Private lessons are a VITAL ELEMENT in a student’s musical life. The opportunity to study privately with a professional musician is one of the most important factors to individual student success. These professionals provide detailed, specific, one-on-one instruction tailored for your child. Private lessons challenge the advanced students and accelerate students who need extra attention. Of the students who make the Texas All-State Band, roughly 97% take private lessons! If you are not currently taking lessons, please consider doing so!!! Private lessons are offered as an enrichment activity and are NOT REQUIRED, but please consider private lessons as an essential part of the band program.
The cost of the weekly private lessons is $23.00 per lesson and are paid directly to the teacher and not to the band. Please pay a month in advance.
Flute
Jenifer McKenzie
(972) 978-6375
jeniferm2@verizon.net
Jenifer McKenzie is a professional flutist currently residing in Garland, Texas. She has been a member of the Dallas Opera Orchestra since 1989, and during that time, has also pursued an active free-lance schedule, performing for a wide variety of audiences. Many of the programs she has developed are “Meet the Instrument” programs for young school children, and music education programs for adults.
Ms. McKenzie has always enjoyed teaching private lessons to all ages of students and currently maintains a large private studio. She has also taught on the faculties of California State University, Fullerton; University of Veracruz, Mexico; Texas Women's University; and Texas A&M University, Commerce. She has extensive experience in conducting flute clinics and master classes, judging competitions, organizing and conducting flute choirs and teaching summer flute camps.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education from California State University, Fullerton and a Master of Music Degree in Flute Performance from The Cleveland Institute of Music. Before coming to the Dallas area, Jenifer was Co-Principal Flute for six years in the Jalapa Symphony Orchestra in Jalapa, Mexico.
Oboe
Ashley Rollins
(615) 517-8287
ashleynr@umich.edu
Ms. Rollins has a Bachelor's degree in music performance from the University of Michigan, where she studied under Dr. Nancy Ambrose King, and has Master's degree at the University of North Texas, where she studied with Professor James Ryon. She also served as the oboe studio teaching fellow. Previously, she studied with Ellen Menking of the Nashville Symphony.
At the University of North Texas, she performed in the Wind Symphony, and can be heard on several of the ensemble's recordings, frequently on English horn. Ms. Rollins teaches private oboe in Frisco Prosper, and has had numerous students make region bands. During the summers, she teaches at the Bocal Majority camps. She performs often with local symphonies and is a founding member of the reed trio Fenglírë.
Bassoon
Jonna Griffith
(940) 395-3119
jonnagriffith@yahoo.com
Jonna Griffith serves as the adjunct professor of bassoon at Texas A & M University-Commerce. Ms. Griffith received music degrees in bassoon performance from the University of North Texas and Southern Methodist University. Her principal teachers have been Kathleen Reynolds and Will Roberts. Ms. Griffith has also served as a graduate teaching fellow at the University of North Texas where she is currently working towards a Doctor of Musical Arts. At the University of North Texas, Ms. Griffith’s teaching responsibilities included applied lessons, extensive chamber music coaching, and intensive reed-making courses. Ms. Griffith’s previous teaching experience also includes applied woodwind lessons and music theory at Grayson College as well as a large private studio in the DFW metroplex.
Ms. Griffith is an active freelancer and has performed with numerous ensembles including the Dallas Opera, Dallas Wind Symphony, Shreveport Symphony, Longview Symphony, Plano Symphony, Irving Symphony, Sherman Symphony and the Orchestra of New Spain. With a related field in early music performance, Ms. Griffith has participated in the Boston Early Music festival, performing on baroque bassoon. Ms. Griffith has participated in numerous recordings on the Klavier label, and her recording of Beethoven’s Fourth Symphony has been used in bassoon master classes at the New World Symphony and the Royal Academy of Music. Ms Griffith is a member of the International Double Reed Society, and TMEA.
Clarinet
Jake Hale
(817) 939-2682
jake.hale0@gmail.com
Jake Hale is currently the principal clarinetist of the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra. He has performed as the second/Eb clarinetist of the Waco Symphony Orchestra and has performed with the Fort Worth Symphony, the Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra, the Odessa-Midland Symphony Orchestra, and the Round Top Festival Institute Orchestra. Mr. Hale has competed in the International Clarinet Association Competitions making several appearances as a semi-finalist and finalist. In 2015, he won the Orchestral Audition Competition and the same year made finals in the Young Artist Competition as the only American to advance.
Jake Hale is from Fort Worth, Texas. He studied with Richie Hawley at Rice University where he completed a Master in Music Performance in 2018. He received his undergraduate degree in Music Education at Baylor University in Waco, Texas where he studied under Dr. Jun Qian, Dr. Vanguel Tangerov, and Alan Olson. While at Baylor, he played in the final round of the Baylor Concerto Competition in 2014 and 2015 and his woodwind quintet, Connect5, advanced to the Semi-finals of the Coltman Chamber Competition. Jake has also studied with Dr. Richard Shanley and Ivan Petruzziello of the Fort Worth Symphony.
Jake enjoys exercising by running, swimming or playing basketball. When he isn’t performing, he enjoys teaching his clarinet studio in Texas. Jake is an avid sports fan and during the football and basketball seasons, he supports the Baylor and DFW sports teams. He owes his success to his friends and supportive parents who give him inspiration to create and to pursue exquisite music making.
Clarinet
Dr. James Chen
(469) 500-4381
clarinettogo@gmail.com
Dr. James CM Chen earned his DMA from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1997, majoring in Clarinet Performance and Pedagogy. Starting his first clarinet lesson at the age of 15 with professors in Taiwan and with Dr. Phil Aaholm while attending UC-Boulder, He is the first Taiwanese clarinetist who received a doctorate's degree.
Upon graduating in 1997, Dr. Chen moved back to Taiwan and served as the Dean (1998-2004) to established the music department at Aletheia University. While at Aletheia University, he also served as an assistant professor (1998-2014) teaching classes, tutoring clarinet, coaching chamber groups, and leading his clarinet ensemble.
Dr. Chen wrote three books, How to Start Playing Your Clarinet (1997), a Mandarin translation to Pamela Weston’s Clarinet Virtuosi of the Past (2000), and a Mandarin publication of The Swan Songs, a Research on J. Brahms' Clarinet Works (2012). Along with his wife, Ifen Chuang, they recorded Walking Along With Me (2010) and This is My Father's World (2011), which are albums with popular church Hymns. His latest publications are series of play-along music scores for all instruments, Happy Tunes 1-3. (2013, 2014).
Moving to the U.S. to continue his music expedition, Dr. Chen established Dolce Music Institute to serve all music enthusiasts in the North Dallas area. He currently resides in Frisco, TX with his wife and three kids. He is a member of TMEA and MTNA.
Saxophone
Julian Sutherland
juliansutherland1@gmail.com
Julian was born and raised in Pocatello, ID. He found his love for music and the saxophone with the help from his dad, Andy. Julian excelled in high school, making All-State and All-Northwest bands since his freshman year, and won the Idaho State solo contest 5 times and two 3rd place finishes playing alto, tenor, and baritone saxophone.
After studying at Idaho State University for two years, he moved to the University of North Texas to finish his undergraduate (2012) and master’s (2016) degrees in Jazz Studies under the tutelage of Brad Leali. While at UNT, he played with the Two O’clock Lab Band under the direction of Jay Saunders playing lead tenor and recording on lead alto on a double album: “Two Music: It Don’t Mean a Thing if it…”. While attending UNT, Julian studied jazz saxophone with Brad Leali and classical saxophone with Dr. Eric Nestler. He was coached by Stefan Karlsson, Jim Riggs, Tim Green, Michael Palma, Clay Pritchard, Steve Weist, Lynn Seaton, Stockton Helbing, and Rich Derosa.
Julian’s passion for making music is matched by his passion for education. He has been giving clinics and teaching privately since 2009. He was a Teaching Fellow at the University of North Texas while he was studying to receive his Master’s degree in Jazz Studies. His duties were to teach private jazz saxophone lessons to the undergraduate jazz studies majors.
Julian has traveled throughout the U.S., Canada, and Japan performing over 300 shows per year playing alto sax and clarinet with the World-Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra (2014-2015). He participated in the Glenn Miller Orchestra’s 50th anniversary tour of Japan and can be heard on their most recent album “Live! And in Stereo” recorded live at the Simmons Center in Duncan, OK.
Julian has shared the stage with The Temptations, The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, The Diamonds, Shelley Carroll Orchestra, The Dallas Jazz Orchestra, Mike Tomaro, Billy Harper, Stefan Karlsson, Rodney Booth, Rich Derosa, among many others. Julian’s versatility has also given him opportunities to play with many Funk, R&B, and salsa bands in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
Trumpet
Cameron Abtahi
cameron.abtahi@hotmail.com
Cameron Abtahi is a professional trumpet player and private teacher from Plano, Texas. He holds a Bachelor’s in Trumpet Performance from Baylor University and Master’s in Trumpet Performance, with Academic Honors, from the New England Conservatory of Music. Mr. Abtahi has performed frequently in world premiere recordings and events, including most recently serving as principal trumpet for Iphigenia, a new opera written by jazz legend Wayne Shorter and featured in the New York Times. He has performed with various Grammy Award-winning artists, as well as with the Las Colinas Symphony and Waco Symphony.
While in Boston, Cameron studied with Ben Wright of the Boston Symphony, and worked closely with the members of the orchestra. He served as principal trumpet of the conservatory orchestra and was featured as a soloist in the Fall 2020 program. During his time at Baylor, he studied with Wiff Rudd, and appeared three times in the National Trumpet Competition Semi-Finals, earning 1st place in 2014.
In his free time, Cameron enjoys going to the movies, playing video games, reading and swimming.
horn
Stuart Womble
(931) 529-2353
intrubul@hotmail.com
Mr. Womble is a professional horn player and teacher in the Dallas area. He received his Bachelors in Music Education Summa Cum Laude from Tennessee Technological University and his Master's in Horn Performance from Florida State University. Additionally, he spent time studying in Chicago with Members of the Chicago Symphony while playing with the Chicago Civic Orchestra (training orchestra of the Chicago Symphony).
As a performer Mr. Womble is a member of the orchestras of Las Colinas, Garland, and Arlington and has also performed with the Dallas Winds, the Irving Symphony, and the Richardson Symphony. Prior to moving to Texas, he had played with many orchestras in the Southeast. These would include the Jacksonville (FL) Symphony, Charleston (SC) Symphony and Sarasota (FL) Orchestra. He has performed with artists throughout the classical, pops and jazz world, including Joshua Bell, Andre Watts, Marcus Roberts, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, and even Ben Folds and Bobby McFerrin. He has also been privileged to perform under the batons of some of those world's most respected conductors in both the orchestra and band world, including Daniel Barenboim, Pierre Boulez, Sir Andrew Davis, Roberto Abbado, Timothy Rehnish, Col. John Bourgeois, Ray Cramer, Paula Crider, Harry Begian, and many others.
As a teacher, he has had dozens of Texas All State students, as well as hundreds of All Region students in middle and high school. He has had several students accepted into some of best horn studios in the country including Northwestern University, Southern Methodist University, and Indiana University. He has also had many students go on to study music education and performance at a other schools like Texas Tech, Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and many others.
His primary teachers were Dr. Bill Capps (US Marine Corp Band DC and Berlin Radio Orchestra), David Cripps (London Symphony and Philharmonia), and Arthur Labar (National Symphony, Washington DC).
Trombone
Paul Birk
(214) 843-6122
pbirk72@gmail.com
Paul Birk is a freelance trombonist, trombone/low brass lesson teacher and
composer/arranger in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He received his Bachelors of Music
(education) from the University of Texas at Arlington and his Masters of Music
(performance) from the University of North Texas. While at Texas Tech University, he
completed a teaching assistantship and the course work in pursuit of a Doctor of Musical Arts in Trombone performance and pedagogy.
Since 1999, he has taught privately full-time in the: Grapevine-Colleville, Rockwall-
Heath, Birdville, and Frisco ISD's (currently) where his students have consistently
achieved All-Region and All-State Band placements as well as superior ratings at solo contests and festivals.
Groups in which he regularly plays are: Birk's JazzWerks (jazz quartet); Mr. PC; the
Dallas Jazz Orchestra (big band); C3 Big Band (lead trombone and soloist); Clave con
Alma (Latin jazz septet); and Sally Majestic (Ska band, horn section). Other groups
which he has often played with are: John Wasson's Strata Big Band; Memphis Brass Big Band; the Chris Watson Band (horn section); The Metroplexity Big Band; the Curt
Bradshaw Jazz Octet; TI Jazz Band (Texas Instruments); RAJE (Rebel Alliance Jazz
Ensemble); and Brazz (jazz brass quintet).
His experience playing for musicals is extensive having played in the pit orchestras for shows at: Dallas Theater Center; Lyric Stage; Uptown Players; Eastfield College;
Richland College, Brookhaven College; Woodrow Wilson H.S.; Hillcrest H.S.; Coppell
H.S.; First United Methodist Church of Coppell; Bishop Lynch H.S.; and Lake Highlands H.S.
In addition to musicals, he also composes and arranges for various instrumentations. His additional performance experience includes: brass ensembles at area churches; variety bands for private parties, wedding receptions and corporate events; and other freelance performance jobs, all of which round out a consistent and fulfilling performance schedule.
euphonium
Dr. Sunny Chou
(940) 595-2257
chouweichien@gmail.com
Dr. Sunny Chou is an active euphonium musician and music educator. She was born in Taiwan and earned her master’s and doctoral degrees in euphonium performance at the University of North Texas. Dr. Chou has taught euphonium and tuba lessons in the DFW area for over 9 years. She is also an active euphonium soloist and ensemble musician. She is currently a member and is the marketing manager of Dallas Asian Wind Ensemble. She was a Graduate Teaching Fellow under Dr. Brian Bowman at UNT as well as the founder/conductor of the Plano West Cluster Euphonium Choir. Her students reached the top chairs in the All-Region bands. Aside from performing euphonium music, playing the piano, and teaching, Dr. Chou also studied and conducted research in the field of Music and Medicine, which is associated with music performance related health issues. Her research in this field helps her to gain better insight for teaching and assisting students more efficiently. Dr. Chou currently resides in McKinney with her husband, Chung. They both enjoy cooking, exploring new restaurants, and exercising.
tuba
August Wenck
(940) 206-0808
augustw160@gmail.com
At the age of 17, Mr. Wenck auditioned and won a position as tubist with the 501st United States Air Force Band, Biloxi, Mississippi. While stationed in Biloxi he performed with the Wind Ensemble and Brass Quintet for military and civilian audiences throughout the southwest United States. In 1981, Mr. Wenck was transferred to the US Air Forces Europe Band stationed in Einseidlerhof, Germany. As principal tubist with the Concert Band and Brass Quintet he was featured as a soloist in Concerts throughout Europe. Mr. Wenck also doubled on electric bass with the Concert Band. In 1984, Mr. Wenck enrolled in the University of North Texas majoring in Music Theory with a concentration in Tuba performance. He graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in 1984 then continued Graduate studies at the University of North Texas for the next few years.
In 1984 Mr. Wenck became a member of the Air National Guard Band of the Southwest currently stationed at Carswell Field, Fort Worth, TX. During his 26-year career with the band he performed hundreds of concerts world-wide as a tubist with the Concert Band and Non-Commissioned Officer in charge of the Brass Quintet. Mr. Wenck also performed as the electric bassist with the Popular Music Ensemble and string bassist with the Concert and Jazz Bands. In addition to performing concerts and military ceremonies throughout Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma, he toured in Hawaii, Czech Republic, Greece, Italy, Vanuatu, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Trinidad, Barbados, and St. Lucia. His last tour with “Live Round”, rock band with the USCENTAF command, included shows for US armed forces members stationed in Qatar, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Djibouti. Throughout his service with the Air National Guard, Mr. Wenck performed as a member of Active duty USAF Bands when they were short of personnel. He has performed tours on tuba and bass with USAF Band of the Pacific, Anchorage, Alaska, USAF Band of the Reserve, Robbins, Georgia, USAF Academy Band, Colorado, and USAF Band of the West, San Antonio, TX. Mr. Wenck retired from the US Air Force after 32 years of service in 2010.
Mr. Wenck has taught tuba and euphonium students in some of the most successful band programs in the North Texas area. Since 1988 he has taught in Duncanville, Richardson ISD, Carrolton-Farmers Branch ISD, Denton ISD and Garland ISD. During that time 24 of Mr. Wenck’s students won positions in Texas All-State Bands and Orchestras. Many were chosen Outstanding Soloist at the Texas State Solo and Ensemble Contest.
In 2008 Mr. Wenck began teaching in Frisco ISD. He currently teaches students at Maus, Fowler, and Cobb Middle Schools as well as Heritage, Independence, Liberty, Lebanon Trail, and Wakeland High Schools. His students have consistently won positions with All-Region and All-State bands as well as the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra. Many of Mr. Wenck’s students have been accepted into music programs at Colleges and Universities including University of North Texas, Baylor University, Texas Tech, and SMU.
Mr. Wenck lives in Denton with his dog Rusty, and cat Patches. He is an avid golfer.
Percussion
Randa Shaqaidef
randa2277@gmail.com
Randa Shaqaidef is an active percussionist and music educator based in Frisco, TX. She currently serves as a percussion private lesson instructor for the Lebanon Trail High School Cluster, which includes Clark and Fowler Middle Schools as well as the Assistant Percussion Director at Emerson High School. Most recently, Ms. Shaqaidef served as a marching band instructor with Liberty High School and Independence High School in Frisco ISD and taught at Frisco High School and Hunt Middle School. As a Liberty High School graduate, she is so excited to be returning to Frisco ISD as a teacher!
After graduating from Liberty High School, Ms. Shaqaidef attended the University of North Texas, where she holds a degree in Percussion Performance (BM). During her time in school, she performed with the UNT Wind Ensemble, Wind Orchestra, Percussion Ensemble, the 2 o’clock Steel Band, African Ensemble, and the Gamelan Ensemble and graduated Summa Cum Laude. Ms. Shaqaidef also spent a summer with the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps in 2019, performing on marimba. Ms. Shaqaidef’s formal teachers include Mark Ford, Paul Rennick, Christopher Deane, Poovalur Sriji, and Stockton Helbing. She also studied Jazz vibraphone with Ed Smith. She continues to share her love for music as a percussion educator.
Percussion
David Grimsley
grimsley.percussion@gmail.com
Mr. Grimsley is a native of North Georgia, hailing from Ellijay, GA. He has been an active percussion educator, arranger, and consultant for many schools in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and Texas. His endeavors include being a merit badge instructor for Life Skills and Shooting Sports, a church nursery aid, a math tutor at the Boys and Girls Club, substitute teaching, and as a 7th grade math teacher for Jacksonville High School in Jacksonville, AL.
Mr. Grimsley graduated from Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, AL with a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education in the Fall of 2020. During his time there, he had the opportunity to march for six years in the Marching Southerners as a member of the battery and front ensemble. In addition to his commitment to the Marching Southerners, Mr. Grimsley was a highly active member of the JSU Percussion Studio, having performed in nearly all ensembles that offered a percussion position. During his final year, he had the privilege to serve as an undergraduate assistant for the JSU Percussion Ensemble and Marching Southerners Drumline and Front Ensemble.
Mr. Grimsley also graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Master of Arts degree in Music Performance in the Spring of 2023. During his time at UCF, he served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant for the UCF Bands and Percussion Studio. During his time in Orlando, he had the opportunity to perform as a freelance percussionist at church services, local chamber orchestras, and musical theatre troupes.
Mr. Grimsley's professional affiliations include Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Tau Beta Sigma, Kappa Pi, Pi Kappa Lambda, and the Percussive Arts Society.
So far, he has been humbled and privileged to have learned under Tim Brookshire, David Coheley, Sean Womack, Mark Hunter, Christopher Sherman, Andrew Lynge, Matthew Jordan, Thomas McCutchen, Clint Gillespie, Thad Anderson, Kirk Gay, and Jeff Moore.
In 2016, Mr. Grimsley was given the opportunity to march bass drum for the Sacramento Mandarins. Since then, he has been involved in teaching in many facets in DCI and WGI. He has served as a battery and front ensemble technician for Southern Knights Drum and Bugle Corps in Pell City, AL, a bass drum technician for Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps from Mobile, AL, a front ensemble technician for Q2 Indoor Percussion from Atlanta, GA, Stryke 2 Indoor Percussion from Miami, FL, and as a front ensemble coordinator for Infinity 2 Percussion from Orlando, FL.
Mr. Grimsley also serves as a member of the Marching and Rudimental Percussion Committee for the Percussive Arts Society.
What are Private Lessons?
Private lessons are an opportunity to study privately with a professional musician. These professionals provide detailed, specific, one-on-one instruction tailored for your child. Private lessons challenge the advanced students and accelerate students who need extra attention. Private Lessons are taught at Fowler Middle School either before, during, or after school depending on the teacher’s schedule. Lessons are 22-25 mins per week at a cost of $23 per lesson. The student pays the teacher directly, in advance, either two weeks or a month. Due to our school class schedule, students taking lessons during the school day (band time) will only receive a 23 minutes lesson each week.
For these students, they will continue to be charged the same $23.00 as during class lessons are a convenience to parents who work. If you do not want to have a during class lesson, please let your teacher know that you would prefer a before or after school lesson.
What if i have to miss a lesson?
Communication is key. A clear majority of our private teaching staff teachers are graduate students and/or degreed professional musicians who subsist solely from performing and teaching. Some of whom give of their time to drive from Denton (some as many as 3 times per week) to help us become great musicians! For a few of them, teaching at Fowler MS is their sole source of income. When a student forgets their lesson, does not show up, or is ill and does not notify the teacher, it negatively impacts these people. After the second unexcused absence (no-show), the private teachers have been authorized to charge a student for a missing lesson without proper notification (24 hours in advance). With proper notice, teachers can rearrange schedules and not lose money.