NIU Community School of the Arts

NIU Community School of the Arts Teachers

Community school teachers are divided into different categories according to their level of teaching experience. Many are beginners who are in the early stages of training, while others have teaching and/or performance degrees. All student teachers have received at least one faculty recommendation. Faculty members serve as teaching mentors. Call the office at (815) 753-1450 if you have questions about a teacher. 
Key to letters next to names:  Those with an "Su" are teaching in summer only and may be in their final semester with the community. Those with "F/S" are taking the summer off and will teach in fall and spring.

Teachers by Level

Faculty Level

Call for fees for the following faculty:
Gregory Barrett (clarinet)
Mary Lynn Doherty (CSA Children's Choir) - F/S
John Fairfield (French horn) - F/S
William Goldenberg (piano)
Blaise Magniere (violin) - F/S
Faye Seeman (harp) - F/S

Fees listed under "Faculty" on the Music Lessons fee grid.

Ann Montzka-Smelser (Suzuki violin, violin, viola)
John Novak (piano, accordion)
Linc Smelser (cello, ensembles)
Jui-Ching Wang (piano) - F/S

Associate Level (professional teachers, more experienced)
Susan Breitner-Hurm (piano, Suzuki piano, piano classes)
Thomas Cappaert (cello, Suzuki cello)
JoEllyn Caulfield (voice)
Lynn Cook (flute)
Jodeen Coulter (voice, piano)
Quentin Dover (guitar, guitar classes)
Laura Fairfield (French horn)  - F/S
Carly Gorman (piano)
Cheryl Haines (flute, recorder)
Christopher Johnson (trombone, CSJazz Band)
Ke-Yin Kilburn (piano, voice) - F/S
Marilyn Montzka (Suzuki piano) 
Donnie Norton (saxophone) - Su
Alice Pacyga (theatre classes) - F/S
Victoria Peel (art lessons)
Georgia Price (piano) - F/S
Laurie Rodriguez (violin, Suzuki violin, early ed classes)
Eric Schroeder  (guitar, Suzuki guitar)
Lynn Vogl (flute)
Ben Weaver (percussion)
Karen Weckerly (Suzuki violin, violin) - F/S
Barbara Wirz-Ellsworth (piano, piano class)

Apprentice III Level (recent NIU graduates)
Ben Crosby (oboe)
Jennifer Griffin (voice, piano)
Ellen Prall (piano)
Martha Robinson (bassoon)
Sara Vogeler (piano)

Apprentice II Level (at least two years' teaching experience)
Gabriel Alves (piano, jazz piano)
Garth Anderson (trumpet)
Amanda Fawcett-Lothson (violin)
Patrick Harding (guitar) - Su
Laura Hauer (violin, piano) - Su
Amanda Kayser (clarinet)
Mahjabeen Karim (violin, viola)
Henry Kappler (trombone, tuba)
Young Ran Kim (piano) - F/S
Jaina Krueger (harp, piano)
Andrea Lager (violin)
Bethany Lager (piano, class)
Mei Li (piano) - Su
Yao Lin (piano) F/S
Barry Mannette (steel pan)
Joanna Ng (piano, flute) - Su
Dawn Rodriguez (voice)
Yuri Sakiyama (piano)
Kate Swope (french horn)
Penelope Turgeon (flute)
Hannah Wood  (voice, piano)

Apprentice I Level (early teachers, new to the community school)
Elizabeth Eastman Becker (cello)
Daniel Eastwood (percussion)
Evan King (saxophone)
Chris Komos (percussion)
David Murray (trumpet)
Matt Poulos (trombone)
Jacob Slocum (saxophone)
Carolyn Wright (cello)