Avoca West School                                        Glenview, IL
Orchestra and Strings Teacher

​2018 -Current Job

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Maine South High School                           Park Ridge, IL
Director of Orchestras & Guitar Teacher

​2002 - 2016
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The Maine South program grew from three to five ensembles under my tenure as Orchestra Director.  The five orchestras included—Beginning Strings, String Orchestra, Philharmonic, Symphony, and Chamber Orchestra. Furthermore, the program maintained a very active chamber music program where students had the opportunity of working with members of the Chicago Symphony, Turtle Island String Quartet, Northwestern University Professors, and the Avalon String Quartet from Northern Illinois University.  The Maine South High School Orchestras were chosen to perform at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Convention in 2007, 2012 and 2013. Maine South Orchestra students in a combined concert with the middle school students have had the opportunity to perform with Mark Wood. Mark Wood has played with Ozzy Ozbourne, Lenny Kravitz, and The Who, and was an original member of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. 

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The Maine South Orchestra tours included trips to New York, Disney World and Montreal. While on Tour to New York in Fall of 2008 the orchestra stopped at Oberlin Conservatory and had a clinic with Peter Slowik, Joanne Erwin and Tim Weiss. In New York they had a clinic with Viriginia Allen, professor of Conducting at both Julliard and Curtis Institue of Music. The Maine South Orchestra performed at the United Nations and one of their featured pieces included Christy Faber from the Broadway cast of Les Misarables.

 

The orchestras performed throughout the community which included nursing homes, churches and several joint concerts with the middle and elementary schools. In the winter all the orchestras at the elementary, middle and high school came together for a combined Progress Concert. High School students stood by the door the night of the concert and helped the beginning students tune and find their seat in preparation for their very first concert. This concert showed the progression throughout our string program and allowed students to share in the joy of music together from 4th-12th grade.  Students from Maine South taught lessons on a regular basis to students from the middle and elementary schools. Every year several Junior and Senior students signed up for String Orchestra (a freshmen ensemble) and spent the year doing sectionals and student conducting.

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During my tenure I created  an Orchestra Board for students to participate in. It was a wonderful opportunity for students to take on a leadership role in the orchestra program. These students organized a family Potluck in the Fall and orchestra social and philanthropic events throughout the year. The orchestra students in Spring of 2004 raised money for a Make-A-Wish child. The family and young man came to the orchestra concert and the students presented him a check for his wish to visit Disney World.

 

Students in the Maine South Orchestra program were members of the IMEA All State Honors Orchestra, Midwest Young Artists, Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra, Metropolis Youth Symphony Orchestra, The Academy of Irish Music,  and the National Youth Symphony Orchestra (Pinchas Zuckerman). Students have qualified for the Fischoff International Chamber Music Competition and Walgreens Concerto Competition

 

The orchestra had clinics with: Constantine Kitsopoulos (Detroit Symphony Guest Conductor & Les Misérables on Broadway), Robert Hasty (Northwestern University), Timothy Weiss (Oberlin Conservatory), Blair Milton (Chicago Symphony Orchestra), Louis Bergonzi (University of Illinois), and Brett Mitchell (Northern Illinois University).

 

The Maine South High School Orchestra Program grew from less than 40 students to a high of 126 under my direction. 

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I also taught a full year beginning guitar course that met on a daily basis. We played a classical concert in the Fall and put on a Rock Concert in the Spring. I taught students how to play a classical guitar and transitioned them to techniques on both the electric guitar and bass guitar. Students learned how to read music both in a solo and ensemble setting. They learned chord progressions, chord patterns, barred chords and how to play a variety of repertoire

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McKenzie Elementary School                       Wilmette, IL

Student Teacher, Elementary General/Choral Music

​2001-2002

 

 

Niles North High School                                       Niles, IL

Student Teacher, High School Orchestra

2001-2002

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