E-flat Alto Saxophone

Allie Kolberg is currently a student at Highland High School. She has been a member of Medina Community Band since 2007. She started playing music at the age of seven when she learned how to play the piano. Shortly after, at the age of 9 she began to play the saxophone. She has taken private lessons for 8 years. In addition to playing the alto, she has played the tenor, bari and clarinet. 

Allie is first chair alto saxophone in the Highland High School Wind Ensemble, and is a proud member of the Highland High School marching band. She is involved in other school activities such as the Highland Dance Team, Jazz Band, National Honors Society, VOFT, Robotics Team, Envirothon, Academic Challenge, Band Council, Student Council, Medina County Junior Leaders, 4-H, and is the President of her church youth group.

After she graduates from high school in 2010, she plans to pursue a career in Biomedical Engineering, but will always continue to play music.

Claire Krupp, mom (Medina)

Section Leader and Soloist
Bianca Murphy is a native of Strongsville and a 1992 graduate of Strongsville High School.  She went on to study music education at Bowling Green State University.  She was the 1995 recipient of the Falcon Marching Band’s Outstanding Senior Female Marcher Award.  Her studies included saxophone with Dr. John Sampen and conducting with Mark Kelly.  Upon receiving her bachelor’s degree in music education, Bianca taught general music, band and choir for six years in grades K-8 in both parochial and public schools.  She is currently taking time off from teaching to concentrate on raising her family.  Bianca has been playing with the Medina Community band since 1998.  She resides in Copley with her husband Patrick and their sons Sean, Jack, and Joe.

 

Rob Wingerter, HS student (Wadsworth)

Brie Evans began playing piano at age 5 and then progressed to clarinet and then finally tenor saxophone at age 11. Originally from New York, Brie attended Cornell University and worked in hospice before  starting a family.  Brie is currently a stay at home mom and lives in Medina with her husband Chris and daughter Cori. She volunteers at Hospice of Medina County and in her daughter’s classroom.

 

Mark Mirrotto, Mark started playing saxophone in the 5^th grade, however he took about 15 years off after graduating from Midpark High School in 1979. In 1995 a church music director asked if anyone knew how to play ‘big band’ instruments, which renewed Mark’s interest in playing. He has been playing with the Medina Community Band since 2004.  In addition to playing tenor, he also plays alto and soprano sax. He and his wife Wendy have lived in Brunswick Hills for 9 years and although they have no children, the various animal activities keep them both busy, In addition to playing with the Medina Community Band, Mark is a member of the Christ Church Worship Band in Columbia Station, OH.

E-flat Baritone Saxophone

Steve McGrew serves as Director of fifth grade bands for Hickory Ridge, Huntington, Memorial and Kidder Elementary Schools in Brunswick, Ohio.  Mr. McGrew directs the Willets Middle School Jazz Band and assists with bands at Visintainer Middle School.  Mr. McGrew's prior teaching included directing the Junior High Bands at Gallia Academy High School along with the elementary bands at Green, Rio Grande and Washington Elementary Schools. He taught the Symphonic Band, Junior High Beginning Band, Jazz Band, was the Assistant Director for High School Marching Band, Musical Orchestra Director and taught General Music courses at Gallia Academy High School.  Steve also served as the Instructor of Woodwinds at The University of Rio Grande.  In his fourth year in music education, Mr. McGrew holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education degree in Instrumental Music from Kent State University, where he performed in all the top instrumental ensembles.  He is currently working on a Masters in Music Education at The Ohio State University. Prior to graduating from Kent State University, Mr. McGrew worked extensively with high school marching band programs across Northeast and Southern Ohio as a woodwind and marching instructor.

Mr. McGrew has been the recipient of a number of honors and appointments. A member of OMEA, he was president-elect of OMEA District 17.  He was the recipient of the Kent State University Director of Bands Award for four years and received The Scholar's Medal from the Laurels Chapter of Mortar Board. He was also a 2005 Inductee into the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society.