COMPOSER COLLABORATIONS

Wisconsin Based Composers

Dr. Christian Ellenwood

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BIO

Christian Ellenwood is a composer, clarinetist, and teacher based near Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  His compositions have been performed internationally and throughout the United States at major venues such as Carnegie Hall and at international concerts, festivals, and conferences, and his music has been broadcast over several major classical networks, including Chicago’s WFMT.

Committed to fostering and nurturing human growth through the art of music, he proudly serves as Professor of Clarinet at the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater, here his contributions have received many commendations, including the W. P. Roseman Award, UW-Whitewater’s highest honor for excellence in teaching.  He also assists young composers’ growth through the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra’s John Downey Creation project, sponsored by Present Music. 

Matt Turner

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Matt Turner is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading improvising cellists.  Equally skills as a pianist, Turner performs in numerous styles and has shared the stage in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Asia with the Cape Breton fiddle sensation Natalie MacMaster, avant-garde musicians Marilyn Crispell, Peter Kowald, Guillermoa Gregorio, Scott Fields, and John Butcher, as well as country musician Wanda Vick, singer-songwriter LJ Booth, and Jazz musician Bobby McFerrin to name a few.  He appears on over 100 recordings on Sketch/Harmonia Mundi, Illusions, Music and Arts, Accurate, Polyvinyl, Cadence Jazz, and others, recording with jazz violinist Randy Sabien, goth vocalist/pianist Jo Gavirel, singer/songwriters Mark Croft and Tret Fure, punk artist Kyle Fischer, Kitty Brazelton’s chamber rockestra Dadadah, alt-country band Heller Mason, and with the Pointless Orchestra.  Turner completed his undergraduate studies at Lawrence University and his Master of Music degree in Third Stream Studies (now the Contemporary Improvisation program) at the New England Conservatory of Music, where he studies with Dave Holland, Geri Allen, and Joe Maneri, and where he was the recipient of a Distinction in Performance Award.  As a leader, Turner’s recordings appear on Illusions, Stellar, O.O. Discs, Asian Improv, Penumbra, Fever Pitch, Goede, Tautology, and Meniscus Records.  Turner is a Yamaha Performing Artist and currently performs and records with Bill Carrothers’ Armistice 1918 ensemble and with the Fantastic Merlins.

Katherine Punwar

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Katharine Punwar has taught many combinations of choir, orchestra, general music and band for 32 years, first in the Anoka-Hennepin School District in Minnesota, then at Sennett Middle School in Madison, Wisconsin until her recent retirement.  She received her Bachelor of Music Education degree at the University of Wisconsin - Madison.  As an arranger and composers, her commissions include pieces for the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies, the Bloomington-Illinois School District, the Wisconsin Youth Symphony, South Milwaukee School District, Tippasaukee, Monona Grove School District and the Lakeshore Philharmonic Youth Orchestras in Kenosha.  She was a facilitator and member of the WSMA (Wisconsin School Music Association) Comprehensive Musicianship Through Performance Project for over ten years, and was an Educational Consultant for Yamaha Corporation of America for the MIE (Music in Education) system (integrating general music curriculum and music technology) for over twenty years.  Katharine lives in Monona, Wisconsin.

Carrie Lane Gruselle

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Carrie Lane Gruselle is a native of Stevens Point, Wisconsin.  She received her Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, and a Master of Music Education degree, Suzuki Emphasis from the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point.  Ms. Gruselle taught elementary and middle level strings for the Appleton Area School District in Appleton, Wisconsin and teaches for the Lawrence University Academy of Music.  Her arrangements and compositions for beginning and developing string players have been performed across the nation and in Australia.

NATIONALLY BASED COMPOSERS

Tim Isham

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Timothy J. Isham is an educator, double bassist, and composer residing in Webster, NY.  He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Musical Studies/Composition from the Crane School of Music and dual Masters degrees in Composition and Double Bass Performance from Bowling Green State University.  Mr. Isham currently teaches string orchestra in the Webster Central School District, conducting two beginning and two continuing orchestras, and directs his own summer orchestra program for rapidly advancing students.  Mr. Ishal is well known in his community for composing and arranging new string orchestra works for his students as well as collaborating with other local string teachers to write music for their ensembles.  He is published with Kendor Music.

Joel Jacklich

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Joel Jacklich is the founding conductor of the Imperial Valley Symphony and professor emeritus of music at Imperial Valley College (CA).  He currently owns Jacklich Music Publishing and has over three hundred string arrangements available to educators.  Recent compositions/collaborations include “Passacaglia and Fugue in Memoriam Elliot Del Borgo” and “Huapango El Centro.”  Both pieces were written for the Wilson Junior High School String Orchestra in El Centro, California.

Kathleen Swayze

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Kathleen Swayze is a violinist and violist, originally from Northern, VA.  She earned a Bachelor of Music Education Degree from Indiana University and a Master of Music Education Degree from Butler University.  She taught middle school orchestra for 23 years in the Indianapolis area and is currently freelancing and teaching lessons.  Kathleen is a published composer of string orchestra music for young people, and her music is on education festival lists in many states.  She has other compositions recorded and several in the works.  She was awarded Outstanding Middle School Educator in Indiana by the Indiana Music Educators Association (IMEA) in 2012, and she holds the office of Tri-M Music Honor Society State Chairperson for IMEA.  She is now looking to further her composing and arranging career.  Kathleen is published by Latham/Lorenz/Ludwig Masters.