently resides in Kansas City, Missouri, and appears in performances locally as a member of Cedar Wind, the Hoffman Duo and the Fiori Trio. She has performed with the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Bruce Sorrell and she currently serves as principal flutist with the Philharmonia of Greater Kansas City. Dr. Cannon holds a doctorate of musical arts degree from the University of Missouri - Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance and a master's degree in performance from Florida State University. Her flute teachers include Geoffrey Gilbert, Peter Lloyd, Brooks de Wetter Smith, Charles DeLaney, and Mary Posses. Her piano background includes 17+ years study as a classical pianist with a specialty in early keyboard music. She has studied pedagogy with Amanda Adams at Florida State University and harpsichord and early keyboard music with George Lucktenberg at Converse College. Her piano teachers include James Streem, Carolyn Bridger and Leonard Mastrogiacomo.
LAI KHENG CHAN - Violin (Suzuki Certified)
Lai Kheng Chan received her Bachelor of Music degree in violin performance from Kent State University in 2004. She completed her Master of Music degree in violin performance in 2006 and is currently studying with Benny Kim at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music as a DMA candidate. Other teachers have included Ivan Chan from the Miami Quartet and Daniel Ching from the Miro Quartet. Lai Kheng has also participated in masterclasses and coachings led by world-renowned violinists Ani Kavafian, William Preucil, Stephen Copes, and Victor Danchenko. Lai Kheng was a finalist at the 2006 Naftzger Young Artists Auditions in Wichita, Kansas. She also received the Kansas City Musical Club Award in 2007. She has attended the Encore School for Strings, Spoleto Music Festival, AIMS in Graz, Austria, Kent Blossom Music Festival and the Colorado College Music Festival. Lai Kheng has played professionally for three seasons in both the Akron Symphony and the Erie Philharmonic (2001-2004). She is also a certified Suzuki instructor and has been teaching at the UMKC Conservatory Community Music and Dance Academy since Fall 2004. Lai Kheng is originally from Penang, Malaysia.
JEFFREY CUNNINGHAM - Saxophone
No biographical information at this time.
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CAMERON DIBBLE - Piano
Cameron Dibble, pianist, is an active solo performer and accompanist. He has performed as both soloist and accompanist on the Johnson County Community College's Ruel Joyce Recital Series, appeared in solo recitals in the Topeka Library Series, performed concerti with the Topeka Symphony and the Kansas City Symphony, and has performed in other venues as well. In 1998-99, besides teaching in the Continuing Education division, Dr. Dibble was Adjunct Professor of Piano Pedagogy. From 1987 to 1994 Dibble was pianist in the Young Audiences-sponsored American Music/Heritage Chamber Ensembles, performing in the Kansas City area public schools. He serves in leadership positions in the Kansas City Music Teachers Association, Missouri Music Teachers Association (having served on its executive board and nominating committee) and is active in the Music Teachers National Association. Dr. Dibble has over taught for over twenty-five years.
JEAN DRUMM - Suzuki Piano
Jean Drumm is a native of Chicago, Illinois. She earned a Bachelor of Music degree in piano from Rosary College, River Forest, Illinois and a Master of Music from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. While pursuing a Music Therapy Certificate at the University of Kansas, she studied piano with Richard Angeletti. The Suzuki Association has certified Drumm through level 6 of Suzuki piano. Currently she is president of the Lawrence Accredited Music Teachers Association and maintains a piano studio of thirty-five students. She is an active member of the Kansas City Music Teachers Association and the National Piano Guild.
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KAREN ENGEBRETSON - Organ
Karen Engebretson, a Kansas City native, earned her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in Organ Performance at the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance under the tutelage of John Obetz. Engebretson is currently Director of Music at Ascension Lutheran Church and also serves as staff organist for the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and at St. Elizabeth's Catholic Church. Engebretson was selected to perform in Master Classes with Marie Claire Alain and Martin Jean. She is presently working on a Doctor of Musical Arts in Organ Performance with John Obetz. Upon completion of her studies, Engebretson plans to continue performing and teaching in the Kansas City area.
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MARA GIBSON - Composition, Music Theory, Piano
Mara Gibson is originally from Charlottesville, Virginia, graduated from Bennington College and completed her Ph.D. at SUNY at Buffalo. Additionally, she attended London College of Music, L'Ecole des Beaux Arts in Fontainebleau, France and the International Music Institute at Darmstadt in Germany. She has received grants and honors from the American Composer’s Forum, the Banff Center, Louisiana Division of the Arts, Meet the Composer, the International Bass Society, ASCAP, the John Henrick Memorial Foundation and had internationally renowned ensembles and soloists perform her music throughout the United States, Canada, across Europe and South America. Additionally, Dr. Gibson has taught composition, theory, and contemporary music at several universities in Buffalo, New Orleans, and Kansas City. Upcoming projects include an a world premiere of D(u)o in three movements, a residency in Norway funded through the Trondheim Arts Council including a premiere performance of Fanfare, a new work for duo Contour based in Freiburg, Germany, and a premiere of E:Tip with Madeleine Shapiro in Bangkok, Thailand.
JOY GRANADE - Early Childhood Coordinator, Kindermusik Director
A graduate of Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama and the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, Joy Granade holds both Bachelor's and a Master's degrees in Vocal Performance. Through the years she has fostered a love of singing, theatre, early childhood music, and educational outreach teaching voice at Millikin University and the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, working as Musical Director for the Urbana Park District Summer Youth Musical, and writing and performing youth music outreach programs in central Illinois. In 2003, Joy founded a Kindermusik program in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois which grew quickly to over 100 children in weekly classes of joyful exploration and spontaneous musical play. For her, Kindermusik is not only the perfect way to combine her love of music with her love for teaching children, but also a program whose educational principles reflect the standards of high quality pedagogy and community music making in which she so strongly believes.
KRISTIN GRIFFEATH - Voice
Kristin Griffeath, soprano, is a doctoral candidate at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance. She holds degrees from the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music (B.M. in Piano Performance and Choral/General Music Education) and the University of Arizona (M.M. in Vocal Performance). Ms. Griffeath has recently performed the roles of Miss Wordsworth in Britten's Albert Herring, Lady with a Hand-mirror in Argento's Postcard from Morocco, and Dorine in Mechem's Tartuffe. She sang as a guest artist with the Tucson Chamber Artists, and as a soloist for both the Tucson Masterworks Chorale and Tucson Community Chorus. This fall she will be featured in the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance Opera Theatre production of Hansel und Gretel as the Taumann (Dew-fairy). Kristin loves teaching voice and works as a graduate teaching assistant and as a private instructor at the Community Music and Dance Academy.
ROBIN GRIFFEATH - Voice
Robin Griffeath, tenor, is a doctoral candidate at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance. He holds degrees from Lawrence University (B.M. in vocal performance) and the University of Arizona (M.M. in vocal performance). Mr. Griffeath has recently performed the roles of Ferrando in Mozart's Cosi fan tutte, Gherardo in Puccini's Gianni Schicchi, Fenton in Verdi's Falstaff, and Nanki Poo in Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado. He will be joining the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance Opera Theatre production of Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore as Nemorino in the spring of 2010. He has also sung with the Arizona Opera Chorus, North Star Opera Chorus, and the Arizona Choir. A number of Mr. Griffeath's students have attended or participated in the Minnesota Opera Clinic, Minnesota All-State Choir, Luther College, and Tisch School of the Arts. Robin teaches voice as a graduate teaching assistant and as a private instructor at the Community Music and Dance Academy.
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MEREDITH HENDERSON - Accompanist
No biographical information at this time.
RICH HILL - Jazz Piano
Rich Hill, jazz keyboardist/vocalist/trombonist (B.A.Music '90, M.A.Music '94, UMKC) has performed throughout the United States as well as in Hong Kong and the US Virgin Islands. He began his instrumental music studies on trombone in elementary school and continued on that instrument through high school and college, performing as a soloist and in numerous ensembles. Meanwhile, he learned to play piano and organ "by ear" sufficiently to become employed by a variety of rock, soul, and jazz groups. He studied classical piano with John McIntyre and jazz with George Salisbury and John Elliott. He accompanied major jazz and blues artists such as Slide Hampton, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, and Albert Collins, and opened concerts for Frank Zappa, Ray Charles, and Harry Connick, Jr. Rich maintains an active schedule performing in Kansas City jazz venues. He has composed and arranged music for theatrical and religious commissions. His 1994 Master's thesis, "A Fugitive Essence: The Public Radio Legacy of Alec Wilder" (301 pp.) traces the evolution of Wilder's NPR radio show "American Popular Song" into today's "Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz". He attended the 2002 International Association of Jazz Educators (IAJE) Teacher Training Institute in Las Vegas. He is a member of the IAJE and the American Federation of Musicians.
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KARI JOHNSON - Piano
Kari Johnson is a doctoral student at the University of Missouri-Kansas City where she studies with John McIntyre. She holds bachelors degrees in Piano Performance and Piano Pedagogy from the University of Central Missouri, a master’s degree in Piano Performance from Bowling Green State University, and a master’s degree in Piano Pedagogy from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Ms. Johnson has won or placed in competitions throughout the Midwest, including the MTNA Steinway Young Artist Competitions in Missouri and Illinois and the Venetia Hall Concerto Competition. She is an active performer of new music and chamber music. Ms. Johnson’s recent performances include collaborative concerts at the University of Central Missouri and Pittsburg State University, UMKC’s “Carter and Messiaen at 100” festival, and the CMS Great Plains Chapter 2009 Regional Conference. In the coming year she will perform at the 2010 UCM New Music Festival and the 2010 SEAMUS National Conference. As a teacher Ms. Johnson has been on the faculty of the Conservatory of Central Illinois, and currently serves on the faculty of the UMKC Community Music and Dance Academy, and Kansas City Young Audiences’ Community school of the Arts. She has also received several awards for her teaching, including the 2009 Muriel McBrien Kauffmann Graduate Assistant Award at UMKC. Her former teachers include Dr. Mia Hynes, Dr. Robert Satterlee, Dr. Cynthia Benson, Dr. Timothy Ehlen, Dr. Reid Alexander, and Dr. Diane Petrella.
HYUNJOO JUNG - Piano
Hyunjoo Jung, a native of South Korea, received her Bachelor of Music degree from Ewha Womans University in Korea, and Master of Music degree from The Ohio State University, where she was a full scholarship recipient and has also served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant in piano. Ms. Jung has given numerous performances in the United States and Korea. She has appeared as soloist with the Ohio State University Orchestra and the Busan Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Jung was also a first prize winner of the Tuesday Musical Club Competition in 2001. She attended Brevard Music Center in 2000 and 2001, where she was awarded a full President Scholarship. Ms. Jung participated in numerous piano master classes with highly respected artists as Richard Brown, Anne-Marie McDermott, and Jonathan Biss. Ms. Jung is currently a Doctoral of Musical Arts candidate in Piano Performance at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance under the instruction of Jane Solose.
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SVETLA KALCHEVA - Violin
Svetla Kalcheva is a doctoral candidate in violin performance at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance. She earned her Bachelors and Masters degrees in violin performance from the Bulgarian State Academy "Pancho Vladigerov" Sofia, Bulgaria. As a soloist and chamber musician, Svetla has appeared in recitals and festivals in the U.S., England, and Bulgaria; and has been a featured soloist with the Bulgarian State Orchestra as well as in several radio and TV broadcasts. She has won several national and international awards and competitions including the Kansas City Music Club Award in 2007. Svetla is a semi-finalist of the Crescendo Award international Competition, Tulsa 2004. Svetla has performed in master classes with Devy Erlh, Mark Peskanov, Nadja Solerno-Sonnenberg, and Walter Verdehr. In the 2007 - 2008 school year, Svetla joined the Kansas City, Missouri school district, implementing a new Pre-K Suzuki program. Also, she was on the faculty of the Music/Arts Institute in Independence, Missouri. Svetla is a violin teacher at Kansas City Strings Conservatory and on the violin faculty at the Community Music and Dance Academy.
BRENDAN KINSELLA - Piano
Brendan Kinsella has performed widely throughout the United States and Asia as a recitalist, chamber musician, and concerto soloist. He has been described as "astonishing, passionate and gifted" by the Santa Barbara Daily Sound and a "sensitive musician with an ear for color" by the Cincinnati Enquirer. His appearances have taken him to venues such as the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, the Chiba Cultural Center in Japan, Yamaha in New York City, and the Santa Barbara Museum of Art and have included collaborations with conductors such as Xian Zhang, Gary Hill, and J.R. Cassidy.
He has won prizes in competitions such as MTNA and the National Federation of Music Clubs. As a concerto soloist, Dr. Kinsella has performed works ranging from Beethoven to Barber with orchestras such as with the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, the Kentucky Symphony, the Jefferson City Philharmonic and the conservatory orchestras of the Universities of Cincinnati and Missouri-Kansas City. As a collaborative pianist, he has performed with members of the Cincinnati Symphony, the Dayton Philharmonic, and the Kansas City Symphony. In masterclasses, he has performed for artists such as Peter Serkin, Christopher Elton, Frederic Rzewski, Ani Kavafian, David Shifrin, Nadja Solerno-Sonnenberg, and the Takács Quartet. Recently, he was awarded a Solo Piano Fellowship at the Music Academy of the West Festival and worked under the guidance of Jerome Lowenthal. Dr. Kinsella was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and began playing the piano at age 11 and subsequently made his orchestral debut at age 15. He earned his Bachelor's and Master's degrees from the University of Cincinnati as a pupil of Frank Weinstock and James Tocco and recently received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where he studied with Robert Weirich.
SHOKO KINSELLA - Piano
Native of Japan, pianist Shoko N. Kinsella is a Doctor of Musical Arts candidate in Piano Performance at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance, under the instruction of Robert Weirich. She has been awarded a graduate teaching assistant position in piano since 2006. Her teaching duties include both private and group piano instruction for Conservatory students. She earned her Master of Music and Bachelor of Music degrees in Piano Performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where she has also served as a graduate teaching assistant in piano from 2004-2006.
Shoko has given numerous performances in the United States, Italy, and Japan, including soloist at Inaugural concert with the University of Cincinnati Orchestra Club, piano trio as guest faculty at Earlham College in Indiana, Summer Opera and Music Festival in Lucca, Italy, solo recitalist at the Artist Presentation Society, orchestral pianist with the University of Cincinnati Conservatory Orchestra, and as a collaborative pianist in new music ensembles in both Cincinnati and Kansas City. Awards include first prize at the Artist Presentation Society Competition, prize winner at the Yokohama Bay Pocket International Piano Competition, first prize at the OMTA State Competition, and graduate scholarships at both UMKC and the University of Cincinnati. She was nominated for the Excellence in Teaching Award for Graduate Assistants at UMKC in 2006.
Shoko has been teaching local students of all ages as a private and group piano instructor since 1994. Her philosophy of teaching is to guide all levels and types of students to achieve their own musical goals through the true joy of music making.
DENISE KNOWLTON - Voice
Denise Knowlton is a Doctoral student at UMKC. She holds a BA in music from the University of Michigan, a Masters of Music from Bowling Green State University, and a Professional Studies certificate from the Cleveland Institute of Music. She has taught at the university level for several years, instructing students in private lessons as well as in the classroom. Although primarily a classically trained opera singer, Denise is also very comfortable carefully instructing her musical theater oriented students without compromising their stylistic goals. She has been teaching for the Music Academy since 2005. Her students continue to sing the leads and supporting leads in their school musicals, make District and State honors choirs and receive superior ratings at District and State solo contest. She is active in the Musical Bridges program and continues to build her Young Singer’s class. Denise began her career as a Young Artist with Glimmerglass Opera in upstate New York. She toured for two seasons, reprised the roles of Adelaide in Torke’s Strawberry Fields and Mrs. Pompton in Sousa’s The Glass Blowers. She also portrayed the roles of Herodias, Santuzza and Mother Marie in cover performances. She made her Cleveland Orchestra debut as Gertrude in Hansel und Gretel in which the Plain Dealer found her “plush soprano and urgent attention to words…sympathetic.” The Kansas City Star regards her as “ the most convincing Katisha I have ever heard.” Her portrayal of Dame Quickly in Union Avenue’s Falstaff left a “dramtically impressive” mark on St. Louis. Last year she reprised her role as Katisha in The Mikado with the Kansas City Civic Opera and Paul Mesner Puppets. She then returned to Wichita Grand Opera to perform the role of Ulrica in Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera. She performed Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder with Kansas City Civic Orchestra and debuted the voice of the Witch in Paul Mesner’s Hansel and Gretel with the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra. This season she sang Mama Lucia in Cavalleria Rusticana with Kansas Concert Opera and embraces the role of the Wicked Wolf of the West in The Three Little Pigs with Lyric Opera Express.
KAIRY KOSHOEVA - Piano
Kairy Koshoeva, native of Kyrgyzstan, began studying with Bella Zubok, Faina Kharmatz, and Michael Burshtin. After graduating from the Mukash Abdraev National School of Music for Gifted Children in 1992, she left for Moscow to study with Vera Nossina at the Gnessin Academy of Music where she earned her BA degree in 1997 and Master of Music degree in 2000. She received a full scholarship to pursue the Artist Diploma at Oberlin Conservatory of Music where she studied with Monique Duphil from 2000-2002. Currently under the direction of Robert Weirich, she is pursuing a Doctor in Music degree in Piano Performance at the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance.
Ms. Koshoeva earned top prizes in the Sigma Alpha Iota Concerto Competition in Chautauqua, New York, the D'Angelo Young Artist Competition in Erie, Pennsylvania, the N. Rubinshtein Competition in Paris, France, and the International Piano Competition in Vicenza, Italy, among others. She also was the recipient of the Kyrgyz Republic Presidential Youth Award in 2001 and a nominee for the 2002 Discovery of the Year in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. In 2003 she was invited to perform at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. That year Ms. Koshoeva was awarded the title of Honored Artist of Kyrgyzstan -- the highest distinction in the artist's native land. In 2004, she was awarded the Rachmaninoff Gold Medal by the International Academy of Fine Arts. She has performed in recitals and as a soloist in Kyrgyzstan, Russia, France, Italy, Israel, Germany, Turkey, Switzerland, and the United States. In 2006 she debuted with the Kansas City Symphony under the baton of Maestro Timothy Hankewich. In 2006 she performed recitals and master classes through the Artist Presentation Society and The Russian Music Academy of America.
DAVID KOVAC - Violin (Suzuki Certified) and Viola
David Kovac began the violin at the age of four; later, at the Janacek Conservatory in Ostrava, Czech Republic, he decided to play viola. Kovac received a scholarship to the Longy School of Music in Boston, where he completed his Bachelor of Music degree. In 1998, he received graduate teaching assistantships in chamber music and orchestra at the University of Massachusetts—Amherst. Mr. Kovac was the principal violist of the UMass orchestra and played with many other orchestras in the Boston area. In 2001 he received his Master of Music degree from UMass—Amherst. In 2002 Mr. Kovac was offered a Graduate Assistantship at the University of Missouri—Kansas City, where he was a member of the Graduate String Quartet and is pursuing a doctoral degree in viola performance. His principal teachers include Pavel Vitek, Michelle LaCourse, and Charles Treger. Kovac has taught at the Dana Hall School of Music in Wellesley and the Brattleboro Music Center in Vermont. He is currently teaching at the UMKC Music and Dance Academy.
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JAMES LAMMERS - Guitar
Jim Lammers received music instruction throughout his childhood in Fulton, Missouri. He continued with his formal music education in the Conservatory at UMKC, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Guitar Performance.
He has been a devoted guitar instructor at the Community Music and Dance Academy since 1987 and has enjoyed teaching students all styles of music for the guitar. He has performed extensively as a solo guitarist at public events and private gatherings for more than 20 years. He has released two solo guitar CD's: SO NICE TO COME HOME TO "...elegant interpretations of romantic melodies." and A WINTER'S NIGHT "...a savory rendering of Christmas classics." Listen to a sample from Jim Lammers, SO NICE TO COME HOME TO:
JACKIE LEE - Violin
Taiwanese violist Jackie Lee is a recipient of top prize awards in the ICO Concerto Competition, the Cleveland Institute Concerto Competition, the Ekstrand Competition, the National Viola Competition of Taiwan, and the Taipei City Viola Competition.
As an active chamber musician, Lee was a member of the Satori Quartet. The quartet was appointed Young Artist Quartet-in-Residence at Kneisel Hall Chamber Music Festival and the Graduate String Quartet-in-Residence at the University of Colorado at Boulder under the tutelage of the Grammy-Award-Winning Takacs Quartet. During these residencies, the quartet made approximately over 100 public appearances throughout the Colorado and Maine area. The quartet was invited to perform at the Aspen Music Festival and Bravo Music Festival, and also to conduct a series of outreach programs to more than a dozen schools and over 2,500 students throughout the Colorado area. The quartet was also the recipient of the Fellowship of Norfolk Chamber Music Festival and Juilliard Quartet Seminar.
Lee has appeared in concerts at the Alice Tully Hall, Harris Hall, Vilar Center, and Severance Hall. He has received numerous scholarships to attend summer music festivals, including the Music Academy of the West, Kneisel Hall Music Festival, Audubon Quartet Seminar and the Takacs Quartet Seminar. During his studies, he took part in master classes with world-renowned violist and chamber musicians including Karen Tuttle, Donald McInnes, Samuel Rhodes, Leon Fleisher, Donald Weilerstein, the Juilliard String Quartet, St. Lawrence Quartet, Vermeer String Quartet and the Takacs String Quartet. Besides serving as a faculty member at the UMKC Academy of Music and Dance, Lee’s other teaching activities include the Youth Programs of the Aspen Festival, the Bravo Music Festival, the Kneisel Hall Music Festival and the Taiwan National Institute of Art Summer Chamber Music Academy.
Lee received both his Bachelor and Master degrees in Viola Performance at the Cleveland Institute of Music. While studying there, he also received a degree in Audio Recording Engineering. He is currently a Doctor of Musical Arts candidate at the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance.
CHIA-FEI LIN - Violin
Violinist Chia-Fei Lin, a graduate of Cleveland Institute of Music, is currently a member of the Des Moines Symphony and is a Doctor of Musical Arts candidate at UMKC Conservatory under the tutorage of Benny Kim. She joined the UMKC Conservatory Academy violin faculty in 2004. She is the winner of 1995 Taiwan National Violin Competition, 2006 Philharmonia of Greater Kansas City Concerto Competition and 2006 UMKC Concerto-Aria Competition. Lin is a recipient of the 2004 and 2006 Kansas City Musical Club Fellowship. As a soloist, she has performed with the Philharmonia of Greater Kansas City, the National Taipei University of Arts String Orchestra and the UMKC Conservatory Orchestra. She has performed at numerous music festivals and summer programs in Europe, Asia and the United States: the Taiwan Connection Festival, the Salzburg Mozarteum Academy, the Carl Flesch Academy and the Aspen Music Festival.
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AMANDA MCMASTER - Dance
Amanda McMaster is originally from the New England area. She received her early training with Nancy Ropelewski Pierce, teacher of the Albany Berkshire Ballet (ABB). She has danced various roles with the ABB under direction of Madeline Cantarella Culpo. Amanda has earned her Bachelor in Fine Arts at the University of Missouri in Kansas City on scholarship, May of 2008. She has studied under professors Mary Pat Henry, Jen Medina, Paula Weber, Rodney Williams, Sabrina Madison Cannon, and Michael Simms. She has worked on and behind stage in many UMKC conservatory dance productions. Currently Miss Amanda teaches for the Umkc Music and Dance Academy; The Studio of Dance in Olathe, KS; and is a sped para professional for the Grace early Childhood Center in Belton MO. She plans on earning her Masters degree in the future, and teaching certification.
CHERYL MELFI - Clarinet
Cheryl Melfi has served as principal clarinetist in the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra, the Catalina Chamber Orchestra, and the Michigan Pops Orchestra. She is a past member of the Crosswinds Ensemble, the Arizona-based wind quintet Fünf, and the contemporary music quartet THUD. She has also performed with contemporary music groups including the Kansas City Electronic Music Alliance, Contemporary Directions Ensemble, the Prime Directive, and the Nova Chamber Players, and has collaborated with several composers on new works for the clarinet. Recently she has premiered new works by Christopher Levin, Ryan Jesperson, Peiying Yuan, and Daniel Eichenbaum, and new collaborations are now underway. In 2008 she appeared as a guest artist and clinician at the University of Central Oklahoma and the Music Arts Institute, and her performance at the 2008 International Clarinet Association’s ClarinetFest was called “excellent” and “exotic.” From 2005 – 2007 Dr. Melfi was Instructor of Clarinet at Mahidol University in Salaya, Thailand. While living in Southeast Asia she served as faculty artist for the Southeast Asian Youth Orchestra and Wind Ensemble (SAYOWE), and presented recitals, clinics and workshops at the Asian Symphonic Band Competition (ASBC), the Singapore Bandmasters’ Workshop, the Gitameit Music Center in Yangon, and other events throughout the region. In 2007 she performed in Yangon with U Maung Maung, the principal clarinetist of the Myanmar Radio and Television Orchestra, in the first-ever collaboration between American and Burmese clarinetists. Dr. Melfi holds the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Arizona, the Master of Music degree from the University of Michigan, and the Bachelor of Music degree from Baldwin-Wallace College Conservatory of Music. Her clarinet teachers include Jerry Kirkbride, E. Fred Ormand, and David Bell. Currently Dr. Melfi is Assistant Director and Instructor of Clarinet at the Community Music and Dance Academy. For more information, please visit her website: cherylmelfi.wordpress.com
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RYAN OLDHAM - Composition and Music Theory
No biographical information at this time.
NICHOLAS OMICCIOLI - Composition and Guitar
Nicholas S. Omiccioli (b. 1982) has received degrees from Heidelberg University and the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance. He is the artistic director of Musica Nova at UMKC, under the direction of Zhou Long, and the Composers in the Schools (CITS) coordinator. Mr. Omiccioli currently studies composition with James Mobberley, Chen Yi, Paul Rudy, and Zhou Long. His past teachers include Brian Bevelander, Joao Pedro Oliveira, and Mark Olivieri. Mr. Omiccioli has received many awards including winner and judge's choice in the 2007, 2008, and 2009 UMKC Chamber Music Composition Competitions, 2009 DouSolo Emerging Composer Award, Kansas City Chorale Crescendo Competition, Brian M. Israel Prize, Ars Nova Composition Award, and the Dance Rochester! Composer/Choreographer Competition. His music has been performed by DuoSolo, the Kansas City Chorale, Society for New Music, the 65th Annual Composers' Conference at Wellesley College, Heidelberg New Music Festival, Regional and National College Music Society Conferences, as well as numerous SCI Conferences at the National, National Student, and Regional levels. In addition to composition, Mr. Omiccioli studies guitar with Douglas Niedt and teaches at the Community Music and Dance Academy.
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SARIN PECK - Kansas City Children's Chorus
Sarin Peck is currently a graduate student at the University of Missouri Kansas City studying for her Doctorate of Musical Arts under Dr. Ryan Board and Dr. Charles Robinson. In addition to her collegiate duties, she served as the assistant conductor of the Kansas City Children’s Choir in 2008-2009 after more than ten years’ experience directing children’s choirs at various churches throughout the Midwest. She has directed several musicals starring youth and taught both private voice and clarinet. Before pursuing her doctoral degree, she was the Director of Vocal Music at Panola College in Carthage, Texas, where she directed the concert and show choirs, taught sight-singing and ear-training classes and private voice, and directed the yearly musical. Mrs. Peck is a Missouri native; raised in Springfield and having taught high school for several years in Moberly. She earned her Bachelors of Music Education at Bradley University in Peoria, IL and Masters of Music in Choral Conducting at the University of Missouri-Columbia.
NARONG PRANGCHAROEN - Composition and Piano
The music of Thai composer NARONG PRANGCHAROEN has been called “absolutely captivating” (Chicago Sun Times). Although still in his thirties, Prangcharoen has established an international reputation and is recognized as one of Thailand’s leading composers. Prangcharoen has received many international prizes, including the Alexander Zemlinsky International Composition Competition Prize, the 18th ACL Yoshiro IRINO Memorial Composition Award, the Pacific Symphony’s American Composers Competition Prize, the Toru Takemitsu Composition Award, and most recently, the Annapolis Charter 300 International Composers Competition Prize. In 2007, the Thai government named Prangcharoen a Contemporary National Artist and awarded him the Silapathorn Award, one of Thailand’s most prestigious honors.
Prangcharoen’s music has been performed in Asia, America, Australia, and Europe by many renowned ensembles such as the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, the Pacific Symphony, the Grant Park Orchestra, the Nagoya Philharmonic, the Melbourne Symphony, the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, the German National Theater Orchestra, the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra, Bangkok Symphony Orchestra, the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra and the Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic, under many well-known conductors, such Carl St. Clair, Carlos Kalmer, Jose-Luis Novo, and Mikhail Pletnev. His music has also been presented by, among others, the Ensemble TIMF, The New York New Music Ensemble, the Imani Winds, and pianist Bennett Lerner.
Prangcharoen’s music has been performed at many important music festivals, such as the Grant Park Music Festival (Millennium Park, Chicago), the Asia: the 21st Century Orchestra Project (Nagoya, Japan), the MoMA Music Festival (Museum of Modern Art, New York City), Maverick Concerts: “Music in the Wood” (the oldest continuous summer chamber music series in the USA), and at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall (New York City), the Library of Congress (Washington DC) and the Beijing Modern Music Festival (Beijng, China).
Prangcharoen has taught in the Western Music Department of Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok, Thailand, and was an Instructional Assistant Professor of Music in Composition at Illinois State University. In addition to working as a freelance composer, he is currently teaching at the Community Music and Dance Academy of the Conservatory of Music, University of Missouri in Kansas City. Prangcharoen is the founder of the Thailand Composition Festival in Bangkok, Thailand, now in its sixth year.
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ROBIN RYSAVY - Piano
Robin Rysavy completed a Bachelor of Music degree at Southwest Baptist University in 1982, where she majored in music education and piano. She received certification to teach vocal and instrumental music, K-12 from SBU. After participating in a master class at SBU, Robin was invited to study piano with Ruth Budnevich Tichman, pianist and co-founder of the Berkshire Chamber Players in New York. In 1982 Robin continued her music education at the City University of New York, Queens College, Aaron Copland School of Music where she studied piano with Ruth Tichman and Morey Ritt. In 1985 Robin earned a Master of Arts degree in Piano Performance from CUNY. From 1982-85, Robin served as a piano teacher, a choir director, and was an active performer in the New York area while completing her degree. In 1985 Robin moved back to the Kansas City area where she was born, and in 1997 completed a Doctor of Music degree in Piano Performance at the University of Missouri at Kansas City, studying with Richard Cass.
Robin has extensive experience with historical instruments and is extremely knowledgeable about historical temperaments. Her doctoral dissertation explores some of the music of Beethoven and Schubert and how temperament was an integral part of their compositions. In 1993 Robin participated in the Aston Magna Academy, and has given recitals on period instruments. She continues to be an active solo and chamber music performer. Robin also gives lectures and lecture recitals on how historical temperaments affect piano music written prior to 1900. She is comfortable teaching piano to people of all ages, and brings a unique perspective and insight into music of that period.
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MAURICIO SALGUERO - Clarinet
Mauricio Salguero, a native of Bogota, Colombia, received a bachelor's degree from the Javeriana University in Bogota and a Master of Music degree from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. He has performed as a soloist with the Javeriana University Orchestra and the University of Arkansas Wind Symphony. Continuously involved in new music, Mr. Salguero was a member of deciBelio, a professional contemporary ensemble in Colombia, and recorded in their first CD. He has premiered pieces by several young composers in the U.S. and Colombia. Currently Mr. Salguero is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance under the guidance of Dr. Jane Carl. His teachers include Nophachai Cholthitchanta, Chris Jepperson and Javier Vinasco.
KRISTIN SHAFEL - Bass
Kristin Shafel recently completed her Master of Music in composition degree at the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance, where she also earned her Bachelor of Music in 2005, both degrees with concentrations in double bass performance. Her composition teachers include James Mobberley, Chen Yi, Zhou Long, and Paul Rudy. Ms. Shafel studied double bass with Sue Stubbs and was a member of several UMKC Conservatory ensembles, including Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Wind Symphony, and Musica Nova for several years. She was also honored with a number of scholarships from UMKC, including a Conservatory Scholarship for Contrabass and a Talent Scholarship Award. At UMKC, Ms. Shafel held student leadership positions in Musica Nova, Composers' Guild, Conservatory Student Association, and Composers in the Schools. Since 2007, Ms. Shafel has been a member and Concert Annotator of the Kansas City Civic Orchestra, becoming Principal and Section Coordinator in 2009. She has also been a member of the Kansas City Puccini Fest since 2008. In addition to her composition and contrabass pursuits, other current arts activities include volunteerism for Charlotte Street Foundation and an internship for the Chamber Music Society of Kansas City.
JOAN COCHRAN SOMMERS - Accordion
Joan Cochran Sommers established the accordion degree program at UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance in 1961. It was one of the most comprehensive accordion programs in the world where performance majors, secondaries, and non-music majors used the accordion to earn Undergraduate and Graduate, Baccalaureate through Doctorate, degrees. Upon her retirement from full-time teaching, she was voted the title Professor Emerita due to her distinguished university career.
Professor Sommers has been honored numerous times by the American Accordionists' Ass'n, the Accordion Teachers' Guild, Int'l., the Confederation Internationale des Accordeonistes, as well as other musical organizations for her ongoing dedication and contributions to the field of music, especially that of the accordion, an instrument she began playing at the age of nine. She earned the right to represent the USA in the Coupe Mondial in both 1955 and 1956, events that undoubtedly developed her interest in accordion activities worldwide. As a performer she uses the piano accordion, but she teaches all types of systems regardless of arrangements of keys or buttons. Many of her students play both chromatic and keyboard instruments.
Courses she designed and taught at the Conservatory of Music were: Applied Private Accordion, Accordion Orchestra, Accordion Chamber Music, Arranging for the Accordion, Accordion Literature, and History of the Accordion. In addition she taught Accordion Techniques, a specially designed course for the non-accordionists majoring in music education or music therapy. There was always a great emphasis on sight-reading as well as orchestra and chamber music since Professor Sommers believed the skills developed in those areas helped prepare the performer for the professional world of music.
Her students have won numerous top awards, including the U.S. Championship competitions in both the AAA and the ATG, and have been candidates to the Coupe Mondiale many different times over a long period of time. Foreign students under her instruction have also represented
MARK STAUFFER - Cello
Mark Stauffer, a native of Parsons, Kansas, began his music studies at the age of 7 in the local Suzuki violin program. He switched to the cello at the age of 15. Soon after the switch, he was accepted into the prestigious Interlochen Arts Academy to complete his junior and senior years of high school. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance. He is currently a member of the Helios Quartet and the Moment Musical String Quartet, which perform in various functions around the Kansas City metro area. Mark is also a part of Quadrivium, which is dedicated to performing new music as well as the works of the masters. An avid Francophile, Mark spent three summers studying music and French in both France and Domaine Forget in Quebec. Mark's principal and summer teachers have included such pedagogues as Carter Enyeart (UMKC), Richard Aaron (University of Michigan), Philippe Muller (Paris Conservatory), Carole Sirois (Conservatory of Montreal), Odile Bourin (Paris, France), Crispin Campbell (IAA) and Dr. Carolann Martin (Pittsburg State University). He has participated in master classes with Brian Manker (Montreal Symphony) and Philippe Muller. Recently Mark completed Suzuki teacher training at the Southwestern Ontario Suzuki Institute (Waterloo, ON) under Catherine Walker (Ayer's Cliff, QC) and is now a certified Suzuki instructor.
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SKYLER TAYLOR - Dance
Skyler Taylor is a senior dancer at the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance. She has a double emphasis in classical ballet and modern dance. Prior to college, she trained at the American Dance Center, the Kansas City Ballet School, and the Alvin Ailey School in New York. Within the last four years she has performed in The Nutcracker with the Kansas City Ballet Company and the Berkshire Ballet Company. Skyler's most memorable roles have been in Todd Bolender's La Fille Mal Garde and Voyager, as well as Paula Weber's White, Off Center, and Rocco Variations. Skyler plans on earning her Masters in Dance and continuing her professional dance career.
TIM TIMMONS - Saxophone
Tim Timmons has performed, by invitation, for regional and international conferences of the North American Saxophone Alliance and World Saxophone Congress. Among his solo performances with the Kansas City Symphony was his performance of David Amram's Saxophone Concerto, with the composer conducting. He made the first recording of Karel Husa's Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Concert Band with the Ithaca College Band. Composers such as Vaclav Nelhybel, Malcom Lewis, Raymond Luedeke, and James Mobberley have written works for him to perform. His master of music degree is from Northwestern University.
BETH TITTERINGTON - Suzuki Violin Teacher Training
Beth Titterington is a Violin Teacher Trainer for the Suzuki Association of the Americas and has been involved in the Suzuki Method since 1972, when she first heard the Japanese Talent Education Tour ensemble from Matsumoto, Japan. Margery Aber chose her as one of the honorarium students for the American Suzuki Institute in 1973. Since that time, she has studied with many people in the field, including, most importantly, Dr. Suzuki. Ms.Titterington teaches the Suzuki Method violin pedagogy units at the University of Missouri at Kansas City /Conservatory of Music (CMDA), and is currently serving a three-year term on the national Board of Directors of the Suzuki Association of the Americas (term 2006 through 2009). Because of being on the Board, she was actively involved in the national SAA Leadership Retreat this May in Toronto, and will be involved in upcoming conferences on both the national and international levels. Ms.Titterington is a very active workshop and institute clinician, teaching across the U. S., in Canada and in the U.K. She has taught and lectured at more than a hundred summer Suzuki Institutes over the past 25 years including: the American Suzuki Institute at UWSP, Intermountain Suzuki String Institute (Salt Lake City), Northwest Suzuki Institute (Eugene, Oregon), Fairbanks Suzuki Institute, Colorado Suzuki Institute, Idaho Suzuki Institute, Suzuki Institute at TCU, Ithaca College Suzuki Institute, University of Guelph Suzuki Institute (Canada), University of Miami Suzuki Institute, and the Greater Washington (D.C.) Suzuki Institute, among others. Ms.Titterington maintains a private studio of 30 young Suzuki violinists in Kansas City (Kansas City Talent Education) and she founded the Heart of America Suzuki Teacher’s Association, directing their annual workshop for many years. She received her M.M. from the UMKC/Conservatory of Music in 1977 and went on to study baroque performance practice at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music (BPI) and in London, England (with Michaela Comberti). Being a baroque violinist and a gambist, she helped her husband John direct Kansas City’s Period Orchestra (the Early Music Consort) for 20 years. Ms. Titterington was adjunct performing faculty at the University of Kansas from 1985-1995 being a member of the Oread Baroque Ensemble. She has one daughter, Sarah, who recently graduated from Oberlin as a violin performance major, and will be attending the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in the fall of 2007.
Beth Titterington, SAA Teacher Trainer
8109 Wenonga Road Leawood, KS 66206
913-341-8239 titterington@sbcglobal.net
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SHIRLEY WEAVER - Ballet
Shirley Weaver, a native of Kansas City, studied dance in Kansas City with Dorothy Perkins. She danced professionally for more than twenty years. Principal companies with which she performed were the Metropolitan Opera Ballet, Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, Radio City Music Hall Ballet, and the Slavenska-Franklin Ballet. After returning to Kansas City, she was a member of the faculty of the Conservatory Dance Division for eighteen years, retiring as an Assistant Professor. She is now teaching ballet classes for adults part time.
KEEL WILLIAMS - Bassoon
SAM WISMAN - Percussion
Sam Wisman was born into a musical family in Topeka, Kansas and graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance. He has performed in a variety of settings and with numerous musical groups including the Kansas City Symphony, the Topeka Symphony, the St. Joseph Symphony, the Northland Symphony, Kansas City Puccini Fest, Krystle Warren, Bobby Watson, Terrell Stafford, Wycliffe Gordon, Rob Scheps, Lisa Henry, James Ward, the Brad Cox Ensemble, and the Boulevard Big Band. Sam is a member of Marimba Sol de Chiapas, the Westport Art Ensemble, the Owen/Cox Dance Group, the People's Liberation Big Band, the Kerry Strayer Septet, the Kevin Cerovich Quartet, the Roger Wilder Quartet, the Jeff Harshbarger Quartet, the Jake Blanton Band, and leads his own group, the Sam Wisman Quartet. He has worked as a percussionist in musical theatre throughout the Midwest include the Coterie Theater, Off Center Theater, Musical Theater Heritage, Topeka Civic Theater, and Colombian Theater. Sam has been involved in premieres by Harry Connick Jr., Stephen Schwartz, Ahrens & Flaherty, and Jeremiah Neal. In addition to teaching at the Community Music and Dance Academy, he is Instructor of Drumset at Missouri Southern State University. Besides playing drums and percussion, Sam enjoys playing guitar, piano, and bass.
