Instructors

Meet ‘n Greet our new instructors, Monday, April 2, 5:30 – 6:30, CMS/Camden.

(In alphabetical order)

Bretta Alexander

Gospel Singing

Bretta has sung in gospel choirs since the age of five including six years with the award-winning Excelsior Chorale Ensemble. She currently directs the United Deliverance Temple Mass Choir in Minneapolis and is enrolled in the church music degree program at North Central University.

Anna Bendickson

Musikgarten

Having spent most of her childhood playing duets, trios and quartets with her 3 sisters, Anna brings a wealth of family music experience to her Musikgarten classroom. She’s a licensed Musikgarten instructor who’s also taught privately for over 10 years (violin and piano) as well as for Step-by Step Montessori School, Treks and Trails Preschool and East Metro Music Academy. Anna lives in NE Minneapolis and is a U of M grad (BA, English).

David Block (New instructor, spring 2012)

Violin, Viola

A native of Kansas, David began playing violin at the age of 2 as part of a very musical family.  (His parents and siblings are all professional musicians.)  David has over 15 years of teaching experience and loves to make playing the violin fun.  He recently relocated to Minnesota and is anxious to explore musical opportunities in the Twin Cities.  He completed his undergraduate music performance degree at Florida State University and his graduate degree at the Cleveland Institute of Music.  He’s performed with the National Repertory Orchestra, the Cleveland Pops Orchestra, the Spoleto (ITALY) Festival, and the United States Air Force Academy Band.

David DeGennaro

Drum Set, Rock ‘n Roll
Dave has played drum set in a variety of settings (Cajun/zydeco, rock, orchestral, funk) for 23 years, and studied under Chet Doboe. He has been teaching private lessons since 2000, and taught at The Music Shoppe and East Metro Music Academy before coming to CMS. Dave also plays piano and is an award-winning children’s theater composer.

Dave is the CMS Assistant Administrator (or co-conspirator as we prefer to call him).

Annie Frohlich

Musikgarten, Harp
Annie is a licensed Musikgarten instructor who’s been teaching and assisting in Musikgarten classes for over 10 years. She’s a preschool and kindergarten teacher at Hand in Hand Christian Montessori School, as well as a singer and professional harpist who enjoys teaching beginning harp students.

Katy Hays

Summer Camps
Katy is a Twin Cities singer/actor who has performed at the Guthrie, the Guthrie Lab, The Music Box Theatre and Hey City. Most recently Katy starred in the rock ‘n roll musical, Power Balladz which is now running Off-Broadway. Katy is also an Artist-in-Residence with Minneapolis Public Schools where she teaches music to kids in grades K-8.

Bruce Jackson (New instructor, spring 2012)

Piano

Bruce has shared his knowledge of the piano by teaching in his own studio and at Evan’s Music for the last 11 years.  Piano improvisation is one of hisspecialties, which he honed under the direction of the great Manfredo Fest.  He performs with legendary Twin Cities acts Ipso Facto, Dr. Mambo’s Combo, The New Primitives and his own band, Bruce Jackson & The Moondogs88 Band, among many others.  Bruce recently moved to the Victory Neighborhood in North Minneapolis and is excited to give back to the music community by teaching at Camden Music School.

Prudence Johnson (New instructor, spring 2012)

Voice, Group Singing

Prudence has spent over thirty years as a full-time performing, recording and teaching artist working in musical theater, film, radio and on concertstages across the US, Europe and Canada. She’s been a music director at Stepping Stone Theatre for Youth Development since 1996 and has taught private voice lessons as well as group singing classes in Community Education at MCTC.  Now, Prudence wants teaching to be a more significant part of her career mix.  She’s ready to build a singing program and is eager to pass on what she’s learned.

Youngju Lueck (New instructor, spring 2012)

Piano

For Youngju, teaching is an opportunity to inspire students and help them realize their greatest potential. Youngju has taught piano lessons to peopleof all ages for 16 years, and currently performs as a pianist and organist at several churches as well.  Youngju completed her bachelor of music degree in piano performance in Seoul, South Korea.  Since coming to Minnesota in 2002 she’s earned masters degrees in piano and organ performance from Minnesota State University in Mankato and the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities, respectively.  Her greatest hope is to “share my musical talents with others, and bring them the same joy of music that I have.”

Heather LeVesseur

Brass and Woodwinds
Heather received her Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Augsburg College and has completed coursework for a Master of Arts in Music Education at St Thomas. As a band director for Hill-Murray Parish Schools she conducts three different band levels, teaches lessons and arranges music. Heather also performs as a bassoonist and contrabassoonist with several metro area bands and orchestras.

LeAnn Lindgren

Brass and Woodwinds, CMS After-School Band Program at Waite Park Community School
Bio to come.

Delores Matthews (New instructor, spring 2012)

Youth Choir, Group Piano

Delores brings a great passion for music to CMS, along with a desire to enrich neighborhoods, schools and communities through the arts.  Delores began her career as a music specialist at Boystown Father Flanagan High School in Omaha. Greatly inspired she went on to conduct artistic residencies and programs on choral and gospel music, music history, dance and drama throughout the Twin Cities.  She’s certified as a Yamaha Music in Education Instructor, and studied piano and the performing arts at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln.

Chico Perez

Hand Drums
Chico is an Afro-Caribbean percussionist, artist, instructor and drum maker who taught for 10 years at the Cultural Center of Minnesota. He’s also taught at North High, Lucy Laney, Sheridan, Waite Park and Northeast Middle School among many others.  He plays professionally with New Primitives and regularly participates in studio recording projects.

Rick Sellen

Piano, Voice

Rick Sellen is an accomplished teacher, pianist, singer and choral conductor who received his BA in music from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa.  One of his teaching goals is to cultivate enthusiasm, pride and an attitude of possibility in his students so they can realize their full potential.  Rick moved to Minneapolis from Ames, Iowa where he taught piano for 9 years, directed a 23-voice adult church choir.  He’s taught voice and piano, and practiced the art of reaching people in meaningful ways through music at CMS for the past two years.  He is also a member of the American Choral Directors Association.

Nancy VanKampen

Musikgarten, Musikgarten Keyboard
Nancy received her BS degree in Music Education from Case Western Reserve University. She’s taught Musikgarten classes as a licensed instructor for 7 years, and has been teaching piano and directing children’s church music programs for over 20 years.

Ginna Watson (New instructor, spring 2012)

Violin, Viola

Ginna really enjoys teaching “all ages of students and all styles of music!”  She’s taught private lessons locally for 20 years and is currently the violin instructor at Hamline University.  She’s also taught at Breck School, Minnesota State University – Moorhead and was a sectional coach for the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies.  In addition, Ginna is an early music specialist, performing with The Rose Ensemble, the Lyra Baroque Orchestra, and others.  She received her Bachelor of Music degree in Music Performance from Michigan State University and has completed graduate work in musicology at the University of Michigan and the U of M.

Jeffrey Willkomm

Guitar, Bass Guitar, Music Theory, Rock ‘n Roll
Jeffrey is a professional bassist/guitarist/vocalist with over 30 years of experience in teaching, live performance, theater, arranging, workshop development and recording. He studied for 2 years with Jeff Berlin and received certification at The Player’s School of Music in Clearwater, Florida.

Daniel Zamzow (New instructor, 2012)

Cello

Daniel counts adaptability, flexibility and versatility among his strengths as a teacher.  He’s inspired by students, enjoys the interaction with them and looks forward to teaching CMS students in our neighborhood settings.  Daniel received his BA in Music (Cello) from the University of Northern Iowa and also has an AAS degree in audio production and engineering from the Institute of Production & Recording in Minneapolis.  He’s been teaching cello privately for five years and at Schmitt Music since 2009.  Daniel plays cello in Cloud Cult and Liminal Phase, among other bands, and manages a steady stream of independent musical projects as well.