PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS
performers and teaching artists
PERFORMERS
PROGRESSIONS FACULTY PERFORMERS
Tiffany Chang, Violin
Sonora Brusubardis, Violin
Miguel Barrenechea, Viola
Rayden Vaughan Montes, Cello
John Babbitt, Bass
JAZZ STUDIES
Chris Mell, Director
CONNECTION
Johnny Padilla, Instructor
Alex Gomeniok, Drums
Ivy Taylor, Guitar
Finn Rogers, Trumpet
JT Laurie, Piano
EFFECT
Neil Davis and Krystyna Jones, Instructors
Joseph Condecon-Stone-Guitar
Thomas Kearney Drums
PERCEPTION
Isaiah Simons, Instructor
Kiema Stampley, Guitar
Nelson Schultz, Drums
Jameson Rush, Piano
RUMBA
Johnny Padilla and Tony Ayala, Instructors
Ezra Olson, Piano
Weston Eichmeier, Drums
Sam Mitch, Saxophone/Bass
Jameson Rush, Vibes
Jack Monagle, Drums
Rohan Grasso, Drums
Teddy Keppler, Drums
Luke Murray, Guitar
Nolan Berg Percussion
2nd Yr. PROGRESSIONS
Tiffany Chang, Director
INSTRUCTORS
John Babbitt
Sonora Brusubardis
Viktor Brusubardis
Manuel Landin Lopez
Imaia Mitchell
Rayden Vaughan Montes
Paris Myers
Ann Wood
Mentor
Tony Lucas
VIOLIN
Camila R. Aguilar
MacKenzie Chesir
Cayli Cifax
Yamil Cruz Cortes
Harlow Dufek
Dariana Enriquez
Isis Melby-Gibbons
Paola Guerra
Abel Guzman
Dheeksha Kancharla
Rose Kozlicki
Alexis Mohs
Matias Ochoa
Kelynn Pearson
Alessio Ramirez
Ramona Rudnik
Tallulah Sams
Miko Sengyothinh
Violet Van Sistine
Hilary Thompson
Chekai Thurman
Noelle Vignieri
VIOLA
Nicolas Aguilera
Theodore Baldus
Matisse Chirillo
Elizabeth Guerra
Artie Tucker Jr.
Benjamin Macias
Subhana Matthews
Gwendolyn Taylor
Emily Thompson
CELLO
Khaydin Allen
Linnea Balistrieri
Christian Albarran Cruz
Baylee Gatson
Margaret Gibes
Ruby Hawthorne
Willa Hoban
Candace McCrary
Levi A. Santiago
Hugo Schmidt
BASS
Sofia Davis
Eleanor Johnson
Makhale Lipson
Jodie Washington
Ravi Weiland
CALYPSO & SOCA STEEL BANDS
Tim Rush, Director | Jonathan Walls, Instructor
Thomas Bastardo
Nathanael Cueto
Jonah Cyganiak
Adrianna Elliott
Isabella Garay-Yoplac
Lileth Gayle
Anya Griffith
Jesus Gutierrez
Adra Hensersky
Parker Kaltenbach
Alex Lewis
Juan McCune
Griffin McGarry
Ingrid Olson
Leo Oszuscik
Harold Perez
Elijah Quiroz
Saul Rivera
Luis Roque
Jameson Rush
Layla Salas
Sawyer Schwei
Deja Starck
Sofia Stark
Rylee Stelpflug
Cortez Sutton
Tylor Taylor
Azra Turkan
Mark Vanderbilt
Johanne Venable
Scout Vincetti
PRELUDE WIND ENSEMBLE
Connie Fellows & Michael Krofta, Directors
INSTRUCTORS
Mary Buyrczyk
Ben Haimann
Kelly Hoffman
Mallory Merkel
Sabrina Raber
Kaitlyn Rian
Miko Roman
Kyle Samuelson
Marta Troicki
Mike Zens
FLUTE
Jordin Burns
Jacqueline Prado
Sarahi Torres
Olivia Wiese
OBOE
Ariadna Ochoa
Noah Williams
CLARINET
Harper Faber
Neftaly Luna-Rangel
Riley Scott
Jayden Thompson
SAXOPHONE
Dorothy Greene
Somaiya Greene
Brooks Lowery
Treasure Olowu
BASSOON
Grace Witczak
Leo Yang
FRENCH HORN
Margot Chirillo
Fox Krafttakacs
Ezra Rosploch
TRUMPET
Emmanuel Baines
Elias Hoban
Precious Olowu
TROMBONE
Javier Hernandez
Abbot Hoban
Ciara Meyers
Lauren Smith
TUBA
Milan Cwalina Brylow
PERCUSSION
Genesis Albarran Cruz
Hazel Bonds-Coffey
Kenya Hoffman
Bryson Rivas
TEACHING ARTIST BIOS
Artistic and Music Director Carter Simmons has provided leadership for the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra (MYSO) for more than 30 years. He conducts the organization’s Senior Symphony and Chamber Orchestra and leads MYSO’s impressive artist management team and faculty who serve thousands of students each season.
As a conductor he has collaborated on projects leading the Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and the Wisconsin Philharmonic among others. In 2017, Simmons was appointed Music Director of Milwaukee’s Festival City Symphony, a professional orchestra which provides free concerts for its audiences. Simmons has led performances throughout the United States, in China, and across Europe most recently in the legendary Royal Concertgebouw. A former President of Milwaukee’s Civic Music Association, Simmons currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Youth Orchestra Division of the League of American Orchestras.
Born outside Washington, D.C., his training included participation at the Interlochen Center for the Arts and the Eastern Music Festival, and lessons at the Tanglewood Music Center. Simmons is grateful to his teachers Dr. John R. Locke, Robert Gutter, Larry Rachleff, and Professor Thomas L. Dvorak, and he feels honored to have the opportunity to lead these wonderful MYSO musicians.
Progressions Director Tiffany Chang was most recently an orchestra teacher in the Wauwatosa School District, and prior to that, taught orchestra in the school district of Beloit, WI. Ms. Chang received her Bachelor of Music in Music Education degree at UW-Madison and is certified to teach instrumental music. She has played in a variety of groups, including the Beloit-Janesville Symphony, Manitowoc Symphony, Dubuque Symphony, the Wisconsin Intergenerational Orchestra, the Turtle Creek Chamber Orchestra, and has served as coordinator and violin coach for WSMA Honors Orchestra.
Steel Bands Director Tim Rush has been active in the steel pan world since 1995, after joining the renowned Northern Illinois University Steel Band. His time with NIU included a two-week tour of Taiwan in 1998. After receiving his Bachelor of Music degree in percussion, he went on to receive his Master of Music degree from Arizona State University, where he served as Director of the ASU Pan Devils Steel Band. Tim serves yearly on the faculty of the Percussion and Steel Band session of Birch Creek Music Performance Center, Door County. He teaches percussion at Merton Intermediate School, Waukesha County Conservatory of Music, and Gman Music. He leads Caribbean Eclipse and continues to freelance on steel pan and percussion.
Jazz Studies Director Chris Mell has been part of MYSO since 2008. He has been performing and teaching drums for more than three decades and has taught students ranging from age 3-70. He has taught bucket drumming and West African drumming classes for the Boys and Girls Clubs, and for many years taught drum lines for the Cudahy Middle/High School and Franklin High School. He is a Milwaukee Public Schools traveling music teacher, teaching private lessons and drum line for six MPS schools. Chris graduated from UW-Whitewater with a Bachelor’s degree in music with a jazz emphasis. Over his career he has studied and toured with John Becker, Steve Wiest, Ed Shaughnessy, Brad Leahi, Dave Pietro, Michael Spiro, Billy Cobham, the Maynard Ferguson Big Band, Joan Rivers, and many more. He is a freelance artist for various groups throughout greater Milwaukee and Wisconsin.
Prelude Wind Ensemble Director Connie Fellows has been sharing the joy and excitement of music education with beginner and intermediate band students for more than 35 years. Most recently, she has developed a strong and enthusiastic instrumental music program in four area Catholic schools. She received her Bachelor of Music Performance and Education degree from the UW-Madison and her Master of Music degree from the University of Akron. She has performed with the Akron Symphony, Canton Symphony, Manchester Symphony, Cleveland Ballet Orchestra, Cleveland Women’s Orchestra, and the Green Bay Symphony Orchestra.
Prelude Wind Ensemble Director Michael Krofta retired as director of instrumental music at Oconomowoc High School in 2022. He was selected for the 2016 Symphonic Bands & Orchestras (SBO) National Magazine’s “50 Directors Who Make A Difference,” the 2017 Phi Beta Mu-Wisconsin Band Master of the Year Award, and received the “Citation of Excellence” from the National Band Association three times. He is currently the band director at St. Anthony in Pewaukee, St. Charles in Hartland, and Holy Apostles in New Berlin. Michael completed his Masters Degree in Music Education at The Ohio State University in Columbus, with a conducting emphasis, studying with Craig Kirchhoff. Mr. Krofta’s undergraduate work was completed at UW-Madison, and he also studied at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.
Connie and Michael met in MYSO when it was MFY, and their children, Ryan and Erin, played in many of MYSO’s performing groups.
Bronzeville Jazz, MYSO’s faculty jazz ensemble, represents decades of professional mentoring, teaching, recording, and performing experience throughout the Milwaukee region and beyond. These educators lead our 40 jazz studies students through weekly instruction and give them a deep understanding of the language of jazz, the composers and musicians, and their music with an emphasis on music theory, improvisation skills, and the history of the evolution of jazz. Several of our highly acclaimed teaching artists have been recognized as “Best of…” musicians by the Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI), the Shepherd Express, and more.