Flute Instructor - Mary Christine Stingley Mary-Christine Stingley began her studies at DePaul University and received her Bachelor of Music Degree from the St. Louis Conservatory of Music. Continuing in Paris with a scholarship from the French Government, her formal training was completed at the renowned Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Künst in Vienna, Austria with a Masters Diploma and first prize honors. Ms. Stingley’s teachers have included Wolfgang Schulz, Michel Debost, Julius Baker, Jacob Berg, Donald Peck, Walfrid Kujala, and Mary Stolper.
She has received numerous awards and prizes including the Prix de Concours de l’U.F.A.M. in Paris, the prestigious Bourse d’Étude from France, an Artistic Grant from the American Ambassador to Austria, Ronald S. Lauder, twice the Musicians Club of Women’s Farwell Award and twice the Allerton Arts Award. In recital Ms. Stingley has appeared throughout France, Austria, Germany, Japan, and across the United States. She was also featured in a live broadcast on Japan National Radio. Chicago area solo appearances have included concertos with the Chicago Chamber Orchestra, Wheaton Symphony, Classical Symphony Orchestra and the West Suburban Chamber Symphony. “Voilá”, her flute and harp duo, has appeared in concerts which have included the Harold Washington Library Orpheus Series, the Three Arts Club, Daley Plaza and a series for UNICEF in Chicago and Boston. Currently Ms. Stingley is performing as principal flutist with the Wheaton Symphony, Downers Grove Choral Society and Tower Chorale; is the woodwind coach for the Schaumburg Youth Symphony, maintains a very successful private flute studio, and is in demand as a clinician and adjudicator.
Contact Information:
 630-782-1364
Oboe Instructor - Allison BakerAllison Baker (oboe, English horn) is active as a performer and teacher in Chicago and surrounding areas. Allison holds three degrees in Music Performance; she earned her bachelor’s from Illinois Wesleyan University, where she studied with Jill West, and her master’s from The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she studied with Nancy Ambrose King. Allison then followed Ambrose King to The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where she earned a post-graduate (specialist’s) degree.Allison performs regularly with the Chicago Chamber Orchestra, and has also played with the Illinois Philharmonic, and the Rockford, Kenosha, Northwest Indiana, and Illinois Symphonies. In addition to Conant, Allison has oboe studios at Fremd and Schaumburg High Schools in District 211, Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville, and is the oboe instructor at Trinity College in Deerfield. She is also a reed maker for Midwest Musical Imports, a music supply company in Minneapolis. While working as an editor for the Instrumentalist Magazine and the Web site www.banddirector.com, she published a number of music-related articles, and has also done some freelance editing for GIA Publications.www.banddirector.com, she published a number of music-related articles, and has also done some freelance editing for GIA Publications. Contact Information:  Bassoon Instructor - Gerik Fon-Revutzki Gerik Fon-Revutzky, bassoon and contrabassoon, is an active freelancer and instructor throughout Chicagoland, Milwaukee and Indiana. Gerik performs with the Rockford, Wisconsin Philharmonic, & Fox Valley Symphonies, and the Bel Canto Chorus Orchestra amongst numerous others. Gerik has toured and performed extensively both nationally and internationally including Russia, Finland, England and Canada. As an instructor Gerik is currently on the faculty of the University of St. Francis, Joliet Junior College, Music Institute of Chicago, and Neuqua Valley, Metea Valley, Schaumburg, Conant and Lake Forest High Schools. Gerik has given masterclasses at Western Illinois University, and CSU Sacramento. During the summers of 2000-2006 Gerik was the bassoon instructor, Assistant Manager and Head Librarian at the Luzerne Music Center. Gerik earned his Bachelor’s degree at California State University, Sacramento, and his Masters degree from Northwestern University in Bassoon Performance with Secondary Emphasis in Contrabassoon and Orchestral Conducting from both schools. Gerik’s major teachers have included Douglas Huff, Susan Willoughby, Steve Dibner, and Robert Barris. Contact Information:
847-302-9836 http://www.gerikfon.com Clarinet Instructor - Beth Earl Beth Earl is an alumni of Conant High School where she was a member of the band, orchestra, and choir. She has been teaching both clarinet and string bass lessons in the Chicagoland area since 2005. She is very excited to be back to her old stomping grounds teaching the clarinet.
Beth received her Bachelor’s in Music Performance from Northern Illinois University where she studied both string bass and clarinet. She was a member of the NIU Philharmonic (bass), and the Northern Illinois University Band and NIU Wind Ensemble. She was also a founding member of the NIU Klezmer Band, and played with many chamber groups on both instruments. Beth received her Master’s in Music Performance at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. She currently performs with the West Suburban Symphony, West Suburban Chamber Orchestra, West Suburban Festival Orchestra and the Dubuque Symphony. Contact Information:
 Saxophone Instructor - Eric Goluszka Eric Goluszka is a saxophonist and educator in the Chicago area. He is an active performer in a wide variety of genres including traditional and modern classical, jazz, salsa, and an assortment of popular styles. As a soloist, he strives to present a diverse selection of music in his recitals, often juxtaposing avant-garde saxophone works with baroque transcriptions. His command over contemporary techniques (such as circular breathing, multiphonics, and slap-tongue) has influenced the composition and dedication of new works for saxophone. Eric has performed throughout the Midwest United States, Canada, Southern France, Sicily, and Thailand, both as a soloist and as a member of ensembles such as the New Edmonton Wind Sinfonia, Rockford Symphony Orchestra, the Devil’s Own Saxophone Quartet, and Orquesta Energia Salsa Band. In 2003, Eric received a Bachelor of Music degree with a performance emphasis from the University of Alberta, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. While there, he studied with renowned saxophonist Dr. William Street and performed in masterclasses for top modern composers and saxophonists such as Gavin Bryars and Jean-Marie Londeix. Eric received a Master of Music degree from DePaul University, where he studied with Susan Cook. His other major teachers have been James Kasprzyk, Matt Olson, Tim Aubuchon, and Jeremy Ruthrauff. Mr. Goluszka is in high demand as a saxophone instructor throughout the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago. His students have received first place medals at solo and ensemble festivals and have been selected for IMEA district and all-state honor bands. Eric has been teaching saxophone lessons at Fremd and Schaumburg High Schools since 2005, Hoffman Estates High School since 2008, Notre Dame High School since 2009, and he will be the saxophone teacher at Conant and Metea Valley High Schools starting this year. In addition to working with the saxophonists at these schools, he also leads woodwind sectionals at Fremd. Contact Information:
847-852-0668
 Trumpet Instructor - Rick Leister Richard T Leister, a native of Toledo Ohio, moved to the Chicago area in 1976 to serve with the 81st Army Band at Ft. Sheridan, Il. From his discharge in 1979, Rick was been one of Chicago lands busy trumpet players, in demand for his ability to fit into many diverse performance situations.
He has performed with the Toledo Symphony, Elgin Symphony, The Apollo Chorus, the Ravinia Festival Orchestra and was the Trumpet Soloist with the Chicago Music Consortium Chamber Orchestra.
As a lead trumpet player, he played on many Chicago Big Bands and has performed with, Burt Bacharach, Doc Severinsen, Manhattan Transfer, Wayne Newton, Henry Mancini, Johnny Mathis, Ray Charles and other Las Vegas style acts.
For over 20 years, Rick was an active member of Chicago musical theater, performing Broadway Shows with the orchestras of the Arie Crown, the Schubert, the Chicago, the Lyric Opera, the Palace, the Oriental, Drury Lane, and the Auditorium theaters.
His show credits include Evita, Le Miserable, Phantom of the Opera , Miss Saigon, Sunset Blvd., The Scarlet Pimpernal, West Side Story, Zorba with Anthony Quinn, Sugar Babies with Micky Rooney, the pre. Broadway premier of Victor Victoria with Julie Andrews, and most recently the Chicago pre. Broadway premier of Mel Brooks’, “The Producers” with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick.
Rick’s teachers include: Bernard Sanchez (Toledo University), Charles Geyer (Chicago Symphony), Vincent Cichowicz (Northwestern University), and Bobby Lewis (Chicago Recording Artist).
Mr. Leister performs free lance and extra work with professional Chicago area ensembles but has dedicated this stage of life help advance the musical education of young trumpet players and students of all ages. Mr. Leister is the Ajunct Proffesor of Trumpet at Illinois Wesleyan University, a member of the private teaching staff at three Chicago Suburban High Schools and maintains a limited studio in his home.
Contact Information:
 630-682-9514
French Horn Instructor - Jessica Pearce Jessica is an active performer and teacher in the Chicago area. She first realized her love for the French horn when she played horn in the Schaumburg High School band. Jessica earned a bachelor’s degree in music performance from Illinois Wesleyan University where she studied with Christine Worthing. After finishing her bachelors she studied with Adam Unsworth at the University of Michigan for her masters in horn performance. Jessica has also studied with David Griffin of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Jessica currently performs with the Chicago Composers Orchestra and the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic. She has also performed with the Jackson, Adrian, and Dearborn Symphonies in Michigan. As a soloist, Jessica has been a finalist in the Chicago Brass Festival solo competition for the last two years. This past summer Jessica toured China with the University of Michigan Symphony Band as they performed in the cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Shenyang, Xi’an, and Hangzhou. Prior to teaching at Conant High School, Jessica was the horn instructor at Expressions Music Academy in Novi, Michigan, and she has held private studios in Ann Arbor, MI and Bloomington-Normal, IL. Contact Information:  847-975-8686 Trombone/Baritone/Tuba Instructor - Dan Johnson Dan Johnson is one of the busiest freelance trombonists in Chicagoland. Since moving to Chicago in 1985, Dan has played over 2,500 broadway shows and additionally, over 2,400 corporate events, shows, weddings, television, radio and internet commercials. Dan has played in every major theater in Chicago. He was the house trombonist at Drury Lane Oakbrook Theatre for 12 years. Favorite musical theater productions Dan has performed lead trombone with include: “A Chorus Line”, “A West Side Story”, “Chicago”, “City of Angels”, “Crazy For You”, “Forum”, “42nd Street”, “Gypsy”, “How To Succeed In Business...”, “The Music Man”, “The Producers”, “Ragtime”, “Singin In The Rain”, “Sophisticated Ladies”, and “Sweet Charity”. Favorite show performers Dan has played lead trombone with include: Ray Charles, Natalie Cole, The Four Tops, Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Angela Lansbury, The Manhattan Transfer, Johnny Mathis, The Temptations, Mel Torme, Dionne Warwick, and as a sideman with Doc Severinsen and the Tonight Show Band. Legendary comedians Dan has performed lead trombone with include: Steve Allen, George Burns, Sid Caesar, Norm Crosby, Phyllis Diller, Buddy Hackett, Bob Hope, Jerry Lewis, Bob Newhart, Nipsy Russell, Danny Thomas, and Jerry Van Dyke. Dan is one of the most recorded trombonists in Chicago. He can be heard on hundreds of original recording projects, television, radio and internet commercials, and corporate productions. Recent national and local television commercials include: Burger King, Disney, McDonald’s, Olive Garden, Procter & Gamble, State Farm, UPS and the U. S. Army. Along with his career as a trombonist, Dan has pursued a career in education. He was an Instrumental Music Director in District 96, Riverside Public Schools for ten years and a school principal and assistant principal at Hauser Junior High School (Riverside, IL), Iroquois Community School (Des Plaines, IL) and Lincoln Elementary School (Addison, IL) for six years. He holds a Bachelor of Music Degree in Education from Northern Illinois University (DeKalb, IL), a Master of Arts Degree in School Leadership from Concordia University (River Forest, IL), and attended Loyola University (Chicago, IL) for 36 hours of graduate coursework in Curriculum and Instruction. Contact Information:  Percussion/Drum Line Instructor - Michael Kozakis
 Michael Kozakis is an active percussionist in the Chicago area. He plays frequently with the Chicago Symphony and Lyric Opera Orchestras as an extra percussionist. Michael held two one-year positions as a percussionist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra from February 2005 through June 2007. Michael also plays with other groups including the St Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Chicago Chamber Musicians, MusicNOW, Ars Viva, and has played for TV and radio commercials. As a featured marimba concerto soloist, Michael has soloed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Rockford Symphony Orchestra.
In addition to performing, Michael is on the faculty of DePaul University in Chicago while also teaching privately. Michael received his bachelor’s degree from the Eastman School of Music double majoring in percussion performance and music education. He also received a master’s degree in performance from DePaul University.
Contact Information:
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