School of Music Faculty

Allison Alcorn, PhD

Assistant Professor of Music, 1998

 

BMus, Wheaton College
MM, PhD, University of North Texas

 

Prior to coming to Trinity, Dr. Alcorn had teaching experiences at Dordt College and the University of North Texas and worked in education and public programming at the Shrine to Music Museum at the University of South Dakota. Her research focuses on the study of musical instruments ranging from non-Western instruments to European bowed strings. Preservation and documentation of historic American pipe organs is a particular passion and has been the topic of numerous presentations and articles for a variety of professional organizations. She is an active member of the American Musical Instrument Society and is Councilor for Research and Publications on the National Council of the Organ Historical Society. Dr. Alcorn has performed as a violinist in several orchestras, including the Sioux City Symphony, the Garland (Texas) Symphony Orchestra, and the Northwest Iowa Symphony Orchestra where she functioned as assistant concertmaster. She is currently concertmaster of the Trinity Community Philharmonic.

Don Hedges, PhD

Assistant Professor of Music, 1999

 

BS, Faith Baptist Bible College
MM, PhD, Indiana University

 

Dr. Hedges has a passion for "opening ears" to a fuller awareness of and appreciation for musical sound. He has done significant research in the area of aural understanding, and considers the development of listening skills essential to growth in musicianship. Dr. Hedges has background and experience in vocal accompaniment/coaching, conducting, musical theater, and church music. He came to Trinity from Edmonton, Alberta, where he taught music theory at North American Baptist College and Christian worship at Edmonton Baptist Seminary.

Stephen Posegate, MEd

Assistant Professor of Music
and Conductor of Symphonic Band

 

BME, Wheaton College
MEd, University of Alaska, Anchorage
MM, Indiana University
DMA, University of Oregon (ABD)

 

After graduating from Wheaton College in 1976 (BME), Stephen Posegate taught music for more than 20 years in Denali, Nenana, and Anchorage, Alaska, where he also founded and conducted the Anchorage Civic Orchestra, taught music education at the University of Alaska/ Anchorage, and completed an MEd degree in Public School Administration. He earned an MM degree in Music Composition from Indiana University in 2000, and came to Trinity after being a Graduate Teaching Fellow (supervising student music teachers) at The University of Oregon School of Music, where he is completing doctoral studies (DMA) in Music Education with Wind Ensemble Conducting as a secondary area.

Paul J. Satre, DMA

Professor of Music, 1996

 

BA, Trinity College
MMus, DMA, American Conservatory of Music

 

Dr. Satre has conducted and toured with collegiate choirs and has taught theory, piano, composition, church music, and jazz. He often participates as clinician at music festivals and is an editorial consultant for Creator, a magazine for church musicians. Dr. Satre is an active performer on the piano and organ, as well as the principal organist at the Moody Church in Chicago.

 

Adjunct Faculty

Joseph Agnew

Adjunct Professor, Tuba

 

BM Roosevelt University,
MM Northwestern University

 

In 1989 after completing his vocal studies with Dr. Lucinda Schultz of Armstrong Atlantic University, Mr. Agnew moved to Chicago to continue his studies with the legendary tubist and pedagogue Arnold Jacobs. During this time, he played with the Chicago Civic Orchestra, the Classical Symphony, and many other professional engagements, both vocal and instrumental. Mr. Agnew served on the Faculty of the University of Illinois Chicago from 1996 to 2003. He left his position at UIC to pursue a masters in tuba performance at Northwestern University and currently serves on the faculty of Trinity International University.

 

Joseph Agnew Joined the Faculty of Trinity International University in the Fall of 2002 as tuba instructor. In addition to his tuba teaching with Trinity he is a member of the Chicago Symphony Chorus, Principle tuba with Evanston Symphony and director of Music at NorthMinster Presbyterian Church in Evanston Illinois.

 

Mr. Agnew has performed with the Berlin Staatskapelle, the Chicago Symphony, the Elgin Symphony, Illinois Philharmonic, Illinois Chamber Orchestra, and the symphonies of Lake Forest, Kenosha and Rockford . He has performed under the baton of today's most influential conductors such as Daniel Barenboim, Pierre Boulez, Christoph Eschenbach, Zubin Metha and Mistislov Rostapovich. Joseph's pop music credits range from jazz performances with Dr. Billy Taylor to show tune concerts with Michael Fienstien and rock concerts with Olivia Newton John.

JMAgnew3@comcast.net

Jonathon Carreira

Adjunct Professor, Bassoon

BME, MM, Northern Illinois University
Illinois Certification-type 10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Naomi Bensdorf

Adjunct Professor, Oboe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anthony Calabrese

Adjunct Professor, Percussion

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jonathan Carreira

Adjunct Professor, Bassoon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ann Duggan

Adjunct Professor, Violin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Charles K. Finton

Adjunct Professor, Trumpet

 

BM, Western Michigan University
MM, Northwestern University

 

Mr. Finton has been teaching and freelancing in the Chicagoland area since 1995 and is currently an adjunct faculty member teaching trumpet at Trinity International University. In 1985, Finton received his B.M. degree in trumpet performance from Western Michigan University, and in 1987 received his M.M. degree in trumpet performance from Northwestern University. His principal teachers include Dr. Stephen G. Jones, Armando Ghitalla, and Vincent Cichowicz, as well as limited study with Adolph Herseth. From 1989-1995 Finton was a member of the U. S. Coast Guard Band, and occasionally soloed with the band on concert tours. He has twice been a member of the Civic Orchestera of Chicago, the training orchestra of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Finton is principal trumpet of the Kenosha Symphony and plays in a variety of other orchestras and chamber ensembles in the Chicagoland area. His resume.

 

Debbie Gillette

Adjunct Professor, Piano & Handbell Choir

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John Hacker

Adjunct Professor, Voice

 

BSME, University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana

 

Private Vocal Instruction, Winifred Faix Brown, Chicago, Illinois
Des Moines Metro Opera, Indianola, Iowa
Opera Apprentice Program, 1998

Dorothy's Dancing Unlimited, Schaumburg, Illinois
Tap Dancing, 1997-1998

 

 

 

Heidi Hagglund

Adjunct Professor, Flute

BM, Wheaton College

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jarrard Harris

Adjunct Professor, Saxophone

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Lustrea

Adjunct Professor, Trombone and Euphonium

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Norm Ruiz

Adjunct Professor, Classical Guitar

 

"He used a particularly agreeable timbre and his discreet use of vibrato and changes in tone added to the passion of his ethereal music." LONDON TIMES

 

Guitarist Norman Ruiz is a frequent performer in the Mid-Western United States. In 1997 he performed Luciano Berio's Sequenza for Guitar with members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in an all-Berio program at Northwestern University's Pick Staiger Concert Hall. He also performed Schoenberg's Serenade with the Guidagnini Ensemble, made up of members of the CSO, at Orchestra Hall in 1992, and in 1993 he performed the Canario movement of Rodrigo's Fantasia Para un Gentilhombre with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as part of their Promenade Concert Series. He has also performed with community orchestras, including the Illinois Philharmonic, directed by Carmen DeLeone and the Elmhurst Symphony conducted by Dale Cleavenger.

 

As a soloist he has performed nationally and internationally. In 1985 he performed in London's famed Wigmore Hall. In 1984 he presented a program for the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert series at Preston Bradley Hall in Chicago in a program broadcast nationwide over WFMT radio. In 1988 he was included on the "Masters of the Guitar" series presented by the Chicago Guitar Society. In 1992 he was selected to perform in the Gran Teatro in Cordoba, Spain during the international guitar festival. More recently, he was artist-in-residence at the University of Guadalajara, Mexico, performing a solo recital and serving as resident instructor, then he went on to perform on guitar series in Paracho and Morelia, Mexico.

 

Norman Ruiz has had instruction with some of the world's finest guitarists. In 1992 he studied the guitar concertos of Joaquin Rodrigo with Christopher Parkening. He has studied with Pepe Romero at the Festival de La Guitarra in Cordoba, Spain in 1992 and 1996. He has also had master classes with Oscar Ghiglia and Manuel Lopez Ramos. In 1986 he was selected from an international search to participate in a master class given by Andres Segovia at the University of Southern California.

 

Norman Ruiz's desire is to introduce the classical guitar to new audiences. This desire has led him to perform at many of the schools and libraries in and around Chicago. He has also given lectures on the guitar, and given master classes at many universities in the Midwest.

 

In 1997 his CD, Andaluza, was released by Centaur records and is available at Tower Records and Border Books. He teaches at Columbia College in Chicago and at Trinity International University in Deerfield.

 

Webpage: http://normanruiz.com/

 

Andrew Snow

Adjunct Professor, Cello

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beth Ann Swinson

Adjunct Professor, Voice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

R. Christopher Teichler

Adjunct Professor, Jazz Ensemble and Composition

 

BM, Wheaton College
PhD, Northwestern University

 

Dr. Chris Teichler is an experienced bandleader, and has conducted both the Symphonic Wind Ensemble and the Symphony Orchestra at the Wheaton College Conservatory, his alma mater. He is an accomplished trumpeter and pianist, and does a good deal of free-lancing in the Chicago area. He is also a composer, and writes on commission for several area groups. His recent compositions include a trumpet concerto, a fantasy for trombone and orchestra, a set of theme and variations for piano, a brass quintet, and film music.

Dr. Teichler is Music Director at West Suburban Community Church in Elmhurst, where he directs the orchestra (which he founded several years ago), co-directs the choir, plays the piano, and teaches Sunday School. He recently graduated from Northwestern University, earning a Doctorate of Music in Composition. He resides in Bensenville with his wife Sarah and their four children. Webpage: http://www.christeichler.com/

Jennifer Woodrum

Adjunct Professor, Clarinet

 

BM, MM, Northwestern University

 

Jennifer Woodrum, born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago , maintains a busy schedule playing and teaching clarinet throughout Illinois .  Jennifer holds a bachelors and masters degree from Northwestern University , where she studied with Russell Dagon.  Her other principal teachers have included Aris Chavez and Leslie Grimm.  Ms. Woodrum holds many awards from local competitions including, the Evanston Music Club, the Farwell award from the Chicago Musicians’ Club of Women, the Union League Civic and Arts Foundation, and the American Opera Society.  Jennifer has been a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and the Rockford Symphony. She has performed with the Elgin Symphony, the Ravinia Festival Orchestra, the South Bend Symphony, and the Grant Park Symphony. Over the years, solo competition awards have kept Jennifer very active as a recital artist, doing several recitals a year in Chicago and surrounding areas. Jennifer is the proud parent of a pit bull pointer mix, named after one of her favorite vocalists, Miss Peggy Lee. When not involved in clarinet activites, you'll probably find Jennifer at the Evanston Pooch Park or singing karaoke at the nearest karaoke bar. Webpage: http://www.fifth-house.com/Jenny.html