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Dianne Ryan (Bassoon) earned a B.A. from Virginia Tech in music performance and an M.M. from Roosevelt University’s Chicago Musical College in bassoon performance. She then played with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago for two seasons for her orchestral training. Ryan performs regularly with Chicago area orchestras such as the Elmhurst Symphony, New Philharmonic and Light Opera Works and is a member of several chamber ensembles. She has toured Europe and Asia with the Chicago Chamber Orchestra and Chicago Symphonic Pops and has performed with pop artists such as Mel Torme, the Moody Blues, Ray Charles, the Beach Boys and Final Fantasy. She can be heard on numerous recordings and has appeared as a featured soloist with New Philharmonic and Elmhurst Symphony. In addition to Harper College, she has been on the faculties of Concordia University, VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, Elmhurst College, Trinity International University, Lake Forest College and Merit School of Music and is the founder of the popular “Bassoon Boot Camp” for young bassoonists. Ryan has enjoyed giving clinics around the United States, including the national Bands of America Summer Symposium for seven years, Butler University Bassoon Day and Roanoke (Virginia) Symphony Orchestra Youth Camp.

Jenny Maclay (Clarinet): Henri Selmer Paris and Vandoren Artist-Clinician Dr. Jenny Maclay enjoys a diverse career as a clarinet soloist, recitalist, orchestral player, chamber musician, pedagogue, and blogger. In 2021, she was the Visiting Instructor of Clarinet at Brandon University (Canada) and was Visiting Lecturer of Clarinet at Iowa State University in 2020. Online, she is known as Jenny Clarinet, where she created her eponymous popular blog. In addition to teaching and performing, Jenny is also interested in travelling and researching clarinet cultures around the world. To date, she has visited and performed in over 35 countries, and she enjoys meeting other clarinetists during her travels. Recently, she was selected by the Council of Faroese Artists as an artist-in-residence in Tjørnuvík, Faroe Islands, where she performed and promoted clarinet compositions by Faroese composers at the 2022 and 2023 Summartónar Festivals. In 2022, she was named an Artist-in-Residence Niederösterreich, where she studied the clarinet compositions of Ernst Krenek and his wife Gladys Nordenstrom during her residency in Krems-an-der-Donau, Austria. Inspired by her travels, Jenny often programs music from around the world, including Faroese clarinet duets, music by female Baltic composers, and clarinet music of the Balkans.

Jean Lee (Flute)

Leah Stevens (Flute) Leah Stevens is a Flute Teaching Artist for Harper College CE ,The People’s Music School in Chicago, and Maine West High School in Des Plaines. She is a former New World Symphony fellow and holds the Second Flute/Piccolo/Assistant Principal Flute chair with the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra. As a winner of the Artist Presentation Society Auditions in St. Louis, Leah gave her recital debut in November 2021 focusing on flute music by female composers. As a New World Symphony fellow, Leah regularly engaged with the community through children’s education concert programming and developing a mental health program at the New World Symphony for the fellows. She also served on the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Board, focusing on communications with the public, concert programming, and guest performer and conductor recruitment. Leah holds a Master of Music from University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Bachelor of Music from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.

David Kachalon (Harmonica) teaches many harmonica styles, including Pre War Chicago Blues, Post War Chicago Blues, Country Blues, solo techniques, Cajun, Klezmer, Old Timey and Jug band music.

In addition to several years of teaching private students, he has given seminars and workshops across the country. Kachalon plays the 10 hole Diatonic Harmonica, as well as the Chord, Bass, and Chromatic Harmonica. His primary focus with students is the Filisko Method of Tongue Blocking on the Diatonic Harmonica. He teaches Rhythm, Tone, Chord Structure, Song Form, Rhythmic Breathing, Sustained/Organ Padding, and Tongue Blocking to achieve single notes.

Debra Freedland (Oboe) is currently Principal Oboe of the Elgin and Rockford Symphony Orchestras, frequently performing as a soloist. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Oboe Performance from the University of Minnesota and a Master of Music degree in Oboe Performance from Indiana University. Ms. Freedland has been a member of many fine orchestras including The Spoleto Festival, Sarasota Opera, Israel Sinfonietta, Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra and the Tulsa Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1981, Ms. Freedland was Visiting Fulbright Professor of Oboe at Seoul National University. She also has been on the faculties of the University of Tulsa, the University of Wisconsin-Superior, and the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Presently, she is instructor of oboe at Elmhurst College and McHenry County College, Elgin Community College, as well as Harper College.

Jeremy Ruthrauff (Saxophone) is a saxophonist, composer/improviser and teacher based in the Chicago area active in the concert, jazz and experimental music arenas. Freelance work involves regular performances with numerous prominent ensembles such as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (including regular concerts at Symphony Center, the MusicNow contemporary music series, and performances at the summer Ravinia festival), Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago’s Grant Park Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Opera Theater, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Contemporary Chamber Players (Contempo), Eighth Blackbird, Fulcrum Point New Music Project and the Chicago Saxophone Quartet. He has given solo and chamber music performances at prestigious venues throughout the United States and in Europe such as Merkin Hall in New York City, the Teatro Rossini in Pesaro, Italy, the Ojai Music Festival (guest artist with the Grammy award-winning ensemble Eighth Blackbird), Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art, Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Chicago, Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre, and the Renaissance Society. He was recently featured as a soloist on the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s contemporary music concert series MusicNow performing Jason Eckardt’s work Tangled Loops for soprano saxophone and piano. Jeremy has premiered numerous new works by leading composers, including recently the world premiere of Jacob TV’s multimedia opera The News with Fulcrum Point New Music Project as part of the Off the Wall concert series at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh. He has been invited to give master classes at leading institutions such as the New England Conservatory of Music, American Composers’ Forum, University of Illinois, and others. Recently, he participated in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s program Harmonia at the National Museum of Mexican Art in which soloists introduced music to children from Chicago’s Pilsen and Little Village neighborhoods. http://www.jeremyruthrauff.com

Matthew Jarosch (Trombone)

Amber Hozey (Trumpet) is a distinguished trumpet player, teacher, and businessperson who follows her passion of creating a positive musical environment for young musicians to find their tribe. She graduated from Northwestern University with a Master of Science in Leadership for Creative Enterprises and a bachelor’s in Music Education from Culver-Stockton College with a minor in Marketing. She has held multiple internships and externships with companies such as Encore Music Academy, Amblin Studios, Jimmy Kimmel Live, William Morris Endeavor, and HBO.

After Graduation, she has dedicated her time to continuing the passion for musicians through the pandemic. She is currently working with the Harper College Community Center to create a trumpet studio for all students to continue and enhance their passion.

Adam Stevens (Tuba/Euphonium) is a freelance teacher and performer in the Chicago area who is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from University of Iowa. His studies in academia have lead him to pursue an interest in musician’s health and wellness, which is the focus of his dissertation. Currently, Adam teaches at Harper College, Notable Notes Music Academy, and teaches a private studio he has maintained for twenty years. Adam holds a Bachelor of Music in Performance from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and a Master of Music in Performance and Pedagogy from University of Iowa. During this time, he held positions with the St. Louis Philharmonic, St. Louis Brass Band, and the Union Avenue Opera. Additionally, he performed with and founded the award winning Iowa Tuba and Euphonium Quartet, Old Capital Quintet, and Center for New Music. With a passion for teaching, Adam pursued wind conducting as his secondary area of study during is Doctor of Music Arts Degree which afforded him the opportunity to conduct the University of Iowa Tuba Ensemble and the University of Iowa Concert Band. Adam has worked as a guest clinician at several colleges and high schools including University of Iowa, Luther College, Granite City High School, Collinsville, Highland, Mehlville, and with several engagements planned for fall. Adam attributes his success as a musician and educator to his own teachers who include Jan Kagarice, John Manning, David Gier, Roger Rocco, Jim Martin, and Mike Sanders.

Thank you for your interest.