Faculty
As the saying goes "behind great things are great people," and here is no different. The Wausau Conservatory of music harbors a world-class faculty.
Wayne Anderson
- Instructional duties: Adjunct Instructor of voice
- Degrees: Bachelor of Music degree in vocal and instrumental music - University of Wisconsin-Superior
Also studied at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
Holds a lifetime K-12 Wisconsin Educational Certification in music. - Professional affiliations: WEA, NEA, MENC, ACDA
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Ann Applegate
- Instructional duties: Artist/Instructor of piano
- Degrees: Bachelor of Music in piano performance - Central Michigan University
Master of Music degree in piano pedagogy - University of Oregon
Doctor of Music Arts (in progress) in piano performance/pedagogy - University of Colorado-Boulder - Professional memberships: Wisconsin Music Teachers Association, Music Teachers National Association
- Performances: Soloist, recital accompanist, participates in outreach performances in the public school system and performances on the public radio series Live from the Chazen.
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Mara Beckman
- Instructional duties: Instructor of piano
- Degrees: Bachelor of Arts in piano with minor in Psychology - UW-Stevens Point
Master of Music in Vocal Accompanying and Coaching - UW-Milwaukee - Professional memberships: Music Teachers National Association
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Dr. Lily Chia Brissman
- Instructional duties: Artist/Instructor of piano
- Degrees: Bachelor of Music in piano performance - Alverno College in Milwaukee
- Master of Music in piano performance - University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana
Doctor of Musical Arts in piano performance with emphasis on piano accompanying - Arizona State University in Tempe
Postgraduate work in vocal accompanying and chamber music - Royal Academy of Music in London - Professional memberships: Music Teachers National Association, Wisconsin Music Teachers Association
- Performances: Lily Chia Brissman has performed at the White House, at the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields in London, and at art song festivals in Europe and the United States. In Wales she has presented lecture-recitals on song settings of the poetry of Dylan Thomas. Dr. Brissman has also performed several times on WPR's Live from the Chazen concert series.
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Thomas Britanyak
- Instructional duties: Adjunct/instructor of Suzuki piano and voice
- Degrees: Bachelor of Music in Music Education and Voice from the University of Michigan
Suzuki studies with Dr. Swallum, (UM) and L'Institute Montreal
Master of Arts from South Pacific University
EdAdm from University of Washington
- Professional Affiliations: Music Teachers National Association
- Performances: Most recently in St. Louis, Australia and New Zeland
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Listen to a musical excerpt of Mr. Britanyak. Click the link to sample a recent performance from our Faculty Gala. PLEASE NOTE that if you do not have DSL or broadband, this excerpt will take substantial time to download.
Julie Burgess
- Instructional duties: Instructor of piano and Director of Choraliers and Choralation
- Degrees: Bachelor of Music education - Carroll College with piano/vocal emphasis.
- Professional memberships: Wisconsin Music Teachers Association, Music Teachers National Association, Wisconsin Choral Directors Association and American Choral Directors Association
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Bette Close
- Instructional duties: Artist/Instructor of piano
- Degrees: Certification in Music Teachers National Association.
- Professional memberships: Music Teachers National Association, Wausau Area Music Teachers Association
- Performances: Appeared on public radio series, Live from the Chazen; and travels to St. Lucia, West Indies, with the Good News Project where she was featured as a guest artist with the St. Lucia School of Music. In May 2003, Bette was a duo pianist with Dr. Lily Brissman for the Central Wisconsin School of Ballet performance of Camille Saint-Saens'Carnival of the Animals. In Summer 2003, she served as guest lecturer and clinician at the Goshen College Piano Workshop and Academy, Goshon, Indiana
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John Greiner
- Instructional duties: Adjunct Instructor of saxophone and jazz studies
- Degrees: Bachelor of Music - Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts in Woodwind Performance
- Professional affiliations: Music Teachers National Association, Wausau Area Music Teachers Association
- Performances: Featured performer and did studio recordings with the bands "Dopplegagner," "Maria Williams Band," "Kristopher," "Bob Henschen Group," "Fried Ice Cream," "Watercolours," and "Pat Hunt Group." While in Boston, John performed with the following groups: "The Platters;" "The Four Tops;" "The Temptations;" "Fankie Vallee," "The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra," "The Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra," "The Artie Shaw Orchestra" under the direction of Dick Johnson;" jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie; and twice toured Japan as a member of the Newport Jazz Orchestra
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Mona Grote
- Instructional duties: Suzuki Instructor of piano
- Degrees: Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education (K-12 vocal specialization) - St. Olaf College, MN; Suzuki teacher training (certification through Suzuki piano school book V) - University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Continuing education at American Suzuki Institutes
- Professional affiliations: Suzuki Association of America, Music Teachers National Association, Wausau Area Music Teachers Association
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Terri Harter
- Instructional duties: Instructor of flute and director of flute choirs.
- Degrees: Bachelor of Music Education - University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, with a flute/piano emphasis.
Certified in pre-kindergarten through grade twelve instrumental music Certified in general music from the UW-Stevens Point Certification for Level One of Suzuki Teacher training for flute.
Master Adjudicator for the Wisconsin Music Association - Professional memberships: National Flute Association and Music Teachers National Association
- Performances: Principal flutist with the Marshfield/Wood County Symphony Orchestra. Also substituted for the Green Bay and Central Wisconsin Symphony Orchestras. She is flutist for the Central Chamber Chorale and the Arioso Wind Quintet
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Kirsten Hornby
- Instructional duties: Instructor of string bass
- Degrees: Bachelor of Music - Lawrence University
Master of Music - Northwestern University - Professional memberships: Music Teachers National Association
- Performances: Principal bassist of the Wausau Symphony
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Scott Hunsberger
- Instructional duties: Artist/Instructor of voice
- Degrees: Bachelor of Music - UW-Stevens Point;
Master of Music - UW-Madison; Wisconsin K-12 certificate in General and Vocal Music; - Professional Memberships: National Association of Teachers of Singing and Wisconsin Chapter of National Association of Teachers of Singing
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Ann Johnson
- Instructional duties: Instructor of cello and Suzuki cello
- Degrees: Bachelor of Music/ Music Therapy - University of Evansville
Certification in instrumental music education - UW-Stevens Point
Certification in Suzuki Cello Books 1A, 1B and 2 - Professional affiliations: Suzuki Association of America, Music Teachers National Association
- Performances: Talbot Chamber Orchestra, Salisbury Symphony, Wausau Symphony, Salisbury String Quartet, and Signature String Quartet
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Karen Juliano
- Instructional duties: Artist/instructor of voice
- Degrees: Bachelor of Music in Public School Music, Voice/choral conducting - Western Michigan University
Master of Music in vocal performance - University of Michigan.
Doctor of Musical Arts (in progress) in Vocal Performance - University of Illinois. - Professional affiliations: National Association of Teachers of Singing, Wisconsin chapter of National Association of Teachers of Singing
- Performances: Principal and secondary roles with the Western Michigan Opera (now called Opera Grand Rapids) and the Orlando Opera Company. Spent three years performing with the Cincinnati Opera chorus. Concert appearances with the Grand Rapids Symphony, Flint Symphony and the Southwest Florida Orchestra. In addition, Ms Juliano presented several recitals at the invitation of Rotary International "El Club Rotario" in Teziutlan, Puebla, Mexico and has performed on Wisconsin Public Radio concert series Sunday afternoon, Live from the Chazen. In the summer of 1997 she performed the role of Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana at the Zwei-Groschen Oper at the Theaterhof in Humbach, Germany. In 1998 she returned to the Theaterhof to perform the title role of Floria Tosca in Puccini's Tosca
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Listen to an excerpt of Ms. Juliano! Click the links to sample the wonderful musicianship of this excellent musician. PLEASE NOTE that if you do not have access to DSL or Broadband, this excerpt will take substantial time to download.
- "In quelle trine morbide" from Manon Lescaut by Giacomo Puccini
- "O mio babbino caro" from Gianni Schicchi by Giacomo Puccini
Sean Michael Keelan
- Instructional duties: Artist/Instructor of Upper Strings and Director, Wausau Area Youth Symphony.
- Degrees: Bachelor of Music in violin performance - Baldwin-Wallace College's Conservatory of Music, Ohio Master of Music - University of Maryland ( College Park)
- Professional Affiliations: American String Teachers Association
- Performances: Concertmaster of the Green Bay Symphony and also of the Wausau Symphony; Previously violinist in the Fairfax Symphony, Washington, D.C.'s leading regional professional orchestra. His solo playing has been aired on Nebraska and Wisconsin public radio.
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Listen to an excerpt of Mr. Keelan! Click the link to sample the wonderful musicianship of this excellent musician. PLEASE NOTE that if you do not have access to DSL or Broadband, this excerpt will take substantial time to download.
Michael Kowaleski
- Instructional duties: Instructor of drumset
- Degrees: Studied percussion at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music; UW-Milwaukee, Stanger Percussion Studios in Chicago Dorn and Kirchners Percussion Studios in New York. Training includes instruction from world renowned drumset virtuoso Joe Morello
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Patrick Langer
- Instructional duties: Suzuki Instructor of upper strings
- Degrees: Bachelor of Music Education - University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Master of Education - University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
- Professional Affiliations: Suzuki Association of America
- Performances: An active performer for many years, and played as a member of the Central Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra and the Wausau Symphony.
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Barbara Lattimer
- Instructional duties: Artist/Instructor of voice
- Degrees: Barbara attended the College of Saint Teresa in Winona, Minnesota, and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
- Professional Affiliations: National Association of Teachers of Singing
- Performances: Appeared as the Mother in the WCM production of Amahl and the Night Visitors and as the Mother in the WCM/WTC production of Hansel and Gretel. Mrs. Lattimer has performed regularly on Wisconsin Public Radio and numerous Messiah performances as both soprano and alto solost.
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Listen to excerpts of Mrs. Lattimer! (Accompanied by Bette Close) Click the links to sample the wonderful musicianship of this excellent musician. PLEASE NOTE that if you do not have access to DSL or Broadband, this excerpt will take substantial time to download.
- "I'd Be a Butterfly" by Albert Bayly
- "Charmant Papillon" by Andre Campra
- "Der Schmetterling" by Franz Schubert
Thomas McComb
- Instructional duties: Instructor of guitar, mandolin and banjo
- Degrees: Bachelor of Music in Music Education - Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Natural Resources.
- Professional Affiliations:
- Performances: Performed with John Altenburgh, Janet Planet, Bob Kase, Catalin Rotaru, Art Stevenson and High Water and many others. Currently performs solo and with his own quartet and in other ensembles
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Lisa Phalen
- Instructional duties: Adjunct Instructor of clarinet and oboe and Director of the Conservatory Honors
Band. - Degrees: Bachelor of Arts - University of Wisconsin- Madison; Master of Music- University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire
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Erin Daley Philleo
- Instructional duties: Instructor of Kindermusik®, Spotlights and Boys Will Be Boys voice classes
- Degrees: Bachelor of Arts in Music degree from Miami University of Ohio, Masters of Music Education in Piano Pedagogy from UW - Stevens Point
- Professional affiliations: Wisconsin Music Teachers Association.
- Performances: Sung and accompanied for various weddings and religious services and other local events
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Kevin Short
- Instructional duties: Instructor of brass instruments
- Degrees: Bachelor of Arts - music performance - University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Teaching certification in instrumental music - UW-Stevens Point. Master of Science in school administration - Cardinal Strich University in Milwaukee
- Professional affiliations:
- Performances: As a professional trumpet player, he has played with numerous jazz bands and symphonies throughout Wisconsin as well as in the pit orchestras for many traveling broadway musicals
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Nancy Siebecker
- Instructional duties: Artist/Instructor of Organ.
- Degrees: Bachelor of Music - UW Oshkosh; Bachelor of Music - Lawrence University; Master of Music - University of Michigan.
- Professional affiliations: American Guild of Organists, Sarasota/Manatee, FL. and Wisconsin River Chapters. Past board member of the WCM and past advisor to the board. Past member of American Choral Directors Association and the Wisconsin Choral Directors Association.
- Performances: Active recitalist and accompanist
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Daniel Stewart
- Instructional duties: Instructor of oboe, clarinet, saxophone and bassoon
- Degrees: Bachelor of Music, Master of Music degrees in oboe with specialist in multiple winds - Michigan State University;
- Performances: Previously associate conductor and principal oboe for Central Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra
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Dr. George Tepping
- Instructional duties: Executive Director of the Conservatory and Artist/Instructor of voice,
- Degrees: Bachelor of Music in vocal performance - Ohio State University; Master of Music in vocal performance - Ohio State University; Doctor of Music Arts degree in vocal performance/pedagogy - University of Iowa.; Honorary degree as Cantor - K.K. B'nai Yeshrun ( Ohio).
- Professional affiliations: National Association of Teachers of Singing, National Opera Association, and College Music Society
Master Adjudicator for the Wisconsin School Music Association, - Performances: Sixteen years as a Spiel Tenor and tenor soloist with numerous European opera companies and American symphonies with performances of over sixty different opera and oratorio roles