MUSIC IS A BIRTHRIGHT.
The mission of Mile of Music’s Music Education Team is to help all people unleash their inner musician in order to build a community of active music explorers, music makers, and music lovers. We are committed to providing dynamic music-making opportunities for people on the Mile to set them on a path of discovering and developing their musical selves.

At Mile of Music, people don’t just hear the music, they are the music!

MET Members

Leila Ramagopal Pertl

Jaclyn Kottman Hittner

Adam Korber

Credentials

Music Education Curator, Instructor in Music Education (Lawrence University), music educator - Edison Elementary School (Appleton), LU ‘87

My Bio

Leila Ramagopal Pertl (MET Curator) is the Music Education Curator for the Mile of Music Festival and teaches Music Education at Lawrence University. She created the innovative Music curricula at Next Generation School in Champaign, IL and at Appleton Public Montessori, and now, Edison Elementary, where music is treated as a core subject; each student being immersed in drumming, dancing, singing, improvisation, composition, and music theory. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Lawrence University, a Master of Science degree in Music Education from the University of Illinois, and is a recipient of Pi Kappa Lambda Honors, Excellence in Music Education. She is an active presenter and has recently given workshops for the College Music Society, Smithsonian Year of Music panel on the Future of Music Education, Wisconsin Choral Directors Association, Milwaukee Children’s Choir, and numerous WMEA State Conferences. She is a curriculum writer for PBS Wisconsin: Re/sound, connecting classroom music educators to global musical culture bearers in Wisonsin. She recently authored,”Creating Communities of Belonging: Keeping Creativity at the Heart of Inclusion,” a chapter in Becoming an Artist to the World: Music and Social Entrepreneurship in the 21st Century (Fall ’23), on which she is also the DEI editor and audio book narrator. Leila was the 2018 recipient of the Mentor Award from the Wisconsin Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (WACTE). She served as the Wisconsin Music Educators Association State Chair for Composition and Improvisation from 2018-22, is the Chair of the Committee on Cultural Inclusion for the College Music Society, and is on the Music Education Committee for Smithsonian Folkways. Leila is married to Brian Pertl, Dean of the Lawrence Conservatory of music, and together they enjoy spending time with their 5 adult children. She believes that music is a birthright, and loves being with people in collaborative, powerful, creative spaces!

Credentials

MET Director of Operations, Music Educator - Lawrence Community Music School & Lawrence University (Appleton), LU ‘12

My Bio

Jaclyn Kottman Hittner (MET Director of Operations) is proud to be a teacher, learner, and music maker in Wisconsin. Musicking in different corners of the world has given her a deep appreciation for the way the arts are an integral part of the fabric of community, and she has been a member of the Music Education Team since Mile 1. Jaclyn received a Bachelor of Music in choral and general music education from Lawrence University and a Master of Music in music education from Boston University, where her thesis focused on empowering singers through the adolescent voice change. In addition to her work on the Mile, Jaclyn is the Artistic Director of the Lawrence Community Girl Choir program, serves as a teacher-conductor for their middle school singers, teaches music education courses at Lawrence University, and taught music for almost a decade in the Appleton Public Schools. She has conducted all-state and festival choirs throughout Wisconsin and is a recipient of WCDA’s Outstanding Young Choral Director award and Lawrence University’s Pi Kappa Lambda award for Excellence in Music Education. She lives in Wisconsin Rapids with her husband Stephen and their rescue pup Louie, and is passionate about the power of singing to affirm the value of individual voices and build community.

Credentials

MET Member, cellist, music educator - Orchestra (Howard-Suamico), LU '18

My Bio

Adam Korber (MET Member) lives in Appleton, Wisconsin. In his professional teaching career he is an orchestra teacher in the Howard-Suamico School District, as well as with the New Horizons Orchestra in Appleton. As a cellist, he has performed in a variety of settings. He is the principal cellist of the Green Bay Civic Symphony, and has played with The Weidner Philharmonic, Vic Ferrari Symphony on the Rocks, and has recorded cello music for 7000apart. Adam fully believes in the words of one of his mentors, “everyone learns better with a smile on their face.” Adam strives to foster learning in a positive, supportive, and fun environment. Adam loves how Mile of Music brings people together, and by enlarge, music brings people together. He brings his passions for people, learning, and music to the Music Education Team.

Aidyn Reetz

Avery Riel

Brian Pertl

Credentials

MET Member, Actor, Singer, Percussionist, Worship Leader

My Bio

Aidyn Reetz (MET Member) is absolutely thrilled to be returning to Appleton, Wisconsin for this year’s Mile of Music Education Team. Since graduating Valley New School in 2022, after completing a Senior Capstone Project entitled: “SING!: Exploring Psychology, Theory, and Technical Fundamentals of Vocal Performance”, he has ventured off to Dubuque Iowa to study at Emmaus Bible College studying Biblical Studies, Ministry Leadership, and Music Ministry. He has continued to pursue his love for music through Emmaus’ Chamber Choir and Ensemble, as well as being a part of Emmaus Worship Teams and their AV team. After receiving a Certificate of Biblical Studies in May, he became the Summer Chapel Coordinator at Lake Geneva Youth Camp, where he continued to plan and lead worship sessions for all the campers who came throughout the summer. He is so honored to be serving the Appleton community again this summer through his musical background and skillset!

Credentials

MET Member, musician and educator, LU '23

My Bio

Avery Riel is a sonic human, 2023 graduate from Lawrence University. Their work exists across multiple mediums, not limited to violin, voice, deep listening, songwriting, visual art, and collaborative improv. They are an advocate for community, intersectionality, and living in the gray.

Credentials

MET Member (Didjeridu Workshop), Dean of the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music, LU ‘86

My Bio

Brian Pertl (MET Member) is the Dean of the Lawrence Conservatory of Music. He is a trombonist, ethnomusicologist, didjeridu player, Deep Listener, and a fierce advocate for music education at all levels. He has given over 400 presentations on world music across the United States. His lively performances give the audiences insights into other cultures through music. He has a BM degree in trombone performance and a BA in English from Lawrence University, an MA in Ethnomusicology from Wesleyan University and worked on his Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology at the University of Washington in Seattle. He is a recipient of the prestigious Watson Fellowship, and worked for 16 years managing the Media Acquisitions Group at Microsoft. He and his wife Leila Ramagopal Pertl are passionate about providing as many music-making opportunities to as many people as possible. They know the phenomenal power music has to change lives and are whole-heartedly committed to the transformational art of music education.

Brianna Castillo

Casey Frensz

Corrina Albright

Credentials

MET Member, percussionist, LU '26

My Bio

Brianna Castillo (MET Member) is going into her 2nd year at Lawrence University as a percussion performance major. Originally from DeKalb, Illinois, Brianna has played in the Harambee African Percussion Ensemble since she was 8 years old and is excited to bring this knowledge and passion to the Mile. She looks forward to her first year on the Music Education Team for Mile 10 and all the ways she will be able to contribute and learn!

Credentials

MET Member (pBone Jam, Didjeridu Workshop), multi-instrumentalist, private music instructor, LU '14

My Bio

Casey Frensz (MET Member) is a multi-instrumentalist, producer, and music educator in Minneapolis, MN. He is the founder and director of Inner Groove Music, a full-service recording studio and music school. Casey’s passion is helping the musicians in his community to create and publish new music. Casey’s musical philosophy prioritizes listening, groove, and cooperation. He believes that everyone is musical, and with proper guidance, even a total beginner can play alongside lifelong pros to create something beautiful.

Credentials

MET Member (Sound Together: Song Circle for Community & Belonging), violist, music educator - AASD & Lawrence Community Music School (Appleton)

My Bio

Corrina Albright (MET member) grew up in a family of self-taught musicians and is passionate about the powerful connectivity of community music making. She teaches elementary general music and orchestra at Appleton Public Montessori and Badger Elementary, directs the Lawrence Youth String Orchestra (LYSO), is a member of the viola section of the Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra, and enjoys playing with the Lawrence Community Gamelan and the Lawrence Children’s Gamelan. Albright holds a BM in Viola Performance and Music Leadership from the Eastman School of Music. She completed long-term teacher training in Suzuki Violin at the School for Strings in Manhattan, and received teacher certification from Lawrence University. She lives in Appleton with her husband, trombonist Tim Albright, and their two musical sons.

Daniel Quiroga

Eli Grover

Emily Dorr

Credentials

MET Member (pBone Jam), music educator - Kaleidoscope Academy (Appleton)

My Bio

Daniel Quiroga (MET Member) received his Bachelor of Music in Instrumental and General Music from Lawrence University in 2018. Prior to his time at Lawrence, he served 7 years in the United States Marine Corps field bands from 2007 to 2014 as a euphonium instrumentalist and enlisted conductor with the 2D Marine Division Band in Jacksonville, NC and Marine Corps Recruit Depot Band in San Diego, CA. He has performed and conducted throughout the contigous United States as a member of the Marine Corps concert bands, big bands, brass quintets, and ceremonial bands. He currently teaches middle school (6-8) band at Kaleidoscope Academy in the Appleton Area School District. He is thrilled to be a MET member and help spread love of music in his community!

Credentials

MET Member, music educator - James Madison & Wilson Middle Schools (Appleton), LU '11

My Bio

Eli Grover (MET Member) teaches middle school General Music in the Appleton Area School District. He received his Bachelor of Music – Instrumental and General Music Education from Lawrence University in 2012, and his Master of Science in Education – Teaching and Learning from University of Wisconsin Oshkosh in 2020. He has been studying Balinese Gamelan at Lawrence University and the Community Music School for 13 years, and in 2021 received a grant from the Appleton Education Foundation for the construction of Gamelan Anklung instruments to use at his AASD schools. In addition to teaching lots of what he learns at Mile of Music, Eli teaches keyboard, guitar, ukulele, and drum set in his school music program, and teaches percussion with the Fox Valley Sinfonia, an anual fundraiser for the Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra and Youth Orchestras. Outside of teaching, Eli is loving life as a husband and father of two girls with one more on the way!

Credentials

MET Member, music education student, clarinetist LU '23

My Bio

Emily Dorr (MET Member, LU ’23) is a clarinetist and pre-service music educator from St. Paul, MN. Emily recently finished her coursework at Lawrence for her Bachelor’s of Music degree in Instrumental/General Music Education, and a minor in French and Francophone studies. Emily is excited to begin her student teaching experience this fall in the Oshkosh and Appleton school districts. At Lawrence, Emily served as NAfME chapter president, section leader in both Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble, sung in Lawrence’s Viking Chorale, and performed challenging works as a member of the Lawrence Symphony Orchestra. World music has long been a passion and interest of Emily’s, with participation in Lawrence’s Kinkaviwo ensemble, as well as studying traditional Senegalese dance in Dakar and completing musicological research on the subject. Emily is excited to be traveling to Ghana this summer with Nani Agbeli to continue study of Ghanaian Ewe drumming and dancing, and to bring this musical tradition to the MET this year!

Greg Riss

Jacob Hanekamp

Jando Valdez

Credentials

MET Member (Afro-Cuban Drumming), percussionist, educator, LU '14

My Bio

Greg Riss (MET Member, LU ’14) is a percussion performer and educator from Madison, WI. During the Spring of 2022 and Winter/Spring of 2023, he taught percussion at Lawrence as sabbatical replacement for Dane Richeson. While at Lawrence, Greg directed the percussion ensemble, co-directed both Kinkaviwo with Nani Agbeli and Tambo Toké with José Encarnación, and performed with the New Music zensemble, Jazz Band, and Faculty Jazz Combo. He has performed with diverse groups including Mama Digdown’s Brass Band, Panchromatic Steel, La Combi, Hunter & Wolfe, El Noordzo, and the Dubuque Symphony and has presented clinics and concerts at Manhattan School of Music, Mannes College, Wesleyan, Princeton, Rowan, and Rutgers Universities, and many public schools across New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. As a Lawrence student, Greg volunteered for two summers at Holy Trinity Music School in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Greg is excited to be part of the 2023 Music Education Team!

Credentials

MET Member, percussionist, music education student, LU '24

My Bio

Jacob Hanekamp (MET Member) from Janesville, WI is a 3rd Year at Lawrence University double-majoring in Percussion Performance and Music Education. He is excited for his second Mile with the Music Education Team. At Lawrence, Jacob is apart of numerous ensembles including Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, Jazz Combo, the Percussion Ensemble, Kinkaviwo, and Tambo Toke. He is also part of a new Percussion Quartet with fellow members of the Percussion Studio at Lawrence University. During his studies, Jacob fell in love with the variety of world ensembles with a special love for Kinkaviwo, an Ghanian Drumming and Dancing ensemble. He is also a composer, writing for a variety of ensembles in a variety of styles. Jacob is excited to spread his love for percussion to everyone in the community!

Credentials

MET Member (Los Ritmos de Mariachi), founder & director of Mariachi Jabalí and Lawrence University Mariachi Ensemble (LUMÉ)

My Bio

Alejandro “Jando” Valdez (MET Member) is an Appleton native who will be going into his fourth and final year at Lawrence University ‘24. After changing career paths, he has come back to fulfill his dream of being a musician and educator in his hometown of Appleton. He is currently studying in the Bachelor of Musical Arts Degree program with a secondary focus in Spanish . Jando formed his first Mariachi ensemble at Appleton North High School in 2017 and most recently pioneered Lawrence University’s very own Mariachi Ensemble (LUMÉ). He is thrilled to be teaching the Appleton community to bring out their inner musician!

Jelani Jones

Kenni Ther

Lauren Thompson Ringeisen

Credentials

MET Member, Violinist, music educator, LU '22

My Bio

Jelani Jones (MET Member) is a violinist who studied music education at Lawrence University. He has participated in various ensembles such as small chamber ensembles, Fiddle Club, Improvisation Group of Lawrence University (IGLU), and the Lawrence University Mariachi Ensemble (LUMÉ. Jelani also enjoys writing music, playing piano, and singing. He recently started working for Heid Music as a sales associate. He is so excited to be a part of the Music Education team again!

Credentials

MET Member (Brazilian Samba Drumming), Program Coordinator for Midwest Young Artists Conservatory, LU ‘16

My Bio

Kenni Ther (MET Member) is a graduate from Lawrence University with a degree in Music Education while studying percussion, as well. Kenni has been on the MET since mile 2 so this will be doing his 8th mile! During his time at Lawrence he was a part of LUPE (Lawrence University Percussion Ensemble) which studied classical chamber music and music from Brazil, Cuba, and Ghana. Kenni completed further study of Brazilian music at the California Brazil Camp for many summers and brought what he had learned to the group at Lawrence and to Mile of Music. He is so excited to share this beautiful music and culture with anyone and everyone!

Credentials

MET Member, educator - Elementary Music and 4K (New London), LU '13

My Bio

Lauren Thompson Ringeisen (MET Member) taught elementary music and four-year-old kindergarten in New London, WI. She graduated from Lawrence University in 2013 with a Bachelor of Music in Instrumental and General Music Education. She has been studying gamelan since 2009, and is excited to have brought a set of angklung to the New London elementary schools.

Melissa Fields

Mindara Krueger-Olson

Morgen Moraine

Credentials

MET Member (Stories That Sing, Stories That Move), music educator - Highlands Elementary (Appleton)

My Bio

Melissa Fields (MET Member) finds joy in sharing her love of music with the community. She has been a music educator for 30 years and is a passionate advocate for music education and musical literacy. Melissa continues to develop her own musicianship by being a section leader of newVoices vocal ensemble. She enjoys life with her children, Sam and Sophia, and her dog, Bernard. Melissa believes everyone has a musical ability and delights in inspiring others to be musical.

Credentials

MET Member, music educator, violinist, studio teacher, LU '22

My Bio

Mindara Krueger-Olson (MET Member) is a violinist, songwriter, and music educator from Neenah, WI and is thrilled to be back with the MET for Mile 10! After moving to Milwaukee for student teaching in Shorewood, WI to finish her music education degree at Lawrence University, Mindara is looking to broaden the horizons of string education and uplift her students’ creativity through their musicianship. She currently teaches a studio of young string instrumentalists and draws from not only her upbringing in Western classical music, but traditional fiddle, mariachi, and jazz (with a healthy dose of improvisation) to show her students that they can do anything with their instruments! Mindara’s students and colleagues continually inspire her to experiment musically and test the boundaries of her musicianship, leading to things like her debut performance as a ringer on drumset for Shorewood High School’s production of “42nd Street” in April of 2023. She is so excited to be back in Appleton for Mile 10 to bring the community together to blossom and bloom through music!

Credentials

MET Member, music educator, trumpeter, vocalist, studio teacher, LU ‘16

My Bio

Morgen Moraine (MET Member) is a trumpet player, vocalist, violinist and all around music lover originally from Sussex, WI. Growing up in a musical household, her first community music-making experiences started in utero and have never stopped since. Some of her favorite memories are of community choir rehearsals and community youth music ensembles. She attended Lawrence University and graduated in 2016 with degrees in Psychology and Trumpet Performance, she returned post graduation for certification. Morgen continues to live, work, perform, and teach in Appleton. She believes there is a special magic particular only to community music making and she is so excited to be returning to the Music Education Team for Mile 10 (!!!!), to help create more musical experiences for all, and to continue bringing the community together through experimentation, exploration, and creation in music!

Ryan Erdmann

Sarah Phelps

Seth Ploeckelman

Credentials

MET Workshop Artist (Ukulele Workshop), LU '22

My Bio

Ryan Erdmann is a dynamic educator, bassist, composer, and music theorist from Appleton, Wisconsin. He graduated from Lawrence University with a degree in Music Education and Music Theory and currently teaches in the public schools. He has been teaching private lessons on classical strings, bass, guitar, and ukulele for five years. In addition, he leads a ukulele class for the Lawrence Community Music School, focusing on sharing technique, history, and culture related to the instrument. He also performs regularly, working as a freelance bassist on both electric and double bass. He is a recurring performer with Neenah’s Murphy’s Law and will appear on front-man Michael Murphy’s upcoming album “Indigo Jones”. This fall, Ryan will be the 5th and 6th grade Orchestra Director at Silverbrook Intermediate School in West Bend, WI.

Credentials

MET Member (Stories That Sing, Stories That Move), music educator - Badger Elementary & Lawrence Community Music School (Appleton), LU ‘07

My Bio

Sarah Phelps’ (MET Member) passion for the work of the Music Education Team draws from both personal and family member experiences of being shut out from musical opportunities because of “talent” or lack thereof. As a music teacher and 8 year MoM veteran, she strives to connect students’ and community members’ hearts to their inner musicians. She hopes you will join her, her mother and her two lively daughters for some moving, grooving, and all kinds of opportunities to make music together on the Mile!

Credentials

MET Member, percussionist, LU '24

My Bio

Seth Ploeckelman (MET Member) is a junior at Lawrence University studying percussion performance and pedagogy from Tomahawk, Wisconsin. Along with regularly performing with rock, jazz and classical ensembles around Wisconsin, he was featured as a soloist performing the Ney Rosauro Marimba Concerto with the Lawrence University Percussion Ensemble this February. While his main instrument is percussion, he also enjoys playing piano, bass, composing, and teaching others. He is excited to be a part of the MET team this year!

MET Workshop Artist

Bailey Newman

The Boston Imposters

Dewa Ketut Alit Adnyana

Credentials

MET Workshop Artist (String Band Jam), violist, music educator, LU '15

My Bio

Originally from Connecticut, Bailey Newman (MET Workshop Artist) has been teaching since 2009. Her teaching experience includes the general music classroom, school orchestra programs, private studio teaching, and Suzuki pedagogy. She is a current member of the Suzuki Association. Bailey holds a Bachelor’s of Music in both viola performance and music education from Lawrence University and a Master’s of Music in viola performance with an emphasis in Suzuki pedagogy from the Hartt School. Her long-term Suzuki violin training was completed under the guidance of Christie Felsing and Teri Einfeldt. She also has received Suzuki Early Childhood training from Sharon Jones. As an educator, Bailey has adopted the mantra of one of her mentors, Leila Ramagopal Pertl: “Music is a birthright.” She is passionate in bringing high-quality, globally aware teaching to all her students. Music is something that everyone has the ability and right to explore. Bailey explored the connection between culture and the application of the Suzuki philosophy in 2015 when she won the Mellon Grant; she collaborated with Suzuki teachers in both Ireland and Argentina to examine how traditional music in each location impacted and interacted with the application of Suzuki pedagogy. In addition to her classroom and studio teaching, Bailey has been invited to give masterclasses throughout Connecticut and served on faculty at the Nutmeg Fiddle Workshop. As a performer, Bailey is passionate about non-classical genres like Americana and a variety of fiddle styles. She has collaborated and been coached by multi-styled musicians like jazz violinist Zach Brock of Snarky Puppy, cellists Mike Block and Natalie Haas, fiddlers Hanneke Cassel and Bruce Molsky, and singer-songwriter Aoife O’Donovan. Bailey also enjoys playing in musical theater pits and chamber music. She has placed in chamber music competitions and was also awarded the ADT Grant from the McKnight Foundation in January of 2020.

Credentials

MET Workshop Artist (String Band Jam; Acoustic Guitar Workshop; Americana: Sing, Step, and Play)

My Bio

The Boston Imposters (MET Workshop Artist) are a husband-wife singer-songwriter duo based in Southeast Wisconsin. Davey Harrison and Maire (pronounced like Mary) Clement began collaborating many years prior, but their duo was officially founded during their time living as Midwestern Impostors in Boston. The duo blend beautiful harmonies, accompanied by acoustic guitar, mandolin, and banjo to craft heartfelt original songs. Inspired by traditional, classic and contemporary folk music, The Boston Imposters write about their lives and experiences, inspired by the people who have been a part of their journey. Maire Clement is a soprano, songwriter, voice teacher and yoga instructor who received her Masters of Music degree in vocal performance from the University of Louisville, where she also worked as a graduate teaching assistant in both the voice and music therapy departments. She received her Bachelors of Music from Lawrence University’s Conservatory of Music. Throughout the country, Maire has prepared her voice students for competitions, performances, and auditions, as well as for emotional healing. Maire’s main musical project is as a singer-songwriter in the folk duo The Boston Imposters. As a soprano, she enjoys performing in recitals throughout the US. For more information, see: MaireClement.com. Originally from Gloucester, England, Davey Harrison found his passion for the mandolin and American Roots music while growing up in Wisconsin. He studied Classical Voice Performance at Lawrence University’s Conservatory of Music and then attended the New England Conservatory in Boston, MA where he received a Master’s of Music in Contemporary Improvisation focusing on mandolin and vocal performance. Davey now lives and teaches music in Wisconsin and performs with his wife and musical partner in their duo the Boston Imposters.

Credentials

MET Workshop Artist (Balinese Gamelan: Gongs, Drums, and Metallophones), Balinese Gamelan performer and teacher

My Bio

I Dewa Ketut Alit Adnyana (MET Workshop Artist) is an internationally esteemed performer and teacher of Balinese instrumental music. At Lawrence, he teaches traditional and contemporary Balinese music repertoire and directs Lawrence’s own Gamelan Cahaya Asri. Before coming to Lawrence, he was the Guest Music Director of Gamelan Sekar Jaya in Berkeley, CA, and an Artist-in-Residence at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Dewa graduated from the Conservatory of Indonesian Musical Arts (SMKI) in 1999, though is primarily trained in the local performing arts of his village of Pengosekan, Bali. He is a founding member of Gamelan Çudamani, one of the premiere gamelan troupes from Bali, and has toured multiple times with Çudamani to the U.S., Canada, Japan, Italy, and Greece. Their recent tours of the productions “Odalan Bali” and “Bamboo to Bronze” won acclaim from critics across North America. Dedicated to the continuation of traditional Balinese music education, Dewa has been one of the core teachers of Çudamani’s educational programs for children in Pengosekan. He has played a critical part in supporting the development of the Çudamani Girls’ Gamelan, one of the only ensembles of its kind to offer young girls in Bali the opportunity to learn gamelan music. He also founded a young boys’ gamelan ensemble at Çudamani in 2006. Dewa teaches at the Çudamani Summer Institute for Music and Dance in Bali, and has had private students from the U.S., Canada, Japan, and the U.K. since 2000. Dewa is sought after for his clear and systematic teaching methods. Since 1998, he has been invited to teach gong kebyar, angklung, and gamelan semarandana repertoire to men’s, women’s, and children’s gamelans across southern Bali in preparation for their performances at temple ceremonies and festival competitions.

Expressive Therapies

Greg Forton

Miles Lamensky (MxL)

Credentials

MET Workshop Artist (Inclusive Music-Making), music and art therapists

My Bio

Expressive Therapies (MET Workshop Artist) is a team of music and art therapists seeking to empower individuals to live their best life. As licensed, board certified music therapists and art therapists, their mission is to create a safe and empowering space for equality with – race, gender, sexuality, age, economic status, cognitive, physical, spiritual needs and those living with mental illness – through trauma informed care: music therapy, art therapy and psychotherapy, to improve health and well-being.

Credentials

MET Workshop Artist (Ukulele Workshop), ukulele teacher, music educator

My Bio

Greg Forton (MET Workshop Artist), M.Ed has been a music teacher since 1987 after graduating from St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin. He started his career in Battle Creek, Michigan, where he taught band, orchestra, and directed the middle level honors band. In 1989 he moved closer to family by accepting a position as director of bands for the Hortonville Area School District in Hortonville, Wisconsin. The first band Mr. Forton directed at Hortonville High School had 36 total members. Since that time, he has developed the program to over 200 students per year and is currently teaching Freshman Band, Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, Marching Band, two Jazz Ensembles, Pep Band, German Band, Brass Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, and Wisconsin’s first “High School Ukulele Orchestra.” His groups have performed for various events around the world. Most recently, he has performed in Hawaii for the Honolulu Ukulele Festival and at Pearl Harbor. In addition to teaching, Mr. Forton loves to learn. He holds a private pilot’s, commercial driving, and motorcycle license. He performs in various ensembles, hand throws pottery, is a photographer/videographer/audio technician, and is an avid backpacker. His philosophy is, “Experience life to the extreme, you only get one chance, so hold on tight and enjoy the ride.”

Credentials

MET Workshop Artist (HipHop Workshop with MxL)

My Bio

MxL [‘Mix L’] is an educator and musician living in Appleton, Wisconsin. As Offsite, he has released 17 projects to date under his ‘drops of andromeda’ record label and performed in such places as Tokyo, Japan and South Africa.

Nani Agbeli

Nell Buchman

Néstor Domínguez, Jr.

Credentials

Workshop Artist (Drumming & Dance from Ghana), master musician/dancer/educator of Ghanaian drumming & dance traditions

My Bio

Nani Agbeli (MET Workshop Artist), known for his energy, athleticism, and precision on stage, is one of the leading Ghanaian dancers of his generation. Born into a family of prominent dancers and drummers in Ghana’s Volta region, Nani was trained by his father, the late Godwin K. Agbeli, who performed with the Arts Council of Ghana Folkloric Company and later served as chairman of the Ghanaian National Association of Cultural Groups. Nani went on to study with various artists at the National Arts Center in Accra and, for many years, led the award-winning cultural troupe Sankofa Roots II. For nine years, he served as the lead drum and dance instructor at the Dagbe Cultural Center, a school that trains domestic and international students in Ghanaian traditional arts. In the United States, Nani has taught Ghanaian drumming and dancing and led performing ensembles notably at Tufts University and Harvard University among others. In addition, he has taught at Berklee College of Music, the Edna Manley School in Jamaica, Bowling Green University, and the University of Virginia, and has held artistic residencies at many other colleges. While teaching at Tufts and Harvard, Nani served as Artistic Director and Lead Dancer of the Agbekor Drum and Dance Society, a community-based group in the Greater Boston area founded by Professor David Locke of Tufts University (www.agbekorsociety.org). Nani Agbeli leads study tours to Ghana in July and August and is available for performances, workshops, residencies, and lecture-demonstrations. While he is best known as a dancer, Nani is a gifted and multi-talented artist who also works in textiles, painting, and computer graphics. For further information, contact Nani Agbeli.

Credentials

MET Workshop Artist (First Steps in Music), music educator - Lawrence Community Music School (Appleton)

My Bio

Nell Buchman has pursued an active teaching, performing, and adjudicating career at Lawrence University, the Lawrence Community Music School, and throughout Wisconsin for over 20 years. She has a private studio, teaches Music for the Very Young, and is a pianist and manager with the Lawrence Community Girl Choirs. She also teaches class piano at the Lawrence Conservatory of Music and received her Masters of Music in piano performance and pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma in 1994. Nell has performed at the Winchester Academy in Waupaca, Neenah Library, University of Wisconsin in Stevens Point, Pine Mountain Music Festival in Michigan, and Milwaukee’s Frankly Music Chamber Series. She has served as soloist with North Carolina’s Raleigh Symphony and Brevard Music Center Orchestra as well as Oklahoma’s Cimarron Opera Company Orchestra among others. Other performances include playing on public radio and at music conventions such as MTNA and MENC. Nell is also a frequent performer for the Waupaca Community Arts Board’s bi-annual Bach festival, where she lives with her husband and two children. As an extension of her teaching, Nell continues to learn and work with students through adjudicating for the Wisconsin Music Teacher’s Association and the Music Teachers National Association each year.

Credentials

MET Workshop Artist (Los Ritmos de Mariachi), mariachi music educator (Chicago), LU '14

My Bio

Néstor Domínguez, Jr. (MET Workshop Artist) hails from the state of Guerrero in Southwest México. He is an alum of Lawrence University (’14) and The Chicago Public Schools. Upon graduating from Lawrence, Néstor returned to Chicago to provide a high-quality music education to Chicago students. He has taught wind band, music technology, world percussion and Mariachi during his 7 years of teaching. Néstor currently leads the Gary Mariachi program at Gary Elementary in the Little Village neighborhood where he teaches 4th – 8th grade. He is beyond excited to return to share the beauty of Mariachi music with the Fox Valley community!

Salia Camara

Sarah Olson & Erik Larson

Sonja Downing

Credentials

MET Workshop Artist (Drumming & Dance from Guinea), master musician/dancer/teacher of Guinean drumming & dance traditions

My Bio

Salia Camara, Master Dancer and Teacher from Guinea, Conakry, West Africa, began studying dance at the age of 10. At age 18, Salia became a member of the National Ballet Djoliba of Guinea and dedicated over twenty years to studying and sharing his knowledge of Manding culture and art. In the Spring of 2019, Salia founded Nafaya African Drum and Dance Company in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Salia comes to the United States as an Ambassador of Guinean culture and an honored teacher for all, committed to preserving and sharing the vibrant cultural traditions of West Africa through engaging classes, workshops, performances, and educational programs.

Credentials

MET Workshop Artist (Mindful Music-Making: Sing, Explore, and Contemplate)

My Bio

Sarah Olson is a cellist, vocalist, and pianest who lives in Eau Claire. She plays as a studio musician in several Eau Claire recording studios, and guest performs with a variety of Wisconsin artists and local orchestral groups. Prior in working in tech, Sarah was a choir teacher in the Eau Claire Area school district for over 10 years. Erik Larson is a guitarist and mandolin player who grew up and lives in Appleton. He is part of the bluegrass worship team at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. Erik and Sarah are siblings and music has always been a central part of their family. They and look forward to sharing a special musical experience that combines three things they love: music, mindfulness, and contemplation.

Credentials

MET Workshop Artist (Balinese Gamelan: Gongs, Drums, and Metallophones), ethnomusicologist, Balinese Gamelan instructor and scholar

My Bio

Award-winning author, musician, and professor Sonja Downing (MET Workshop Artist) teaches ethnomusicology at Lawrence University. She has performed with California-based Gamelan Sekar Jaya throughout the US and in Bali, and has studied with members of Gamelan Çudamani in Bali. Before moving to Appleton, she earned her PhD at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her book, Gamelan Girls: Gender, Childhood, and Politics in Balinese Music Ensembles, was published by the University of Illinois Press in 2019.

Southeast Asian Dance Program

Wade Fernandez

Credentials

MET Workshop Artist (Hmong Dance Workshop)

My Bio

Southeast Asian Dance Program was created by two dedicated and passionate Hmong dance sisters, Gao Sheng Xiong and Manie Xiong. They both created this safe space and program for young children and youth to discover their cultural identity and sexuality through cultural arts and dance! It is also a program that is LGBTQIA+ friendly for youth and teens who wish to receive support when needed most, in the Asian community!

Credentials

MET Workshop Artist (Songwriting with Wade Fernandez), International touring/recording/performing and award winning musical artist and educator.

My Bio

Wade Fernandez (MET Workshop Artist) is a warm and well sesoned musical artist and educator with over 70 international tours with concerts ranging from Woodstock 94 to the Kennedy Center. He has taken home multiple national & international awards and finalist in many musical genres (Blues/Jazz, Instrumental, Folk, Rock, Pop, Country, World, Guitarist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Native American Flute, Best Male Artist, etc). Both his music and his message are firmly grounded in his Menominee Nation roots and his love for the land, animals and people. His national and international educational work with youth, the disabled, the elderly, and the environment have been recognized in various ways including the Community Spirit Award and a Medal Of Honor from the Menominee Nation.