CAA Instructors

Art

Kristy Jo Beber

Kristy has her Bachelor of Fine Arts from IPFW. She is a working artist in the Fort Wayne area. For Kristy, everything revolves around clay. In her spare time she teaches ceramics to non-majors at IPFW. Her work is featured in art galleries throughout the area including the Orchard Gallery of Fine Art in Fort Wayne and the Park Avenue Gallery in Winona Lake. She has participated in art shows, fairs and exhibitions.

Allen Etter

Allen is a limited term lecturer in the IPFW Department of Fine Arts and Visual Communication and Design. He has an MFA from Bowling Green State University with a major in painting and he received his BA from the University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne. Allen has taught art, showed his own art and is a screenwriter, director, art director, editor and designer for Jesters. He won a regional Emmy award for one of his numerous public service announcements for local television.

James Gabbard and Tanya Myers

Jim has been a professional photographer in Fort Wayne since 1988. He owns Henri's Photography Studio and teaches as a continuing lecturer for the IPFW Department of Visual Communication and Design. His partner, Tanya Myers, is also a professional photographer and owns the photography studio AllieMay Photography.

Sarah Rayle

Sarah is an IPFW graduate with a BFA in fine arts and a BA in art education. She is currently an art instructor with East Noble Middle School. She enjoys designing and paint murals and honing her painting skills (trompe l’oeil). Sarah keeps building her ceramics skills and experiments with low-fire glazes. She is a member of ArtLink and the Garrett Museum of Art.

Robert Schroeder

Bob is a limited term lecturer in the IPFW Fine Arts program with specialized expertise in metalsmithing. He has an MFA from the University of Wisconsin in Metal Working and Sculpture and a BFA from the University of Wisconsin in Metal Working and Painting. In 1988, Bob received the Professional Development Award for exceptional job performance for the University of California, and in 1980, the Porter Butts Creative Arts Award from the University of Wisconsin. He also received the IPFW 2004 Outstanding Associate Faculty Member Award. Bob is a 1978 Tiffany Fellow and exhibits his sculptures nationally.

Dance

Brennan Stillman

Brennan has grown up with dance; she trained at Dance LTD, the Northeast School of Dance, Spotlight Dance Center in Orlando and the Joel Hall Dance Center in Chicago. She has performed in numerous shows for the Fort Wayne Civic Theatre and the IPFW Department of Theatre. Brennan was a dancer/performer for Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL and has choreographed the musicals at Columbia City High School. She has taught dance for more than seven years in Fort Wayne and Orlando for students age 18 months to adult!

Music

Clarinet

Cynthia Greider

Cindy received her BM at Indiana University and her MM at the Cleveland Institute of Music. She also has her certification from Kindermusik International. Cindy is a continuing lecturer for the IPFW Department of Music. Currently, she is the second clarinet with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra.

Composition

Chris Rutkowski

Chris enjoys multiple musical careers as a contemporary classical composer, a professional jazz pianist, a recording engineer and a music technologist. As a composer, his work has been performed internationally, and has received numerous awards and commissions. 

He studied at Kings College London, UK, working intensively with Rush Rhees. Chris has a graduate degree from Eastern Michigan University and his doctorate from Indiana University.  At IPFW, he serves as clinical assistant professor of music composition and technology and director of the IPFW/Sweetwater music technology program at IPFW along with performing with the Faculty Jazz Combo.

Guitar

Laura Lydy

Laura is a continuing lecturer in guitar studies at IPFW where she teaches applied guitar and directs the IPFW guitar ensemble. In addition to working with the department's guitar students, she teaches general education courses: Introduction to Musical Expression and Music for the Listener.

Laura received her BS in music from IPFW, and a MM in guitar performance from Indiana University 's Jacob School of Music in Bloomington, IN. While attending Indiana University, she studied with renowned classical guitar virtuoso Ernesto Bitetti and early music scholar Thomas Binkley. In addition to her studies, she co-founded and directed Indiana University 's Young Guitarists Program. Laura also studied with American concert artists Michael Newman and Sharon Isbin.

Laura is an active musician in the community. She is the proprietor of Indiana Guitar Studio. The studio provides a platform for the community to receive quality guitar instruction, and to develop and acquire an appreciation and awareness of the arts.  Students studying at the studio may pursue a wide variety of playing styles or may prepare for college auditions. She also performs regularly as a freelance musician in a wide variety of venues.

Ken Johnson

Ken is a continuing lecturer for the IPFW Department of Music, teaching music theory, music form and analysis courses, along with a variety of teaching duties. He also performs regularly as a guitarist with the IPFW Faculty Jazz Ensemble. He holds degrees in composition from Berklee College of Music in Boston, University of Denver and University of Colorado-Boulder. His works have been performed widely, and have been recorded on Arizona University, Taylor University and Centaur recording labels. In the field of jazz, Ken has been a featured guitarist, composer and clinician as part of his career as a professional educator.

Piano

Christine Freeman

Christine has been a music teacher and accompanist in the Los Angeles and Fort Wayne areas for more than 30 years. She received her BA in music from California State University at Northridge where she studied with artist-in-residence Jakob Gimpel and Francoise Regnat. Focusing on accompanying and chamber music, Christine worked as an accompanist at CSUN and El Camino College, and was coached in chamber music by several artists including Nathaniel Rosen, Jeffrey Solow, Peter Rejto, Eric Friedmann and Endre Granat. In 1995, she returned to college and received her MM degree in piano performance from Butler University where she studied with artist-in-residence, Panayis Lyras.

Christine currently teaches music fundamentals at IPFW, teaches piano through the IPFW Community Arts Academy and works as a freelance accompanist in the Fort Wayne area. She is a member of Northeast Indiana Music Teachers Association, IMTA, MTNA, and American College of Piano Teachers (Guild).

Carol Hahn (Suzuki)

Carol has taught piano privately for 50 years. She is on the faculty at IPFW where she teaches freshman class piano to music majors. She has taught Suzuki piano for the past 28 years.

Carol holds a BM in piano performance from Wesleyan College, Macon, Georgia, and an MM in piano performance from the University of Missouri - Columbia. She also studied at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore and the University of Cincinnati's College - Conservatory of Music. In addition she has completed two units of Suzuki piano training with Bruce Anderson and six units with Haruko Kataoka at various colleges and universities around the country.

Dorothy Hendricksen

Dorothy is a native of Watertown, Wisconsin, but makes Fort Wayne her home with husband Don and sons David and Dan. Dorothy earned a BSE from Concordia Teachers College and a BS in music from IPFW. She has taught piano since 1981.

Robin Kurbanov

Robin has her BM in piano performance from Kentucky Christian College. While a student, she interned under Roger McMurrin, director of the Kiev Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in Kiev, Ukraine, which led to her position as accompanist and worship leader for the Calvary Chapel of Kiev. Robin is fluent in Russian and functional in Ukrainian. She has worked as pianist and singer for several area churches.  

Joyanne Outland

Joyanne is assistant professor of music at IPFW, where she teaches piano, piano pedagogy, music theory and music appreciation. She is an experienced adjudicator for the National Guild of Piano Teachers, the Indiana State School Music Association and the Indiana Music Teachers Association. A Past President of the Indiana Music Teachers Association, Joyanne holds degrees in piano and musicology from Baylor University, the University of Illinois and Ball State University.

Mary Roth

Mary has a BS in music from IPFW. Mary teaches piano to beginners through intermediate students. She also plays preludes and accompaniment for the First Mennonite Church on Sundays.

Rebekah Smith (Suzuki)

Rebekah lives in Antwerp, Ohio, with her husband. Her BM degree in piano performance is from Wesleyan College in Macon , GA. She has 38 years in the private piano instruction field and the church musician field, in which she makes use of her piano, vocal, organ and violin skills. She is a full-time bank teller at the Antwerp Exchange Bank.

Dr. Hamilton Tescarollo

Hamilton Tescarollo is Professor of Piano and Director of Keyboard Studies at IPFW. In this capacity, he teaches applied piano and piano-related courses, and coordinates the piano and organ areas in the IPFW Department of Music. Through CAA, he works with both promising young pianists and advanced musicians seeking further study as a non-degree option. He also has taught at the Saarburg International Music Festival in Germany and has presented master classes throughout the US and abroad.

Hamilton‘s work as a teacher has been recognized with the “Teacher of the Year” award at the 2001 Schimmel-AZ Piano Young Artist Piano Competition. His students have garnered many prizes at prestigious piano contests such as the Music Teachers National Association Competitions, the Phoenix Symphony Concerto Competition and the Indianapolis Symphony Young Musicians Competition. They have been awarded scholarships to top national and international summer programs and have gained admission into top degree programs in the country.

Hamilton holds piano performance degrees from Arizona State University (DMA and master’s), Santa Marcelina College (undergraduate), and the São Paulo Municipal School of Music (diploma). His teachers include pianists Gilberto Tinetti, Caio Pagano, and Robert Hamilton.

Saxophone

James Farrell Vernon

Farrell has in DA in saxophone performance and pedagogy, with emphasis in jazz studies. He is currently an associate professor of saxophone and director of jazz studies at IPFW. He has taught private instruction for saxophone, flute, bassoon and jazz improvisation.  Farrell has a number of recordings for saxophone and sopranino saxophone.  He is in demand for clinics and music festival adjudicating.

Violin

William Klickman

Bill is a limited term lecturer as a string techniques instructor for the Department of Music at IPFW. He is a violinist for the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra, co-director of Fort Wayne Suzuki Talent Education, assistant orchestra director for IPFW and a strings teacher for the Fort Wayne Lutheran school system. Bill has been involved in music and music education for more than 40 years. He has a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Capital University in Columbus, OH, and has done graduate work with the University of Michigan, Bowling Green State University and the University of Toledo.

Derek Reeves

Derek is a limited term lecturer in the Department of Music at IPFW. Derek has the distinction of being the principal viola for the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra. He is also the viola sub for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Derek has a BM in violin performance and a MM in violin performance, both from Indiana University. He has done post-graduate study in viola performance at Butler University and has studied with Csaba Erdelyi, Franco Gulli, Yuval Yaron and Laurence Shapiro.

Marcella Trentacosti

Marcy, director for the CAA Summer String Camp, has been a full-time section violinist in the Fort Wayne Philharmonic since 1976. Marcy also is the conductor of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Youth Concert Orchestra. She graduated from Indiana University in 1981 with a Bachelor of Music Education and in August 2008 received her MM in violin performance from Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio.

Marcy participated in the Rome Festival Orchestra in Rome, Italy; Chicago Civic Orchestra; Bach, Beethoven, Breckenridge Music Festival and was concertmaster of the Marion Philharmonic. She taught orchestra at Snider High School, Woodside Middle School, Canterbury School and Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp.

Marcy maintains a private teaching studio and teaches for the IPFW Community Arts Academy in addition to serving as an IPFW associate faculty member.

Voice

Sara Davis

Sara is a member of the IPFW associate music faculty, where she teaches applied voice and voice classes. Her musical training includes a BS in music and outside field from IPFW and 15 years of advanced private study with Violette Vernaud Meyers. She also has a BA in English literature from IU Bloomington and an MS in education from the University of Saint Francis.

Molly Bock

Molly graduated in 2011 from the IPFW Department of Music with a BM in vocal performance.  Molly is no stranger to vocal performance.  She has taught voice for seven years and has cantored at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.  She has numerous awards and honors and won the IPFW Concerto/Aria competition for 2009 and 2010.  Last summer, Molly had the opportunity to perform with the Opera Festival di Roma in Rome, Italy. 

Teresa Reiling

Tess is a soprano and a graduate of the IPFW Music Department where she majored in vocal performance. She is experienced in all stages of vocal development, voicings, languages, vocal hygiene and pedagogy, religious and secular music and classical repertoire. She has performed in several IPFW operas and in musical theater in Fort Wayne. Besides solo performance, Tess has sung with several choral groups including the Philharmonic Chorus and IPFW Chamber Singers.

Tess is music and choral director at Simpson United Methodist Church in Fort Wayne. She has performed at various functions in the area and is also vocalist in a local dance band. Tess is a member of the Fort Wayne Alumnae Chapter of SAI, the American Choral Director Association and Omicron Psi, a national honor society.

Sam Savage

IPFW assistant professor Sam Savage is a tenor whose varied performance experience includes opera oratorio musical theater and recitals. Sam's awards include winning the Virginia Music Teachers Concerto Competition, the A. Eli and Esther Nisenfeld Award for Outstanding Tenor and as a finalist in the Richard Tauber International Competition for Tenors. He has appeared with the Metropolitan Opera, the New York City Opera's national tour, the Operafestival di Roma, the Virginia Opera, the Sarasota Opera, the Maryland Opera Studio, and the Western Plains Opera. Sam made his Carnegie Hall debut in 1996 performing the tenor solos in works by Leonard Bernstein and Adolphus Hailstork. 

Sam's students have been accepted at prestigious graduate programs around the country. His students have been consistent winners in competition and have appeared with world-renowned opera companies, on and off Broadway and in Hollywood films and TV productions.  Sam''s previous teachers include the late Maestro Franco Corelli, Linda Mabbs and Dr. Kenneth Bowles.

Mark Stachofsky

Mark has a BM from Boise State University and a MM from the Cleveland Institute of Music. Mark has performed with the Cleveland Opera, the Sarasota Opera, the Boise Opera, numerous churches and the Fort Wayne Philharmonic.

Mark teaches the “Bel Canto” style of singing, which means “beautiful singing.”  It is a simple and direct approach to developing the singing voice. He currently is a limited term lecturer for the IPFW Department of Music in vocal instruction.

Nathanael Thomas

Nate is a recent graduate of IPFW with a BM with an emphasis in vocal performance. He has worked as a vocal coach for more than years and was the co-founder and leader of the IPFW a cappella groups, the Don Juans and the Prima Donnas.

Theatre

Gloria Minnich

Gloria completed her degree in general studies from IPFW with a theatre and dance minor. She is no stranger to the local community theatre scene, acting in productions for IPFW, the Fort Wayne Civic Theatre, First Presbyterian Theatre and the Arena Dinner Theatre. She is an Anthony Award and Arena Award winner. When not teaching classes for CAA, Gloria is a member of the Fort Wayne Dance Collective Touring Company. She also teaches dance for the Fort Wayne Dance Collective. An active learner, she took several Shakespeare classes with the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, and is very excited about bringing Shakespeare to life for children and young adults.

In September 2012, Gloria Minnich went to London, where she took part in an international Shakespeare conference. She's ready to impart that knowledge to kids in our theatre classes! Here's a link to see Gloria in a highlights video from the Worlds Together Conference.