Faculty
PianoLisa Bishoff ViolinAlex Belavsky ViolaCelloString Bass |
FluteOboeClarinetSaxophoneTrumpetFrench HornPercussionGuitarMark Adamczyk Voice |
Faculty Biographies
Mark Adamczyk (guitar) B.A. in theatre from the University of Illinois. He has been actively involved with young people and music since he received certification from the Center for Music and Young Children in Princeton, NJ, in 1999. Mark leads Music Together® classes for the Lake Forest Symphony Music School and is music instructor at the Montessori School of Lake Forest. He performs with his guitar and his songs at family events for area park districts and the Lake County Forest Preserves. He is currently arranging, performing, and recording a CD for children, "40 Years of Folk Songs." Mark is a composer of stage musicals at the nationally famous Theatre Building Chicago Writers' Workshop and can also be caught gigging around the Chicago area with the classic rock act, the Saturday June Band.
Mark Anderson (cello) studied with Frank Miller at De Paul University, Karl Fruh at Chicago Musical College and with Hans Jorgen Jensen at Northwestern University. He plays regularly with the Lake Forest Symphony and the Elgin Symphony Orchestra. He has also played with the Illinois Philharmonic, Ravinia Festival Orchestra, Ars Viva, as well as many other local orchestras and chamber music ensembles. Mark has performed as soloist with several orchestras and is a very active chamber musician and recitalist.
Jennifer Bartel (flute, Music Together) M.M., Manhattan School of Music; B.M., DePaul University. Jennifer’s teachers include Mary Stolper, Michael Parloff, Donna Milanovich, and Linda Chesis. Masterclasses she was chosen to participate in include those of Donald Peck, Paula Robinson, Julius Baker, Robert Willoughby, and Walfrid Kugala. Ms. Bartel is the recipient of many awards including: winner of Union League Civic and Arts Foundation competition; first place winner in the Society of American Musicians Young Artist Competition; winner of the University of Chicago Concerto Competition where she performed Nielsen’s Concerto for Flute. She has performed with the Rockford Symphony Orchestra, Elgin Symphony, Park Ridge Civic Orchestra, Kenosha Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonietta of Chicago, and Civic Orchestra of Chicago. Ms. Bartel is a board member of the Chicago Flute Club and served as the Competition Coordinator for two years. She was on faculty as a flute instructor at Sherwood Conservatory for seven years and also teaches out of her studio in Highland Park. She is registered to teach Music Together through the CMYC in Princeton, NJ.
James Baur (guitar) BM., MM., in Guitar Performance from Northwestern University, where he instructed beginning guitar classes for music major undergraduates, and instructed introductory music history classes on the history and literature of the guitar, lute, and vihuela. He has taught private classical guitar at The Music Institute of Chicago, and is on the faculties of Sherwood Conservatory of Music, The Suzuki Orff School for Young Musicians, and The Lake Forest Symphony Music School. First place winner 1998 Society of American Musicians Guitar Competition, and has performed in Master Classes for Oscar Ghiglia, Elliot Fisk, Pepe Romero, and the Walter/Maxwell Guitar Duo. Also he is a member of the Avanti Duo, performing new works for flute and guitar.
Alex Belavsky (violin) Member of the 1st violin section in the Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra since 1978; former assistant Concertmaster of the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He is a member of the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra. He served as Concertmaster for the Sanibel Festival Orchestra and the Orchestra of Illinois, and is an active soloist in the Chicago area, as well as instructor of violin at the Music Institute of Chicago.
Lisa Bishoff (piano & Suzuki piano) M.A. in Performing Arts from DePaul University; B.A. in Music Performance from Vassar College. Recipient, Francis A. Walker Prize for Piano Excellence. She is a former faculty member of the Music Institute of Chicago and the Music Arts School in Highland Park. Former contest director of the Society of American Musicians. Studied with Todd Crow and completed her Suzuki teacher training at the American Suzuki Institute. She serves as adjudicator for area competitions and is a professional accompanist and pianist for private functions. She is the accompanist for Ivanhoe Congregational Church. Lisa has taught at the Lake Forest Symphony Music School for 21 years.
Marilyn Bishoff (piano & suzuki piano) received her B.A. from Northwestern University and continued her studies in piano and theory at the American Conservatory of Music. She did her Suzuki pedagogy training at Trinity College, after which she established the Bishoff School of Piano in McHenry. Marilyn has over 20 years of teaching experience in Lake and McHenry Counties, and her students participate in local contests & sonata festivals. Marilyn’s teaching philosophy supports Suzuki methodology and traditional reading concepts for an effective, integrated approach.
Michael Brennan (guitar) BM, MM in classical guitar performance from Cal. St. Fullerton. Michael is presently working on his doctorate in classical guitar performance at Northwestern University. He has been on the faculty of Benedictine University, Huntington College, and currently at Judson College. Michael has performed at several concerts across the U.S. and additionally is a charter member of a musical group called Full Score, who are located in Northern Illinois. In December 2004, Michael’s first CD, One Desire, was released. The CD is comprised of his hymn arrangements for solo guitar.
Michael Buckwalter (French Horn) Northwestern University; attended the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Mr. Buckwalter studied with Dale Clevenger and Norman Schweikert, Chicago Symphony; A. David Krehbiel, San Francisco Symphony; and John Cerminaro, New York, Los Angeles Philharmonics, and Seattle Symphony. His professional experience includes the Indiana Symphony, horn and Wagner tuba; Elgin Symphony; Light Opera Works, Principal; Chicago Sinfnia, Principal; Lake Forest Symphony; and Ars Viva, Principal and founding member. Mr. Buckwalter’s teaching background includes the Chicago Youth Concert Orchestra, horn and brass section coach; Merit Music Program, beginning theory and brass ensemble; Birch Creek Music Camp, Wisconsin; the Music Institute of Chicago; Midwest Young Artists; and the University of Chicago, horn section coach.
Louise Chan (piano) BM with distinction and MM from the Eastman School of Music. A.R.C.T. from the Royal Conservatory of Music. Ms. Chan is currently pursuing her D.M. in piano performance at Northwestern University. She has completed summer studies at the Orford Arts Centre, Bowdoin Summer Music Festival, and the Cliburn Piano Institute. Teachers include Fernando Laires and Alan Chow. Ms. Chan has performed as a soloist with the National Arts Centre Orchestra and the Northwestern Summer Orchestra, and has performed as a solo and chamber musician in the USA, Canada, and France. She is a past winner of the Canadian Music Competition and the Ontario Music Festival. In 2006-2007, Ms. Chan was a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. She was awarded a fellowship to study at the Aspen Music Festival for the summer of 2007.
Elizabeth Cline (violin) B.M. in Violin Performance from the University of Michigan, School of Music, and is a graduate of the Interlochen Arts Academy. She is a former faculty member of the Peekskill, NY public schools, Music Institute of Chicago, and violin instructor at the Deerfield and Highland Park schools. A member of the Lake Forest Symphony, Ravinia Festival Orchestra, Chicago Philharmonic and the Peninsula Music Festival Orchestra in Door County, Wisconsin. Ms. Cline also plays regularly with the Elgin Symphony, Northwest Indiana Symphony and the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestras. She is also an active chamber musician in the Chicago area, and a member of the Hillside String Quartet.
Rebekha Louise Cope (violin) MM from Northwestern University, BM Royal Northern College of Music, U.K., 3 A levels Chethams School of Music, U.K. Rebekha received first place, Weil Prize from the Royal principal teachers and coaches include Shmuel Ashkenasi, Gerardo Ribiero, Yossi Zivoni, Chris Rowland, the Vermeer Quartet, and the Sorrel Quartet. Her performance experience includes the Chicago Philharmonic, Chicago Sinfonietta, Chicago Chamber orchestra, Sinfonia de Cantiere Internazionale di Montepulciano, Italy, Elgin Symphony and Northwest Indiana Symphony. Rebekha is Violin Sectional Coach, Niles West High School Orchestra, and Instructor of Violin at The Musical Offering. She was Assistant Teacher to Gerardo Ribiero at Northwestern University from 2000-2002.
Jelena Dirks (oboe) MM in oboe and piano from the University of Michigan, B.A. Summa Cum Laude with Distinction from St. Olaf College. Ms. Dirks has been performing with the Chicago Symphony (second oboe) as a substitute for the last three years. She is a member of the Prarie Winds Quintet and is on the faculty of Madeline Island Music Festival. Jelena has extensive experience teaching oboe in the Chicago-land area and is joining the faculty of De Paul University in the fall of 2007. She is very interested in helping students excel in their musical studies.
Daniel Golden (violin & viola) M.M. with high distinction and B.M., Indiana University School of Music. Mr. Golden’s principal instructors include Basia Polischuk, Easley Blackwood, David Dawson, Georges Janzer and Leonard Davis. Mr. Golden is principal violist of the Lake Forest Symphony and a member of Ars Viva and the Chicagoland Pops Orchestra. For twenty-five years he was principal violist of Orchestra London, Canada. He has also performed with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra and the Chicago Chamber Orchestra. Mr. Golden has also appeared as a soloist with orchestras such as Orchestra London, International Symphony, London Mozart Festival and the Rockford Symphony. His teaching experience includes the London Waldorf School, National Academy Orchestra of Canada, Algoma Music Camp, London Youth Symphony and he is a co-founder and faculty member of the String Fever Music Camp in London, Ontario. Mr. Golden was the leader of the Hot Latkes Klezmer Band and is also active as a composer and arranger.
Lisa Griffith (voice, Music Together Director) M.M., Northwestern University: B.A. in Music, Knox College; apprentice artist Glimmerglass Opera, Apprentice Artist Program for Singers, Santa Fe Opera, 1996; International Institute of Vocal Arts, Chairi, Italy; President of Chicago Chapter of NATS-National Association of Teachers of Singing. Lisa has studied with Joy Langton and Mignon Dunn. She is registered to teach Music Together through the CMYC in Princeton, NJ and has received Certification II. Lisa is a national song and skills workshop leader for the CMYC
Chris Hasselbring (trumpet) M.M. Northwestern University; B.M. Rutgers University. After finishing a year as a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Mr. Hasselbring went on to play Principal Trumpet with the Princeton Pro Musica (Princeton, NJ), the Bogota Philharmonic Orchestra (Colombia), the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra (P.R. China), and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. In Japan he has performed with the Pacific Music Festival (Saporro), the Sierra Brass (Japan tour) and the Yomiuri Symphony Orchestra (Tokyo). He toured the United States with the Dallas Brass for six months before settling in the Chicago area performing with ensembles such as Ars Viva, Chicago Sinfonietta, Concertante di Chicago, the Metropolis Symphony and the Lake Forest Symphony. He is currently a member of the Peninsula Music Festival in Door County, WI and has appeared playing early music on the baroque trumpet with the Apollo Chorus, the Chicago Chorale, the Millar Chapel Choir, the St. Clement Choir and the Dayton Bach Society (Ohio). In addition to his activities as a classical musician, Chris directs the Evanston Escola de Samba, an ensemble that plays Brazilian music in a variety of venues in the Chicago area.
Carol Honigberg (advanced piano and ensemble coaching) M.M. in Piano Performance, Northwestern University; B.M. Roosevelt University, numerous solo and chamber performances throughout Europe, and the United States, including a recital at Alice Tully Hall; solo appearances with the Lake Forest Symphony, Grant Park Symphony, Highland Park Strings and Chicago Chamber Orchestra; live recitals on WFMT radio and on the Dame Myra Hess Recital Series at the Chicago Cultural Center. Recordings include a solo 20th century piano recital on the Pavane label and Beethoven Cello Sonatas and Variations and Complete Works for Cello and Piano with Steven Honigberg on the Albany label; formerly Professor of Piano at Roosevelt University. Artistic Director of the Pilgrim Chamber Players. Former teachers include Rudolph Gane, Cecile Genhardt and Marguerite Long in Paris.
Chia-Ying Hsu (violin, viola, Suzuki violin) DMA in Viola Performance, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Dissertation Title: “An Annotated List of Works for Solo Viola and Elektroacoustic Music”, M.M. in Viola performance, Freiburg Conservatory of Music, Germany, Diploma in Viola Performance, University of Music & Arts, Vienna and Graz, Austria. Ms. Hsu’s teaching experience includes various High Schools and the David Adler Music and Arts Center. She taught applied Viola at the School of Music, UIUC to undergraduates and prepared students for recitals and auditions. She is the founder of the Tzu-Chi Foundation, USA, Midwest Region and was Principal Violinist at the University of Illinois Symphony Orchestra 2001-2003, Enescu Ensemble, University of Illionis, and Freiburg Conservatory of Music. Ms. Hsu is a member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas, The College Music Society, and the American Viola Society. She has Suzuki Certification in Violin & Viola, Intro to Music, Music Theory and Music Appreciation.
Deborah Katz Knowles (percussion) M.M., B.M, Ed., Northwestern University; principal percussionist with the Lake Forest Symphony and Light Opera Works; performed with the Chicago Sinfonietta, Ars Viva, the Northwest Indiana Symphony, the Illinois Philharmonic, Symphony of the Shores, the Elgin Symphony, and the Moscow Ballet; faculty member at the Music Institute of Chicago and Lake Forest College.
Dorothy-Jean Lloyd (voice, Music Together) B.M., MM., DMA. Dr. Lloyd began her musical studies as a mezzo-soprano in her native Canada at the University of British Columbia. She then continued in New York City at the Juilliard School and recently completed her Doctoral Degree at UCLA in opera direction and production. She has sung with leading orchestras and opera companies in Canada and France, where she was an apprentice at the Paris Opera for two seasons. As a stage director, Dr. Lloyd directed a critically acclaimed production of Les Mamelles de Tiresias as her doctoral project. Since relocating from Los Angeles she has taught at Northpark University and National Louis University, in addition to her directorial work with the Elgin Symphony. Recently, she was a contributor and consulting editor for Billboard Books/Flametree Publishing’s “Encyclopedia of Opera”. Dr. Lloyd also teaches “Growing with Music”, a class for four to six year olds at the Music School. She is registered to teach Music Together through the CMYC in Princeton, NJ. and has received Certification I.
Moira McIntyre (violin) M.M. in Violin Performance from Indiana University. After moving to Toronto, Canada, she performed as a free-lance violinist with such orchestras as the Canadian Opera Company Orchestra, the New Hamilton Orchestra, and the Boris Brott Summer Music Festival Orchestra. She performed with the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra and performed in Europe as part of the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival based in Hamburg, Germany. Since moving to Chicago, she has performed with the Illinois Symphony, the Skokie Valley Symphony, and the Northwest Indiana Symphony. Currently she performs with the Highland Park Strings.
Iryna Mannyk (piano) M.S. in piano performance from the Conservatory of Music, Lviv, Ukraine graduating with top honors. Her qualifications include extensive knowledge of piano pedagogy, interpersonal skills, and experience in teaching on different levels and implementing decisions in teaching methods to achieve immediate and long-term goals. She was a member of Oakton College Six Piano Ensemble, and is an accomplished accompanist. Her love for teaching was passed down to her from her former teachers, who were encouraging and inspiring musicians. Their passion for music has strongly influenced and inspired her to teach. She is committed to helping students make progress in their musical studies, and help them achieve a level of music based on their ability.
Paul Mulligan (clarinet) received his Masters Degree in Performance from Indiana University, where he was a student of James Campbell, and his BA at McGill University where he graduated with distinction, (Outstanding Achievement in Clarinet). He has performed with the Louisville Symphony in Kentucky, the Richmond Symphony in Indiana, and the Chicago Civic Orchestra, to name a few. He has received many honors, awards, and scholarships, and is very exited to share his experience as a teacher and performer with his students.
Eugene Pazin (violin) Received a Masters Degree in violin solo Performance and Pedagogy from Belorussion Conservatory and Kiev Music School, where he studied violin with Abraham Stern and Victor Goldfield. Former concertmaster of Kiev Conservatory Opera Orchestra. Currently, Mr. Pazin is a member of the Lyric Opera of Chicago orchestra, the Grand Park Symphony orchestra, Chicago Philharmonic, concertmaster of the Niles (IL) and Skokie Valley Symphony Orchestra. He is a member of the music faculty at University of Illinois and Harper College, and is an active private teacher and chamber musician.
Irina Polskaya (piano, Suzuki piano) M.A. in piano teaching, ensemble and accompaniment, Donetsk State Conservatory, Ukraine. B.A., Donetsk State Music College. Her experience at Donetsk Music College includes piano teaching to advanced students and extensive performing as an accompanist and piano performer. She is also a former faculty member of the Suzuki Violin and Piano Academy, Chicago, IL as well as an accompanist in the Chicagoland area.
Jerry Ruthrauff (saxophone) B.M. in music performance from Northwestern University where he studied with the world-renowned concert saxophonist Frederick Hemke and was the concerto competition winner. A popular teacher, Jeremy has often been invited to give master classes at institutions such as the New England Conservatory of Music, University of Illinois, and Depaul University among others, and he recently participated in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's Armonia program at the National Museum of Mexican Art introducing music to children of the Pilsen little village area. He currently teaches at Concordia University, Northpark University, Harper College and several other leading music schools in the Chicago area. He performs with numerous prominent ensembles such as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Contemporary Music Ensemble (Music Now), Lyric Opera of Chicago, Grant Park Symphony Orchestra, Contemporary Chamber Players, and Fulcrum Point New Music Project. His active solo and chamber music career has led to performances throughout the U.S. and in Europe. Jeremy's programming of new music has often included world and Chicago premieres of new works by leading composers such as John Harbison, John Adams, Mark-Anthony Turnage, Louis Andreissen, Iannis Xenakis, Franco Donatoni, John Cage, and many others.
Ann Jenson Surace (piano) M.M. Northwestern University; B.M. in piano, St. Olaf College. While at Northwestern University Mrs. Surace studied with Gui Mombaerts, and taught in the preparatory department under the renowned pedagogue Guy Duckworth, who emphasized the principal that the same concepts of musicianship are taught at any level of study and at any age. Mrs. Surace has won numerous competitions for both piano and voice, including the Farwell piano award and the National Association of Teachers of Singing auditions. Her teaching experience includes the piano faculties of St. Olaf College, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory, and Jacksonville St. University. She also taught pre-college students in her private studio while her two children were growing up. Mrs. Surace is proud of a long list of contest and scholarship winners at both elementary and college levels in piano and voice. However, her primary goal is to help students to become complete musicians with skills in sight-reading, improvisation and theory, as well as solo performance. When she isn’t teaching at the Music School, Mrs. Surace is active as a free-lance pianist, accompanist, singer and is organist at Christ the King Episcopal Church in Evanston.
Ron Surace (classical and jazz piano) D.M.A., piano performance, Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music; M.M., Northwestern University; B.M., piano, Oberlin Conservatory of Music; B.M., Music Education, Kent State University; Classical piano with Mme. Olga Conus, Mr. Lewis Crowder, Mr. Joseph Hungate, and Joseph Palmieri; jazz piano studies with Mr. George Shearing; former Professor of Music, Jackson State University; Southport and Columbia Records recording artist with five CD releases; performed extensively throughout the United States and Europe; won the 1990 Silver award and received outstanding “Music Performance Award” in Jazz at the Fourth Annual Musicfest U.S.A. National Finals Competition; narrator/pianist with the Concertani di Chicago Orchestra, Atlanta Pops Orchestra and the Huntsville Symphony; has performed with the Glen Miller Orchestra (Ray McKinley), Bob Crosby, Ralph Marteri, Si Zentner; The Bob Hope and Steve Allen road show orchestras; director/pianist with the Levy Center “In Full Swing Jazz Orchestra”.
Regina Syrkin (piano and Suzuki piano) M.A. in piano instruction, Minsk Conservatory, former U.S.S.R.; Graduate of Gomel Musical College, former U.S.S.R; She studied with Tatiana Stanpakov (student of Tatiana Nikolayeva); Suzuki pedagogy studies with Jasako Joichi; She has extensive experience as accompanist and chamber musician; and as professional pianist, Gomel Music College. She is the teacher of prize-winning students in local state and regional contests. Publications include “Early Clavier Music by J.S. Bach,” “Notes of an Accompanist” (Minsk Conservatory Journal), “Music Reading” (Keyboard Companion, 2001); former faculty member, Suzuki Orff School for Young Musicians. She is a faculty member of the DePaul University Community Music School.
John Tuck (String Bass) B.M. and M.M., Northwestern University; Member of the Lake Forest Symphony and Assistant Principal Bass with the Indiana Symphony Orchestra; Has performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Ravinia Festival Orchestra, Chicago Chamber Orchestra, Elgin Symphony, Illinois Philharmonic, Joffrey Ballet, and The Three Tenors; Has been an instructor at the Northwestern University Summer High School Institute, Lake Lucerne Music Center in Lake Lucerne (NY), as well as New Trier, Deerfield, and Highland Park High Schools.
Helen Tunkel (piano and Suzuki piano) M.M. in piano performance, DePaul University; pedagogy studies and chamber ensemble accompaniment, Leningrad Conservatory, U.S.S.R. Her performance experience includes numerous appearances for the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert broadcast on WFMT and at the Music Institute of Chicago's Sundays at Seven series; Ms. Tunkel has won national and international competitions and performed recitals at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, DePaul University and throughout the Chicago area; she appeared with the Moscow Philharmonic and Leningrad Symphony Orchestras. She is an active member, Music Teacher's National Association, and faculty of the Music Institute of Chicago.
Zinaida Yevelenko (traditional and Suzuki piano) M.A. Music (piano), Institute of Arts, Ufa, Russia; B.S. Fine Arts and Music, College of Arts, Ufa, Russia. Suzuki Piano Pedagogy, teacher at the Village Music Guild, Chicago; Concertmaster and piano teacher - Children’s Music School, Kiev, Ukraine; Concertmaster - Institute of Arts, Ufa, Russia; accompanist for competition in Klingental Festival, Germany. Lectured at Children’s Music School, Kiev, Ukraine on a variety of topics including, “How to Develop Creative Initiative in Pupils”, ”Imagination and Importance of its Development”, and “The Role of Art in Upbringing”.
Lisa Zilberman (piano), B.A., M.M., from DePaul University. Graduated from the Stolyarsky School of Music in the Ukraine in 1995. After moving to the United States, she joined the studio of Dimitry Paperno and Eteri Andjaparidze at DePaul University School of Music. Lisa has performed in numerous recitals of solo piano, and chamber music styles, in the Ukraine and the United States, as well as working with instrumentalists and vocalists. Besides teaching her students how to play and share her skills and knowledge, her goal is to make them appreciate and love music.
