Part-Time Music Faculty

Barbara Aldi,  piano classes
B.S., Crane School of Music
Extensive teaching experience in Schenectady and Scotia-Glenville Public Schools.

Lucille Beer, voice
B.M., The Mannes College of Music; M.M., The Juilliard School
Winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Performed in numerous Met productions, most recently in Strauss’ Electra under James Levine. Has appeared with the New York City Opera, the Prague Radio Symphony, Opera de Nice, Opera de Nantes and the Opera Theatre of St. Louis. Soloist with the New York Philharmonic, the St. Louis Symphony, the Houston Symphony, the National Symphony, the Detroit Symphony, the Baltimore Symphony and Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart Festival. Performed with conductors Christoph Eschenbach, Leonard Slatkin, Eric Leinsdorf and Leonard Bernstein, performing his Songfest in Rome, Chicago, New York and Washington, DC, where the performance was broadcast live on PBS. Extensive song recitals collaborating with accompanists John Wustman in her Alice Tully Hall recital debut at Lincoln Center, Brian Zeger and Warren Jones. Appears frequently as soloist with the Albany Symphony and Albany Pro Musica. Voice faculty, the College of Saint Rose.

Peter Bellino, trumpet
DMA in trumpet performance from SUNY at Stonybrook, M.M. University of Kentucky, M.M. Eastman School of Music, B.M., University of Miami
Performances with the Buffalo Philharmonic, New York Repertory Orchestra, Air Force Band of the Midwest, Walt Disney World, Jeff Tyzik and Gap Mangione Big Bands, Aretha Franklin, Doc Severinsen, Jamey Aebersold, Oliver Lake and James Williams. Regional Manager for the Paul Effman Music Service in the Capital Region. Band director at area private elementary, middle and high schools. Freelance artist, performing regularly with the New York Players organization, Empire Jazz Orchestra, New Regime, and other ensembles.

Joel Brown,  guitar
M.M., Ithaca College; B.M., Philiadelphia College of Performing Arts
Performances with Dawn Upshaw (Carnegie Hall), Fredericka Von Stade. Member of Tritonis and numerous other chamber ensembles. Extensive professional performances throughout the United States. Former member, U.S. Air Force Band. Recorded for the Telarc, Dorian, Albany labels and appeared on NBC Today, CSS Showbiz Today, NPR, and the BBC.

Clifford Brucker,  jazz studies, piano, music appreciation
M.A., The College of St. Rose; B.A., Crane School of Music
Extensive professional performance experience as pianist and percussionist. Performances with Empire Jazz Orchestra, numerous regional jazz and commercial music groups. Composer/arranger of commercial jingles.

Mark Evans,  piano, keyboard classes
M.A., College of St. Rose, B.M., Mannes College of Music
Piano studies with Joseph Fennimore. Frequent recitalist and chamber music performances. Performances in New York, Los Angeles, Denver, and throughout the Capital Region.

Thomas Gerbino,  woodwinds
M.M., Ithaca College; B.S., Mansfield University
Professional performances with Empire Jazz Orchestra, Albany, Schenectady, Utica, Catskill, Glens Falls Symphonies, Adirondack Saxophone Quartet, Capital Wind Ensemble, numerous national touring shows.

Linden Gregory,  percussion techniques, single reeds
M.M. in saxophone performance, University of Michigan; B.S. in Music Education, Crane School of Music
Saxophone studies with Larry Teal and Don Sinta. Performances with Philadelphia Orchestra, Albany and Schenectady Symphonies, Proctors Theater house orchestra, Schenectady Light Opera, SPAC summer orchestra, Adirondack Saxophone Quartet. Former member of 1st Army Band NYC and 28th Army Band Berlin Germany. Former director of bands, Scotia-Glenville Central School.

Annette Heilman,  music education
M.S., SUNY Albany; B.S., College of St. Rose
Orff and Kodaly Certification. Past President and Vice President: Berkshire-Hudson Valley Chapter of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association. Professional singer. Formerly taught general music K – 5 in Cohoes City Schools; mentored over 25 student teachers while there and received Cohoes Educator of Excellence Award. Recipient of Channel 10 Teacher of Excellence Award in 2001. Presenter at NYSSMA conference and other music teacher workshops. Formerly taught music and culinary arts for Vanderheyden Hall, Wynantskill. Presently general music and choir teacher at Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons School in Schenectady.

Gordon Hibberd,  accompanist
B.M., Eastman School of Music, additional studies in New York City
Staff Accompanist, SUNYA Community Chorus; New York State Music Teachers Association adjudicator. Frequent professional chamber music, accompanist performances.

Sten Isachsen,  guitar, guitar classes
M.M., Ithaca College; B.M.A., Ithaca College; A.S., Schenectady County Community College
Guitar studies with Frederick Hand, Ed Flowers, Joel Brown. Frequent recital and professional performances. Soloist with Ithaca College String Quartet, SUNY Albany Orchestra. Current member of the string trio Musicians of Ma'alwyck and guitarist for Albany-based singer, Motherjudge, and Nashville recording artist Bob Bates. Performance Faculty member, College of St. Rose, SUNY Albany.

Krassimir Ivanov,  bassoon 
M.M., University of Massachusetts, Amherst; B.A., Bulgarian Music Conservatory; Artist Diploma, Duquesne University
Bassoon studies with Nancy Goeres, David Sogg, Marin Valchanov, Dennis Godburn. Professional performances with Albany, Catskill, Utica Symphonies; Bulgarian Radio Chamber Orchestra, Ohio Light Opera.

Andrew Janack, percussion
M.M., University of Connecticut; B.M., Crane School of Music; A.S. Schenectady County Community College
Professional performances with Albany, Berkshire, Schenectady Symphonies, Albany Pro Musica, and Capital Region Wind Ensemble. Band Director, Saratoga Springs City Schools. Conductor of the Junior Percussion Ensemble with the Empire State Youth Orchestra.

Petia Kassarova , cello
M.M., University of Massachusetts, Amherst; Artist Diploma, Duquesne University; Bulgarian Conservatory, Sofia
Member of Albany Symphony Orchestra and Utica Symphony. Professional performances with Syracuse Symphony, Ohio Light Opera, Key West Symphony, Orquestra Sinfonika de Ribeirao Preto, Brazil. Vidin Philharmonia. Current member of Musicians of Ma'alwyck.

Nachiko Maekane, percussion.
Graduate, Osaka College of Music, advanced studies at Philadelphia College of Performing Arts.
Carnegie Hall recitalist. Concert tours throughout Europe, Japan, United States. Musical America selection as one of 25 “Young Artists of 1987.”

Michael Meidenbauer, brass techniques, trombone, tuba, euphonium
M.M., Indiana University; B.M.E., Crane School of Music
He is the bass trombonist with the Schenectady Symphony Orchestra, Excelsior Trombone Ensemble, and the Hudson Valley Philharmonic. Active with the Glens Falls Symphony. Professional performances with Catskill Symphony, Utica Symphony, Berkshire Opera, SPAC, Proctors Theater, West Point’s Eisenhower Hall, Key West Symphony and Symphony Space in NYC. Former Principal Bass Trombone, Cape Town Symphony Orchestra, Cape Town, South Africa. Former music teacher at So. Colonie Central schools and Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Central schools.

Brian Patneaude,  saxophone
B.M., College of Saint Rose
Saxophone studies with Paul Evoskevich, Tom Walsh. Performances at the Montreal Jazz Festival, the Kingston International Jazz Festival, the Newport Jazz Festival Saratoga, the Albany Riverfront Jazz Festival, the Rochester International Jazz Festival and numerous clubs and concert halls throughout the Northeast.

Ronald Patrick,  horn, brass techniques
M.M., Indiana University; B.S., Ithaca College
Philip Farkas Scholarship, Indiana University. Member of Albany Symphony (retired), Schenectady Brass Quintet. Professional performances throughout New York State.

Nathaniel Phipps,  jazz studies, improvisation, African-American Music 
M.A., B.A., New York University
Member, Empire Jazz Orchestra (piano). Performances with Wayne Shorter, George Benson, Booker Ervin, Al Hibbler, numerous other jazz artists. Former Director NYS Summer School of Choral Studies. 1976 New York State teacher of the Year. Recordings on Savoy and Cool Records.

Christina Pickreign,  voice
M.M.E., Westminster Choir College, B.A., SUNY Albany
Music teacher at Woodland Hill Montessori School. Performs regularly throughout Capital Region. Soloist for Hudson Valley Choral Society, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Schenectady Light Opera Company. Teaches Continuing Education classes at SCCC.

Deborah Savoy,  voice, voice classes, ear training 
M.S., College of St.Rose; B.A., SUNY Plattsburgh
Mendelssohn Club Awardee. Performances as soloist with Mohawk Valley Chorus, numerous other Capital Region vocal ensembles.

Thomas Savoy, accompanist
B.S. Music Education, College of Saint Rose
Founder and director of The New York Catholic Chorale and president of Savoy Music House - a corporation of musical services centered in Duanesburg, NY. Composer with several published works and extensive experience as accompanist on both organ and piano.

Ann-Marie Barker Schwartz, violin, viola
B.M. in Violin Performance, Boston University
Performs with the Glimmerglass Opera Orchestra and the Little Delaware Chamber Players. Past member of the Albany Symphony Orchestra. Founder of Musicians of Ma'alwyck, a chamber music ensemble in residence at the Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site and at SCCC. Co-founder and director of the St. Cecilia Chamber Orchestra. Director of the Siena College Music Series, and founder of the Franciscan Chamber Orchestra. Published articles in Archives Magazine and recently reconstructed and produced the 1750's opera 'Alfred of Sir Thomas Arne'.

Sherri Strichman,  voice 
M.M., Syracuse University; B.A., SUNY Binghamton
2000 - 2006 Chorister with Glimmerglass Opera, 2006 Recitalist at North Pointe Cultural Arts Center, Kinderhook, NY; 2006 Music Director - Schenectady Light Opera Company - Sullivan & Gilbert; 2005 Recitalist - Bethesda Episcopal Church, Saratoga (concert series); 2005 Guest Conductor - Fulton All County Schools Choir Festival (elementary); 2004 Soprano soloist Beethoven's 9th at Niskayuna High School 50th Anniversary Concert; 2003-05 President Berkshire-Hudson Valley Chapter of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association; 2001-03 Vice President Berkshire-Hudson Valley Chapter of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association. Also recitalist, private voice teacher, church and temple engagements. Extensive experience as voice instructor and coach. Public school teaching experience, Mohonasen School District.

Norman Thibodeau, flute
M.M. (Flute Performance), M.M. (Music History), Peabody Conservatory; B.A., SUNY Albany
Formerly Assistant Principal Flute, Orquesta Sinfonica del Estado de México. National broadcast of live and recorded performances as member of St. Cecilia Orchestra. Performances with the Albany, Berkshire, Catskill, Glens Falls, Schenectady, and Utica Symphonies. Formerly director of the flute ensemble of the Empire State Youth Orchestra. Recorded music of Anthony Holland (Skidmore College) for Albany Records. Composer of works recently performed by the College of St. Rose Wind Ensemble and the String Ensemble of the Empire State Youth Orchestra. Received a grant from "Meet the Composer". Published as an arranger by ALRY Publications.

Michael Wicks,  double bass.  
M.S., Union College; B.S., Crane School of Music
Performances with Albany, Berkshire, Catskill, Utica, Glens Falls and Schenectady Symphonies, (Principal bass with Schenectady Symphony), and Capital Repertory Company. House bass for touring shows with Proctor’s Theater. Jazz performances with Chet Baker, Nick Brignola, Doc Cheatham, Zoot Sims, Bill Watrous, Phil Woods. Bassist with the Mike Wicks Jazz Group, the Joe Finn Quartet and Mulligan Stew. Bass teacher at Adirondack Community College.

James Wilson, guitar
B.A., SUNY Plattsburgh
Thirty years of experience as a full time private instructor. Guitarist and arranger for singer Jill Hughes for ten years. Extensive performance experience in the Capital District and N.Y.C. in all styles of music.