Faculty

About

Academic Information

• DMA, Piano Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music

Professional Background

Solo and collaborative performing artist in the U.S. and abroad. Honored into the Steinway Hall of Fame, 2019. Served as Cultural Ambassador for the U.S. State Dept. throughout the Middle East. In demand as a Clinician/presenter/performer/adjudicator at regional, national and international festivals and events including MTNA and NCKP conferences.

About

Andrew Angelos is Third Horn as well as the Operations and Personnel Manager for the Spokane Symphony. He graduated from Manhattan School of Music with both a Bachelors and Masters degree. He has attended numerous music festivals across the country including the National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute and Marrowstone Music Festival. Andrew is the brass coach for the Spokane Youth Symphony and also enjoys mentoring and teaching his private studio of young musicians. In addition, he enjoys walking and running along Riverfront Park in Spokane and taking road trips through Eastern Washington. In his spare time, he likes to work on his 1966 Mustang and explore the brewery scene in Spokane. Mr. Angelos has a Master of Music from the Manhattan School of Music – New York.

About

An active musician, clinician, adjudicator, presenter, composer, and arranger, Daisy is passionate about music education and creating opportunities for students to study music outside of traditional school ensembles. Daisy is also a Music Ed Specialist in the Spokane School District. She holds a Master of Music Education from Jacksonville State University, has an Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in Music Education from Piedmont University and is currently pursuing her Educational Doctorate (Ed.D.) in Curriculum and Instruction at Liberty University. She is an active member of NAfME, WMEA, WEA, and PAS.

About

Mike Cleary is currently serving as Visiting Director of Bands at Eastern Washington University. He is currently in the ABD phase of his Doctor of Arts degree in Wind Band Conducting at the University of Northern Colorado. A native of Portland OR, Mr. Cleary holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of Portland and a Masters in Music from Central Washington University. During his residency at UNC Mr. Cleary served as graduate conductor of the Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, and Concert Band, Graduate teaching assistant with the Pride of the Rockies Marching Band, and led the Bear Pride Athletic Pep Band with 50 members. In addition to his studies, Mr. Cleary enjoys camping, exploring local cuisine, and enjoying time with his cat, Luna.

About

Academic Information

• PhD, The Ohio State University

Professional Background

Dr. Jane Ellsworth is both a musicologist and a professional clarinetist. She is Professor of Music History and Clarinet Studies. Her books include A Dictionary for the Modern Clarinetist (Rowman & Littlefield, 2015) and The Clarinet (University of Rochester Press, 2021), as well as a forthcoming monograph on the clarinet in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century America. Jane is also bass clarinetist with the Spokane Symphony. She holds BM and MM degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music, along with a DMA in clarinet and a PhD in musicology from The Ohio State University.

About

Academic Information

• DMA, The Juilliard School

Professional Background

Principal bassoon, Spokane Symphony. She serves on the EWU and Whitworth University music faculty. Dr. Feller-Marshall also performs with the SSO principal winds, Northwest Bach Festival, and Paradox. She studied with Stephen Maxym, Frank Morelli and Frank Wangler.

About

Academic Information

• DMA, University of North Texas

Professional Background

Dr. Friel is an active performer and clinician and performs regularly as a soloist with renowned ensembles on saxophone, oboe, clarinet, and flute. He has a vibrant performance schedule with jazz orchestras, symphonic orchestras, musical theaters, cover bands and independent artists, which include playing lead alto for Natalie Cole and performing with Tony Bennett.

Dr. Friel can be heard on several cd’s from the University of North Texas’ Wind Ensemble and Two O’Clock Lab Band. He is currently serving in his 35th year of military service with the Army National Guard Bands.

About

Amanda Howard-Phillips is Principal second violin in the Spokane Symphony. She made her solo debut with the Bainbridge Orchestra at age eleven. Amanda received her master’s degree in violin performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music, and her Bachelor’s degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where she studied with Camilla Wicks.

About

Academic Information

• MA, Piano Performance/Eastern Washington University

Professional Background

Piano Class, Accompanying, Applied piano.

Ms. Kimura has is an active collaborative pianist and studio teacher.  She studied with Dr. Jody Graves, Ms. Kendall Feeney, Margaret Brinks, Fumiko Yoshida, and Yukiko Takeyama.

About

Lucas is an accomplished piano technician and performer. He has worked with the Steinway Company and is in demand as a technician throughout the region.

About

Academic Information

• DM, Northwestern University

Professional Background

Principal cello, Spokane Symphony. Summer faculty, Interlochen Arts Camp. Founder/Director of the annual CELLObration Spokane festival. Conductor with the Spokane Youth Symphony. Frequent performer with the Spokane String Quartet and the NW Bach Festival.

About

Academic Information

• DMA, Columbia University

Professional Background

A mid-career composer with commissions, performances, and recordings in the US and Europe. Author of Essentials for Composers: Creative Process by Design (Waveland Press). Residencies at Stanford University, University of Chile, and the University of Tampere in Finland.

About

An in-demand teacher, Michael maintains studios at Gonzaga and Eastern Washington Universities, as well as nurturing a private studio. He is a regular host/director of the Northwest Guitar Festival, and has been a featured performer for numerous regional festivals including the Northwest Guitar Festival, the Northwest Bach Festival, the Festival at Sandpoint (in concerto with the Spokane Symphony Orchestra), and Northwest Folklife’s guitar showcase in McCaw hall, among others.

Michael has been profiled in the magazine Acoustic Guitar and is a regular contributor to the same. He has also written for Guitar Teacher and Play Guitar! magazines. Michael has worked as either an alpha/beta testing endorser or performing artist for Elixir strings, Lowden Guitars, Schoenberg Guitars, Hill Guitars, L.R. Baggs electronics and AER amps among other companies.

About

Academic Information

• DME, Indiana University

Professional Background

Taught in the elementary school music classroom for more than 20 years in Washington and California, and at the university level for 12 years in Washington and Indiana, with a special emphasis on world music and foundational skills and methods for both music and general classroom teachers.

About

Academic Information

• BME, Boise State University

Professional Background

Member, soloist in Spokane Symphony, Spokane Jazz Orchestra, Bob Curnow Big Band, Clarion, Spokane Opera. Student of William Adam, Armando Ghitalla, John McNeil, Galindo Rodriguez. Active clinician, adjudicator, and performer.

About

Academic Information

• MM, Manhattan School of Music

Professional Background

Assistant principal bass, Spokane Symphony. Studied with Orin O’Brien, Timothy Cobb, and James VanDemark. Performed with Rochester Philharmonic, Virginia Symphony, Lancaster Festival Orchestra. Summer faculty, Red Lodge Music Festival (Mont.).

About

Academic Information

• DMA, University of Kentucky

Professional Background

Former Director, Spokane Symphony Chorale. Former faculty: Spokane Area Youth Choirs, St. George’s School, Everett HS, Ephrata HS, and AC Davis HS. Adjunct faculty: Whitworth University and Gonzaga University. In demand as a clinician/adjudicator at numerous Music Educator’s events.

About

Beth Rainey is a pianist, cellist and vocalist who had her musical start as a SAYC chorister in 1999. She has accompanied choirs and played for musical theaters in Spokane and Seattle for over 15 years. She is also teaching Spanish in bilingual preschools, elementary and middle/high schools. She is currently working as a Student Support Specialist/ Spanish teacher in The Community School alongside her schedule as a professional pianist. Ms. Rainey has her MIT from Eastern Washington University.

About

Academic Information

• MM in Piano, Manhattan School of Music

Professional Background

Pianist Scott Rednour has appeared in recital with artists such as William Warfield, Hilda Harris, and tenor Robert White; cellist Wolfgang Nüßlein and violinist Bela Horvath. His opera credits include American Opera Projects, Skylight Opera Theater, Chautauqua Symphony, Spokane Symphony and Inland Northwest Opera. Taught at the Manhattan School of Music and Juilliard.

About

Ben Luca Robertson is a composer, audio engineer, and co-founder of Aphonia Recordings. As a practicing artist, his work employs generative algorithms, analog circuits, and handmade, microtonal instruments. As well as as teaching courses in Music Technology, Ben has served as a guest researcher at the Tampere Unit for Computer-Human Interactions in Finland, Audio Editor for the Washington State Archives, and has collaborated with researchers from the University of Idaho and Gonzaga University to convey biological data using sound. Ph.D. Music Composition and Computer Technologies, University of Virginia; M.A. Music Composition, Eastern Washington University

About

Heather Schlaich is a flutist and music educator in Eastern Washington. Since earning her Master of Arts in Music (Flute Performance), she has maintained a successful private flute studio in the Spokane area for many years. While pursuing her graduate studies at EWU, Heather taught Music in the Humanities and Flute Techniques classes, and provided supplemental flute lessons to undergraduate students. She has also taught music instruction across K-12 levels and served as a school administrator for several years. She has performed regularly with the Spokane Area Children’s Choir, participated in the NW Bach Festival, and served as a Solo and Ensemble adjudicator locally and across Washington. Her primary teachers include Bruce Bodden, Dr. Tracy Doyle, and Sherrill Honeychurch.

About

Tom Shook is an adjunct professor teaching Music Theory and jazz piano at EWU. He also teaches clarinet lessons and Ear Training courses at Whitworth University. Tom has been a part of the music faculty at several universities including Boise State University, Shenandoah Conservatory, Marylhurst University, and Northwest Nazarene University. He is an active clinician and adjudicator in the Pacific Northwest. As a performer on both clarinet and jazz piano, Tom has experience in a wide range of styles, from Baroque to bebop, big bands to symphony orchestras, and is at home as both an ensemble player and a soloist.

About

Academic Information

• DMA, University of Kentucky

Professional Background

Performer, adjudicator, conductor and expert in vocal studies. She is creating an anthology of African-American repertoire for developing singers and frequently presents and leads workshops and masterclasses on such topics as developing anti-racist syllabi,
evaluating appropriate repertoire, careers in music, and building collaboration with arts organizations.

About

Academic Information

• DMA, University of North Texas

Professional Background

Origin Recording artist with critically acclaimed CD entitled “Time Within Itself.” Featured drum set artist at the 2016 International Jazz Educator’s Network Festival. Performs as a clinician on both jazz and classical percussion and is a Yamaha artist. Has performed and recorded with a plethora of world-class artists.

About

A finalist of the 2010 Liederkranz Opera Competition (New York) and a winner in the 2008 Zara Dolukhanova International Art Song Competition (Russia), Dawn Marie Wolski’s clear, effortless soprano has been delighting audiences throughout the opera, operetta, and concert worlds alike.

Ms. Wolski also served in the U.S. Army where she performed with the London Symphony, Boston Symphony, National Symphony, and Cincinnati Symphony, as well as shared the stage with such names as Julie Andrews, Wayne Brady, Wynonna Judd, Michael Peterson, Aaron Tippin, Pam Tillis, and Chris Isaak, not to mention several U.S. presidents. She has recorded for Albany Records.

About

Academic Information

• PhD, University of Cape Town

Professional Background

President of the International Music Council. Serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Popular Music Education. Has published numerous chapters and journal articles. Research focus is on music and wellbeing.