Julia Furlan is from Rockland County, New York, where she began playing piano at age four. She studied privately with Christine Renstrom, Michael Oelbaum and David Budway.
in 2011, she studied with Mark Pakman at the Manhattan School of Music Precollege Division for four years, where she graduated with honors. She was the accompanist for Clarkstown North High School North’s orchestra and choir as well as pianist for the Rockland Jazz Youth Ensemble for seven years which toured in New York and New Jersey.
She has performed at Weill Hall in Carnegie Hall three times as a first place winner of the Rondo Young Artist Competition. At the New York Summer Music Festival and Summit Music Festival she has performed as a Concerto and Solo Winner. She has also performed at the Carnegie Room in Nyack, NY; Montclair State University; the Greenwich House; the Tenri Cultural Institute; and Lincoln Center in Manhattan, NY.
Julia is currently studying at McGill University’s Schulich School of Music as a Piano Performance Major. She is entering her second year, studying with Professor Sara Laimon. She hopes to minor in Music Entrepreneurship. She has taught piano locally and tutored piano theory students at McGill University.
Nick Thornton, from Long Island, NY, has over ten years of performance and two years of teaching experience. He is currently studying for a BSc (Honours) at the University of St. Andrews in the U.K., and is principal cellist for the University of St. Andrews Symphony Orchestra.
He has performed at Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, and has experience with orchestral, chamber, and solo repertoire. Nick has also been tutored by members of the Philadelphia Orchestra including Yumi Kendall, Bob Cafaro, and Gloria DePasquale. In 2012 and 2014, he performed under the direction of Luis Biava, Sr. of Temple University and the Philadelphia Orchestra.
Nick has interests in opera, ballet, sacred music, and minimalism. His other hobbies include kayaking, hiking, and travel.
Josh Tobias is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Music Education and Bass Trombone Performance at Oakland University where he studies with Dr. Kenneth Kroesche. His previous mentors include Lois Alexander and Bill Waterman.
Josh is a regular performer with Oakland University’s resident professional orchestra, the Oakland Symphony, and has performed with them in Detroit’s Orchestra Hall. He has recently performed in a production of Die Fledermaus under the baton of Warren Puffer-Jones.
His main focus is symphonic playing however he also has experience with jazz playing and possesses a heavy enthusiasm for brass band. J
osh is very passionate about music and goes out of his way to experience great performances. He has a particular interest in Romantic music, his favorite being the music of Gustav Mahler. Josh is an alumni of Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, Blue Lake International, and Western Michigan University’s SEMINAR.
Hiroko Nagahata is an active and accomplished pianist with experience in solo performance, vocal accompaniment, and chamber music.
She has performed in numerous music festivals, most notably the Summit Music Festival in New York City, the International Academy of Music in St. Petersburg, and the European American Musical Alliance in Paris.
She was a Special Presentation Award winner of the Artists International Audition and made her New York solo recital debut at Carnegie Weill Recital Hall in 2009. In 2011, Nagahata performed Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor with the New York Concerto Sinfonietta, conducted by Paul Hostetter, in the same venue.
Nagahata received a Doctor of Music Degree from Michigan State University, a Master of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music, and a Bachelor of Music Degree from Kobe College. She has worked as a teaching assistant, instructor of music theory, and accompanist (instrumental, vocal and choral) at NYSMF: New York Summer Music Festival at SUNY, Oneonta. She has been an accompanist for the school residency program at Lyric Opera of Chicago since 2013.
Claudia Ferguson is a violinist and music teacher. She currently performs with the Mozart Festival Orchestra, the UIW Orchestra, and the Tuesday Music Club Orchestra in San Antonio, Texas, as well as playing chamber music and weddings. Claudia runs her own music school, the San Antonio Suzuki School, where she teaches Suzuki violin and viola lessons, group classes, string orchestra, and music theory classes. She has a studio of 35 students, from ages 2 to adult.
Claudia studied Music Theory at Indiana University, where she had a full scholarship and teaching assistantship. She taught written theory and aural skills as an associate instructor. She also did a minor in music librarianship and choral conducting. Claudia studied violin performance at Ithaca College, where she was a violin student of Linda Case an orchestral student of Pamela Gearhart. She performed in the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra, the Binghamton Tri-Cities Opera Orchestra, and other chamber groups in the upstate New York Area.
Claudia holds a current K-12 music teacher credential, and taught music in the public school for 12 years. She has taught elementary music, beginning strings, middle and high school orchestra, and middle school choir. She also has general ed and ESL classroom credentials and teaching experience.
Claudia was a student at the New York State Music Camp from the ages of 10-17 (where she was once voted most likely to succeed and messiest room in the same year), and was a counselor in training. She was a counselor for 2 years at the Encore camp in PA. Claudia played in the New York Youth Orchestra, the North Carolina School of the Arts summer orchestra tour to Europe, the National Youth Orchestra, and the Disney All American College Orchestra.
Claudia lives in San Antonio, Texas, with her husband and two daughters. They love swimming, reading, playing music, and watching movies together.
Trumpeter Tony Kadleck to Perform Free Jazz Concert During Residency at the Michigan Performing Arts Camp (MiPAC)
NYC’s #1 Freelance Trumpeter has performed at Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, The White House; will Guest Conduct and teach Master Classes and Private Lessons at MiPAC
ADRIAN, MICHIGAN (May 20, 2016) – New York City-based trumpet player Tony Kadleck (The New York Pops Orchestra, Broadway, freelance performing artist) will join the new Michigan Performing Arts Camp (MiPAC) as part of the camp’s Visiting Artist Program on July 12–13, 2016. Mr. Kadleck’s website, with a complete listing of his massive credits, is at http://www.TonyKadleck.com.
“Tony Kadleck is arguably the number-one freelance trumpet player in the New York area,” said MiPAC President, Keisuke Hoashi. “We are thrilled that he will be joining us all the way from his current gig on Broadway, where he plays in the new hit musical, Tuck Everlasting.”
Kadleck’s residency at MiPAC will culminate with a jazz concert that will be free and open to the public on Wednesday, July 13, at 8pm in Dawson Auditorium at Adrian College. He will also provide MiPAC participants with free Master Classes (trumpet, composition, jazz, life as a professional musician), opportunities for private instruction, and will Guest Conduct Jazz Ensembles.
“It’s very likely you have heard his amazing trumpet playing many times without knowing it,” said Hoashi. “Tony has played on the Tony Awards broadcast for many years, has played for the last two Presidential Inaugurations, and most recently played with Stevie Wonder at The White House. You have heard him on countless Broadway and film soundtracks, not to mention all of his performances with seemingly every major recording artist, from Sinatra to Springsteen to Streisand to Sting.”
Kadleck’s resume includes the Broadway shows Beauty and the Beast, Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark, Shrek: the Musical, Aladdin, and Gypsy. He also recorded the Original Broadway Soundtracks for these and many other musicals, including The Producers, Honeymoon in Vegas, The Addams Family, Tarzan, and Little Shop of Horrors. His many film and TV soundtrack performances include The Wiz (on NBC), The Pink Panther 2, The CBS News, Chicago, and The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear.
Kadleck’s extensive performance credits span all musical styles and genres, and include live shows and album recordings with the world’s most popular and successful musicians, including legends like Barbara Streisand, Katy Perry, and Liza Minnelli; Sting, Bruce Springsteen, and Frank Sinatra; Michael Jackson, Harry Connick Jr., and Tony Bennett; Lady Gaga, Johnny Cash, and Audra McDonald.
The Michigan Performing Arts Camp (MiPAC) is a four-week summer music camp, holding its first season June 26 – July 23, 2016 at Adrian College in Adrian, MI. Young musicians ages 10-18 of all musical levels may attend 1, 2, 3, or all 4 weeks, as resident or day campers. MiPAC was founded by Hollywood actor Keisuke Hoashi and Adrian composer Timothy Martuch.
MiPAC is very excited to have Peter Furlan joining our faculty as conductor of our Jazz Ensembles, and instructor of both sax and flute during our first two weeks. He holds two Masters Degrees from New York University, teaches & conducts at several high schools and colleges, and is an active professional performer for many years.
Mr. Peter Furlan is a saxophonist, composer, arranger and educator whose striking originality is demonstrated on his Twinz Records release “Peter Furlan – Spy Glass Hill”.
In addition to leading The Peter Furlan Project, Peter Furlan Trio & Quintet, he co-leads 3 groups, Mr. Gone, FAQ & Le Jazz Electronique. He has performed and recorded with Dizzy Gillespie, The Temptations, 10,000 Maniacs, The Four Tops, Terumasa Hino, Thomas Chapin, Don Alias, Frank Foster, Brian Lynch, David Budway, John Hart, Mike Richmond, Terry Silverlight, Cameron Brown, Vinnie Cutro, Steven Bernstein, Duane Eubanks, Ratzo Harris, Richie Morales, The Mahavishnu Project and many others. Accordingly, the diversity of these musical experiences has served to inform Peter’s comprehensive and eclectic creative palette.
A New York native currently living in Congers, N.Y., Furlan studied with Jackie McLean and Paul Jeffrey at the Hartt Conservatory of Music and Rutgers University. He studied composition with Jim McNeely and received two Masters Degrees (Jazz Composition, Jazz Performance) from New York University.
He is currently affiliated with a variety of educational programs in New York and New Jersey.
Founder, artistic director and conductor, Rockland Youth Jazz Ensemble (www.ryje.com), Rockland, NY
Vice-President, Rockland County Jazz and Blues Society (www.rcjbs.org)
Member, Rockland County Music Teachers Guild
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Jazz Ensemble Director, Bergen Catholic High School, Oradell, NJ
Professor of Music, Bergen Community College, Paramus, NJ
Woodwind Instructor, Storm King School, Cornwall-On-Hudson (www.sks.org)
Private woodwind teacher, Rockland County, NY (32 years experience!!)
Graham will be MiPAC’s Oboe and English Horn instructor, as well as our fiddler on his tri-nary instrument, the violin.
Graham Palmer is originally from nearby Tecumseh, Michigan. He is currently working towards his bachelor’s degree in Music Performance at the University of Michigan, where he has played principal oboe in every one of the University’s highest ensembles.
In the summer of 2015, Graham attended the Bayview Chamber Music Festival, while simultaneously performing in a production of the opera la Boheme and in a woodwind quintet for many other venues. He has performed at weddings, parties, graduations, churches, and musicals.
Graham is also a violinist who enjoys playing Celtic and other folk music with local musicians.
Greg Eckhardt will be MiPAC’s instructor of bassoon, as well as our totally official Music History Teacher. He may also be coaxed to bust out the acoustic guitar every so often, not to mention his underrated acting skilz.
Mr. Eckhardt began his music journey in elementary school, long before he knew it would lead to the professional career he is currently preparing for. He entered the world in earnest when he became a student of Krassimir Ivanov in high school. He graduated with Honors from Schenectady County Community College (SCCC) School of Music under the tutelage of Mr. Ivanov with a AS in Performing Arts: Music.
Greg is currently studying at The Hartt School at the University of Hartford as a candidate for a BM in Music History with a Research and Scholarship emphasis. He studied bassoon with Marc Goldberg and Music History with professors Kenneth Nott, Karen Cook, and Michael Schiano. Greg plans on entering a university Masters of Music program with an emphasis on Music History.
As an avid performer, Greg performs with a number of different ensembles, with a great love of chamber music. He has coached string and woodwind quartets at the SCCC School of Music Summer Chamber Music Camp, and performs with the Hartt School Symphony Band and the Capital Region Wind Ensemble.
Mr. Krohn plays the unusual combination of French Horn and Jazz Bass, making him MiPAC’s answer to Bert the Chimney Sweep from Mary Poppins.
Garrett Krohn is a versatile freelance Hornist, Jazz Bassist and Educator based in Bowling Green, Ohio.
As a Horn player he has had a wide range of performance experiences from orchestral to chamber such as: Camp Hill Light Opera Experience, West Shore Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Youth Orchestra and Wind Ensemble, Adrian Symphony Orchestra, Birmingham-Bloomfield Symphony Orchestra, the Glass City Brass Quintet, and leads the Chautauqua Brass Quintet.
Garrett has established himself as a strong bass player in addition to his horn playing. He has performed with the 2014 Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Jazz Orchestra, The Reese Project, The Michael Shirtz Quartet, George Waltemire, and Mary McClendon.
Garrett is a passionate music educator, teaching in a wide variety of settings. He holds a position as adjunct instructor of Jazz and Bass at Terra State Community College where he teaches applied Bass, applied Jazz Improv, Directs the Jazz Combo and Big Band. He has maintained a private studio teaching Horn, Bass, and Guitar in Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. He also teaches at the Central Pennsylvania Friends of Jazz Camp in Harrisburg, PA and Michigan Performing Arts Camp in Adrian, MI.
Garrett received his Bachelor of Science in K-12 Music Education at Messiah College where he studied with Dr. Michael Harcrow (Horn) and Kirk Reese (Bass). He received a Master’s of Music in Horn performance at Bowling Green State University, where he is studying with Dr. Andrew Pelletier (Horn), and studied with Jeff Halsey (Bass). In the Fall he will begin his DMA in Contemporary music at BGSU.