Northern Illinois University
College of Visual and Performing Arts
Office of External Programs

Teachers who are starting with the NIU Community School of the Arts and who have had some limited academic and teaching experience in the subject area. Most are NIU undergraduate or graduate students majoring in music, art, or theatre.

• Undergraduate students majoring in the subject area with at least one year of teaching experience.
• Graduate students specializing in the subject area with at least one year post high school teaching experience.
• College graduates who majored in the subject area and have at least one year post high school teaching experience.

Teachers who have had several years of academic and teaching experience in the subject area. Most are NIU graduate students specializing in music, art or theatre.

• Promoted from the apprentice 1 level after two years minimum for undergraduate students and one year minimum for graduate students.
• Graduate students with at least two years post high school teaching experience.
• College graduates who majored in the subject area with at least two years post high school teaching experience.

Teachers who have taught at either the apprentice 1 level or at the apprentice 2 level and who have recently graduated from the university. Teachers remain at the apprentice 3 level for one or two years.

Teachers who have considerable academic background, are no longer students, and have taught for many years in the subject area. Most are community members with master's degrees, though for some, the bachelor's degree is the terminal degree.

• Promoted from the apprentice 2 level after two years minimum.
• Promoted from the apprentice 3 level after one-two years minimum, depending on circumstances.
• Bachelor's degree and at least six years teaching experience.
• Master's degree and at least four years teaching experience.

Advanced degree in specialized field and extensive teaching experience.

• On the faculty at NIU.

Learn more about John Novak on his NIU faculty profile.

Quentin Dover is a local musician and music educator and has been a private and group guitar instructor since 2001. He holds a B.M. in Classical Guitar and an M.M. in World Music Performance. Quentin teaches classical and rock guitar as well as other plucked stringed instruments such as the banjo (melodic style), bass, mandolin, ukulele, and the pipa.

As a multi-instrumentalist, Quentin has experience composing, performing, recording, and collaborating with local artists.

He enjoys teaching students of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. He uses an engaging, student-centered approach to teaching to help students along their own personal musical journey to experience the joys of musiking and set students up for success.

Aerie Bernard is a skilled and experienced musician and music educator who has been teaching since 2006.

She holds a B.A. in Trends in World Music: Performance, Technology, and Pedagogy and an M.M. in World Music Pedagogy from N.I.U. and teaches woodwinds (clarinet, saxophones, and flute), as well as plucked strings (guitar, bass, and ukulele).

Aerie draws from her background in writing, recording, performing, and collaborating with diverse artists across various instruments and genres to help her guide students in developing their own voices and in adding to their musical toolkits. Her depth of experience allows her to support students in carving their own unique musical paths and in cultivating their individual artistry.

Quentin Dover is a local musician and music educator and has been a private and group guitar instructor since 2001. He holds a B.M. in Classical Guitar and an M.M. in World Music Performance. Quentin teaches classical and rock guitar as well as other plucked stringed instruments such as the banjo (melodic style), bass, mandolin, ukulele, and the pipa.

As a multi-instrumentalist, Quentin has experience composing, performing, recording, and collaborating with local artists.

He enjoys teaching students of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. He uses an engaging, student-centered approach to teaching to help students along their own personal musical journey to experience the joys of musiking and set students up for success.

Henry Harris, an accomplished musician and aspiring composer, is a graduate of Varina High School in Henrico, VA. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in music with a concentration in music education from Elizabeth City State University in Elizabeth City, NC, and is currently pursuing a Master of Music in jazz studies at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL.

Henry's dedication to both performance and composition is evident through his impressive achievements. His musical journey began in high school, where he reached significant milestones as a member of the Richmond Symphony Youth Concert Orchestra and the Richmond Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble during his junior and senior years.

Over the years, Henry has collaborated with numerous ensembles, including the Richmond Nativity Pageant Brass Choir, the Richmond City Jazz Band and the Petersburg Symphony in Petersburg, VA. During summers, he often performs with the Accord Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C., showcasing his talents at esteemed venues.

As a composer, Henry marked a pivotal moment in spring 2023 when the Elizabeth City State University Concert Band premiered his first concert band piece, "A Night of Wonder". He has also composed and arranged works for his ensemble, "The Henry Harris Big Band," further highlighting his creative expertise.

Henry's performances have garnered widespread acclaim, including appearances at the University of Richmond, on ESPN and alongside the 72nd Governor of Virginia. He has shared the stage with Grammy Award-winning trumpeter Charlton Singleton and performed for distinguished dignitaries.

His accolades include the Music Program Achievement Award and the Presser Scholar Award from Elizabeth City State University's Department of Music and Visual Arts. He has performed with the Intercollegiate Music Association (IMA) Jazz Band Ensemble in 2020 and 2023, participated in the inaugural North Carolina Intercollegiate Honor Band in 2023, and joined the 2023 National Intercollegiate Band, premiering Grammy Award-winning composer Michael Daugherty's "The Adventures of Jesse Owens." Additionally, he has served as a brass instructor and band director at the Salvation Army Carolinas Music & Arts Conservatory Camp in the summer of 2024.

Henry is also authoring his first book, "The Book of Jazz", which explores jazz theory and performance techniques, offering valuable insights to musicians.

An active member of various organizations, Henry serves on the National Committee on Chapter Operations for Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity Incorporated and is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated. He is also affiliated with the National Association for Music Education, the League of American Orchestras and Grammy U, the Recording Academy's mentorship program.

To reach his level of musicianship, Henry studied with esteemed mentors and received guidance from renowned composers, including:

• Phillip Jones, former member of Danny Davis & Nashville Brass and current XO brass artist
• Dave Adams, former principal bass trombonist of the São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra
• Bracy Martin, assistant director of bands at Elizabeth City State University and trombone professor
• Christopher White, principal double bass player of the Virginia Symphony
• Adolphus Hailstork, composer
• James Curnow, composer

Frederick Melki is currently attending NIU and majoring in music education. He is studying jazz saxophone with Geof Bradfield and classical bass with Christian Dillingham. Frederick is involved in the NIU Philharmonic Orchestra, the NIU Jazz ensemble and serves as a section leader in the Huskie Marching Band.

Frederick began playing the saxophone in the fifth grade in Carol Stream, IL and continues to play every day. In seventh grade, he joined the jazz band, which sparked his love for jazz. In high school, he was selected to perform in the ILMEA Grade 2 Jazz Band and was chosen for a classical senior solo for his final concert at Glenbard North High School. He also earned the “Outstanding Band Student Scholarship” in recognition of his achievements.

In addition to saxophone, Frederick started playing bass in fourth grade and has continued studying as a classical bass player. He worked to develop his skills throughout elementary, middle and high school to get to the level of where he is today. He is currently the second chair in the NIU Philharmonic orchestra.

Frederick’s teaching experience goes back to his Junior year of high school. He helped his middle school jazz band by sitting in on rehearsals by helping them with notes, rhythms, or any instrument problems they were experiencing. He continued that his senior year in high school was as well. Frederick is a Golden Apple Scholar and with that came a three-week summer teaching experience, which provided not only teaching in a classroom but also taking classes to learn how to improve as a teacher. Golden Apple gives Frederick more teaching experience in the upcoming years as well.

Frederick’s passion for teaching was deeply influenced by his high school band director, for the love, passion and appreciation she had for her students. When Frederick is teaching, he incorporates his love of music and wants to pass that gift to every one of his students just to show how important music is to his life.

Giuli Alvarez is a cellist, a student at Northern Illinois University studying chemistry and a member of the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra. In high school and middle school Giuli was involved in the highest-level orchestra, chamber orchestra, string band, honors recitals, pit orchestra, Symphonette, Sinfonia and made ILMEA all her years in high school and middle school.

Giuli began playing the cello in 6^th grade and has received lessons from 7^th grade to 12^th grade. Along with receiving lessons, she volunteered for a local string camp in the summer where she taught younger students and helped the instructors during this camp. While in her orchestra at her high school, she sat assistant principal for her cello section for two consecutive years and has led/helped cello sectionals.

Giuli's inspiration to teach cello lessons comes from her prior experience teaching swim lessons. Swimming and cello are her favorite hobbies and she found a lot of joy being able to share her passion with her students. In lessons, Giuli wants to share her passion for cello with others and be able to bring them the same happiness she felt during her lessons. During lessons, she seeks to improve and push her students but also make them feel more confident and comfortable with their playing ability. She wants to expose them to pieces that they can add to their own music library, but at the same time improve their technique and broaden their music knowledge.

Kacee Dugas is a cellist, educator, and performing artist from Katy, Texas. She received her B.A. in cello performance from the University of Houston under the tutelage of Vagram Saradjian in 2014. In the fall of 2025, she will be pursuing her M.M. at Northern Illinois University focusing on world music and cello performance with Cheng-Hou Lee.

While in the Greater Houston area, Kacee had an extensive performing career playing with the Symphony of Southeast Texas, Brazosport Symphony Orchestra and Lake Charles Symphony and maintained a studio of 30 cello students. With over 10 years of teaching experience, many of these students have won positions in middle and high school TMEA region orchestras, participated in local youth symphonies or have continued on to undergraduate music programs.

In addition to teaching and playing classical music, Kacee has devoted much of her time to study and perform traditional and contemporary music, as well as cross-cultural and improvised styles for a vast array of ensembles. Since 2020, she has been learning Korean percussion genres (on janggu and buk) with the non-profit Han Narea and has performed traditional dances for schools and cultural festivals across Texas.

Oskar Kaut is a cellist based in DeKalb, IL. Oskar is currently pursuing a Master’s of Music in Cello Performance at Northern Illinois University and is studying with Dr. Cheng-Hou Lee. Prior to moving to Illinois, Oskar studied at the University of Iowa, where he performed with the University of Iowa Symphony Orchestra and participated in the Chamber Music Residency Program.

In addition to his studies, Oskar has performed with the Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra (SEISO) and the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra (KSO), as well participating in a tour of the state of Iowa with his piano quintet, Quintantō.

In lessons, Oskar seeks to nurture his students’ passion for and knowledge of music in addition to helping them improve critical technical and musical abilities.

A native of Arizona, Linc Smelser received his bachelor's degree in cello performance from the University of Arizona where he studied with Dr. Gordon Epperson, Ph.D. and received his master's degree and performer's certificate in cello performance and pedagogy at Northern Illinois University (NIU) having studied with renowned cellist and pedagogue Raya Garbousova. Advanced study included work with cellists Marc Johnson, Ron Leonard, Gabor and Peter Rejto, Heinrich Schiff, the Vermeer Quartet and pianists Richard Faith and Jerome Lowenthal.

In 2003, Mr. Smelser was appointed conductor/music director of the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra in DeKalb, IL. In 2009 he was awarded Conductor of the Year by the Illinois Arts Council and in 2014 was appointed conductor/music director of the Rockford Symphony Youth Orchestra. He has guest conducted the Northern Illinois University Philharmonic, the Harper Symphony Orchestra, the Fox Valley Orchestra (Aurora) and the Skokie Valley Community Orchestra. He is also conductor of the NIU Sinfonia and Symphonette, two youth symphonies that attract students from the Northern Illinois area.

Mr. Smelser has appeared as a soloist with Camerata Chicago, Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra, the NIU Philharmonic and the Rockford Symphony Orchestra and has twice appeared in recital on the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts Series in Chicago, which is broadcast live on over 44 stations across the United States. He has won several awards including first prize of the National Society of Arts and Letters Chapter Competition, top prize of the National Federation of Music Clubs Regional Competition and first prize of the International Lili Boulanger Memorial Fund Competition.

Mr. Smelser has been a member of the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra Cello section since 1992 and has been an active substitute with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 1997, having most recently embarked on his 12th international tour with the symphony. He continues to perform in The Three Celli, a chamber ensemble with cellists Stephen Balderston and Brant Taylor, throughout the Northern Illinois Area.

Mr. Smelser has most recently been appointed a faculty member of the Music Institute of Chicago in Winnetka. He is also a faculty member the NIU School of Music and has been teaching private cello lessons through the NIU Community School of the Arts since 1988. He served as guest lecturer of cello at the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music from 2006-2016 and is currently on the faculty of both the Chicago Suzuki Institute and the American Suzuki Institute and is pianist/accompanist of the NIU Suzuki program.

Katelyn has a passion for sharing her love of music with others and is dedicated to educational success. Currently, she is pursuing her bachelor's degree in music education and clarinet performance at NIU. While she completed her associate's degree at Kishwaukee College, she was a part of the Performing Arts Club and studied keyboard, voice and guitar during her time there. Previously she studied piano with Professor Choi and Jeong Soo Kim, violin with Marie Wang, guitar with Eric Schroeder and voice with Professor Rakes. Currently, she studies clarinet with Gregory Barrett at NIU. She is a highly motivated individual, eager to contribute to team success through hard work.

Katelyn has numerous experiences in performance settings including the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra, NIU Sinfonia, DeKalb Municipal Band, NIU Huskie Marching Band, NIU Wind Ensemble, Kishwaukee Concert Band, DeKalb, Dixon and Rochelle Municipal Summer Bandshell and was principal clarinetist and ringer for the Illinois Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra. She is currently hired as the Esmond and Lighthouse United Methodist Church pianist and has been a music provider for the Rochelle United Methodist Church in their handbell choir, singing choir and played violin and clarinet in small ensembles during church services. She is a previous teacher's assistant for band, choir and strings classes in the Greater Rochelle Area Christian Education School and served as the camp counselor and clarinet sectional leader in the Maranatha Baptist College Band Camp. Mentoring music students brings her so much joy!

Aerie Bernard is a skilled and experienced musician and music educator who has been teaching since 2006.

She holds a B.A. in Trends in World Music: Performance, Technology, and Pedagogy and an M.M. in World Music Pedagogy from N.I.U. and teaches woodwinds (clarinet, saxophones, and flute), as well as plucked strings (guitar, bass, and ukulele).

Aerie draws from her background in writing, recording, performing, and collaborating with diverse artists across various instruments and genres to help her guide students in developing their own voices and in adding to their musical toolkits. Her depth of experience allows her to support students in carving their own unique musical paths and in cultivating their individual artistry.

Karli Bunn is a Chicago-based saxophonist, composer, and educator. As a Quad City native with degrees from Northern Illinois and DePaul University, Karli has performed a broad context of music with ensembles including the Manny Lopez Big Band, Ten of Soul, Calaveras LD, the Isaiah Spencer Quintet, the Birch Creek faculty band, and her own ensembles. Bunn is also proficient in woodwind doubling and music technology while focusing her efforts on incorporating the aural tradition into modern innovation.

Joe Beribak, an Elgin native, is a percussionist and composer with teaching experience spanning back to 2009 and a diverse array of musical experiences as a percussionist, composer, music librarian, and even singing Gregorian chant. Joe currently directs the percussion ensembles at Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestras, and has previously taught percussion ensemble and drumline at McHenry County College, Hoffman Estates High School, Elgin High School, and South Elgin High School. Additionally, Joe has taught private lessons in concert percussion, music theory, composition, drum set, and marching percussion privately since 2013. Joe’s recordings can be heard on every major streaming platform and Youtube .

Joe studied percussion performance at DePaul University - (Chicago, BM 2009) and The Colburn Conservatory - (Los Angeles, Artist’s Diploma 2013). His work in Los Angeles was as a member of Smoke and Mirrors Percussion Ensemble, and their albums can be heard on every major streaming platform. Joe shifted his focuses to composing, teaching, and recording, when the Covid-19 pandemic paused live performances. In pursuit of this new musical direction, he completed a Master’s degree in music composition at Northern Illinois University in May 2025, where he also taught group composition lessons and tutored undergraduate music theory students as a graduate assistant.

As a teacher, Joe tailors private lessons to the goals of each individual student. He has trained in the methods of comprehensive musicianship through performance ( CMP), an approach to teaching that unlocks technique through the dual avenues of cognitive knowledge and creative expression. His diverse musical background equips him to relate to the dreams of students of all experience and commitment levels. His years of teaching experience have provided him a large collection of teaching strategies to help students develop into their own best teachers on the 6 days between lessons.

Connor Butler is a passionate music performer and educator currently working towards his master's degree in Percussion here at NIU. Originally from North Carolina, Connor received his bachelor's in music performance from Western Carolina University, where he also taught private drum set lessons. Currently, Connor performs with the NIU Percussion Ensemble, Steel Band and Wind Ensemble. In addition to his studies at NIU, Connor also serves as the drumline instructor at East Aurora High School.

As an educator, Connor is focused on a student-centered curriculum, where he meets students where they're at to support their strengths and build up their weaknesses. Through lessons, Connor hopes to create a fun and safe space that inspires students to become better musicians, and to use music as a tool both now and through the rest of their lives.

Jared Hurn is a versatile percussionist and drummer. He just moved to DeKalb, IL from Wichita, KS, where he received his Bachelor's degrees in Percussion Performance and Jazz Studies - Drum Set at Wichita State University in May 2023. Within WSU, he was in the New Music Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, Impulse Percussion Group, Jazz Arts Ensemble I and II, Jazz Combos, and Latin Jazz Ensemble. Jared taught privately at Damm Music and was the Percussion GTA at WSU for the 2023-2024 school year. Outside of WSU, he was involved with bands such as Trick Worm (Indie), Happy No Lucky (cover band), and Daydream (jazz fusion/funk), along with various combos. Jared has also taught at Camp Allegro Wichita and recently played in the pit for the production of Guys and Dolls with Newton Community Theater. He has also played drums for various churches, the main church being Wichita Bible Church. Jared is excited to start his journey at Northern Illinois University and is excited to start teaching lessons. Through his lessons, Jared hopes to build a fun and inspiring experience while teaching the proper technique for drum set and all the percussion instruments.

Cameron Neis is an avid music lover currently studying for his bachelor’s in music education with a jazz drum set focus at NIU. He began his love for music at an early age, with his father being a skilled Rock/Blues guitarist whose band would frequent local festivals and events. He started taking music classes in 6th grade and continued in band and choir classes throughout middle and high school. As the drummer for his high school jazz band, Cameron received the Louis Armstrong Award and the Semper Fi Award for Musical Excellence. After graduating, he spent a year at the School of Music at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign before transferring to NIU. Here, Cameron has been a drummer in multiple jazz combos as well as the drummer and percussionist for the NIU Banda.

Cameron began as a percussionist, too timid to start playing drum set until high school. After support from his father and his band teacher, a fellow percussionist, Cameron felt he should at least give it a try. He then began listening to songs of different genres to play along with and started playing with other musicians at home and at school, which helped develop his sensitive ear and ease to play with. These early skills and comfortability made playing with new musicians easy. Cameron loves bringing people together and helping others, always open to helping friends, music or not. He hopes to make his students not only better drummers, but better musicians and bandmates as well.

Kurt Bonamer is a founding member of the Molten Brass Quintet at NIU; the group was invited to perform at the Honors Convocation in Spring 2012. He has played with the Protege Philharmonic in Chicago and has also performed with the Wheaton Municipal Band, as well as with the NIU Philharmonic, NIU Wind Ensemble, NIU Wind Symphony and the NIU New Music Ensemble. He has taught lessons for the past year.

Julia Broome-Robinson is a trombonist and teacher currently based in Northern Illinois. She has multiple degrees in music, including a doctorate in trombone performance from Arizona State University. Most recently, Julia taught MUHL 220: Introduction to Western Music Traditions at the Northern Illinois University School of Music, and is active in the region as a private lesson teacher for low brass and piano students of all ages and ability levels. Julia has also taught as a full-time sabbatical replacement at the University of Redlands, where she was the acting trombone studio Instructor. In this position, Julia taught both undergraduate and graduate trombonists, guided recital and audition preparation, and taught the weekly trombone studio class. As a graduate assistant at Arizona State University, she was the assistant director for the ASU Desert Bones trombone choir, taught the trombone portion of a brass methods course for music education majors and gave weekly lessons to undergraduate trombone students.

Julia began studying piano at the age of four and continued her formal piano studies for the next 15 years. While she ultimately focused her formal music education on the trombone, piano has remained a constant part of her career. As a collaborative pianist, Julia has performed on numerous recitals, and as a composer, has written and performed works for both solo piano and mixed chamber ensemble groups.

As a teacher, Julia prioritizes the needs and interests of her students, while maintaining a structured and rigorous learning environment. She encourages composition and creative problem solving, but also helps her students develop a detail-oriented approach to their musical study. Julia believes that natural body mechanics form an ideal foundation for technical mastery, and incorporates the teachings of the famed tubist and pedagogue Arnold Jacobs into her own teaching when helpful and appropriate. Overall, Julia believes that learning music should be fun, and aims to foster a positive, self-motivated attitude in all her students.

Dennis Meacham is a graduate of Northern Illinois University with a master's degree in tuba performance. Currently, he teaches in the Rockford Public School District and he also teaches privately throughout northern Illinois. He enjoys working with students of all ages and helping students grow as individuals in their music education. He has performed in various ensembles throughout northern Illinois including The Fox Valley Brass Band, The Pegasus Wind Ensemble, NIU Philharmonic and several chamber ensembles.

In his teaching, Dennis aims to provide each of his students with a unique approach to their learning. His goal is to create well-rounded and self-motivated learners. He does this by giving them the tools to be self-critical, goal-oriented and solution-minded.

Aerie Bernard is a skilled and experienced musician and music educator who has been teaching since 2006.

She holds a B.A. in Trends in World Music: Performance, Technology, and Pedagogy and an M.M. in World Music Pedagogy from N.I.U. and teaches woodwinds (clarinet, saxophones, and flute), as well as plucked strings (guitar, bass, and ukulele).

Aerie draws from her background in writing, recording, performing, and collaborating with diverse artists across various instruments and genres to help her guide students in developing their own voices and in adding to their musical toolkits. Her depth of experience allows her to support students in carving their own unique musical paths and in cultivating their individual artistry.

Karli Bunn is a Chicago-based saxophonist, composer, and educator. As a Quad City native with degrees from Northern Illinois and DePaul University, Karli has performed a broad context of music with ensembles including the Manny Lopez Big Band, Ten of Soul, Calaveras LD, the Isaiah Spencer Quintet, the Birch Creek faculty band, and her own ensembles. Bunn is also proficient in woodwind doubling and music technology while focusing her efforts on incorporating the aural tradition into modern innovation.

Kaelyn is an enthusiastic undergraduate music education student at Northern Illinois University. Her extensive performance background includes participation in esteemed ensembles such as the university's philharmonic, wind ensemble, flute choir and marching band.

Asides the standard C flute, she also has experience with other variations such as the alto flute, bass flute and piccolo. She has performed on both alto and C flute in the philharmonic, Bass flute and alto in the flute choir and is primarily a piccoloist for the marching band. Additionally, as both a piccolo and flute soloist for Chromium Winds, a marching winds WGI group (Winter Guard International), Kaelyn has showcased her versatility as a musician and potential as an instructor.

Kaelyn is proficient, organized and eager to teach! She demonstrates her commitment to education through various teaching roles, including serving as a visual technician at Batavia High School with their marching band. Additionally, she is approaching her second year as a section leader within her own marching band and has led flute sectionals for the wind ensemble. Previously, she worked as an ice-skating instructor, with experience in teaching children with special needs. Her diverse background makes her an adaptable educator.

As an educator, Kaelyn's goal is to encourage musical talent and character development. She believes learning music should be fun and also efficient and strives to cultivate skilled musicians but also compassionate people.

Aerie Bernard is a skilled and experienced musician and music educator who has been teaching since 2006.

She holds a B.A. in Trends in World Music: Performance, Technology, and Pedagogy and an M.M. in World Music Pedagogy from N.I.U. and teaches woodwinds (clarinet, saxophones, and flute), as well as plucked strings (guitar, bass, and ukulele).

Aerie draws from her background in writing, recording, performing, and collaborating with diverse artists across various instruments and genres to help her guide students in developing their own voices and in adding to their musical toolkits. Her depth of experience allows her to support students in carving their own unique musical paths and in cultivating their individual artistry.

Quentin Dover is a local musician and music educator and has been a private and group guitar instructor since 2001. He holds a B.M. in Classical Guitar and an M.M. in World Music Performance. Quentin teaches classical and rock guitar as well as other plucked stringed instruments such as the banjo (melodic style), bass, mandolin, ukulele, and the pipa.

As a multi-instrumentalist, Quentin has experience composing, performing, recording, and collaborating with local artists.

He enjoys teaching students of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. He uses an engaging, student-centered approach to teaching to help students along their own personal musical journey to experience the joys of musiking and set students up for success.

Daniel Jablo is a young guitar player and a current music student at Northern Illinois University. While pursuing a degree in Jazz Studies, Daniel is also well-versed in gospel, blues, funk, and rock music. His teaching is song based, making sure the student will be able to play music that they enjoy and also understand why it works.

Daniel's musical experience comes from not only the formal music education he has received, but from the experience playing in bands of all different styles in his hometown of Chicago and elsewhere. He would like to guide students of all ages and skill levels to where they want to be musically.

Eric Meuer is a musician who studied classical and jazz guitar at the University of Evansville, where he received a bachelor of science degree in music. While at the University of Evansville, Eric performed in several small and large ensembles including choir, pep band, jazz band and the University of Evansville's Classical Guitar Trio, while also furthering a passion for composition, arranging, music history and literature. Eric has performed at Carnegie Hall, Victory Theater, and several places in and around the Chicagoland, Washington D.C., and Nashville areas. As a guitar instructor, Eric has been teaching consistently since 2017, providing personalized one-on-one and ensemble instruction for students ranging from five through adulthood. He shares his knowledge and passion of technique, theory and performance with his students while utilizing a motivational and flexible, yet structured teaching style.

Eric Schroeder enjoys teaching guitar and ukulele to students age 3 and older. He has taught guitarists as young as 2 and as old as 80. Eric finds teaching beginners exhilarating as they have not yet learned any bad habits. He has taught at the NIU CSA since 1996. In that time he has taught: guitar, including rock, jazz, classical, flamenco, country, finger style EDM covers and Suzuki guitar, ukulele in all kinds of styles, and music theory.

Eric graduated from NIU with a Masters in guitar performance, and he also teaches guitar, ukulele and world music at Rockford University and Kishwaukee College.

AJ Sullivan (he/they) is in their fourth year as an undergraduate student. They are majoring in music education as well as working towards a certificate in special education. AJ’s main instrument is trumpet, which they have been studying for 12 years, and are currently studying with Megan Bailey. They have also been playing guitar for 11 years and a vocalist for 16.

AJ has been involved in multiple ensembles and groups during his college career including: the NIU Philharmonic Orchestra, Wind Symphony, Wind Ensemble, trumpet ensemble, brass quintets, the NIU Huskie Marching Band, NIU Pep Band and University Choir. They are also a two-year member of the WGI Winds group, Chromium Winds, where they served as a soloist in the 2024 season.

In high school, AJ was a part of the District 8 Honor Choir in Bossier City, Louisiana. They were a member of the Talented Arts Program in the theater department, and an active member of their high school’s theater program where they had roles such as Anastasia in “Cinderella”, the Cowardly Lion in “The Wizard of Oz” and Jan in “Grease”. AJ also served as their high school’s marching band head drum major their senior year.

In addition to these ensembles, AJ is an alumni brother of Kappa Kappa Psi, an honorary band service fraternity, whose mission is to serve the music community here on campus.

They have spent the past three summers as a member of the counseling staff at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Twin Lake, Michigan, teaching campers (4th-12th grade) about the arts and helping them grow into being better humans.

AJ teaches their students that the most important part of being a musician is to be creative and express their emotions through their craft. AJ focuses on teaching for the student, tailoring lessons to best fit the student’s needs and helping them to have the best experience they can.

Fiona Hunt is a Music Performance major at NIU studying under Faye Seeman. Since starting to learn harp at age 10 she has become passionate about pursuing and sharing music. She enjoys performing in the community through recitals, competitions and ensembles. While at NIU she has played with the Wind Symphony, Harp Trio and CSA Sinfonia.

Fiona believes in learning through a variety of musical genres and creating a positive, constructive learning environment. She strives to help make the harp more accessible and spread knowledge of this unique instrument.

Learn more about Faye Seeman on her NIU faculty profile.

Carmen is a second-year undergraduate student at NIU, studying to earn a Bachelor of Music - emphasis in music education. She has been playing horn for nine years, currently studying horn with Professor Renée Vogen. She has ensemble experience within the NIU School of Music, having worked and performed with NIU's Wind Ensemble, Philharmonic Orchestra, Horn Choir and various small chamber groups within the NIU Horn Studio. She has gained teaching and leadership experience through being a section leader for the NIU Huskie Marching Band, as well as through visiting local music programs in her hometown to observe and provide both group and individual feedback for their students.

Carmen is a passionate teacher who aims to see her students thrive. Her goal is to provide her students with the tools needed for success both inside the music world and out in a warm, positive learning environment. She hopes to guide her students towards discovering what they can achieve through incorporating music into their lives and would love to help students find a lifelong love of music.

Madeline is a current masters student at NIU studying horn performance with Emma Sepmeier. She did her bachelor's degree in horn performance at the University of Memphis, where she studied with Jeremiah Frederick. Madeline has performed in many ensembles across both universities. She has experience in teaching the french horn as well as the trumpet with all ages and experience levels.

Madeline believes that teaching should start with building relationships with her students. She hopes that she creates a space where her students are excited to come to lessons. She believes that meeting the students where they are musically is important in creating a good environment as well as knowing when to be flexible in her own teaching methods. She will always hold herself to the same standard that she holds her students.

Brooks Wallace received his bachelor's degree in horn performance in December 2024 from NIU, where he studied with Renée Vogen and Kelly Langenberg. He played in the NIU Philharmonic for four years, where he served as both principal and sectional horn. He also was involved with the NIU Horn Choir, several brass quintets and horn quartets in his time there. Brooks is planning on attending DePaul University in the fall of 2025 for his master's degree.

As a previous leader of the NIU Philharmonic horns and organizer of several chamber groups, Brooks has had relevant experience to help his students succeed. He is committed to their continued growth and happiness in their musical journey and hopes to foster life-long connections to their playing.

Quentin Dover is a local musician and music educator and has been a private and group guitar instructor since 2001. He holds a B.M. in Classical Guitar and an M.M. in World Music Performance. Quentin teaches classical and rock guitar as well as other plucked stringed instruments such as the banjo (melodic style), bass, mandolin, ukulele, and the pipa.

As a multi-instrumentalist, Quentin has experience composing, performing, recording, and collaborating with local artists.

He enjoys teaching students of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. He uses an engaging, student-centered approach to teaching to help students along their own personal musical journey to experience the joys of musiking and set students up for success.

Joe Beribak, an Elgin native, is a percussionist and composer with teaching experience spanning back to 2009 and a diverse array of musical experiences as a percussionist, composer, music librarian, and even singing Gregorian chant. Joe currently directs the percussion ensembles at Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestras, and has previously taught percussion ensemble and drumline at McHenry County College, Hoffman Estates High School, Elgin High School, and South Elgin High School. Additionally, Joe has taught private lessons in concert percussion, music theory, composition, drum set, and marching percussion privately since 2013. Joe’s recordings can be heard on every major streaming platform and Youtube .

Joe studied percussion performance at DePaul University - (Chicago, BM 2009) and The Colburn Conservatory - (Los Angeles, Artist’s Diploma 2013). His work in Los Angeles was as a member of Smoke and Mirrors Percussion Ensemble, and their albums can be heard on every major streaming platform. Joe shifted his focuses to composing, teaching, and recording, when the Covid-19 pandemic paused live performances. In pursuit of this new musical direction, he completed a Master’s degree in music composition at Northern Illinois University in May 2025, where he also taught group composition lessons and tutored undergraduate music theory students as a graduate assistant.

As a teacher, Joe tailors private lessons to the goals of each individual student. He has trained in the methods of comprehensive musicianship through performance ( CMP), an approach to teaching that unlocks technique through the dual avenues of cognitive knowledge and creative expression. His diverse musical background equips him to relate to the dreams of students of all experience and commitment levels. His years of teaching experience have provided him a large collection of teaching strategies to help students develop into their own best teachers on the 6 days between lessons.

Eric Schroeder enjoys teaching guitar and ukulele to students age 3 and older. He has taught guitarists as young as 2 and as old as 80. Eric finds teaching beginners exhilarating as they have not yet learned any bad habits. He has taught at the NIU CSA since 1996. In that time he has taught: guitar, including rock, jazz, classical, flamenco, country, finger style EDM covers and Suzuki guitar, ukulele in all kinds of styles and music theory.

Eric graduated from NIU with a Masters in guitar performance, and he also teaches guitar, ukulele and world music at Rockford University and Kishwaukee College.

Nolan Valyou is pursuing a Bachelor of Music education K-12 with an endorsement in special education 1-6 at Northern Illinois University.

With over 10 years of experience in voice and oboe, Nolan is currently studying voice with Sam Handley and has also worked with Jeff Mattsey.

Nolan is a member of the Northern Illinois University Concert Choir and has performed with several ensembles in the Fox Valley area.

Passionate about music education, Nolan is excited to help students grow as musicians and individuals, fostering both their technical abilities and personal development.

Katelyn has a passion for sharing her love of music with others and is dedicated to educational success. Currently, she is pursuing her bachelor's degree in music education and clarinet performance at NIU. While she completed her associate's degree at Kishwaukee College, she was a part of the Performing Arts Club and studied keyboard, voice and guitar during her time there. Previously she studied piano with Professor Choi and Jeong Soo Kim, violin with Marie Wang, guitar with Eric Schroeder and voice with Professor Rakes. Currently, she studies clarinet with Gregory Barrett at NIU. She is a highly motivated individual, eager to contribute to team success through hard work.

Katelyn has numerous experiences in performance settings including the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra, NIU Sinfonia, DeKalb Municipal Band, NIU Huskie Marching Band, NIU Wind Ensemble, Kishwaukee Concert Band, DeKalb, Dixon and Rochelle Municipal Summer Bandshell and was principal clarinetist and ringer for the Illinois Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra. She is currently hired as the Esmond and Lighthouse United Methodist Church pianist and has been a music provider for the Rochelle United Methodist Church in their handbell choir, singing choir and played violin and clarinet in small ensembles during church services. She is a previous teacher's assistant for band, choir and strings classes in the Greater Rochelle Area Christian Education School and served as the camp counselor and clarinet sectional leader in the Maranatha Baptist College Band Camp. Mentoring music students brings her so much joy!

Learn more about Megan Bailey on her NIU faculty profile.

Karli Bunn is a Chicago-based saxophonist, composer, and educator. As a Quad City native with degrees from Northern Illinois and DePaul University, Karli has performed a broad context of music with ensembles including the Manny Lopez Big Band, Ten of Soul, Calaveras LD, the Isaiah Spencer Quintet, the Birch Creek faculty band, and her own ensembles. Bunn is also proficient in woodwind doubling and music technology while focusing her efforts on incorporating the aural tradition into modern innovation.

Soo-Yon Choi was an instructor at the School of Performing Arts at the University of Maine and at Illinois Wesleyan University. Her bachelor's degree in music is from Seoul National University and her master's degrees (both in music) are from University of Illinois and Florida State University. She has a doctoral degree in piano performance from Florida State University. She is an accomplished accompanist and performer. She has taught piano since 1999.

Daniel Ozioma is a talented musician and a voice major (bass) under Sam Handley's tutelage. He holds a bachelor's degree in creative arts (music) from the University of Lagos and a diploma in music from MUSON Diploma School of Music, where he studied voice. Daniel is a passionate musician with ample years of experience as a music teacher/instructor, opera singer, choirmaster, music facilitator and organist in various churches and organizations. He worked as a music teacher for two years at Lekki British School, teaching voice and piano to high school students. He also directed the school choir, preparing them for school events and competitions. He has prepared several students for competitions and presentations. Currently, he studies vocal performance at Northern Illinois University under Handley's guidance, performing with the NIU Chamber Choir, Cor Cantiamo and the FUMC Chancel Choir. Recently, he won first place at the NATS Classical Audition Chicago Chapter, showcasing his exceptional vocal talent.

Jodeen Coulter received her bachelor's degree in music education (with a vocal emphasis) from NIU. She currently teaches general music in DeKalb. She has taught strings to children in the DeKalb schools and has directed school choirs and musicals. Ms. Coulter has had 12 years of singing experience with a traveling musical group that has performed with pre-recorded soundtracks.

Kaylie has been studying violin for sixteen years and voice for over a decade. She is currently a senior-year music education student at NIU and primarily studies voice. She has performed violin in the NIU Philharmonic and multiple pit orchestras, including two musicals for DeKalb's Stagecoach Players. She has sung in the ensemble in NIU's opera theatre program for two years. Currently, she is in NIU's concert choir and sings the national anthem among other music for most Sycamore's Veterans of Foreign Wars Club events.

She loves all genres of music and is very passionate in her dream to be a choir teacher. She is described by her colleagues as kind, helpful, and highly organized. Kaylie believes that everyone is capable of being an amazing musician.

Learn more baout William Goldenberg on his NIU faculty profile.

Minjung "Hailie" Kim graduated with a bachelor's degree with top honors from Mokwon University and received a master's degree in music from Kookmin University in Republic of Korea.

As an accompaniment assistant at Northern Illinois University, she served as an accompanist for the Chamber Choir and now serves for the Concert Choir.

She values maintaining musical enjoyment and finding academic balance in teaching based on her years of personal teaching, accompaniment experience, and elementary school after-school instruction.

She graduated from the performer's certificate course at NIU and is continuing her second master's degree. She aims to study more academically and teach each student in a thoughtful way through her second master's course.

Alex has an extensive background in music, she has been playing piano since she was 5 years old and participated in band and choir since the 5th grade. She has an Associates of Art, and bachelor's in music education with vocal emphasis. She taught private lessons for 8 years before teaching K-12 general music, choir and theater at a local school, and is now back to teaching privately. She coached a total of 20 students to the district festival and 1 student to state convention for voice.

Mei Lin is an undergraduate music education major at NIU. She began playing the violin in fifth grade and has loved music ever since. Raised in Moline, Mei Lin joined every ensemble she was able to. She played in the Quad City Youth Symphony Youth Ensemble program for seven years and spent the last two in the QC Youth Symphony. In 2023 she got to participate in the QC Youth Symphony’s tour playing throughout Germany and the Czech Republic. Outside of symphony she continues to play in a quartet with three of her high school friends. She also has experience playing in pit ensembles at Quad City Music Guild and The Spotlight Theatre, both in her hometown.

Mei Lin is currently studying with NIU violin professor Blaise Magniere. She enjoys playing in the NIU Philharmonic and in her string quartet. Her goal as a teacher is to build a lifelong passion for music. She wants to help give her students the tools they need to succeed while encouraging them to have fun when playing and performing.

Learn more about John Novak on his NIU faculty profile.

Kasey Pennington has earned a bachelor's degree in music education from NIU. Kasey studied voice with Orna Arania, took secondary piano lessons with JeongSoo Kim, and participated in Concert Choir, Chamber Choir and Opera Theatre throughout their time as an undergraduate student. Kasey has played piano since kindergarten and has enjoyed performing in many musicals throughout the years, most recently in productions with Stagecoach Players.

Kasey grew up in DeKalb County and recently completed student teaching at DeKalb High School and Sycamore Middle School where they worked with the choirs, assisted with concert preparation and led daily rehearsals. Kasey's approach to teaching is student-centered, and students are given the opportunity to learn the tools to practice and perform music in a way that can be sustainable for them as an individual.

A native of Arizona, Linc Smelser received his bachelor's degree in cello performance from the University of Arizona where he studied with Gordon Epperson, Ph.D. and received his master's degree and performer's certificate in cello performance and pedagogy at Northern Illinois University (NIU) having studied with renowned cellist and pedagogue Raya Garbousova. Advanced study included work with cellists Marc Johnson, Ron Leonard, Gabor and Peter Rejto, Heinrich Schiff, the Vermeer Quartet and pianists Richard Faith and Jerome Lowenthal.

In 2003, Mr. Smelser was appointed conductor/music director of the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra in DeKalb, IL. In 2009 he was awarded Conductor of the Year by the Illinois Arts Council and in 2014 was appointed conductor/music director of the Rockford Symphony Youth Orchestra. He has guest conducted the Northern Illinois University Philharmonic, the Harper Symphony Orchestra, the Fox Valley Orchestra (Aurora) and the Skokie Valley Community Orchestra. He is also conductor of the NIU Sinfonia and Symphonette, two youth symphonies that attract students from the Northern Illinois area.

Mr. Smelser has appeared as a soloist with Camerata Chicago, Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra, the NIU Philharmonic and the Rockford Symphony Orchestra and has twice appeared in recital on the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts Series in Chicago, which is broadcast live on over 44 stations across the United States. He has won several awards including first prize of the National Society of Arts and Letters Chapter Competition, top prize of the National Federation of Music Clubs Regional Competition and first prize of the International Lili Boulanger Memorial Fund Competition.

Mr. Smelser has been a member of the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra Cello section since 1992 and has been an active substitute with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 1997, having most recently embarked on his 12th international tour with the symphony. He continues to perform in The Three Celli, a chamber ensemble with cellists Stephen Balderston and Brant Taylor, throughout the Northern Illinois Area.

Mr. Smelser has most recently been appointed a faculty member of the Music Institute of Chicago in Winnetka. He is also a faculty member the NIU School of Music and has been teaching private cello lessons through the NIU Community School of the Arts since 1988. He served as guest lecturer of cello at the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music from 2006-2016 and is currently on the faculty of both the Chicago Suzuki Institute and the American Suzuki Institute and is pianist/accompanist of the NIU Suzuki program.

Andrew Stover is a K-8 band, choir and general music teacher from Maple Park, Illinois. He graduated from NIU in 2025 with a music education degree and studied classical saxophone with Thomas Snydacker. His ensemble experiences include the Kaneland school bands, Huskie Marching Band, NIU Wind Symphony, NIU Wind Ensemble and Yorkville Community Band.

Andrew also has 15 years of piano experience and is employed as the music coordinator at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church, as well as an accompanist at Christ the Teacher University Parish. He also previously played piano for three years in the Kaneland High School Jazz Band and has been in pit orchestras for four musical theater productions.

Andrew believes that all students are capable of learning and appreciating music. His goal is for students to feel connected to their music and grow into well-rounded musicians by experiencing and performing in a variety of styles. He aims to help students develop musical literacy beyond reading note-by-note through skills such as improvisation, ear training, chord building and composition.

Emerson Valyou is an aspiring music educator completing a bachelor's degree in music education with a vocal/choral emphasis at Northern Illinois University (NIU) and an Illinois subsequent teaching endorsement (ILSTE) in secondary history education. He studies voice with Orna Arania, piano with "Ellie" Hyun Ah-Lee, and saxophone with Kevin Schoenbach, Stephanie San Roman and Craig Roselieb. Emerson has also studied music education with esteemed NIU professors, including Eric Johnson, Mary-Lynn Doherty, Christine D'Alexander and Jui-Ching Wang.

His diverse performance experience includes the NIU Concert Choir, University Chorus, Steel Band, Die Fledermaus with NIU Opera, and the Oswego Prairie Winds and Yorkville Community Bands. He also participated in ILMEA District 9 festivals, including the IMEC All-State Choral Festival in 2022. As a student member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) and the Student National Association of Teachers of Singing (SNATS), Emerson is committed to professional growth and musical excellence.

With teaching experience in general music at Cortland Elementary School, Emerson's philosophy centers on joyful, student-driven learning. He believes every student has innate musical potential and aims to foster a sense of community and social-emotional growth in the classroom. Emerson is dedicated to building strong relationships with students and families to create inclusive, supportive environments where learners thrive.

Nolan Valyou is pursuing a Bachelor of Music education K-12 with an endorsement in special education 1-6 at Northern Illinois University.

With over 10 years of experience in voice and oboe, Nolan is currently studying voice with Sam Handley and has also worked with Jeff Mattsey.

Nolan is a member of the Northern Illinois University Concert Choir and has performed with several ensembles in the Fox Valley area.

Passionate about music education, Nolan is excited to help students grow as musicians and individuals, fostering both their technical abilities and personal development.

Gabriel Wade is a graduate student who is currently pursuing his master's degree in jazz studies. He is a trumpeter and pianist from Little Rock, AR. He is also a recent 2022 graduate of the University of Arkansas at Monticello where he received a B.A. in Music with a Jazz Emphasis.

Gabriel's goal as an educator is to help students develop a greater sense of awareness and appreciation of the many facets of music. Also, he hopes to provide students with the tools to understand how to practice efficiently and to overcome challenges when they arise.

Sooka Wang is a Chicago-based pianist who has established a strong reputation as a piano teacher, collaborative pianist and chamber music partner. 

He received his bachelor’s degree in piano performance from McGill University, where he studied under Zabel Manoukian and Dale Bartlett. He continued his studies at the graduate level at The Hartt School, University of Hartford, where his teachers included David Westfall and Luiz da Moura Castro. In addition, he studied chamber music with members of the Emerson and Orion String Quartets. 

Mr. Wang has over two decades of teaching and performance experience. He is an active collaborative pianist and instrumental coach. His accompanying performances have brought him to high-profile venues such as Orchestra Hall and the WFMT Introductions series. 

Over the years, Mr. Wang has collaborated with instrumental teachers in coaching students on how to effectively work and perform with piano accompaniment. These coachings serve as preparation for competitions, recitals and auditions.

In his teachings, Mr. Wang focuses on the importance of developing a strong musical and technical foundation. This foundation includes essential elements such as note reading, counting, and maintaining a steady rhythmic pulse to name few. Establishing these fundamentals will enable students to enhance their creativity, self-expression and musical communication through their instrument.

Mr. Wang currently resides in Westmont, IL. with his music loving cat Bella.

Karli Bunn is a Chicago-based saxophonist, composer, and educator. As a Quad City native with degrees from Northern Illinois and DePaul University, Karli has performed a broad context of music with ensembles including the Manny Lopez Big Band, Ten of Soul, Calaveras LD, the Isaiah Spencer Quintet, the Birch Creek faculty band, and her own ensembles. Bunn is also proficient in woodwind doubling and music technology while focusing her efforts on incorporating the aural tradition into modern innovation.

Aerie Bernard is a skilled and experienced musician and music educator who has been teaching since 2006.

She holds a B.A. in Trends in World Music: Performance, Technology, and Pedagogy and an M.M. in World Music Pedagogy from N.I.U. and teaches woodwinds (clarinet, saxophones, and flute), as well as plucked strings (guitar, bass, and ukulele).

Aerie draws from her background in writing, recording, performing, and collaborating with diverse artists across various instruments and genres to help her guide students in developing their own voices and in adding to their musical toolkits. Her depth of experience allows her to support students in carving their own unique musical paths and in cultivating their individual artistry.

Frederick Melki is currently attending NIU and majoring in music education. He is studying jazz saxophone with Geof Bradfield and classical bass with Christian Dillingham. Frederick is involved in the NIU Philharmonic Orchestra, the NIU Jazz ensemble and serves as a section leader in the Huskie Marching Band.

Frederick began playing the saxophone in the fifth grade in Carol Stream, IL and continues to play every day. In seventh grade, he joined the jazz band, which sparked his love for jazz. In high school, he was selected to perform in the ILMEA Grade 2 Jazz Band and was chosen for a classical senior solo for his final concert at Glenbard North High School. He also earned the “Outstanding Band Student Scholarship” in recognition of his achievements.

In addition to saxophone, Frederick started playing bass in fourth grade and has continued studying as a classical bass player. He worked to develop his skills throughout elementary, middle and high school to get to the level of where he is today. He is currently the second chair in the NIU Philharmonic orchestra.

Frederick’s teaching experience goes back to his Junior year of high school. He helped his middle school jazz band by sitting in on rehearsals by helping them with notes, rhythms, or any instrument problems they were experiencing. He continued that his senior year in high school was as well. Frederick is a Golden Apple Scholar and with that came a three-week summer teaching experience, which provided not only teaching in a classroom but also taking classes to learn how to improve as a teacher. Golden Apple gives Frederick more teaching experience in the upcoming years as well.

Frederick’s passion for teaching was deeply influenced by his high school band director, for the love, passion and appreciation she had for her students. When Frederick is teaching, he incorporates his love of music and wants to pass that gift to every one of his students just to show how important music is to his life.

Andrew Stover is a K-8 band, choir, and general music teacher from Maple Park, Illinois. He graduated from NIU in 2025 with a music education degree and studied classical saxophone with Dr. Thomas Snydacker. His ensemble experiences include the Kaneland school bands, Huskie Marching Band, NIU Wind Symphony, NIU Wind Ensemble, and Yorkville Community Band.

Andrew also has 15 years of piano experience and is employed as the music coordinator at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church, as well as an accompanist at Christ the Teacher University Parish. He also previously played piano for three years in the Kaneland High School Jazz Band and has been in pit orchestras for 4 musical theater productions.

Andrew believes that all students are capable of learning and appreciating music. His goal is for students to feel connected to their music and grow into well-rounded musicians by experiencing and performing in a variety of styles. He aims to help students develop musical literacy beyond reading note-by-note through skills such as improvisation, ear training, chord building, and composition.

Emerson Valyou is an aspiring music educator completing a bachelor's degree in music education with a vocal/choral emphasis at Northern Illinois University (NIU) and an Illinois subsequent teaching endorsement (ILSTE) in secondary history education. He studies voice with Orna Arania, piano with "Ellie" Hyun Ah-Lee, and saxophone with Kevin Schoenbach, Stephanie San Roman and Craig Roselieb. Emerson has also studied music education with esteemed NIU professors, including Eric Johnson, Mary-Lynn Doherty, Christine D'Alexander and Jui-Ching Wang.

His diverse performance experience includes the NIU Concert Choir, University Chorus, Steel Band, Die Fledermaus with NIU Opera, and the Oswego Prairie Winds and Yorkville Community Bands. He also participated in ILMEA District 9 festivals, including the IMEC All-State Choral Festival in 2022. As a student member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) and the Student National Association of Teachers of Singing (SNATS), Emerson is committed to professional growth and musical excellence.

With teaching experience in general music at Cortland Elementary School, Emerson's philosophy centers on joyful, student-driven learning. He believes every student has innate musical potential and aims to foster a sense of community and social-emotional growth in the classroom. Emerson is dedicated to building strong relationships with students and families to create inclusive, supportive environments where learners thrive.

Nate Wray is attending NIU as a jazz performance major, studying primarily with saxophonist Professor Geof Bradfield. Within his first year he has played lead alto saxophone in NIU's jazz ensemble, played in the Zimmer/Menk jazz combo, and performed Capoeira and Samba Batucada with Professor Gregory Beyer's Afro-Brazilian percussion class.

Nate began playing the saxophone at the age of 11 in Washington state, inspired by his older brother who also played the saxophone. With experience both in classical and jazz music, he has played at state level Solo and Ensemble competitions with Mount Si High School's saxophone quartet and as a classical saxophone soloist. He has been a part of the Essentially Ellington Festival and Competition in 2019, 2020, and 2022, being awarded "Outstanding Alto Saxophone" during the 2022 festival. His high school jazz combo has been on the radio playing his original composition entitled "Resistance". The radio station, KNKX, has also featured him as a School of Jazz Guest DJ. While playing saxophone primarily, Nate also has rudimentary playing experience on the flute, piano, and several Afro-Brazilian percussion instruments.

Nate's teaching experience begins during his time in middle school when he led saxophone sectionals for concert band and jazz band. Going into his freshman year of high school, he began teaching private lessons to a student who had just started out on the saxophone. Fast forward to Nate's senior year of high school and the two can be seen performing together in Mount Si High School's top jazz band in the 2022 Essentially Ellington Festival and Competition. Nate has a passion for mentoring students who appreciate music as much as he does, and he loves providing students the tools they need to elevate their musicianship one lesson at a time. He believes in a flexible approach towards teaching in which he centers his instruction towards the students' individual musical aspirations.

Nathaniel Guerra is a Trinidad-born arranger, composer, songwriter, instrumentalist and aspiring conductor. He is currently a final-year graduate student and graduate assistant in the NIU Steelband, co-director of the NIU All- University Steelband, as well as the director of the NIU Community of the Arts Steelband, passed down by Yuko Asada.

He attained a Bachelor of Arts degree in musical arts from the University of the West Indies (UWI), where he performed in their prestigious ensembles such as UWI Arts Steel, UWI Arts Percussion and UWI Arts Wind Ensemble as a percussionist. Upon graduating, Nathaniel returned to the university to conduct, arrange and compose music for the Percussion Ensemble alongside Jeannine Remy as her assistant conductor. He has also performed the National Panorama; the country's premier Steelband competition for 12 years with multiple bands across each category.

Nathaniel is currently finishing his Masters in Music in performance with individualized specialization in steelpan.

Throughout his studies and the beginnings of his career, Matthew has also been a dedicated educator. Teaching steel pan lessons for the Community School of the Arts at NIU, as well as his own private lessons. Matthew has worked with several high, middle and elementary school steelband's as a guest artist and looks forward to doing more workshops in the future. He also served as the music director of the Newman Catholic Student Center for two years, where he directed the choir and other musicians. Matthew currently serves as the co-director of the fourth grade steelband at Hatch Elementary School in Oak Park, Illinois, teaching the beautiful sounds of pan to our youth. In spring of 2023, Matthew graduated from Northern Illinois University with a masters degree in jazz studies, becoming the first ever jazz steelpan major in NIU's history. Post graduation, he is continuing his work as a freelance musician and composer.

Julia Broome-Robinson is a trombonist and teacher currently based in Northern Illinois. She has multiple degrees in music, including a doctorate in trombone performance from Arizona State University. Most recently, Julia taught MUHL 220: Introduction to Western Music Traditions at the Northern Illinois University School of Music, and is active in the region as a private lesson teacher for low brass and piano students of all ages and ability levels. Julia has also taught as a full-time sabbatical replacement at the University of Redlands, where she was the acting trombone studio Instructor. In this position, Julia taught both undergraduate and graduate trombonists, guided recital and audition preparation, and taught the weekly trombone studio class. As a graduate assistant at Arizona State University, she was the assistant director for the ASU Desert Bones trombone choir, taught the trombone portion of a brass methods course for music education majors and gave weekly lessons to undergraduate trombone students.

Julia began studying piano at the age of four and continued her formal piano studies for the next 15 years. While she ultimately focused her formal music education on the trombone, piano has remained a constant part of her career. As a collaborative pianist, Julia has performed on numerous recitals, and as a composer, has written and performed works for both solo piano and mixed chamber ensemble groups.

As a teacher, Julia prioritizes the needs and interests of her students, while maintaining a structured and rigorous learning environment. She encourages composition and creative problem solving, but also helps her students develop a detail-oriented approach to their musical study. Julia believes that natural body mechanics form an ideal foundation for technical mastery, and incorporates the teachings of the famed tubist and pedagogue Arnold Jacobs into her own teaching when helpful and appropriate. Overall, Julia believes that learning music should be fun, and aims to foster a positive, self-motivated attitude in all her students.

Henry Harris, an accomplished musician and aspiring composer, is a graduate of Varina High School in Henrico, VA. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in music with a concentration in music education from Elizabeth City State University in Elizabeth City, NC, and is currently pursuing a Master of Music in jazz studies at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL.

Henry's dedication to both performance and composition is evident through his impressive achievements. His musical journey began in high school, where he reached significant milestones as a member of the Richmond Symphony Youth Concert Orchestra and the Richmond Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble during his junior and senior years.

Over the years, Henry has collaborated with numerous ensembles, including the Richmond Nativity Pageant Brass Choir, the Richmond City Jazz Band and the Petersburg Symphony in Petersburg, VA. During summers, he often performs with the Accord Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C., showcasing his talents at esteemed venues.

As a composer, Henry marked a pivotal moment in spring 2023 when the Elizabeth City State University Concert Band premiered his first concert band piece, "A Night of Wonder". He has also composed and arranged works for his ensemble, "The Henry Harris Big Band," further highlighting his creative expertise.

Henry's performances have garnered widespread acclaim, including appearances at the University of Richmond, on ESPN and alongside the 72nd Governor of Virginia. He has shared the stage with Grammy Award-winning trumpeter Charlton Singleton and performed for distinguished dignitaries.

His accolades include the Music Program Achievement Award and the Presser Scholar Award from Elizabeth City State University's Department of Music and Visual Arts. He has performed with the Intercollegiate Music Association (IMA) Jazz Band Ensemble in 2020 and 2023, participated in the inaugural North Carolina Intercollegiate Honor Band in 2023, and joined the 2023 National Intercollegiate Band, premiering Grammy Award-winning composer Michael Daugherty's "The Adventures of Jesse Owens." Additionally, he has served as a brass instructor and band director at the Salvation Army Carolinas Music & Arts Conservatory Camp in the summer of 2024.

Henry is also authoring his first book, "The Book of Jazz", which explores jazz theory and performance techniques, offering valuable insights to musicians.

An active member of various organizations, Henry serves on the National Committee on Chapter Operations for Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity Incorporated and is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated. He is also affiliated with the National Association for Music Education, the League of American Orchestras and Grammy U, the Recording Academy's mentorship program.

To reach his level of musicianship, Henry studied with esteemed mentors and received guidance from renowned composers, including:

• Phillip Jones, former member of Danny Davis & Nashville Brass and current XO brass artist
• Dave Adams, former principal bass trombonist of the São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra
• Bracy Martin, assistant director of bands at Elizabeth City State University and trombone professor
• Christopher White, principal double bass player of the Virginia Symphony
• Adolphus Hailstork, composer
• James Curnow, composer

Dennis Meacham is a graduate of Northern Illinois University with a master's degree in tuba performance. Currently, he teaches in the Rockford Public School District and he also teaches privately throughout northern Illinois. He enjoys working with students of all ages and helping students grow as individuals in their music education. He has performed in various ensembles throughout northern Illinois including The Fox Valley Brass Band, The Pegasus Wind Ensemble, NIU Philharmonic and several chamber ensembles.

In his teaching, Dennis aims to provide each of his students with a unique approach to their learning. His goal is to create well-rounded and self-motivated learners. He does this by giving them the tools to be self-critical, goal-oriented and solution-minded.

Learn more about Megan Bailey on her NIU faculty profile.

Jazzmyn Bell ls a recent graduate of Northern Illinois University (NIU). Her college career started at the University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM). There she studied trumpet with Jason Smith and participated in many ensembles there such as: Concert band, Wind Symphony, Jazz Band and Jazz Combo. She later transferred to NIU and studied trumpet with Pharez Whitted, Christopher Scanlan, and Megan Bailey. She performed with the NIU Jazz Ensemble, Wind Symphony, Jazz Combo, Trumpet Ensemble and Japanese Ensemble.

Jazzmyn's goal is to help her students grow and step into their musicianship. She believes in meeting students where they are, and she aims to build confidence through consistency, knowledge and goal setting. She is loves teaching lessons and hopes to inspire her students to both love and have fun while playing music!

Dennis Meacham is a graduate of Northern Illinois University with a master's degree in tuba performance. Currently, he teaches in the Rockford Public School District and he also teaches privately throughout northern Illinois. He enjoys working with students of all ages and helping students grow as individuals in their music education. He has performed in various ensembles throughout northern Illinois including The Fox Valley Brass Band, The Pegasus Wind Ensemble, NIU Philharmonic and several chamber ensembles.

In his teaching, Dennis aims to provide each of his students with a unique approach to their learning. His goal is to create well-rounded and self-motivated learners. He does this by giving them the tools to be self-critical, goal-oriented and solution-minded.

Madeline is a current masters student at NIU studying horn performance with Emma Sepmeier. She did her bachelor's degree in horn performance at the University of Memphis, where she studied with Jeremiah Frederick. Madeline has performed in many ensembles across both universities. She has experience in teaching the french horn as well as the trumpet with all ages and experience levels.

Madeline believes that teaching should start with building relationships with her students. She hopes that she creates a space where her students are excited to come to lessons. She believes that meeting the students where they are musically is important in creating a good environment as well as knowing when to be flexible in her own teaching methods. She will always hold herself to the same standard that she holds her students.

AJ Sullivan (he/they) is in their fourth year as an undergraduate student. They are majoring in music education as well as working towards a certificate in special education. AJ’s main instrument is trumpet, which they have been studying for 12 years, and are currently studying with Megan Bailey. They have also been playing guitar for 11 years and a vocalist for 16.

AJ has been involved in multiple ensembles and groups during his college career including: the NIU Philharmonic Orchestra, Wind Symphony, Wind Ensemble, trumpet ensemble, brass quintets, the NIU Huskie Marching Band, NIU Pep Band and University Choir. They are also a two-year member of the WGI Winds group, Chromium Winds, where they served as a soloist in the 2024 season.

In high school, AJ was a part of the District 8 Honor Choir in Bossier City, Louisiana. They were a member of the Talented Arts Program in the theater department, and an active member of their high school’s theater program where they had roles such as Anastasia in “Cinderella”, the Cowardly Lion in “The Wizard of Oz” and Jan in “Grease”. AJ also served as their high school’s marching band head drum major their senior year.

In addition to these ensembles, AJ is an alumni brother of Kappa Kappa Psi, an honorary band service fraternity, whose mission is to serve the music community here on campus.

They have spent the past three summers as a member of the counseling staff at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Twin Lake, Michigan, teaching campers (4th-12th grade) about the arts and helping them grow into being better humans.

AJ teaches their students that the most important part of being a musician is to be creative and express their emotions through their craft. AJ focuses on teaching for the student, tailoring lessons to best fit the student’s needs and helping them to have the best experience they can.

Gabriel Wade is a graduate student who is currently pursuing his master's degree in jazz studies. He is a trumpeter and pianist from Little Rock, AR. He is also a recent 2022 graduate of the University of Arkansas at Monticello where he received a B.A. in Music with a Jazz Emphasis.

Gabriel's goal as an educator is to help students develop a greater sense of awareness and appreciation of the many facets of music. Also, he hopes to provide students with the tools to understand how to practice efficiently and to overcome challenges when they arise.

Kurt Bonamer is a founding member of the Molten Brass Quintet at NIU; the group was invited to perform at the Honors Convocation in Spring 2012. He has played with the Protege Philharmonic in Chicago and has also performed with the Wheaton Municipal Band, as well as with the NIU Philharmonic, NIU Wind Ensemble, NIU Wind Symphony and the NIU New Music Ensemble. He has taught lessons for the past year.

Julia Broome-Robinson is a trombonist and teacher currently based in Northern Illinois. She has multiple degrees in music, including a doctorate in trombone performance from Arizona State University. Most recently, Julia taught MUHL 220: Introduction to Western Music Traditions at the Northern Illinois University School of Music, and is active in the region as a private lesson teacher for low brass and piano students of all ages and ability levels. Julia has also taught as a full-time sabbatical replacement at the University of Redlands, where she was the acting trombone studio Instructor. In this position, Julia taught both undergraduate and graduate trombonists, guided recital and audition preparation, and taught the weekly trombone studio class. As a graduate assistant at Arizona State University, she was the assistant director for the ASU Desert Bones trombone choir, taught the trombone portion of a brass methods course for music education majors and gave weekly lessons to undergraduate trombone students.

Julia began studying piano at the age of four and continued her formal piano studies for the next 15 years. While she ultimately focused her formal music education on the trombone, piano has remained a constant part of her career. As a collaborative pianist, Julia has performed on numerous recitals, and as a composer, has written and performed works for both solo piano and mixed chamber ensemble groups.

As a teacher, Julia prioritizes the needs and interests of her students, while maintaining a structured and rigorous learning environment. She encourages composition and creative problem solving, but also helps her students develop a detail-oriented approach to their musical study. Julia believes that natural body mechanics form an ideal foundation for technical mastery, and incorporates the teachings of the famed tubist and pedagogue Arnold Jacobs into her own teaching when helpful and appropriate. Overall, Julia believes that learning music should be fun, and aims to foster a positive, self-motivated attitude in all her students.

Dennis Meacham is a graduate of Northern Illinois University with a master's degree in tuba performance. Currently, he teaches in the Rockford Public School District and he also teaches privately throughout northern Illinois. He enjoys working with students of all ages and helping students grow as individuals in their music education. He has performed in various ensembles throughout northern Illinois including The Fox Valley Brass Band, The Pegasus Wind Ensemble, NIU Philharmonic and several chamber ensembles.

In his teaching, Dennis aims to provide each of his students with a unique approach to their learning. His goal is to create well-rounded and self-motivated learners. He does this by giving them the tools to be self-critical, goal-oriented and solution-minded.

Aerie Bernard is a skilled and experienced musician and music educator who has been teaching since 2006.

She holds a B.A. in Trends in World Music: Performance, Technology, and Pedagogy and an M.M. in World Music Pedagogy from N.I.U. and teaches woodwinds (clarinet, saxophones, and flute), as well as plucked strings (guitar, bass, and ukulele).

Aerie draws from her background in writing, recording, performing, and collaborating with diverse artists across various instruments and genres to help her guide students in developing their own voices and in adding to their musical toolkits. Her depth of experience allows her to support students in carving their own unique musical paths and in cultivating their individual artistry.

Quentin Dover is a local musician and music educator and has been a private and group guitar instructor since 2001. He holds a B.M. in Classical Guitar and an M.M. in World Music Performance. Quentin teaches classical and rock guitar as well as other plucked stringed instruments such as the banjo (melodic style), bass, mandolin, ukulele, and the pipa.

As a multi-instrumentalist, Quentin has experience composing, performing, recording, and collaborating with local artists.

He enjoys teaching students of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. He uses an engaging, student-centered approach to teaching to help students along their own personal musical journey to experience the joys of musiking and set students up for success.

Eric Schroeder enjoys teaching guitar and ukulele to students age 3 and older. He has taught guitarists as young as 2 and as old as 80. Eric finds teaching beginners exhilarating as they have not yet learned any bad habits. He has taught at the NIU CSA since 1996. In that time he has taught: guitar, including rock, jazz, classical, flamenco, country, finger style EDM covers and Suzuki guitar, ukulele in all kinds of styles, and music theory.

Eric graduated from NIU with a Masters in guitar performance, and he also teaches guitar, ukulele and world music at Rockford University and Kishwaukee College.

Emily Bychowski is an undergraduate at NIU studying music education. Emily started playing the viola at age ten and has loved it since. She began her music teaching career in high school at her local middle school where she worked as a teacher's assistant. Besides being a teacher's assistant, Emily was also a part of the pit orchestra at her high school as a violinist and a violist, along with her school's orchestra and chamber orchestra ensembles. She was also apart of many outside ensembles such as CSA Sinfonia and Sycamore Jazz Strings.

Today Emily shares her love of music by playing in the NIU Philharmonic Orchestra along with the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra. When teaching she wants her students to learn in a positive environment where they can grow as a musician while learning to love music and the music community too.

Learn more about Christine on her NIU faculty profile.

Chloe McKendry is an undergraduate music education major at NIU. She began learning the viola in sixth grade, following in her brother's footsteps. A native to DeKalb Illinois, Chloe has experience playing in the DeKalb High School Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra and String Band She has also enjoyed performing as the violist in the Black Box Quartet. Outside of high school, Chloe has performed with the NIU CSA Sinfonia and the Rockford Symphony Youth Orchestra.

Chloe currently studies with NIU viola professor Anthony Devroye. She enjoys performing with the NIU Philharmonic and the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Her goal as a teacher is to cultivate a lifelong love of music in her students, while providing them with the individual tools needed to succeed in their musical goals. She believes that the most successful musicians are the ones that truly love what they do.

Laurie Illions Rodriguez has a bachelor's degree in violin performance and pedagogy from Brigham Young University. She has been teaching violin lessons since 1991, in Utah, Ohio, and now Illinois, and has been directing and coaching chamber music workshops since 1997. She was the founder and director of the Utah County Youth Chamber Music Workshop and is the director and coach of the String Chamber Music Summer Camp for the community school at NIU.

She has been teaching early childhood musicianship classes since 2002, first at the Suzuki Music Center of Central Ohio and now at the community school. She has participated in Suzuki teacher training workshops since 2002 and teaches both traditional and Suzuki violin lessons. She performs with the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra and with a local chamber music group. She lives in DeKalb and enjoys playing music with her husband and children.

Jacob Seabrook is an Australian violist with over 10 years of teaching experience in a wide variety of learning environments. From a private studio of over 30 private viola and violin students from ages 4–60+, and three K–12 grade-schools offering individual, small group, string ensemble and immersion violin classes, he has a wealth of teaching knowledge and experience. For Jacob, drawing from a range of pedagogical methods and choosing whichever resources are best suited to each individual student is of utmost importance

Jacob began his Performer's Certificate at NIU in fall 2024 studying viola performance with NIU Faculty violist Anthony Devroye and performs as the violist of the NIU Graduate String Quartet. He recently completed a Master of Music in Performance, studying with violist and chamber musician Kathryn Lockwood at Montclair State University, NJ, and earned his Bachelor of Music in Performance from Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia in 2018, studying with violist and conductor John Curro AM MBE. Jacob has toured with Camerata, Queensland's Chamber Orchestra, performed with VOCES8 and Cavani String Quartet at Merkin Hall, NYC, and enjoys playing in musical orchestra pits and for weddings and other events.

In between receiving her bachelors of Music Education and masters in Performance and Pedagogy at Northern Illinois University, Ann studied with Shinichi Suzuki at the Talent Education Institute in Matsumoto, Japan.

In 2003, Ann was the recipient of the Byron Hester Memorial Excellence in Teaching Award and in 2013 was Inducted into the Sycamore Music Boosters Hall of Fame with the Legacy Award. In 2019 she received the Muse Award for her work as an "outstanding music advocate who has had significant influence in developing and fostering the growth of District 428 music programs."

Ann has performed in many orchestras and chamber ensembles and is currently principal second violinist with Camerata Chicago and concertmaster of the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra.

Ann became a Registered Suzuki Teacher Trainer in 2005 and has since taught courses in Singapore, Lima, Peru, Mexico City, Mexico and San Jose, Costa Rica. Ann enjoys working with Suzuki families at Suzuki Institutes and workshops throughout the United States.

Ann is the director of the NIU Community School of the Arts Suzuki Strings Program. Ann is a lifetime member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas has written several articles for the SAA Journal and currently serves as the Violin Coordinator for the 2016 biannual Suzuki Teachers Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Ann lives in DeKalb, Illinois with her husband, Linc. Their two grown children grew up in the CSA music programs and are now professional musicians in the Air Force Band of the West, San Antonio, Texas and the Cleveland Orchestra in Ohio.

Katelyn has a passion for sharing her love of music with others and is dedicated to educational success. Currently, she is pursuing her bachelor's degree in music education and clarinet performance at NIU. While she completed her associate's degree at Kishwaukee College, she was a part of the Performing Arts Club and studied keyboard, voice and guitar during her time there. Previously she studied piano with Professor Choi and Jeong Soo Kim, violin with Marie Wang, guitar with Eric Schroeder and voice with Professor Rakes. Currently, she studies clarinet with Gregory Barrett at NIU. She is a highly motivated individual, eager to contribute to team success through hard work.

Katelyn has numerous experiences in performance settings including the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra, NIU Sinfonia, DeKalb Municipal Band, NIU Huskie Marching Band, NIU Wind Ensemble, Kishwaukee Concert Band, DeKalb, Dixon and Rochelle Municipal Summer Bandshell and was principal clarinetist and ringer for the Illinois Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra. She is currently hired as the Esmond and Lighthouse United Methodist Church pianist and has been a music provider for the Rochelle United Methodist Church in their handbell choir, singing choir and played violin and clarinet in small ensembles during church services. She is a previous teacher's assistant for band, choir and strings classes in the Greater Rochelle Area Christian Education School and served as the camp counselor and clarinet sectional leader in the Maranatha Baptist College Band Camp. Mentoring music students brings her so much joy!

Emily Bychowski is an undergraduate at NIU studying music education. Emily started playing the viola at age ten and has loved it since. She began her music teaching career in high school at her local middle school where she worked as a teacher's assistant. Besides being a teacher's assistant, Emily was also a part of the pit orchestra at her high school as a violinist and a violist, along with her school's orchestra and chamber orchestra ensembles. She was also apart of many outside ensembles such as CSA Sinfonia and Sycamore Jazz Strings.

Today Emily shares her love of music by playing in the NIU Philharmonic Orchestra along with the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra. When teaching she wants her students to learn in a positive environment where they can grow as a musician while learning to love music and the music community too.

Javier Santiago Polania Cleves is a Colombian violinist, graduated from the National University of Colombia in 2022 under the guidance of Professor Liz A. García, and is currently pursuing a master's degree in Music Performance - Violin and Chamber Music at Northern Illinois University under the tutelage of Professor Blaise Magniere. He started playing the violin at the age of four and has performed with major professional orchestras such as the Bogotá Philharmonic and the Colombian Symphony Orchestra.

Since 2019, Javier has been teaching students of all ages, offering lessons in both Spanish and English. He taught at the Conservatory of Music of Huila in 2023. As a patient and friendly teacher, he focuses on making lessons enjoyable and fun, aiming for his students to develop a love for the violin, which can help motivate them to practice. While he uses the Suzuki method as a reference, he also incorporates other methods to provide a more comprehensive learning experience.

Learn more about Christine on her NIU faculty profile.

Kaylie has been studying violin for sixteen years and voice for over a decade. She is currently a senior-year music education student at NIU and primarily studies voice. She has performed violin in the NIU Philharmonic and multiple pit orchestras, including two musicals for DeKalb's Stagecoach Players. She has sung in the ensemble in NIU's opera theatre program for two years. Currently, she is in NIU's concert choir and sings the national anthem among other music for most Sycamore's Veterans of Foreign Wars Club events.

She loves all genres of music and is very passionate in her dream to be a choir teacher. She is described by her colleagues as kind, helpful, and highly organized. Kaylie believes that everyone is capable of being an amazing musician.

Courtney Hanna-McNamara began her Suzuki violin studies at age 5 and her traditional piano studies at age 6. Courtney studied violin performance at Lawrence University, along with English and education. Since 2003, she has worked as a classroom teacher and interventionist for grades K through 12 in both the DeKalb and Sycamore school districts as well as schools in Wisconsin and Colorado. She has also served as an instructional coach for educators across a variety of disciplines and grade levels.

Courtney performs with the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra and also serves as the KSO general manager. She and her husband live in DeKalb where they are raising their two children, both of whom study music with the CSA.

Jacob Kukielka is an undergraduate student at Northern Illinois University currently studying to obtain a bachelor's degree in music education. Jacob has been playing the violin for 14 years and has performed in dozens of concerts. He has been awarded the Nicholson Music scholarship and the Ronald Dourlet Memorial Endowed scholarship. Jacob currently performs with the NIU Philharmonic. Jacob's teaching is student-centered and prioritizes the student's needs. He currently studies under the direction of Professor Mathias Tacke.

Mei Lin is an undergraduate music education major at NIU. She began playing the violin in fifth grade and has loved music ever since. Raised in Moline, Mei Lin joined every ensemble she was able to. She played in the Quad City Youth Symphony Youth Ensemble program for seven years and spent the last two in the QC Youth Symphony. In 2023 she got to participate in the QC Youth Symphony’s tour playing throughout Germany and the Czech Republic. Outside of symphony she continues to play in a quartet with three of her high school friends. She also has experience playing in pit ensembles at Quad City Music Guild and The Spotlight Theatre, both in her hometown.

Mei Lin is currently studying with NIU violin professor Blaise Magniere. She enjoys playing in the NIU Philharmonic and in her string quartet. Her goal as a teacher is to build a lifelong passion for music. She wants to help give her students the tools they need to succeed while encouraging them to have fun when playing and performing.

Chloe McKendry is an undergraduate music education major at NIU. She began learning the viola in sixth grade, following in her brother's footsteps. A native to DeKalb Illinois, Chloe has experience playing in the DeKalb High School Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra and String Band She has also enjoyed performing as the violist in the Black Box Quartet. Outside of high school, Chloe has performed with the NIU CSA Sinfonia and the Rockford Symphony Youth Orchestra.

Chloe currently studies with NIU viola professor Anthony Devroye. She enjoys performing with the NIU Philharmonic and the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Her goal as a teacher is to cultivate a lifelong love of music in her students, while providing them with the individual tools needed to succeed in their musical goals. She believes that the most successful musicians are the ones that truly love what they do.

Laurie Illions Rodriguez has a bachelor's degree in violin performance and pedagogy from Brigham Young University. She has been teaching violin lessons since 1991, in Utah, Ohio, and now Illinois, and has been directing and coaching chamber music workshops since 1997. She was the founder and director of the Utah County Youth Chamber Music Workshop and is the director and coach of the String Chamber Music Summer Camp for the community school at NIU.

She has been teaching early childhood musicianship classes since 2002, first at the Suzuki Music Center of Central Ohio and now at the community school. She has participated in Suzuki teacher training workshops since 2002 and teaches both traditional and Suzuki violin lessons. She performs with the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra and with a local chamber music group. She lives in DeKalb and enjoys playing music with her husband and children.

Gabe Roethle is a graduate of Lawrence University, where he studied violin and music composition, and is currently a candidate for a MM in World Music Performance at NIU. Gabe is a proponent of studying multiple styles of music, combining classical studies with various improvisatory traditions such as jazz, blues, and free improvisation.

Studying with Gabe, you will learn to play violin fluently and flexibly so that you can be just as comfortable in a jam session as in a classical recital. Learning through improvisation and groove (even for those who have never improvised once in their lives), students will develop a rich vocabulary of musical gestures and techniques applicable to many kinds of music, from Thelonious Monk to Johannes Brahms. Gabe's student-oriented approach customizes a student's repertoire based on the student's interests and abilities while continuing to follow the standard repertoire.

Jacob Seabrook is an Australian violist with over 10 years of teaching experience in a wide variety of learning environments. From a private studio of over 30 private viola and violin students from ages 4–60+, and three K–12 grade-schools offering individual, small group, string ensemble and immersion violin classes, he has a wealth of teaching knowledge and experience. For Jacob, drawing from a range of pedagogical methods and choosing whichever resources are best suited to each individual student is of utmost importance

Jacob began his Performer's Certificate at NIU in fall 2024 studying viola performance with NIU Faculty violist Anthony Devroye and performs as the violist of the NIU Graduate String Quartet. He recently completed a Master of Music in Performance, studying with violist and chamber musician Kathryn Lockwood at Montclair State University, NJ, and earned his Bachelor of Music in Performance from Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia in 2018, studying with violist and conductor John Curro AM MBE. Jacob has toured with Camerata, Queensland's Chamber Orchestra, performed with VOCES8 and Cavani String Quartet at Merkin Hall, NYC, and enjoys playing in musical orchestra pits and for weddings and other events.

In between receiving her bachelors of Music Education and masters in Performance and Pedagogy at Northern Illinois University, Ann studied with Shinichi Suzuki at the Talent Education Institute in Matsumoto, Japan.

In 2003, Ann was the recipient of the Byron Hester Memorial Excellence in Teaching Award and in 2013 was Inducted into the Sycamore Music Boosters Hall of Fame with the Legacy Award. In 2019 she received the Muse Award for her work as an "outstanding music advocate who has had significant influence in developing and fostering the growth of District 428 music programs."

Ann has performed in many orchestras and chamber ensembles and is currently principal second violinist with Camerata Chicago and concertmaster of the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra.

Ann became a Registered Suzuki Teacher Trainer in 2005 and has since taught courses in Singapore, Lima, Peru, Mexico City, Mexico and San Jose, Costa Rica. Ann enjoys working with Suzuki families at Suzuki Institutes and workshops throughout the United States.

Ann is the director of the NIU Community School of the Arts Suzuki Strings Program. Ann is a lifetime member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas has written several articles for the SAA Journal and currently serves as the Violin Coordinator for the 2016 biannual Suzuki Teachers Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Ann lives in DeKalb, Illinois with her husband, Linc. Their two grown children grew up in the CSA music programs and are now professional musicians in the Air Force Band of the West, San Antonio, Texas and the Cleveland Orchestra in Ohio.

Katelyn has a passion for sharing her love of music with others and is dedicated to educational success. Currently, she is pursuing her bachelor's degree in music education and clarinet performance at NIU. While she completed her associate's degree at Kishwaukee College, she was a part of the Performing Arts Club and studied keyboard, voice and guitar during her time there. Previously she studied piano with Professor Choi and Jeong Soo Kim, violin with Marie Wang, guitar with Eric Schroeder and voice with Professor Rakes. Currently, she studies clarinet with Gregory Barrett at NIU. She is a highly motivated individual, eager to contribute to team success through hard work.

Katelyn has numerous experiences in performance settings including the Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra, NIU Sinfonia, DeKalb Municipal Band, NIU Huskie Marching Band, NIU Wind Ensemble, Kishwaukee Concert Band, DeKalb, Dixon and Rochelle Municipal Summer Bandshell and was principal clarinetist and ringer for the Illinois Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra. She is currently hired as the Esmond and Lighthouse United Methodist Church pianist and has been a music provider for the Rochelle United Methodist Church in their handbell choir, singing choir and played violin and clarinet in small ensembles during church services. She is a previous teacher's assistant for band, choir and strings classes in the Greater Rochelle Area Christian Education School and served as the camp counselor and clarinet sectional leader in the Maranatha Baptist College Band Camp. Mentoring music students brings her so much joy!

Timothy Bostwick (he/him) recently received his Doctor of Musical Arts in performance and literature from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In previous performances, Bostwick has been applauded as an "impressive and impactful voice" in Hansel und Gretel and described in his role as Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia as "pure comic joy." Previously, he returned to his alma mater, Drake University, to perform the title role in Verdi's Falstaff and the titular role in Gianni Schicchi at Eastern Illinois University. Having lived in New York City, he performed roles including Belcore in L'Elisir d'Amore and Schaunard in La Boheme with Amore Opera and Germont in La Traviata. Once back in the midwest, he has continued to perform including Chucho in Lucrezia (Bolcom), Father in Hansel and Gretel and recently debuted the role of Saul in the new opera, The Psalm of Silence. Recently, he assisted in debuting Chicago Fringe Opera's La Jetée.

As a recitalist, Bostwick recently performed a recital capturing Clara Schumann's life at Drake University and Illinois State University. Previously, he has performed Wolf's Italienishes Liederbuch and his American Art Song recital, Songs of Democracy. Other roles include: Alfio in Cavallerìa Rusticana, Barone di Trombonok in Il Viaggio a Reims, Top in The Tender Land, Marullo in Rigoletto, and the title roles in Gianni Schicchi and Le Nozze di Figaro. He returned to Des Moines as Escamillo in Carmen to the Opera Project Des Moines and as Fiorello in Il Barbiere di Siviglia at Sugar Creek Opera.

My teaching philosophy centers around cultivating the thought processes and sensory awareness essential for vocal development. Guiding students through the production of sound, vocal exercises and reflective questioning, I collaboratively identify strengths and weaknesses in their vocal journey, addressing areas for improvement while emphasizing existing skills. Recognizing singing as an athletic activity, I consistently challenge students to enhance their bodily awareness for optimal vocal performance. As a teacher, my primary goal is to instill confidence in students, empowering them to be musicians, whether pursuing a professional career or not and ensuring that their voices are always heard.

Karli Bunn is a Chicago-based saxophonist, composer, and educator. As a Quad City native with degrees from Northern Illinois and DePaul University, Karli has performed a broad context of music with ensembles including the Manny Lopez Big Band, Ten of Soul, Calaveras LD, the Isaiah Spencer Quintet, the Birch Creek faculty band, and her own ensembles. Bunn is also proficient in woodwind doubling and music technology while focusing her efforts on incorporating the aural tradition into modern innovation.

Daniel Ozioma is a talented musician and a voice major (bass) under Sam Handley's tutelage. He holds a bachelor's degree in creative arts (music) from the University of Lagos and a diploma in music from MUSON Diploma School of Music, where he studied voice. Daniel is a passionate musician with ample years of experience as a music teacher/instructor, opera singer, choirmaster, music facilitator and organist in various churches and organizations. He worked as a music teacher for two years at Lekki British School, teaching voice and piano to high school students. He also directed the school choir, preparing them for school events and competitions. He has prepared several students for competitions and presentations. Currently, he studies vocal performance at Northern Illinois University under Handley's guidance, performing with the NIU Chamber Choir, Cor Cantiamo and the FUMC Chancel Choir. Recently, he won first place at the NATS Classical Audition Chicago Chapter, showcasing his exceptional vocal talent.

Elijah Clarke is an undergraduate at Northern Illinois University, majoring in music education with a vocal emphasis. He is currently studying with faculty members Eric Johnson and Sam Handley, and has previously studied with NIU alumni Amanda Brex-Castillo and Michael Thoms. He was a student leader for the South Elgin High School Concert Choir (2021-2022), the Kenyon Woods Middle School 7th and 8th Grade Choirs (2021-2022) he was a leader for the SEHS all-male acapella group "HarManics" (2021-2022) and was the student music director for the District U-46 Summer production of Anything Goes (2022).

Elijah is performing with the NIU Concert Choir,and the Huskie Hunks acapella group. He was chosen to participate in the ILMEA District 9 Choir and All-State Choir. He also was a very active member of South Elgin High School's theater department and has a background of musical theater, including roles such as Brother Jeremiah in Something Rotten and Billy Crocker in Anything Goes.

Elijah believes in a student-first education mindset; that by giving more focus on the musician can lead to better results, rather than focusing more on the music itself. He values practice, the intent behind music and just having fun. He wants to create a welcoming environment for his students, and help them reach their full potential. He can be serious when he wants to be, but at the end of the day he's here to have a good time!

Jodeen Coulter received her bachelor's degree in music education (with a vocal emphasis) from NIU. She currently teaches general music in DeKalb. She has taught strings to children in the DeKalb schools and has directed school choirs and musicals. Coulter has had 12 years singing experience with a traveling musical group that has performed with pre-recorded soundtracks.

Brianne Duncan Fiore is a Chicago based actor, vocalist and voiceover artist, and instructor. She has acted, directed and/or coached with Arc Theatre, Chicago Commercial Collective, Commedia Beauregard, Muse of Fire Theatre Company, Profiles Theatre, Spartan Theatre, Steep Theatre, as well as many independent producers in service of industrials, voiceover, musicals, theatre, film and television.

Having received her bachelor's degree in music business, Spanish and vocal performance from Elmhurst College, she privately instructs voice lessons, and since earning a masters in acting from Roosevelt University's Chicago College of Performing Arts, she directs dialects and accents as well as vocal coaches productions.

Brianne enjoys the challenge of vocal instruction, understanding that each student's goals may be different, however, she maintains focus on healthy production and technique.

Kaylie has been studying violin for sixteen years and voice for over a decade. She is currently a senior-year music education student at NIU and primarily studies voice. She has performed violin in the NIU Philharmonic and multiple pit orchestras, including two musicals for DeKalb's Stagecoach Players. She has sung in the ensemble in NIU's opera theatre program for two years. Currently, she is in NIU's concert choir and sings the national anthem among other music for most Sycamore's Veterans of Foreign Wars Club events.

She loves all genres of music and is very passionate in her dream to be a choir teacher. She is described by her colleagues as kind, helpful, and highly organized. Kaylie believes that everyone is capable of being an amazing musician.

Learn more about Sam on his NIU faculty profile.

Alex has an extensive background in music, she has been playing piano since she was 5 years old and participated in band and choir since the 5th grade. She has an Associates of Art, and bachelor's in music education with vocal emphasis. She taught private lessons for 8 years before teaching K-12 general music, choir and theater at a local school, and is now back to teaching privately. She coached a total of 20 students to the district festival and 1 student to state convention for voice.

Kasey Pennington has earned a bachelor's degree in music education from NIU. Kasey studied voice with Orna Arania, took secondary piano lessons with JeongSoo Kim, and participated in Concert Choir, Chamber Choir and Opera Theatre throughout their time as an undergraduate student. Kasey has played piano since kindergarten and has enjoyed performing in many musicals throughout the years, most recently in productions with Stagecoach Players.

Kasey grew up in DeKalb County and recently completed student teaching at DeKalb High School and Sycamore Middle School where they worked with the choirs, assisted with concert preparation and led daily rehearsals. Kasey's approach to teaching is student-centered, and students are given the opportunity to learn the tools to practice and perform music in a way that can be sustainable for them as an individual.

AJ Sullivan (he/they) is in their fourth year as an undergraduate student. They are majoring in music education as well as working towards a certificate in special education. AJ’s main instrument is trumpet, which they have been studying for 12 years, and are currently studying with Megan Bailey. They have also been playing guitar for 11 years and a vocalist for 16.

AJ has been involved in multiple ensembles and groups during his college career including: the NIU Philharmonic Orchestra, Wind Symphony, Wind Ensemble, trumpet ensemble, brass quintets, the NIU Huskie Marching Band, NIU Pep Band and University Choir. They are also a two-year member of the WGI Winds group, Chromium Winds, where they served as a soloist in the 2024 season.

In high school, AJ was a part of the District 8 Honor Choir in Bossier City, Louisiana. They were a member of the Talented Arts Program in the theater department, and an active member of their high school’s theater program where they had roles such as Anastasia in “Cinderella”, the Cowardly Lion in “The Wizard of Oz” and Jan in “Grease”. AJ also served as their high school’s marching band head drum major their senior year.

In addition to these ensembles, AJ is an alumni brother of Kappa Kappa Psi, an honorary band service fraternity, whose mission is to serve the music community here on campus.

They have spent the past three summers as a member of the counseling staff at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Twin Lake, Michigan, teaching campers (4th-12th grade) about the arts and helping them grow into being better humans.

AJ teaches their students that the most important part of being a musician is to be creative and express their emotions through their craft. AJ focuses on teaching for the student, tailoring lessons to best fit the student’s needs and helping them to have the best experience they can.

Emerson Valyou is an aspiring music educator completing a bachelor's degree in music education with a vocal/choral emphasis at Northern Illinois University (NIU) and an Illinois subsequent teaching endorsement (ILSTE) in secondary history education. He studies voice with Orna Arania, piano with "Ellie" Hyun Ah-Lee, and saxophone with Kevin Schoenbach, Stephanie San Roman and Craig Roselieb. Emerson has also studied music education with esteemed NIU professors, including Eric Johnson, Mary-Lynn Doherty, Christine D'Alexander and Jui-Ching Wang.

His diverse performance experience includes the NIU Concert Choir, University Chorus, Steel Band, Die Fledermaus with NIU Opera, and the Oswego Prairie Winds and Yorkville Community Bands. He also participated in ILMEA District 9 festivals, including the IMEC All-State Choral Festival in 2022. As a student member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) and the Student National Association of Teachers of Singing (SNATS), Emerson is committed to professional growth and musical excellence.

With teaching experience in general music at Cortland Elementary School, Emerson's philosophy centers on joyful, student-driven learning. He believes every student has innate musical potential and aims to foster a sense of community and social-emotional growth in the classroom. Emerson is dedicated to building strong relationships with students and families to create inclusive, supportive environments where learners thrive.

Nolan Valyou is pursuing a Bachelor of Music education K-12 with an endorsement in special education 1-6 at Northern Illinois University.

With over 10 years of experience in voice and oboe, Nolan is currently studying voice with Sam Handley and has also worked with Jeff Mattsey.

Nolan is a member of the Northern Illinois University Concert Choir and has performed with several ensembles in the Fox Valley area.

Passionate about music education, Nolan is excited to help students grow as musicians and individuals, fostering both their technical abilities and personal development.