UVMC Faculty

Robert Blais - Green Mountain Youth Symphony and Harmonic Ensemble
Robert Blais, Artistic Director of the Green Mountain Youth Symphony, started his conducting career by creating the Boston-based cello orchestra Blazin' Cellos. Upon arriving in Montpelier in 2001, he founded GMYS, Central Vermont's own youth orchestra. Together, Mr. Blais and GMYS have performed at the Vermont Statehouse for Farmer's Night, for the Paine Mountain Arts Council, for the Vermont Capitol Independence Day Celebration, as a regular feature for Montpelier's First Night celebration, in joint concerts with the Vermont Philharmonic, and regularly at the Barre Opera House.  Robert Blais is a champion of contemporary music, having commissioned and conducted world premieres of orchestral works by Dennis Bathory-Kitsz, Erik Nielsen, Laura Koplewitz, Pam Marshall, and Lydia Busler-Blais, and in 2005 produced a concert comprised of music entirely written in the last 20 years by female composers. He has appeared with the Green Mountain Youth Symphony WCAX-TV in Burlington, VT. After more than tripling the size of GMYS, Robert has expanded the orchestra's range, starting orchestras at the Upper Valley Music Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire.

In addition to his work with GMYS, Robert Blais has conducted for the Monteverdi Music Camp, the Vermont-based School for Strings Camp, the Montpelier Capitol Orchestra, the Vermont Philharmonic, continues with Blazin' Cellos in Vermont, and is a frequent guest conductor for numerous programs and festivals. He receives rave reviews for his educational outreach concerts from seasoned performers, teachers, and students alike. Robert is also a well-known cellist and cello teacher, having been featured as a soloist with the Montpelier Chamber Orchestra, the Holyoke Symphony, the Guilford Music Festival Orchestra, and the Melrose Symphony Orchestra, as well as performing as a chamber musician around the Northeast. His students play locally with the Vermont Philharmonic, the Green Mountain Youth Symphony, the Vermont Youth Orchestra, and the Montpelier Chamber Orchestra.

Alicia Casey - Suzuki Violin Instructor
Alicia received her B.Mus from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in Australia and her M.Mus form the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Alicia has performed with quartets and orchestras in Australia, the United States and throughout Europe. Alicia grew up as a Suzuki student starting at the age of 3 and has completed formal Suzuki teacher training with Allen Leib, Roger Steig, Ed Kreuitman, Kimberly Meier-Sims and Mark Mutter.

Elizabeth Clendenning - Violin Instructor
Elizabeth received a BM from the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia where she was a student of Ivan Galamian. She earned a MM from The Cleveland Institute. She played in the Cleveland Orchestra under George Szell for 6 seasons. Since moving to Hanover, she has been concertmaster of the Vermont Symphony and Opera North, and played in the Chautauqua Festival Orchestra for 11 seasons and in other ensembles in the New England region. She also played and taught in Honduras for 10 years helping to develop a national orchestra, receiving a Fulbright Grant for that purpose. Elizabeth is a teacher of violin, viola, chamber music, and orchestral skills.

Tim Cohen - Percussion Instructor
Tim Cohen attended Shenandoah College and Conservatory of Music in Winchester, VA (now Shenandoah University), where he studied under John R. Beck for percussion performance and William Averitt for music composition. He has performed with the NH Philharmonic Orchestra, Connecticut River Valley Orchestra, South Jersey Symphony Orchestra, Haddonfield Symphony Orchestra, Atlantic Brass Band, East Bay Jazz Ensemble, and many other ensembles throughout the Eastern Seaboard. His compositions have been performed by the Upper Valley Community

Peter Concilio - Bass/Jazz Instructor
Peter Concilio studied jazz arranging, theory and harmony with Connecticut saxophonist Don DeFala, and string bass with Joseph Iadone at Hart College. His composition “Pete’s Blues” is memorialized on several collections of early rock recordings. During his formative years he performed in the New Haven with the Intonations, a popular dance band; Renaissance, an 8 piece jazz/rock group; and The Underground Movement, a fiery horn band lead by arranger, Walt Gwyardiak, who would later become director of the Hart College Jazz Program. In 1996 he was awarded a Falk Foundation grant for his work with aspiring high school jazz musicians. He has produced concerts featuring Pat Metheny, Maynard Ferguson, Dizzy Gillespie, Jimmy and Percy Heath, Michael Brecker, Eddie Gomez, and a number of other artists.

Edmund (Skip) Downing - Trumpet Instructor
Skip received his Bachelor of Music Ed. degree from Gordon College, Wenham, Massachusetts. Some of his playing experiences include the Cape Ann Symphony, New Hampshire Philharmonic, various Upper Valley ensembles, the Air Force Band of New England, and most notoriously the Wells Branch Brass Quartet, where he also served as full time arranger. Skip has played for over 45 years and taught privately for 35 years. He is also currently serving as instrumental music teacher at Mid Vermont Christian School in Quechee, Vt. He lives in Lebanon with his wife Susan, who teaches piano, and their two musical sons.

Susan Downing - Piano Instructor
Susan J. Downing, Lebanon, NH is very excited to be joining the UVMC's faculty. Susan received her B.A. in Music degree as a piano major from Wheaton College, Norton, MA, and B.M. in Education from Keene State College, Keene, NH. Her teaching approach is eclectic, including some Suzuki techniques for her younger students. Susan is a native to NH and has been teaching piano for 30 years. She previously taught public school general music/band grades K-4 for 8 years in Springfield, VT and Enfield, NH. She enjoys playing piano at her church and performing with her husband and 2 sons who are all trumpet players.

Pierre Fournier - Classical Piano Instructor
Pierre received a BM from Hartt College of Music where he studied piano with Anne Koscielny and chamber music with Bernard Greenhouse. He was awarded first place in the Kinsmen Music Festival of Ontario, Canada, served as pianist for the First U.S. Army Band, Washington, DC, recorded for “Voice of America”, and was staff pianist for the dance department at George Washington University. A former Chair of the Piano Dept. of the Selma Levine School of Music in Washington, he has been teaching and performing for 35 years, including in the Upper Valley since 1991.

Margaret Gilmore - Suzuki Cello Instructor
Dr. Margaret Gilmore has played professionally in Europe and in the U.S. in solo recitals, chamber music and in many orchestras. She has taught in universities and in public and private schools and is also a registered Suzuki cello teacher as well as traditional. Her early training was at the Juilliard School with subsequent training at the Muziek Lyceum in Amsterdam and she has degrees from LSU, Rice University, and the University of Arizona. She currently performs with the Arizona Opera Orchestra, the Sterling String Quartet, and the Presidio Cello Quartet.

Jennifer Carol Hansen - Voice Instructor
Mezzo-soprano Jennifer Carol Hansen has performed as soloist throughout northern New England with choral societies such as the Manchester Choral Society, the Handel Society of Dartmouth College, the Brattleboro Music Center Concert Choir, the Concord Community Chorus, the Oratorio Chorale, the Androscoggin Chorale, and the Middlebury Festival Chorus, and with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. She has performed with the Boston Vocal Artists and with Opera North, and has given solo and chamber music recitals at Dartmouth College, Middlebury College, the University of Maine at Farmington, the Canterbury Shaker Village concert series, and the Annicchiarico Theater in Concord, New Hampshire. Jennifer is a magna cum laude graduate of Dartmouth College. She has been a semifinalist in the Oratorio Society of New York Annual Solo Competition and has been a New England finalist in the National Association of Teachers of Singing Artist Award Auditions. She holds the position of cantor at St. Denis Parish in Hanover, New Hampshire, and teaches voice privately in Lebanon, New Hampshire. Jennifer has taught voice since 1988. Her students have gone on to sing in music or theater programs at Oberlin Conservatory, Elon University, Ithaca College, Dartmouth College, and others.

Carol Hartman - Choral Accompanist & Assistant Director for Youth Choruses
Carol has worked with Becky Luce and the UVMC Children’s Choruses since they began over ten years ago. Carol was the Lebanon Schools accompanist for twenty-four years. During that time she has worked with the choral groups at the elementary, junior high and high schools. Carol accompanied the Lebanon Community Chorus for fourteen years.

Jane Helms - Classical Piano Instructor
Jane Helms received her BMus. in music education and applied piano from Boston University and MALS in religion and chamber music performance from Dartmouth College where she studied with Sally Pinkas, Jeanne Kierman and Norman Fischer.  She has performed with the Boston Pops Orchestra, at St. Gaudens NHS and in Opera North galas.  She has taught public school music, has been organist and choir director at Norwich Congregational Church and has maintained a piano studio in Norwich, VT, for over 30 years as well as teaching more recently at UVMC.  She is a member of American Guild of Organists, Music Teachers National Association and National Guild of Piano

Becky Luce - Choral Director
Becky Luce has taught general, vocal and instrumental music in the Upper Valley since 1976. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Keene State College and her Master’s Degree from Boston University. Currently the general and vocal music teacher at the Ray School in Hanover, Becky co-founded both the Children’s and Youth Choruses and looks forward to yet another great session of singing!

Hilary Lynch - Flute Instructor
Hilary recently relocated to the Upper Valley from NY. She has a Masters in Music from the Julliard School. She was a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center and played for five years with the Spoleto Festival Orchestra in Italy and Charleston, SC. Hilary held contracts with the Buffalo Philharmonic, Westchester Symphony and played for 14 years with the Hudson Valley Philharmonic. She has toured nationally with the Zephyros Winds quintet and was a winner of the Trinity Wall Street competition with Aeros Quintet in NYC. Hilary currently plays with the Connecticut River Valley Orchestra and the chamber music group Hudson Valley Baroque.

Joanna Nelson - Suzuki Violin / Viola Instructor and Youth Orchestras Conductor
Joanna received a B.M. in Music Education from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN where she studied viola and voice. She was a young Suzuki student herself and did her Suzuki Teacher training with Joanne Melvin, Rebecca Sandrok and Ann Montzka-Smelser. Joanna also maintains a studio of private violin, and viola students and conducts the choir at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Hanover.

Julie Ness - Voice Instructor
Soprano Julie Ness is a versatile performer of the opera and concert stage. After receiving her training at the Oberlin Conservatory she went on to make her professional debut with Opera San Jose in California and lived and worked on the West coast for many years in both operatic and concert repertoire.  While living in New York City, she made her Carnegie Hall debut as the featured soprano soloist in Handel's Messiah and John Rutter's Requiem and also performed recitals with Trinity Church and the New York Festival of Song.  Ms. Ness performed such roles as Rosina (Il Barbiere di Siviglia), Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Despina (Così fan tutte), Atalanta (Xerxes), Adele (Die Fledermaus), and Norina (Don Pasquale).  She has worked with Opera San Jose, Festival Opera, Lake George Opera Festival and the Chicago Humanities Festival and has sung with the American Bach Soloists and the San Francisco City Choir and Orchestra.  Ms. Ness has recorded on the Deluxe label and worked with such prominent conductors as Daniel Beckwith, Paul Nadler, Jeffrey Thomas and Michael Barrett.  Since moving to Vermont, she has devoted her time to teaching voice privately and with the Upper Valley Music Center, recital work and raising her three young children.

Michael Parker - Wind Instruments Instructor / Sax / Jazz Ensemble
Born and raised in Westerly, Rhode Island, Michael Parker has been playing saxophone for over twenty years. He received a B.A. in Music Performance/Sound Recording Technology from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. While in Pittsburgh, Mike gained experience as a free-lance jazz musician performing with many great artists such as Herbie Hancock, Mike Stern, Gary Burton, Dave Liebman, and Louie Bellson. He has also professionally played many different genres of music, including classical, jazz, R&B, rock, Top 40, polka, and wedding bands. Mike began teaching private music lessons for schools and music stores in the Pittsburgh area, and continued to do so when he returned to New England in 1998. Michael considers himself very fortunate to be able to do what he loves for a living, and is thankful for those who enable him to do so.

Barbara Smith - Classical and Jazz Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, and Recorder
Barbara Smith attended Bard College as a Liberace Scholar, where she received her Bachelor of Arts with a focus in Music Performance. While at Bard, she worked with Joan Tower, Luis Garcia-Renart, flutist Patricia Spencer, saxophonists Erika Lindsay, Harvey Kaiser and Howard Johnson, clarinetist Larry Guy, and performed as a solo flutist with the American Symphony Orchestra. In 1999 she toured the United States, Russia, and Central Europe as a saxophonist with the American Russian Young Artists Orchestra under the direction of Leon Botstein. In 2000 she served as a guest panelist at the New York City Flute Convention. Currently, Barbara performs in the area with The East Bay Jazz Ensemble, The Party Crashers, various Steel Pan groups, and at a variety of functions as a solo flutist. She has also served as an adjudicator for district and state music festivals, and as a chamber music coach at the Green Mountain Youth Symphony Summer camp. She is the co-founder of Vermont Independent School of the Arts in Sharon, VT where she has a teaching studio, and the coordinator of the Arts Bus Project—a traveling arts classroom that visits many towns in Central Vermont. Many of her students participate in district, state, and regional music festivals.

Kathi Tarrant - Piano Instructor, Accompanist, and Vocal Coach
Kathi has an array of musical talent that lends itself well to a variety of genres. Having originally studied classical music at West Chester University in PA, she went on to become accomplished in aspects of 20th century music—light opera, show tunes, blues, jazz standards and pop. A seasoned performance artist, composer and arranger, Kathi holds a BA in Education from Goddard College, completed coursework in Music Therapy, and is Suzuki trained. Kathi is in her 2nd year as the Lebanon Schools accompanist. kathi.tarranttafuto.googlepages.com

Nancy Thornton - French Horn
Nancy Thornton currently performs with the Chester Brass Quintet and has recently performed with Abendmusik Chamber Players. She received her Master’s Degree in horn performance at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, and her Bachelor’s degree in horn performance at New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, MA. She studied horn with Norman Schweikert (Chicago Symphony Orchestra), Jonathan Menkis and Jay Wadenpfuhl (Boston Symphony Orchestra) and has performed in master classes with Dale Clevenger, Gale Williams and Dave Krehbiel. Nancy has performed with The Civic Orchestra of Chicago, The Chicago Brass Choir, the Illinois Symphony, the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra and the Florida Orchestra as well as numerous chamber music ensembles. You can also hear her on recordings with the Chicago Brass Choir. Nancy currently resides in Cornish, NH, with her husband and two children.

Jennifer Turbes - Suzuki Violin / Viola Instructor
Jennifer Elton Turbes grew up in Duluth, MN and graduated from the Lake Superior Suzuki Talent Education Program, studying with Laurie Bastian for 12 years. She went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Olaf College and a Master of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music. In spring 2011, she earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in viola performance, also from the Eastman School. She has studied viola with George Taylor, John Graham, Sabina Thatcher, Charles Gray, Warren Friesen, and Bastian and Suzuki pedagogy with Carrie Reunning-Hummel, Nancy Lokken, and Ed Kreitman.

Jennifer is passionate about performing and pedagogy, teaching private lessons to a wide range of students (violin, viola, and Norwegian Hardanger fiddle) and appearing frequently on concert programs in Rochester, NY. She enjoys performing new music and can be heard on New World Records and Albany Records, performing works by Lee Hoiby and Michael Tenzer. Jennifer also enjoys hiking, cooking, being outside, and playing with her cat, Beep. She is thrilled to join the Suzuki faculty at Upper Valley Music Center as violin and viola teacher and excited to explore all the arts and nature the Upper Valley has to offer.

Ben Van Vliet - Suzuki Violin / Viola Instructor and Celtic Fiddling
Benjamin Van Vliet graduated from Vassar College with a B.A. in Music and holds a Masters degree in Violin Performance from the University of Massachusetts Amherst where he studied violin with Elizabeth Chang and viola with Kathryn Lockwood.

Ben teaches Suzuki violin at the Upper Valley Music Center and has been a faculty member at the Northampton Community Music Center and at Strings at Smith. He has completed Suzuki teacher training with Teri Einfeldt at the Hartt School of Music (Books 1—4, SPA), as well as Doris Preucil (Books 7 & 8), Ronda Cole (Book 1—4 Overview), Michele Higa George (ECC), and Alan Lieb (Book 1).

Ben is a co-founder of Red Oak Strings, an Amherst, MA based organization dedicated to teaching chamber music and small ensemble string playing. Ben studied chamber music as part of the Graduate String Quartet program at UMass and as a recipient of the Lark Chamber Music Award has performed in concert with the Lark Quartet. Ben is a founding member of the Bahn Quartet and has been a guest artist with the Lighthouse Chamber Players on Cape Cod. On baroque violin, Ben has performed for world-renowned violinist Andrew Manze and played with the Folger Consort in Washington D.C.

In addition to his love of classical music, Ben plays fiddle for contra dances from time to time in Greenfield, MA.

Judy Wild - Violin Instructor
Judy Wild moved to New Hampshire from England in 2000. She holds a teaching diploma in violin from the Royal College of Music, London, and in piano teaching from the Birmingham Conservatoire. Judy has taught children of all ages both privately and in schools.

David Wysocki - Community Orchestra Conductor and Classical Bass
David Wysocki received a degree in double bass performance from the Boston University School of Music. He studied with Boston Symphony Orchestra bassist Leslie Martin and former BSO principal bassist Henry Portnoi.
A Vermont resident since 1986, Mr. Wysocki has performed with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, the Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra and the Hanover Chamber Orchestra. In addition, Mr. Wysocki performs chamber music with the Upper Valley Mozart Project and the Abendmusik Chamber Players