Staff

Conducting Staff
 
 

John Welsh, Music Director John Welsh brings a wealth of experience, leadership, and direction to the members of the Student Orchestras of Greater Olympia (SOGO).  His past conducting engagements include Music Director positions with the Bremerton Symphony Orchestra,  the Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra in Tennessee, the Prince William Symphony, Georgetown Symphony Orchestra and other orchestras in the metropolitan Washington D.C. area   Mr. Welsh has conducted the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the New World Symphony in Miami, at the Festival International Echternach Chamber Orchestra in Luxembourg, the Metropolitan Chamber Players at Lincoln Center, the Arlington Symphony, the Annapolis Symphony, the Baltimore Symphony and the Shenandoah Music Festival Orchestra. He has also held residencies at Indiana University.  He regularly conducts the San Miguel Philharmonic in Manila, Philippines.  Mr. Welsh is very proud to be the first Music Director of the Student Orchestras of Greater Olympia and Conductor of the Conservatory Orchestra. Mr. Welsh holds a Bachelor of Music in Piano from Miami University in Ohio and a Masters in Conducting from Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore.  While serving as a Captain in the United States Air Force, he conducted the United States Air Force Band and Symphony and Military Airlift Command Band.  His mentors include Richard Lert, Leo Mueller, Leon Barzin, Leon Fleisher, Kiril Kondrashin, Max Rudolph and Gustav Meier.

	Greg Allison, Artistic Director Greg Allison, conductor of the SOGO Conservatory Brass Choir and Academy Orchestra, received his B.A. and M.A. in Music Education from Western Washington University where he studied trumpet with the late William D. Cole.  Mr. Allison has taught instrumental music in the Olympia School District for 24 years.  His bands have been chosen to perform at the State and Northwest Music Educators’ Conference and the Western International Band Clinic.  Mr. Allison has performed in of the Northwest Wind Symphony, the 22nd Ave Dixieland Band, the Tacoma Concert Band, and the Evergreen Brass Quintet. He has been a guest adjudicator, clinician, and guest conductor for state and regional festivals and conventions including the Mid-West Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago.
	Lantz Berets, conductor of the Debut Winds, received a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education and Performance from Western Washington University and a Master’s degree in Music from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He played bassoon for the United States Air Force and held positions as Minister of Music. He is currently the manager of Westside Music Center. He has a successful private studio, and has founded an orchestra and conducts the choir at Grace Community Covenant Church in Olympia.
	April Whyte, conductor of the Debut Strings, received her Bachelor of Music Education degree from Pacific Lutheran University and teaches in the Bethel School District. She also studied viola at Cleveland Institute of Music with Patrick Connelly and the University of Illinois with Michael McClelland. While at Illinois she focused studies on conducting and string pedagogy with Thomas Wizniewski. She is the Music Director of the Maple Valley Youth Orchestra, plays in the Olympia Symphony Orchestra, and maintains a private viola studio. Ms. Whyte enjoys reading, especially classical Greek and Roman literature, and philosophy. She has a son in the Debut Winds and they live in the Steilacoom area.
	Liz Ward , Brass Choir Assistant Conductor, received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Washington and a Master of Musical Arts degree from Yale School of Music. Ms. Ward is a former member of the New Haven Symphony, Pennsylvania Ballet Orchestra, Pennsylvania Orchestra, Philadelphia Opera Orchestra and Young Audiences Inc., of Philadelphia. Returning to the Northwest, Ms. Ward founded the Evergreen Brass Quintet. The Quintet is well known for its formal concerts, educational programs, and community residencies. Evergreen Brass Quintet has received grants from the Washington State Arts Commission, Cheney Foundation and the Forrest Foundation and is a member of ArtsNorthwest. As a studio teacher Ms Ward’s students have consistently received awards on the state level thru the Washington State Music Educators Association, and on the national level from, Music Teachers National Association. Ms. Ward is also a brass coach for the Student Orchestras of Greater Olympia.

Mary Jo (Knesal) Rydholm, ensemble coordinator, is an instrumental string teacher in the Olympia School District and a Nationally Certified Music Teacher. She has served as Concertmaster for several symphony orchestras in Washington State. Mrs. Rydholm is an adjunct faculty member at Saint Martin’s University where she teaches violin and viola. In 1999 she completed her Chamber Music Workshop Director Internship under Dr. Valgene Phillips, and has since served as the SOGO Ensemble Coordinator, rehearsing and planning performance venues in the community. She also coaches the Conservatory and Academy strings.

Coaching Staff

Mary Jo Rydholm, violin, coaches the Conservatory and Academy strings. An accomplished violinist in her own right, she challenges the violinists to a higher level of skill and musicianship. She creates a team concept where everyone in the section is significant and valued.

April Whyte, viola has studied viola at Cleveland Institute of Music with Patrick Connelly and the University of Illinois with Michael McClelland. While at Illinois she focused studies on conducting and string pedagogy with Thomas Wizniewski. Currently, April performs in regional ensembles and is teaching in the Bethel School district. This is April’s third year with SOGO.

Matthew Grenzner, cello is currently a student at Pacific Lutheran University, studying to become a Music Education Major. He is an alumnus of the Everett Youth Symphony, where he participated for seven years. He has also attended the Burton Music Camp as a student and as a camp counselor. A student of the cello since fourth grade, Matthew now studies with Professor David Hoffman at PLU and is in his first year of coaching for SOGO.

Rick Jarvela, bass, was born in Aberdeen Washington. He took piano and clarinet lessons, but by age eleven he found himself humming the bass lines instead of the melodies to all the hits being played on the radio and had to get a bass. He played tuba in high school and the string bass at Western Washington University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in music. Mr. Jarvela has performed with the Olympia and Tacoma symphonies, Olympia Chamber Orchestra, Harlequin Theatre, and with local jazz artists. Currently he is dividing his time between freelancing, teaching privately, and continuing his second season as the SOGO bass coach. With a smile on his face, Mr. Jarvella looks as though he is thoroughly enjoying his time working with the SOGO musicians.

Jean Whipple, flute holds a BA with majors in Spanish and Music Ed. from Luther College, where she studied and toured extensively under the direction of Weston Noble.  Growing up in the Chicago area, Jean had the opportunity to play in many pit orchestras and community orchestras of high caliber as well as study with professionals.  She currently performs with the Northwest Wind Symphony, the Olympia Symphony, the Olympia Chamber Orchestra, and the BelCanto Trio.  Besides a supportive husband, 5 children, 2 granddaughters and numerous animals Mrs. Whipple divides her time between maintaining a private flute studio, working at Westside Music and Verksted Artist's Cooperative in Poulsbo and doing "outside" art shows and classes.

Ashley Cook, clarinet, studied clarinet performance at Central Washington University and the University of New Mexico, and is currently pursuing a degree in cultural studies and dance at The Evergreen State College. Ashley performs with the Olympia Symphony and maintains a full time teaching studio here in Olympia.

Karen Berets, double reeds, a graduate of Seattle Pacific University, has taught instrumental music at Evergreen Christian School for over 20 years. An accomplished oboe player, Mrs. Berets has performed in the Seattle Symphony, Seattle Opera, Olympia Symphony, and is currently playing in the Evergreen Christian Community Orchestra. She also maintains a busy studio and performs in a local woodwind quintet. Mrs. Berets coaches double reeds for the Academy Orchestra.

Liz Ward, high brass, received her Bachelors of Arts degree from the University of Washington and a Master of Musical Arts degree from Yale School of Music. Ms. Ward played French horn in New Haven Symphony, Pennsylvania Ballet Orchestra, Pennsylvania Orchestra, Philadelphia Opera Orchestra and Young Audiences Inc., of Philadelphia. She is the founder of the Evergreen Brass Quintet, which is well known for its’ educational programs in the schools. While maintaining an active private studio of young and aspiring horn players, she coaches and conducts the Academy Brass Choir with boundless energy.

Levin Conway, low brass coaches for the Academy and Debut Orchestras.  Levin has a Bachelor of Music Education from Pacific Lutheran University, where he studied with Roger Gard, Peter Ellefson, and Raydell Bradley.  He performs with the Commencement Bay Brass Quintet and the Northwest Wind Symphony. Mr. Conway has been on the coaching staff for three years and oversees the SOGO website at www.studentorchestras.com. Be sure to log on!

Maria Joyner, percussion, is an active musician and educator in Western Washington and is currently teaching drum set and percussion at Pacific Lutheran University.  She received a bachelor’s degree in jazz studies from the University of North Texas and is currently attending the University of Washington pursuing a Masters in Music Education and Percussion Performance. Ms. Joyner has performed on stages all the across the country including New York City and the Kennedy Center.  She has been an active performer with Harlequin Productions in Olympia and performs regularly with the Emerald City Jazz Orchestra and her own trio.

Anne Edge, music historian/viola, received her Bachelor of Music from Western Washington University and an MA in Musicology from the University of Victoria in Canada.  Her teachers have included Helen Pagels on violin and Jaroslav Karlovsky on viola. A native Olympian, she has played viola in various groups, including the Cecilia String Quartet and Almond Latté Duo, and has performed in the Olympia Symphony Orchestra for 15 years. She is the Music Librarian and writes program notes for the OSO. Ms. Edge teaches privately and is SOGO’s resident music history teacher.

Mark Thome, staff composer, a graduate of Olympia High School, received his Bachelor of Arts degree with an emphasis in composition at Evergreen State College. An accomplished clarinet and saxophone player, Mr. Thome’s interests are in composition and arranging. He is currently completing a 2 ½ hour opera and has composed and arranged extensively for big bands, rock bands, and show bands. Locally he has arranged for the Olympia Jazz Initiative and the Evergreen Brass Quintet. His compositional debut with SOGO two years ago was a fanfare for the Conservatory Brass Choir and a clarinet quartet performed at the Sample of SOGO. His dry sense of humor and skill as a composer came to the forefront at last year’s Renaissance in Blue SOGO HO HO performance where he wrote for the brass choir and a jazz ensemble. This year he is again working on the SOGO HO HO and arranging a work for the Conservatory Orchestra.  Mr. Thome resides in Olympia with his wife, Cathy, and two lovely daughters.
 

Administration

Krina Allison is our managing director.  She handles staffing, publicity, scheduling, grants, and continues to use her masterful skills for the benefit of SOGO.  Mrs. Allison has been indistinguishable from the administrative side of SOGO, of which the staff, board and young musicians all continue to inspire her.

Pat Kabler is our financial director.  She handles everything from donations to tuition to financial reporting.  Ms. Kabler has been involved in youth orchestras for many years and brings a wide breadth of knowledge and experience to SOGO.  

Mary Jo Rydholm is the SOGO librarian along with all her other duties with the organization.  She makes sure that all of the students have music for their first rehearsal of a concert series.