SNC:AGO RECITALISTS

Organ Plus: May 18, 2018

Coreen Levin, oboe
Before coming to Las Vegas, Ms. Levin honorably served on active duty for twenty-four years as an oboist in the United States Air Force Band career field, with assignments in California, Nebraska and Georgia. Currently she is completing her first year in the Doctor of Musical Arts program at UNLV. Ms. Levin earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Oboe Performance from the Peabody Conservatory, and a Master of Music degree in Oboe Performance and a Professional Studies Certificate from Temple University.

Bruce Behnke, organ
Bruce received the B.M. degree from Michigan State University and his M.A. in Teaching from Saginaw Valley State University. As a public school music teacher, he taught both vocal and instrumental music at elementary, junior high, and senior high levels in Michigan, Colorado, and Nevada. His last seven years of teaching were at the Las Vegas Academy. Now retired, he plays harpsichord and organ for his own enjoyment and writes flute choir arrangements.

Nebiyu Samuel, organ
Fifteen year-old Nebiyu (the youngest member of the Southern Nevada Chapter of the AGO) is a piano and organ student of Shireen Beaudry, He has been taking piano lessons with her since age five and began playing organ about four years ago, He is in the 9th grade at the Meadows School. He attended two summer Pipe Organ Encounters: the POEs at Stanford and at the University of San Diego. In his free time, Nebiyu likes to play tennis with his cousins and aunt.

Shireen Beaudry, piano
Shireen had an extended career as a Music Specialist in the Clark County Schools and has served several churches in the Las Vegas Diocese of the Catholic Church as organist and choir director. She maintains an active piano and organ studio, and was the Dean of the Southern Nevada Chapter, AGO from 2007 to 2011.

Dr. Janis McKay, bassoon
Janis is an Associate Professor of Music at UNLV and principal bassoonist of the Las Vegas Philharmonic. She also performs as principal bassoon for the Classical Music Festival in Austria and as contrabassoon for the Reno Philharmonic. She is the author of Played Out on the Strip: The Rise and Fall of Las Vegas Casino Bands (2016), published by the University of Nevada Press.

Dr. Paul S. Hesselink, organ
Paul earned music degrees in organ from Hope College, The Ohio State University, and the University of Colorado. After a 26-year teaching career at Longwood University in Virginia, he took early retirement and moved to Las Vegas where he served as Dean of Nevada School of the Arts for twelve years. Dr. Hesselink has been the Adjunct Organ Faculty at UNLV since 1993 to the present.

Vyonne Mendenhall-Rohner, flute
Vyonee was trained by her father from a long five-generational family chain of flute players. She is performing on an 85 year old flute today. Jane and Vyonne have performed as a Flute/Organ Duo for fifteen years. As a vocalist, flute instructor, choir director, soccer coach, Corporate Officer and Property Developer/Manager, Vyonne has a diverse wealth of knowledge and experience.

Jane Dye, organ
Jane holds a Master of Music degree in organ performance, and has concertized in the western states, and Europe. Her performances have been recorded for live radio, television, and international film. She is one of the creators of The New LDS Organist, an online organ course found on the official lds.org church website, and has published Hymn Additions, (the first like it in the LDS church) to be played while accompanying congregational singing. She also maintains a teaching studio.

Becky Aldridge, flute
Becky began playing the flute in 5th grade and continued through high school. She attended UNLV as an applied music major. She now plays the flute and helps her husband with percussion arrangements at Grace Presbyterian Church. Becky is also an accomplished 4-in-hand bell ringer.

Jim Aldridge, percussion
Jim started playing drums and percussion in fifth grade. He moved to Las Vegas from California in 1963 and studied with some of the top percussionists on The Strip. He majored in music at UNLV. A member of the Musicians Union, he has played on the Las Vegas Strip and in Reno. He now enjoys playing at Grace Presbyterian Church.

Dr. David Dorway, organ
David serves as organist at Grace Presbyterian Church and is the treasurer for the Southern Nevada Chapter of the AGO. He is also a member of the Organ Recital Series Committee. Before retiring in 2011, he was a Pediatrician at Children's Clinic.

Lisa Elliott, conductor
Lisa is the Music Director at Grace Presbyterian Church. A coloratura soprano, she performs in benefits for Opera Las Vegas and Sin City Opera. She is featured regularly at the Venetian Hotel in the Carnevale Shows. She is currently pursuing her DMA degree in vocal performance at UNLV, having already earned a Master's degree at San Diego State University in vocal performance, and a Bachelor's degree in choral conducting at Scripps College in Claremont, CA.

Amy Homer Smith, organ
Amy has always called Las Vegas her home. Having studied the piano and organ at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Smith is grateful for the tutelage she received from her professors, who guided her on the pathway to teaching and performing. She maintains a busy private studio for piano, organ and theory instruction, and serves as organist and pianist at Green Valley Presbyterian Church

Dr. Spencer Baker, piano
Spencer is a distinguished Las Vegas pianist, conductor and teacher. He earned Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from Brigham Young University, and completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance at UNLV in 2016. He is the Director of Music Ministries at Green Valley Presbyterian Church, adjunct piano instructor at UNLV, principal pianist for Opera Las Vegas; he also serves as the current President of the Las Vegas Music Teachers Association

Dr. Kevin Tague, trumpet
Dr. Kevin Tague was Artist in Residence at UNLV for the fall 2017 semester and recently accepted the Assistant Professor of Trumpet position at Southeast Missouri State University beginning in the fall of 2018. Dr. Tague has performed and recorded classical and jazz music across the U.S. and around the world. He was recently a featured soloist with the Ibis Ensemble in Trinidad and Tobago and regularly performs on the Las Vegas Strip.