Large Ensemble Conductors
String faculty
Sharilyn Spicknall, Violin
Beth Sievers, Violin
Cindy Watson, Viola
Helen Ford, Cello
Brian Powell, Bass
IUSMC faculty since 1990, violinist Sharilyn Spicknall is a freelance musician (violinist, violist, pianist). She enjoys a longtime career as a soloist, orchestral, and chamber player, plus recording studio artist, collaborative pianist, adjudicator, teacher, coach, and clinician. Academic affiliations have included positions at Indiana State, Purdue, DePauw, and Eastern Illinois Universities.
Beth Sievers directs the University of Oklahoma Sooner String Project, which has approximately 90 students (ages 4-18) per semester. Dr. Sievers oversees the program, acts as the master teacher, and trains college students to assist her with classes and private lessons. She is a violinist in the Oklahoma City Philharmonic.
Cindy Watson is a graduate of the IU Jacobs School of Music, with a Bachelors and Masters in Music Education. She has worked as a middle School orchestra director, private teacher, clinician and adjudicator, as well as a freelance violist. Currently, she has a private studio in Louisville, Kentucky.
Helen Shively Ford directs the cello program of the Indiana University String Academy. Previously, she served on the cello faculty, and was chamber music coordinator of the MacPhail Center for Music in Minneapolis.
Woodwind faculty
Christopher Dortwegt, Flute
Rebecca McGuire, Oboe
Sara Fruehe, Bassoon
Chris Dessent, Clarinet
Kylie Stultz Dessent, Clarinet
Kevin Watson, Saxophone
Chris Dortwegt serves on the Fine Arts Faculty at Wauconda High School (IL) where he leads three concert bands and two percussion courses. He also co-directs the Marching Bulldogs and leads the Jazz Ensemble. Mr. Dortwegt holds a BME and MM from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.
Sara Fruehe is Assistant Professor of Bassoon at the Columbus State University Schwob School of Music. A dedicated chamber musician, Sara performs with Off Broadway trio, 10th Muse trio, and is a founding member of Volante Winds quintet. She also performs frequently in solo and orchestral settings.
Clarinetist Kylie Stultz-Dessent serves as Assistant Professor of Music at Purdue University Fort Wayne School of Music and enjoys a varied career as an educator and performer. She is the founder and director of the Indiana Clarinet Experience and performs frequently in solo, chamber, and orchestral settings.
Kevin Watson is Associate Professor of Music Education at Western University, where he directs the Western University Jazz Ensemble and Young Winds program. He regularly serves as a music festival adjudicator and clinician. Dr. Watson is a graduate of the IU Jacobs School of Music and the Berklee College of Music.
Brass & Percussion faculty
Susan Rider, Trumpet
Aimee Page, Horn
Sarah Paradis, Trombone
James Land, Euphonium & Tuba
Ross Erickson, Percussion
Jen Bollero-Erickson, Percussion
Gail Novak, Collaborative Pianist
Trumpeter Susan Rider is a member of “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band in Washington, D.C. She also performs as a member of The Annapolis Chamber Orchestra, Stiletto Brass Quintet and Monarch Brass. Susan received her musical degrees from The University of Northern Iowa (B.M.) and Indiana University (M.M. and D.M.).
Aimee Page, Horn, is a graduate of the I.U. School of Music. Her military career spans 30 years, joining the Navy in 1987 and retiring from the Coast Guard Band in 2017. Aimee’s broad experience includes orchestras, brass bands, chamber music performances as soloist, and brass and woodwind quintets.
James Land is Assistant Professor of Tuba at Western Illinois University. Previously, Dr. Land was Instructor of Tuba and Euphonium at Belmont University (Nashville, TN). Land is an active performer throughout the Midwest and East Coast, teaches at the WIU Summer Music Institute, and has taught at Interlochen Arts Camp.
Ross Erickson is currently serving as Consortium Instructor of Percussion at the University of Evansville in Evansville, Indiana. He also holds the position of Principal Percussionist with the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra and Owensboro Symphony Orchestra.
Jennifer Bollero Erickson is a percussionist and proud IU graduate. She holds an undergraduate degree in Music Education and a Master of Music in Wind Conducting. Mrs. Erickson has taught for nine years in Indiana schools and currently serves as the Director of Bands at South Knox Middle/High School.
A resident of Mesa, Arizona, pianist Gail Novak is in demand as a collaborative artist in the United States and abroad. Gail performs often at Arizona State University and in the Phoenix area with university faculty, students, and guest artists.
Elective Faculty
Lissa May, Jazz Band
Kevin Watson, Jazz Band
Jen Bollero-Erickson, Percussion Ensemble
Christopher Nelson, Conducting
Suzanne Charney, Leadership
Benjamin Taylor, Composition
Lissa May is associate dean at the IU Jacobs School of Music. She served as Jazz Band director at Oakland University (MI) and supervisor of fine arts for the Waterford School District. She was a faculty member in jazz studies at Purdue University and directed the Purdue Jazz Band.
Kevin Watson is Associate Professor of Music Education at Western University, where he directs the Western University Jazz Ensemble and Young Winds program. He regularly serves as a music festival adjudicator and clinician. Dr. Watson is a graduate of the IU Jacobs School of Music and the Berklee College of Music.
Jennifer Bollero Erickson is a percussionist and proud IU graduate. She holds an undergraduate degree in Music Education and a Master of Music in Wind Conducting. Mrs. Erickson has taught for nine years in Indiana schools and currently serves as the Director of Bands at South Knox Middle/High School.
Christopher Nelson is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Wind Conducting at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where he serves as an Associate Instructor in the Department of Bands. He has directed high school bands for seven years in the Salem-Keizer, and Alpine School Districts in Oregon and Utah.
Benjamin Dean Taylor grew up performing jazz, rock, ska, country, band, choral, and orchestral music. He is driven to write music that highlights the strengths of each performing ensemble. His catalog of over 100 works covers genres including orchestra, wind band, opera, choir, jazz band, gamelan, chamber ensembles, and soloists with live electronics.
