GENE
DITCH (Professor of Theory and Voice) has been a faculty
member at SCC since 1993 and is currently the program coordinator
for piano, voice and choral music. In addition to serving
as coordinator, he teaches music theory, music appreciation, musical theater
courses, piano, voice and directs the SCC Chamber Choir and
SCC Show Choir. His bachelor’s degree is from Central Methodist
University, his master’s degree is from the University of
Missouri-Columbia where he is currently working on his PhD.
He holds a life-time teaching certificate in Missouri and
was a vocal and instrumental instructor for 19 years in the
public school system and an adjunct professor in music education
for Central Methodist University in Fayette, MO. He continues
to serve as a clinician and adjudicator in choral and vocal
music both in Missouri and Illinois. For several seasons he
was musical director for the Raintree Theatre Guild in Pike
County directing Showboat, Oklahoma, Brigadoon, The Fantasticks,
Annie, I Do, I Do and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.
Gene has been director and/or musical director for all of
the musicals for Center Stage Theater at SCC. In his “spare”
time, he enjoys performing and has appeared in productions
with the Muddy River Opera Company in La Boheme, The Elixir
of Love, The Pirates of Penzance, spent two seasons singing
with the St. Louis Symphony Chorus and is presently a member
of the gospel quartet, “The Victory Voices”.
LISA DiTIBERIO (Flute)
RÈKHA DRÀVINA (Accompanist) graduated from the Biysk Music College and Krasnoyarsk State
Art Institute (Russia) as a pianist, specialized as an opera
coach at the Krasnoyarsk State Opera (Russia) and as a ballet
accompanist at the Latvian Nationala Opera Theatre (Latvia).
She also has accompanied string, wind instruments, choral and
symphony conducting classes at the Krasnoyarsk State Art Institute
and Music College. Special honors include awards from several
music competitions (for Haydn sonatas, Prokofiev sonata, modern
music and as a violin accompanist). In 1987 she received a special
diploma for the best achievement in All-Russian music competitions
as an accompanist for such opera stars as Dmitriy Hvorostovskiy.
After immigrating to the U.S. in 1995, Rekha played for Washington
University, Webster University, Ballet Midwest, State Ballet
of Missouri, Alexandra Ballet, St. Louis Opera Theatre, coached
singers, performed as a vocal and string accompanist, played
at Channel 4 on TV, etc. She has worked as a vocal accompanist
at St. Charles Community College since 2001.
FARIGA DRAYTON (Cello)
MATT
FREDERICKSON (Low Brass)
JENNIFER FRAZER (Voice) has been a member of the SCC faculty since 2000, teaching voice,
Music Appreciation, piano, and Women's Chorale. She received her
Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance, Master's of Music in Voice
Performance, and teacher's certification from Southern Illinois
University-Edwardsville. Jenny has a diverse performing background
having held lead roles in musical theater and operas including
performances of The Marriage of Figaro, Suor Angelica, and
The Merry Widow. She has also sung professionally in groups
such as the Bach Society of Saint Louis for which she was the
soprano Young Artist and a soloist. She was a first place winner in
the tri-state regional NATS competition. As a music educator and
director, Jenny has directed adult, teen and children's choirs,
taught K-12 general and choral music, as well as teaching piano and
voice for over 10 years. In her spare time she enjoys family time
with her husband Greg and their three children, Justin, Matthew, and
Stephen.
NAOKI HAKUTANI (Piano) originally from Kent, Ohio, received the Bachelor of Music degree from Northwestern University and
the Master of Music degree from Indiana University in Bloomington
prior to receiving the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the
University of Texas at Austin, where he served as a Teaching
Assistant in the Piano Department. In addition to teaching studio
piano and class piano, Hakutani is active as both a solo and
collaborative pianist. He was a prizewinner of the Young Texas
Artists Competition in 2001 and is the pianist of the Auberon Trio,
which in 2005 received Second Prize at the WRR Chamber Music
Competition in Dallas, Texas sponsored by Chamber Music
International. In June of 2006, the Auberon Trio hosted the
inaugural Auberon Chamber Music Festival in Austin, an intensive
chamber music course for middle and high school students.
Schubert:
Sonata in A minor, D. 784 Allegro vivace (MP3)
KIRK HANSER (Classical
Guitar) received his Bachelor of Music Degree from Millikin
University in Decatur, Ill. in 1990 and his Master of Music degree
from Shenandoah Conservatory in Winchester, Va. in 1992. He has
taught for several colleges and universities including Shenandoah
University (Winchester, Va.), Silver Lake College (Manitowoc, WI)
and the University of Wis. system. He moved to St. Louis in January
of 1996 to assume the position of director (and instructor) with the
St. Louis branch of the Childbloom Guitar Program, with the hopes of
reaching more and more young people. Kirk was presented with
Childbloom's National Teacher of the Year award for 1996 and
received 1998's Outstanding National Program award. In addition, he
currently teaches for the St. Louis & St. Charles Community
College systems, and serves as the president for the St. Louis
Guitar Consortium, Inc. Kirk has also appeared on several recordings
for the DCV DDI and JKG labels and has performed as a soloist,
ensemble member, and as featured soloist with orchestras throughout
the U.S., Europe, and Japan.
ERIN HAUPT (Voice)
ALAN HOECKELMAN (Piano Technician)
TOLKIN ISAKOV (Percussion) graduated
from Tashkent State Conservatory with a Master degree in Music,
and a post-graduate degree at the Moscow State Conservatory,
equivalent to a PhD. He has been a timpanist and percussionist
for 13 years with the National Symphonic Orchestra of the Republic
of Uzbekistan. He was a senior teacher of percussion at Tashkent
State Conservatory in Uzbekistan for 12 years. Diploma winner,
All-USSR competition; former soloist; toured from 1982 to present
as a concert performer with various groups in the United States,
Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Greece, Bahrain, Turkey,
and countries of central Asia and Russia.
CATHY MURRAY (Voice)
JAN
PARKER (Voice) is a member of the SCC Music Faculty.
She did her undergraduate work at Southeast Missouri State University
and her graduate work at Washington University. She has sung
with various opera companies throughout the United States and
England. Jan has had a varied career and has taught at Florissant
Valley Junior College, University of Missouri St. Louis and
now at SCC. She is married and has one son.
LYNNE SNYDER
(Choreographer) was an associate professor of theater and
dance at Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois for eight years,
prior to moving to St. Peters. Since then she has choreographed
several productions for Webster University including Nine,
Merrily We Roll Along, Dames at Sea, and Colette
Collage, as well as the Mid American Theater Company
productions of Broadway at 42nd Street and Peter
Pan (which she also directed.) She most recently directed
Anything Goes, The Music Man, The Dining Room, Rumors and Big River for the SCC Center Stage. Lynne received
her MFA in dance from Case Western Reserve University, her MA in
theater from Bowling Green State University, and BFA in theater from
Texas Christian University. She currently teaches dance, musical
theater and theatre classes at SCC.
BECKY SWETT (Single
Reeds) is a clarinet and saxophone instructor, has been
teaching privately since 1996. She received her Master of Music
degree from Northern Illinois University and her Bachelor of Music
degree from Southeast Missouri State University. She plays
professionally through the Union, with the Chinquapin Trio, and as
principal clarinet with the St. Louis Philharmonic Orchestra. Other
performances include Paducah Symphony Orchestra, Union Avenue Opera,
A Fifth Above Woodwind Quintet, and the St. Louis Wind Symphony. She
has been accepted to the extra list for St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
and the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. In addition to teaching at St.
Charles Community College, she is on the adjunct faculty at
Southwestern Illinois College and teaches at the Granite City and
Belleville campuses. She enjoys her balance of teaching and
performing.
MARY SWEETIN (Orchestra
Director, Violin) is a classically trained violinist, earning
a Bachelors and Masters in Music from SIUE. Having studied with the
well-known pedagogue, John D. Kendall, Mrs. Sweetin has a strong
background in the so-called "Suzuki Method." She relied heavily on
her pedagogical training when she began teaching orchestra in the
Hazelwood School District for 8 years. Her orchestras received the
highest ratings at the District and State levels. In addition to
conducting the Orchestra concert, she likewise conducted the annual
solo concert, the annual musical, and collaborated with the Vocal to
Dept. to present Handel's "Messiah." Among vocal soloists featured
on this work was internationally known soprano, Christine Brewer.
Mrs. Sweetin plays with various orchestras around St. Louis,
including The University City Symphony, but her main musical venue
is the Landolfi String Quartet. Landolfi is a working quartet,
performing for many local functions as well as in recital. A member
of Landolfi for 15 years, Mrs. Sweetin has become a prolific
arranger of popular music for quartet. Many of the arrangements
performed by Landolfi are her creations. Achieving notoriety in this
regard, Ms. Sweetin has been commissioned to write and arrange music
for the Collage String Quartet, the Equinox Chamber Players, the St.
Louis All Suburban Orchestra, Fort Zumwalt South H.S. Orchestra and
Marquette High School Orchestra. Mrs. Sweetin has served as
concertmaster of the Kirkwood Symphony Orchestra and has soloed with
the Gateway Festival Orchestra. A member of the Bach Society and the
St. Louis Ballet Orchestras for the last 10 years, Mrs. Sweetin also
performs in many local shows at the Fox Theatre and at Riverport.
Some of those headliners include the Moody Blues, Smokie Robinson,
Rod Stewart, the TransSiberian Orchestra, and the Irish Tenors. Mrs.
Sweetin had the honor of performing at Jay Nixon's fund raising
dinner, which President Clinton attended, in 1996. Mrs. Sweetin had
the great honor to play in the orchestra at the TWA Dome when His
Holiness, Pope John Paul II, celebrated mass there in 1999. Mrs.
Sweetin lives in Defiance Mo., with her 2 sons, Justin and Spencer,
and husband, Shawn.
JOHN THOMAS (French
Horn) a native St. Louisan, began his musical studies on
trumpet at the age of 9. By age 10, he and some classmates formed a
combo called the Tijuana Taxis. By age 15 he was playing baritone,
piano, and electric bass in a variety of school ensembles. Also at
this time John was playing regular dates as trumpeter in a wedding
reception band, as well as arranging and composing for this group.
After graduation, he continued his studies at the University of
Missouri - St. Louis. Here he studied French horn with members of
the St. Louis Symphony. John received his Bachelor of Music
Education in 1991, and then taught in public schools for four years.
In 1996, he went to the University Of Missouri - Columbia to study
composition with Dr. John Cheetham and Dr. Thomas McKenney, and to
study horn with Dr. Marcia Spence. In 1998 he received his Master of
Music in both Composition and Horn Performance. Currently John is
Principal Horn with the St. Louis Philharmonic Orchestra, Solo Tenor
Horn with the St. Louis Brass Band, and a member of the Clarion
Brass. He teaches Horn, Theory, and Composition at the St. Louis
Symphony Community Music School. John's compositions and
arrangements have been performed across the United States. His
future plans include being the first horn player on Mars.
BECKY THORN (Voice) received
her BA with Honors in Music Education and Vocal Performance
from Missouri Baptist College. While there, she worked as the
Teacher's Assistant in Music History and was selected as the
Outstanding Music Graduate by the music faculty. She was given
leading roles on the MBC musical theatre and operatic stage
and appeared numerous times as a soloist at choral concerts.
After several years working as choir director at New Life Baptist
Church and briefly teaching music (pre K through 8th grade)
at Tower Grove Christian School, Becky went on to establish
a voice and piano studio through the Harvester Fine Arts Academy,
Noteworthy, Parkway Music, and SCC. Awarded a Theory Assistantship
by Webster University, she was given the opportunity to teach
Fundamentals of Music and Music Appreciation courses. She also
performed with the Webster Opera Studio and Choral Society,
and received Honors when she graduated with her MA in Music.
Becky returned to Webster University to teach Music Appreciation
and continues to teach voice and piano at SCC. She currently
enjoys directing a small vocal ensemble and serving in both
musical and dramatic venues at First Baptist Church of Harvester.
JOHN L. WALKER (Associate Professor
of Double Reeds, Concert Band, Instrumental Music Coordinator) has enjoyed a distinguished career as a
performer, teacher and musicologist. A native of Iowa, in 1979
he received a Bachelor's degree in music from Drake University,
where he was a student of noted oboist Jay Light. He continued
his musical studies at Temple University in Philadelphia, as
a student of Philadelphia Orchestra member Louis Rosenblatt.
In 1995 he graduated with a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from
the University of Nebraska-Lincoln after completing a dissertation
on Latin American chamber music for the oboe. Walker has held
many professional positions, including principal oboe of the
Orquesta Sinfónica de Guadalajara, the USAF Heritage of America
Band in Virginia and the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional del Ecuador.
While in Ecuador, he was recognized as an "American Cultural
Specialist" by the United States Embassy in Quito. He was also
on the faculty of the National Conservatory, where he taught
oboe, music theory and music appreciation. As a musicologist,
he has published articles in both English and Spanish about
Ecuadorian and Latin American music in a number of well-known
music journals, such as Pauta, Latin American Music Review and
the Journal of the International Double Reed Society. Walker
has been profiled in the two latest editions of Who's Who in
America. In his spare time, he and his wife, Catalina, enjoy
watching old movies and walking their lazy beagle, Benjhi.
ERIC WARREN (Bass Guitar)
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