flute:
Stephanie Carter holds a Bachelor of Music from Youngstown State University’s Dana School of Music, and a Master of Music degree in Woodwind Performance from the University of Akron, where she studied with Dr. Kathryn Thomas Umble and Heidi Ruby-Kushious. She is the piccolo chair for the Greenville Symphony Orchestra (PA) for the 2017-2018 season, and she plays extra flute in the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra, Warren Philharmonic, and the W. D. Packard band. Stephanie has taught masterclasses at the Dana School of Music and the University of Akron for junior high and high school students, and she has maintained her private flute studio since 2007.
Audrey Whartenby is a versatile flutist who loves working with people and learning new skills. She has experience with a variety of different styles, including orchestral, jazz, and beatboxing. She has her Bachelor of Arts in Flute Performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music, and is currently working on her Professional Studies in Flute Performance from CIM.
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clarinet:
Tom Tweedle received his B.A. in saxophone performance and Master's Degree in Clarinet Performance from Cleveland State University, where he studied with Ted Johnson (Cleveland Orchestra-retired) and Sheldon Hendershott. He also studied jazz with Phil Rizzo. As a performer he has appeared in many settings: on recordings, television and radio, in recitals, and a variety of groups, including twenty-five years as a member of the Blossom Festival Concert Band. He has been a band director for private schools and the Cleveland Municipal Schools, an adjudicator for contest, and has taught privately since 1969.
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saxophone:
Christopher Burge began his musical career in Columbus, Ohio, where he attended The Ohio State University, graduating in 1997 with a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Performance. During his time at OSU he performed with Barry White, Louie Bellson, and The Stars of the Lawrence Welk Show, and toured Europe and Thailand. Since settling in Cleveland in 1998, Christopher has performed with Mavis Staples, Ronnie Spector, David Sanborn, "Little" Jimmy Scott, and Nancy Wilson. Christopher also records saxophone, flute, and clarinet for American Greetings, and is heard on the theme song of the WVIZ-PBS show "Applause". Christopher performs with the award-winning blues group Blue Lunch and the Jazz Heritage Orchestra. Chris has been teaching privately since 1993.
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trumpet & cornet:
Rich Pokrywka is pursuing his Doctorate of Musical Arts from Ohio State University. He received his Master of Music in Trumpet Performance from University of Georgia. He received his Bachelor of Trumpet Performance from Baldwin Wallace College. Rich is an adjunct instructor in the Preparatory Departments at Cleveland Institute of Music and Baldwin Wallace College. He was an adjunct professor of trumpet at Piedmont College in Georgia. He has studied with James Darling, Fred Mills, Roy Poper, John Brndiar, Larry Black and Timothy Leasure.
trombone, baritone & euphonium:
Leland Matsumura received his Master's Degree in Trombone Performance from Western Michigan University, where he studied under Dr.Steve Wolfinbarger. He has performed as a soloist, in orchestras, and in brass ensembles throughout his career, and he has taught trombone, euphonium, and tuba to grade school, high school, college, and adult students. In addition, he coaches brass ensembles , has been a music teacher in public school programs, and taught applied trombone at the college level.
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piano:
Jason Simon is pursuing his Doctorate in piano performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music, studying with Antonio Pompa-Baldi. He received his Master's from CIM, and his B.M. in Piano Performance from Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW).He has appeared as a soloist with multiple orchestras and given chamber and solo recitals, including appearances in Germany at the Saarburg Serenaden International Music Festival. He has taught students of all levels for over eight years.
McKenzie Marsh received her Bachelor Degree in Piano Performance from Cleveland State University She has studied piano with Sebastian Birch, and is currently a student of Nancy Bachus. She has been teaching private students of all ages since 2010.
Jill Cornell received a B.A. in Music Management and a B.A. in Business Management from Baldwin-Wallace where she studied percussion with Josh Ryan and piano with Robert Mayerovitch. Currently, she is attending Ashland University to work on an MBA. She has been teaching private music lessons since 1997 to students as young as 3 on piano as well as many avenues of percussion from drum set, marching drumline, hand drums, and mallets. She has been the percussion advisor and assistant band director for Columbia Local Schools since 2003 and ihas been a member of and featured soloist with the Patriots Band in Elyria since 2014
Xin Zhai received her Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from Shanghai Normal University and is currently pursuing her Master's in Education at Cleveland State, where she studies with noted author, pedagogue, and performer Nancy Bachus. Xin has been teaching since 2011, and accepts students of all ages and levels. In addition to her teaching and performances, Xin also acts as an accompanist and church pianist.
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drums & percussion:
Jill Cornell received a B.A. in Music Management and a B.A. in Business Management from Baldwin-Wallace where she studied percussion with Josh Ryan and piano with Robert Mayerovitch. Currently, she is attending Ashland University to work on an MBA. She has been teaching private music lessons since 1997 to students as young as 3 on piano as well as many avenues of percussion from drum set, marching drumline, hand drums, and mallets. She has been the percussion advisor and assistant band director for Columbia Local Schools since 2003 and ihas been a member of and featured soloist with the Patriots Band in Elyria since 2014
Tim Miller is a graduate of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and of the Los Angeles College of Music. He has been playing drums for over 20 years and teaching for over five. He spent the last several years playing for the Philadelphia band Modern Bliss, performing in hundreds of weddings, clubs, and private parties up and down the east coast and in Ohio and Canada. In 2015, Tim relocated to Cleveland to continue his studies at Cleveland State University. Tim’s forte lies in funk and rock, but he is also well versed in jazz, Afrocuban and Brazilian drumming.
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guitar:
Cheryl Fitiak received her Master of Music in classical guitar performance at the University of Akron, where she studied with Stephen Aron. She received her B.A. from Kent State University with studies in communications and music. Cheryl has also studied jazz arranging, theory, applied harmony, and improvisation with Cleveland jazz pro Ralph Russo (dec). Her teaching qualifications include classical guitar, contemporary styles, jazz studies, and theory and analysis. She directed and arranged music for the “ Arlington Road Classical Guitar Ensemble “, has coached students for jazz band, pit bands, and religious ensembles, and has prepared students for recitals and auditions. Cheryl currently performs as a classical guitar soloist in NE Ohio, accompaniest and with the classical duo “Going for Baroque”. She began her performing career with the pop dance band “Changes". She was a featured soloist on the 2005 and 2007 cd’s "Guitar at Akron” sponsored by the University of Akron. She has been teaching on Cleveland’s west side since the mid 70’s and has been a member of Skyline’s faculty since its opening in 1987.
Andy Poxon received his Bachelors in Guitar Performance from Towson University and is pursuing his Masters degree at the Cleveland Insititute of Muic, where he studies with Jason Vieaux He has taught a wide range of styles, including rock, blues, classical, and jazz. He has recorded two albums, and performed with his band around the US and the world.
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bass:
Aidan Plank enjoys performing a diverse range of music throughout Northern Ohio. He has studied with bassist-composer David Morgan as well as with Kevin Switalski of the Cleveland Orchestra, and is a graduate of Cleveland State University. His performances range from collaborations with Dan Wall, Joe Lovano, Judi Silvano, Joe Maneri, Janis Siegel, and Frankie Avalon to the modern period-instrument premiere of Joseph-Nicolas-Pancrace Royer's Le Pouvoir de l'Amour (1743) at Oberlin College and the world premiere of Randall Woolf and Robin Stranahan's 'pop-up' opera, Frozen Community, produced by Real Time Opera in 2013. In addition to his work with the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, Aidan can currently be heard exploring duo improvisation with guitarist Daniel Lippel of the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE).
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violin:
After moving to the States at the age of thirteen, Saki Kurose began her violin studies in Washington D.C. with members of the National Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Kurose is an active solo, chamber, and professional orchestral musician, and has given performances at many prestigious venues, including the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall. She holds a degree from Rice University, and earned her Master’s Degree from Cleveland State, where she studied with the Cleveland Orchestra's First Associate Concertmaster Peter Otto. Ms. Kurose currently holds the position of principal second violin in the Mansfield Symphony Orchestra, and is a section member of the Canton Symphony. Ms. Kurose is deeply passionate about sharing both the invaluable instruction she has received and personal insight as a professional musician with enthusiastic students of any level.
Samantha McNamara received her Bachelor of Music performance degree from Butler University in Indiana, where she also studied violin pedagogy. There she also played in the Anderson, Evansville, and Marion Symphony Orchestras, coached middle school orchestra strings, and taught a studio of over 40 students for several years. She became a certified Suzuki violin and viola instructor in the summer of 2010. Samantha has played many different styles of folk music and specializes in traditional Irish music. She has performed in Indianapolis with her band Edge of Erin, and also with the popular Indy based band Ennis Clare. On Irish fiddle she has competed with the Indianapolis Ceili band in the 2011 and the 2012 Midwest Fleadh Cheoil. In 2011 she traveled to Ireland to attend the South Sligo Summer School to further her knowledge of Irish music. Samantha's website is http://mcnamarastrings.com/home.cfm
Shannon Williams received her Bachelor of Violin Performance Degree from Baldwin-Wallace College. She has studied with Gary Kosloski, Wei-Shu Co, and Julian Ross. She has been teaching private and small group lessons since 1990. In addition to teaching, she has played fiddle in the local Irish band Turn the Corner, Scottish band Next In Line, and violin with the Mansfield Symphony Orchestra.
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viola:
Samantha McNamara received her Bachelor of Music performance degree from Butler University in Indiana, where she also studied violin pedagogy. There she also played in the Anderson, Evansville, and Marion Symphony Orchestras, coached middle school orchestra strings, and taught a studio of over 40 students for several years. She became a certified Suzuki violin and viola instructor in the summer of 2010. Samantha has played many different styles of folk music and specializes in traditional Irish music. She has performed in Indianapolis with her band Edge of Erin, and also with the popular Indy based band Ennis Clare. On Irish fiddle she has competed with the Indianapolis Ceili band in the 2011 and the 2012 Midwest Fleadh Cheoil. In 2011 she traveled to Ireland to attend the South Sligo Summer School to further her knowledge of Irish music. Samantha's website is http://mcnamarastrings.com/home.cfm
Geneva Claflin received her bachelors of music in viola performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music in 2015 where she studied with Stanley Konopka of the Cleveland Orchestra. While at CIM she also studied Suzuki pedagogy and has taught students of all levels over the past three years. Claflin has attended summer festivals both in the United States and the United Kingdom and has given several chamber and solo recitals. She currently continuing her viola studies with Csaba Erdéyli.
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cello:
Katie Holaway holds Bachelor and Master degrees in Cello Performance from the University of Alabama and a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from the University of South Carolina. In addition to maintaining a private studio, Mrs. Holaway teaches strings for the Avon Lake City School District. Prior to moving to Ohio, she taught strings for the Fairfield County School District (SC), and also served as Assistant Director for the award-winning University of South Carolina String Project. Mrs. Holaway taught with the University of Alabama's Community Music School and the University of Montevallo's Community School of Music. She is an active member of the National Association for Music Education and the American String Teachers Association.
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