Learn about our talented brass and woodwind instrument private instructors:
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Hideko Amano (Flute) earned a Bachelor’s Degree of Music from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston in 1995. She continued her musical education in Europe at the l’Ecole Normale de Paris, where she studied under Mr. Mathieu Dufour, who has since joined the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as principal flutist. Since her return to Chicago in 1998, she has continued her career as an active recitalist and instructor. Currently, she serves as an adjunct professor at Harper College and an instructor at Midwest Young Artists.
Debra Freedland (Oboe) is currently Principal Oboe of the Elgin and Rockford Symphony Orchestras, frequently performing as a soloist. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Oboe Performance from the University of Minnesota and a Master of Music degree in Oboe Performance from Indiana University. Ms. Freedland has been a member of many fine orchestras including The Spoleto Festival, Sarasota Opera, Israel Sinfonietta, Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra and the Tulsa Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1981, Ms. Freedland was Visiting Fulbright Professor of Oboe at Seoul National University. She also has been on the faculties of the University of Tulsa, the University of Wisconsin-Superior, and the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Presently, she is instructor of oboe at Elmhurst College and McHenry County College, Elgin Community College, as well as Harper College.
Amber Hozey (Trumpet)
Matthew Jarosch (Trombone)
David Kachalon (Harmonica) teaches many harmonica styles, including Pre War Chicago Blues, Post War Chicago Blues, Country Blues, solo techniques, Cajun, Klezmer, Old Timey and Jug band music. In addition to several years of teaching private students, he has given seminars and workshops across the country. Kachalon plays the 10 hole Diatonic Harmonica, as well as the Chord, Bass, and Chromatic Harmonica. His primary focus with students is the Filisko Method of Tongue Blocking on the Diatonic Harmonica. He teaches Rhythm, Tone, Chord Structure, Song Form, Rhythmic Breathing, Sustained/Organ Padding, and Tongue Blocking to achieve single notes.
Jean Lee (Flute)
Jenny Maclay (Clarinet)
Jeremy Ruthrauff (Saxophone) is a saxophonist, composer/improviser and teacher based in the Chicago area active in the concert, jazz and experimental music arenas. Freelance work involves regular performances with numerous prominent ensembles such as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (including regular concerts at Symphony Center, the MusicNow contemporary music series, and performances at the summer Ravinia festival), Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago’s Grant Park Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Opera Theater, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Contemporary Chamber Players (Contempo), Eighth Blackbird, Fulcrum Point New Music Project and the Chicago Saxophone Quartet. He has given solo and chamber music performances at prestigious venues throughout the United States and in Europe such as Merkin Hall in New York City, the Teatro Rossini in Pesaro, Italy, the Ojai Music Festival (guest artist with the Grammy award-winning ensemble Eighth Blackbird), Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art, Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Chicago, Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre, and the Renaissance Society. He was recently featured as a soloist on the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s contemporary music concert series MusicNow performing Jason Eckardt’s work Tangled Loops for soprano saxophone and piano. Jeremy has premiered numerous new works by leading composers, including recently the world premiere of Jacob TV’s multimedia opera The News with Fulcrum Point New Music Project as part of the Off the Wall concert series at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh. He has been invited to give master classes at leading institutions such as the New England Conservatory of Music, American Composers’ Forum, University of Illinois, and others. Recently, he participated in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s program Harmonia at the National Museum of Mexican Art in which soloists introduced music to children from Chicago’s Pilsen and Little Village neighborhoods. http://www.jeremyruthrauff.com
Dianne Ryan (Bassoon) earned a B.A. from Virginia Tech in music performance and an M.M. from Roosevelt University’s Chicago Musical College in bassoon performance. She then played with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago for two seasons for her orchestral training. Ryan performs regularly with Chicago area orchestras such as the Elmhurst Symphony, New Philharmonic and Light Opera Works and is a member of several chamber ensembles. She has toured Europe and Asia with the Chicago Chamber Orchestra and Chicago Symphonic Pops and has performed with pop artists such as Mel Torme, the Moody Blues, Ray Charles, the Beach Boys and Final Fantasy. She can be heard on numerous recordings and has appeared as a featured soloist with New Philharmonic and Elmhurst Symphony. In addition to Harper College, she has been on the faculties of Concordia University, VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, Elmhurst College, Trinity International University, Lake Forest College and Merit School of Music and is the founder of the popular “Bassoon Boot Camp” for young bassoonists. Ryan has enjoyed giving clinics around the United States, including the national Bands of America Summer Symposium for seven years, Butler University Bassoon Day and Roanoke (Virginia) Symphony Orchestra Youth Camp.
Adam Stevens (Euphonium/Tuba)
Leah Stevens (Flute)
Harper College CE 