Kirsten Hedegaard, Comprehensive Music Lessons
Kirsten Hedegaard received her BM from Northwestern University and her MA from the University of California where she was conducting assistant to Paul Hillier. She continued her studies in Copenhagen, Denmark where she researched Danish choral music and performed with several regional ensembles. In North America Ms. Hedegaard has performed professionally as a chorister, soprano soloist, and conductor. As a soloist and ensemble singer she has sung with groups such as Philharmonia Baroque, the Newberry Consort, Ars Antiqua, and Bella Voce (formerly His Majestie's Clerkes), as well as other chamber choirs. She is also a frequent soloist for Bach cantatas, having performed on various music series in Chicago and on the west coast. In 2003 she was engaged for an International tour of Louie Andriessens's The Odyssey, with performances in Chicago, New York, Massachusetts, and in festivals throughout The Netherlands. She has taught conducting at Concordia University, River Forest and has conducted choirs and orchestras for various institutions including Eastman House, Chicago Children's Choir, Gallery 37, Loyola Academy, and the University of California. In 1999 Ms. Hedegaard co-founded The Musical Offering, an innovative new music school located outside of Chicago, where she holds the position of Executive Director and teaches children's classes.

Karen Schulz-Harmon, cello
Karen Schulz-Harmon, cellist, received her BM from Southern Illinois University, where she studied cello, piano and voice.  In May 2004 she graduated from Northern Illinois University with a MM degree in cello performance, where she studied with Marc Johnson and other members of the Vermeer Quartet.  Ms. Schulz-Harmon has also studied with Barbara Haffner, Hans Jensen, members of the St. Louis Symphony, the Pacifica String Quartet and performed in a masterclass for the St. Petersburg String Quartet.A native of St. Louis, MO, she played with the St. Louis Philharmonic, Opera Theatre St. Louis’ Youth Opera and also played in Europe with the Bayerisch Opera Theater in Germany in productions of The Barber of Seville, Rigoletto and Tosca.  Most recently, Ms. Schulz-Harmon was assistant principal cellist for Opera Illinois’ 2005-06 season, which featured productions of Amahl and the Night Visitors, Suor Angelica/Gianni Schicchi and Così fan tutte.  She also was the cellist for the première of Mae Cohen’s piano trio, Mozart in Love, at The Arts Club of Chicago; performed in two of the Fine Arts Music Society’s chamber music concerts sponsored by Machold Rare Violins; played in Opera Theatre North’s production of Pagliacci; performed a solo recital at the Chicago Cultural Center in Preston Bradley Hall; played in the Chicago Cultural Center’s production of Candide; and was cellist and ensemble coordinator for both the Chicago Cultural Center’s and OT’s production of The Marriage of Figaro. She has been featured in Okanis Performing Artists' east-coast tour and the University of Chicago's New Music Ensemble Series.  Ms. Schulz-Harmon is on faculty at the Musical Offering where she teaches cello and piano, is a chamber music coach for the Chicago Youth Symphony and recently founded Ossia School of Music located downtown in the Fine Arts Building.  She is a member of the Peoria Symphony and a founding member of the Ardnamara String Quartet.

Sarah Moran, voice
Sarah Moran holds both M.M. and B.M. degrees in Voice Performance from the Eastman School of Music, Rochester, NY. Ms. Moran has performed as a principle artist with Tacoma Opera, Kitsap Opera, Opera Pacifica, Tacoma Symphony Orchestra, Brevard Music Center Orchestra, Elgin Choral Union and OSSIA. Awards for singing include the Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions district finalist, Helen Crowe Snelling Music Awards of Seattle, WA, recipient of the Katherine Spencer Memorial Scholarship Fund, and finalist in the Ladies' Musical Club competition of Seattle.
Ms. Moran has studied voice with celebrated sopranos Carol Vaness and Rita Shane. Ms. Moran continues to be an active performer and voice teacher.

Rebekah Cope, violin
Originally from England, Rebekah Cope studied violin at the Royal Northern College of Music, where she recieved her Bacheleors degree. Rebekah has lived in Chicago since 2000, and has been an active free lancer and teacher since completing her Masters in violin performance at Northwestern University. Rebekah has played with the Elgin Symphony, Chicago Siinfonietta, Chicago Philharmonic and Chicago Jazz Orchestra.

Jesse Langen, guitar
Jesse Langen is currently pursuing a DM in guitar performance at Northwestern University under Anne Waller. He  has played in master classes for Oscar Ghiglia, Sergio and Odair Assad, Bob Guthrie, Elliot Fisk, David Russell, Roberto Aussell, Nigel North, and Paul O'Dette. In the summer of 2002, he was a featured soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

On top of many performances in Chicago, across the United States, and in Europe, Jesse has played in the Minnesota Guitar Society Concert Series, the Chicago Segovia Classical Guitar Series (as a member of the Guitar Camerata), the Memphis "Imagine" New Music Series (as a member of the G-Force Guitar Quartet), and at Columbia University in New York.

An avid player of new music, Jesse has premiered pieces by numerous living composers. He can be heard regularly as a soloist, as well as in duos with flutist Susan Crandall and soprano Amy Conn.

Annette Bjorling, harp and recorder
German native Annette moved to Evanston in 2001 and has been an active teacher and performer in the Chicago area since then. Annette studied harp at the music school of Heidelberg, Germany. Studies of
harp, recorder and cultural education at the University of Hildesheim,
Germany. Annette teaches harp and recorder, as well as classes in renaissance music, and ethnic dances and music. Her musical repertoire ranges from early to modern classical music and through various styles of ethnic music. Her specialty is klezmer (East European Jewish music).
Annette is a member of several performing groups such as Duo Controverso with her husband and clarinetist Kurt Bjorling, and T.I.M.E. (clarinet, violin, harp, cello). She has performed and taught at international music festivals and harp conferences in Europe and North America. Annette was musical co-director of the KlezmerOrchester in Germany, 1997-2003. During the winter 1999/2000, she was engaged as harpist for the Folksbiene Yiddish Theater Company, New York. Annette recorded CDs with the Germany-based trio KaleidoPhon! and the
KlezmerOrchester. Duo Controverso released the first CD in 2002: "Gedanken - Thoughts. Fantasies, Meditations and Improvisatins."

Andrew Harmon, double bass
Andrew Harmon is a double bass performer and teacher in the Chicago area. He has performed with the Illinois Symphony (Springfield), Peoria Symphony and Opera Illinois, Rockford Symphony, Lincolnwood Chamber Orchestra, Madison Symphony, DuPage Symphony and the Millennium Chamber Players (Chicago). He is a regular clinician at VanderCook School of Music and the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, as well as teaching at The Musical Offering (Evanston) and Ossia Space in the Fine Arts Building (Chicago Loop). A St. Louis native, Andrew has studied with members of the St. Louis Symphony and Chicago Symphony. He earned a BA in English and Music from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville and a MA in the Humanities from the University of Chicago. Andrew and his wife, cellist Karen Schulz-Harmon, live in Chicago's Kenwood neighborhood.

Amy Conn, voice
Amy Conn is in demand throughout the midwest both as a singer and as a teacher. An experienced stage and concert performer, she specializes in early music and oratorio performance. In recent years, she has appeared as a soloist with Music of the Baroque, Northwest Indiana Symphony, The Elgin Symphony, The North Shore Choral Society, The Elgin Choral Union, Bach Chamber Choir, Lutheran Choir of Chicago and the Acanthus Chamber Orchestra. As a founding member of the ensemble Urban Baroque, Ms. Conn has performed in festivals, concerts and radio broadcasts singing chamber music of the 17th century with period instruments. In 2006, she was one of 6 semi-finalists in The American Bach Soloists' Young Artist Competition in Berkeley, CA. She was a member of Chicago a cappella for many years and has appeared as a guest artist with Ars Antigua, Trio Settecento, The Rembrandt Chamber Players and Ars Musica.
     Amy Conn received a Bachelor of Music from Northwestern University and has since studied song repertoire at Tanglewood and early music at programs in Europe and in the USA. Ms. Conn's students have been prize winners in NATS competitions and Fulbright recipients. Her High School students have gone on to study at the Cincinatti Conservatory, Manhattan School of Music, Westminster Choir College, Yale and CalArts. She is currently on the faculty of DePaul University and teaches privately at The Musical Offering in Evanston. Former teaching experience includes The Chicago Academy for the Arts, a private fine arts High School.

Tina Pappademos, voice
Kristina (Tina) Pappademos earned her Bachelor of Science in Vocal Music Education from the University of Illinois Urbana and did her teaching at Glenbrook North High School under Judy Moe. She moved to Kansas City, Missouri to perform on the dinner theater circuit, and it was there she first began studying opera with Joseph Fair through the Kansas City Community Opera. She has sung the roles (in various venues) of Carmen, Orlofsky (Die Fledermaus), Suzuki (Madama Butterfly), the Witch (Hansel and Gretel), and various maidens in Gilbert and Sullivan productions. After moving to Chicago she became a member of the Chicago Symphony Chorus where she sang for six years. She currently sings with the Grant Park Symphony chorus and Bella Voce, Chicago's premier chamber choir. Tina has appeared with Light Opera Works and with Intimate Opera of Logan Square. She sings in recital and appears as soloist in oratorio with various orchestras including the Elgin Symphony. She has taught with Chicago Children's Chorus and has been on the faculty of the Musical Offering since its inception. She is the alto soloist and section leader of the Christ Church Winnetka choir and has sung with them as choir in residence of five different cathedrals in England. She also toured the United States and the Netherlands with Beppie Blankert's contemporary dance company Danceconsert from Amsterdam in a performance piece titled, The Odyssey. She has studied voice with such teachers as Carmen Mehta, James Bailey, Nancy Henninger, and Amelia Fonti. In 2003 Tina completed her first Chicago triathlon in just over four hours, and she loves to practice yoga!!

Susan Crandall, flute
Susan Crandall is an active performer and instructor. She has a career as a soloist and chamber musician, performing in festivals and music series throughout the United States, Europe and Israel. She is a member of Duo Dinamico, a professional flute and guitar duo, with fellow faculty member Jesse Langen. This duo has appeared in concerts held in the United States and Germany as well as participating in Gaudeamus International Interpreters Competition in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. She is also a founding member of Winds of the New Millennium, a professional Woodwind Quintet.
     Ms. Crandall currently teaches at the Musical Offering, the Merit School of Music, and the Chicago Academy for the Arts. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Flute Performance from Drake University and spent several years studying abroad in Germany where she completed her Master of Music in Flute at Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz. While in Germany she was principal flute with Collegium Musicum Orchestra in Frankfurt and the Oberurseler Chamber Orchestra. She currently freelances with various Chicago area orchestras including Northwest Indiana Symphony, Wheaton Symphony, Kenosha Symphony, Lincolnwood Chamber Orchestra, and Lake Shore Symphony.
     She is very happy to be teaching at the Musical Offering, being a part of this lovely musical community. She enjoys working with students of all ages and levels, sharing her knowledge of the flute with those with a passion for music, using the flute as their medium of expression.

Jill Greenman, Music Together Instructor
Jill Greenman has a Bachelors Degree in Vocal Performance from DePaul University and a Masters Degree in Vocal Performance from Roosevelt University.  She has done teacher training in the Rudolf Steiner Education Program through the Chicago Waldorf School.  Jill has been on the early childhood faculty at the Sherwood Conservatory of Music in Chicago and is a registered Music Together instructor.  In addition to her love of teaching, Jill is an avid performer and has sung with many different opera companies and choruses including Chamber Opera Chicago, Light Opera Works, Aspen Opera Theatre Center, Grant Park Symphony Chorus ahd The Lakeside Singers.  Jill  has been a featured soloist with many churches and synagogues in the Chicago area.

Cindy Lam, Piano
A native of Hong Kong, China, Cindy Lam has a Masters degree in
Piano Performance and Pedagogy as well as a Performanace Certificate from Northwestern University.  She is the recipient of several scholarships
from the Bernard van Zuiden Fund, Ruth and Ed Meyer Fund, the Flocken Fund and the Amelia A. Hoff Memorial Award. She has received suchaccolades as the "Outstanding Performer" Award in a piano competition for young artists in Hong Kong.  Ms. Lam is an active accompanist and performer in the Chicago area and abroad.  Her teaching experience includes Martin Piano Studio, Northwestern University and Music Arts School, as well as the Musical Offering. She is fluent in Cantonese and English.

Abigail Schmidt, Music Together  Instructor
In 2000, Abby was first introduced to Music Together.  She completed her training in Princeton and taught for several centers around the Boston area.  She and her husband moved to Chicago in 2001 to pursue academic interests and to continue teaching.  Abby soon began teaching for Sherwood Conservatory of Music and Merit School of Music.  She was given the opportunity to take Music Together into Chicago Public Schools and participate in a music program for underprivileged children.  Abby received her Bachelor of Arts in Classical Studies and produced a paper on Ancient Greek and Roman music which was presented and performed at the University of Chicago .  She is extremely excited to be returning to Music Together.

Alan Dubois, clarinet and saxophone
Alan currently resides in Chicago , and holds both a Bachelor of Music and Master of Music Degree from DePaul University where he studied with Chicago Symphony Orchestra clarinetist Larry Combs.  He is a member of the Northshore Concert Band, and has played with the West Suburban Symphony and the Classical Symphony Orchestra.  He is currently an adjunct faculty member at DePaul University and teaches private clarinet students in the northern suburbs.

Therese Ritchie, Violin
Violinist Therese Ritchie is an active performer and teacher in the Chicago area. She was a scholarship student both at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music (BM) and Northwestern University (MM). She has performed in numerous music festivals including Tanglewood, Aspen, Lucerne Academy Festival, and Spoleto USA.  She has also played in concert with the Cleveland Orchestra, the Boston Symphony, Smoky Robinson, Kanye West, Akron Symphony, and Canton Symphony. She is currently playing with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra, , the Chicagoland Pops Orchestra, and the Peninsula Music Festival in Door County during the summer.  She resides in Evanston and loves playing chamber music, going to yoga classes, eating and cooking good food and walks by the lake.

Sean Cleland, Irish Music
Sean Cleland is an award winning Irish fiddler, Irish music teacher and the director of the Irish Music School of Chicago, which he founded in 2004. Sean grew up on the North side of Chicago in an Irish-American household in which the only Irish music heard was of the Irish-American variety. In the early 1980s Sean began to teach fiddle and group ensemble classes and in 1982 co-founded the band Baal Tinne with Noel Rice. He left Baal Tinne in 1987 to found the Irish-influenced folk-rock band, The Drovers. In 2000, Sean co-founded the traditional Irish band bohola with accordion virtuoso Jimmy Keane. Sean has also performed and toured with the Irish band Aengus, The Green Fields of America, was the original fiddle player and Musical Director for Chicago's Trinity Irish Dancers and for the Steppenwolf Theater, and played with Irish singer Robbie O'Connell. He has been a noted and in-demand Feis musician since the mid-1980s. He taught fiddle and Irish mixed-instrumental ensembles at the Old Town School of Folk Music from 1997 to 2004. He regularly teaches at the Catskills Irish Arts Week in NY, the Goderich, Ontario Celtic Roots Festival, the California Traditional Arts Festival, and the Milwaukee Irish Fest summer school. Since 2005 Sean has been the Chairman of The Irish Musicians' Association of Chicago, an organization founded in 1951 and dedicated to the playing, preserving and teaching of Irish music.

Daniel Bruce, guitar
Daniel Bruce received his Masters degree in Jazz Studies (Guitar) from The University of North Texas in December 2006. He was awarded a Teaching Fellowship upon entrance and taught applied jazz guitar lessons, directed two of the UNT guitar ensembles, and directed the 7 O'Clock Lab Band while pursuing his own studies at the University.
     Before relocating to Texas, Daniel lived in Cleveland, Ohio where he taught and performed extensively. He held faculty positions at Cuyahoga Community College and Muskingum College where his duties included teaching applied lessons in jazz and classical guitar and lecture courses in Ear Training and Jazz History.
     Daniel has performed and recorded with a number of nationally recognized jazz musicians including Lynn Seaton, Dan Wall, and the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra. He released "A Single Thread," his first album as a leader, in January of 2007. He currently performs and teaches in Chicago, Illinois.