PIANO
EMILY CHIN JOHNSON - Piano
BM, Music Therapy, Nazareth College. Clinical experience in adaptive lessons, early intervention, PTSD. Pianist and organist.
DANIEL PENA-ARIEL - Piano
MA, Tufts University; BA, Boston College. Specializes in voice, saxophone, and ethnomusicology (focusing on traditional Japanese).
AMY RENAK - Piano
BA, Mary Washington College; graduate studies, Hartt School of Music. BCC faculty member; choir director, accompanist, and organist.
NICKI TA - Piano Teaching Credential and Bachelor’s Degree, University of Pennsylvania. Steinway Educational Partner. Loves working with students of all ages.
DAVID BARTLEY - Jazz Piano Received formal musical training in classical piano performance from the State University of New York at Buffalo where he studied piano and composition. Created the music department at The Academy at Swift River in Cummington, MA.
VOICE
SHERRI JAMES BUXTON - Voice
BME, Indiana. Univ.; MEd Cambridge College. Appeared on Broadway. Professional cabaret singer.
DANIEL PENA-ARIEL - Voice
BA, Boston College; MA Tufts University. Specializes in voice, saxophone, and ethnomusicology (focusing on traditional Japanese).
ALICE SPATZ - Sight-Singing
MFA Composition, Bennington College; BA, New School for Social Research. Performer with Wintergreen ensemble; published composer.
TERINA WESTMEYER - Voice
Actors Studio Drama School. 2017 Wagner Society of Washington D.C. American Wagner Project grant recipient, 2014 and 2015 grants from the Wagner Society of New York. Professional Credits at Bronx Opera, Chelsea Opera.
CAROL YAHR - Voice
International opera career singing the dramatic soprano repertoire in opera houses such as Australian Opera, Scottish Opera, Copenhagen, Prague and Washington Opera at the Kennedy Center. Active voice studio in New York City for 20 years. Director of the New York Summer Opera Scenes Training Program for aspiring opera singers.
CHELSEA BEATTY - Voice Degrees in vocal performance from The Boston Conservatory and University of Colorado Boulder. Performed on opera and concert stages around Boston. Two-time district finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.
STRINGS
OUISA FOHRHALTZ - Violin, Viola
MM, Graduate String Quartet U-Mass. Amherst. BM in Violin, BM in Education, BM in Voice, Hartt College of Music. Suzuki Instructor. Violinist with Albany & Berkshire Symphonies, Vivante Trio.
ANNABELLE HOFFMAN - Cello
NY Philharmonic, American Symphony Orchestra, and Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra. Broadway shows: Hamilton, Dear Evan Hanson, Aladdin. Chamber music and orchestral strings coach at The Calhoun School (NYC).
BING LIU - Violin
Boston Conservatory of Music, Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, China and Boston University. China Youth Symphony Orchestra goodwill and friendship tour in Europe. Central Opera Theatre Symphony Orchestra. Teacher at Miss Halls and Suzuki music school of Troy. Co-founder of the Berkshire Trio and plays in the Berkshire Symphony.
PERRI MORRIS - Cello
Bachelor's degree, New England Conservatory of Music; Master's degree,University of Massachusetts at Amherst; Bachelor of Arts degree, Mount Holyoke College. Performs regularly with the Vermont, Springfield and Berkshire Symphonies and the New York Chamber Soloists. Director of the strings programs at the Village School in North Bennington and the Pine Cobble School in Williamstown. Registered Suzuki teacher.
ALICE SPATZ - Double Bass
MFA Composition, Bennington College; BA, New School for Social Research. Performer with Wintergreen ensemble; published composer.
LUIS GRANDA - Double Bass & Electric Bass MM in Double Bass Performance, University of Colorado Boulder; Professional Performance Certificate, UMass Amherst; BM in Jazz & African American Music, Double Bass, UMass Amherst. Performs classical, jazz, and rock locally, experience as a recording engineer, Berkshire Music School Executive Director.
GUITAR
JULIA ROUSSE SHIPPEE - Guitar, Ukulele
MM in Music education, University of Florida; BA in Music Education, University of New Hampshire. Elementary general music teacher, bass player in college orchestras and local jazz ensembles, performer as a guitarist and singer.
JONATHAN SUTERS - Guitar
Taught at Berkshire Country Day School, Salisbury School, Indian Mountain School, Richmond School, Austen Riggs Center, Simons Rock College, and Flying Cloud Institute. Active performing artist.
JIM WOJTASZEK - Guitar
Studied music at Musicians Institute/GIT and MCLA. Active instructor, songwriter, recording and performing artist.
NATHAN CORNELIUS - Classical Guitar Taught at Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland—Baltimore County, Washington College, and Towson University. Received an MM in music theory pedagogy and a DMA in guitar performance from the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University and an MM in composition and guitar performance from the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music.
PERCUSSION
JACK DINICOLA - Percussion/Drum Set
Bachelors degree in Social Work, MCLA. Experience working with children and families for over 30 years. Active educator and performer in Berkshire County and Albany, NY.
Andrew Smith - Percussion/Drum Set
Studied rock, jazz, afro-cuban and funk. Former principle Percussionist of the Empire State Youth Orchestra, the Empire State Youth Percussion Ensemble, and the Massachusetts All-State Orchestra. Producer and songwriter. Has toured as an opening act for bands including The Lemon Twigs, Foxygen and Paul de Jong.
PETE SWEENEY - Percussion
Educated by NYC Drummer’s Collective. Faculty member of National Guitar Workshop; author of The Complete Drumset Method.
BRASS & WINDS
GEOFFREY CUNNINGHAM - Trumpet
MM, Jazz Composition and Arranging, UMass Amherst; BM, Jazz and African American Music Studies, UMass Amherst. Music educator at Amherst College and Holyoke Community College. Active performer and arranger.
ASHLEY PARADIS - Clarinet
MA, Conducting, BM, Music Education, University of New Hampshire; Band Director of PHS Concert Band, Jazz Big Band, and Jazz Combos at Pittsfield High School. Chair-Elect of MMEA-WD.
DANIEL PENA-ARIEL - Saxophone
BA, Boston College; MA Tufts University. Specializes in voice, saxophone, and ethnomusicology (focusing on traditional Japanese).
TARI WHEELER ROOSA - Flute, Recorder
MME, University of Colorado; BM, University of Lowell. Assistant conductor of Eagles Band; performer with Jovia Trio.
PAUL SUNDBERG - Trumpet
BM, Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Former adjunct faculty, Williams College; founding member of Berkshire Brass Quintet.
TERRY KEEVIL- Oboe, English Horn, Oboe d’Amore, Duduk DMA, SUNY Stony Brook; BA, Sarah Lawrence; Graduate of the Music for People Musicianship and Leadership Program. Director of Community Chamber Music Program at SUNY Stony Brook; member of North Shore Pro Musica.
SPECIALTY
GEOFFREY CARTER - Electronic Music
BM, Electronic Production and Design, Berklee College of Music. Owner/Founder of BeatNest music school. Experience in lessons, live sound engineering.
EMILY CHIN JOHNSON - Music Therapy
BM, Music Therapy, Nazareth College. Clinical experience in adaptive lessons, early intervention, PTSD. Pianist and organist.
DANIEL PENA-ARIEL - World Music
BA, Boston College; MA Tufts University. Specializes in voice, saxophone, and ethnomusicology (focusing on traditional Japanese).
ALICE SPATZ - Theory, Composition
MFA Composition, Bennington College; BA, New School for Social Research. Performer with Wintergreen ensemble; published composer.
OUTREACH TEACHING ARTISTS
GEOFFREY CARTER - Electronic Music
BM, Electronic Production and Design, Berklee College of Music. Owner/Founder of BeatNest music school. Experience in lessons, live sound engineering.
OTHA DAY
Leads fun and lively drum circle events from the deep belief that rhythm has the power to build community, promote well-being, and create joy for all types of educational environments, wellness, spiritual, and community celebrations, corporate, and motivational speaking events; Social Justice Facilitator.
MARK FRANKLIN
MA, University of Chicago; BA, Williams College. Taught English at Wahconah (CBRSD) from 1976 to 2014; adjunct freshman composition instructor at MCLA; local guitarist and active performing artist.
ROBIN O’HERIN
BA, Integrated Arts in Education, UMass Amherst. Creates historically rich, often interactive concerts that include original and traditional American music, for small listening rooms, libraries, festivals and schools; active local performing artist specializing in traditional blues and gospel music.