Percussion & Steel Band Faculty Biographies
2012 faculty is pictured and listed below. Faculty may be subject to change.
Robert Chappell
Program Director, DeKalb, Ill.
Mr. Chappell is professor of music and head of percussion studies at Northern Illinois University, where he was recently honored with the University's highest teaching honor, the Presidential Teaching Professorship Award. Mr. Chappell has toured and recorded with the Paul Winter Consort and his own world-jazz group, Rhythmic Union. He is also an active composer and since 1998 has been performing with steelpan artist Liam Teague.
Web site: www.niu.edu/music/about/bios/rchappell.shtml
G. Allan O'Connor
Steel Band Director, DeKalb, Ill.
Mr. O'Connor founded Birch Creek's steel band program in 1982. He is retired director of Northern Illinois University's world-class steel band program, which continues today under the direction of Cliff Alexis and Liam Teague. He is active as a percussion soloist, conductor, and composer, and the retired Associate Dean, College of Visual and Performing Arts, Northern Illinois University.
Liam Teague
Steelpan / Artist-In-Residence, DeKalb, Ill.
Liam Teague currently serves as the Head of Steelpan Studies and is an Associate Professor of Music at Northern Illinois University (NIU). Along with Clifford Alexis, he Co-directs the Northern Illinois University Steelband. A native of Trinidad and Tobago, Mr. Teague has performed nationally and internationally with ensembles and orchestras including the Czech National Symphony, Panama National Symphony, Saint Louis Symphony, Dartmouth Wind Ensemble, University of Wisconsin-Madison Marching Band, TCL Group Skiffle Bunch and the BP Renegades Steelband. His teaching and performing have taken him to Europe, Asia, North and Central America, Australia, and the Caribbean. Mr. Teague has commissioned a number of significant compositions for the steelpan, and has numerous CDs to his credit.
Web site: www.liamteague.net/
Frank Check
Associate Faculty, Wheaton, Ill.
Mr. Check graduated from Northern Illinois University with a Master of Music degree. He is Steel Band Director and percussion instructor at Waubonsee Community College, and performs with Junk in the Trunk and The Rockerfellers Orchestra.
Orlando Cotto
World Percussion, Week 1, Catonsville, Md.
Mr. Cotto performs frequently as a solo artist in the Washington DC area. His most recent recording is Wild Hands. Mr. Cotto is a Yamaha performing artist and endorses LP Percussion and Pro Mark Sticks.
Adam Cowger
Ensembles, Associate Faculty, Monee, Ill.
Mr. Cowger is the Director of Percussion Studies at Joliet Junior College, Joliet, Ill., and works as a freelance musician in the Chicago area. He was a Birch Creek TA from 2007 through 2009 and has served as an Associate Faculty member since 2010.
Kirk Hickman
Ensembles, Tinley Park, Ill.
Mr. Hickman is an alumnus of Northern Illinois University and the Vandercook College of Music. He is director of bands at Lincoln-Way North High School in Frankfort, Ill. Mr. Hickman is a freelance percussionist, clinician, and an active percussion and band festival judge. Mr. Hickman endorses Encore Mallets and Dynasty Drums.
Vicki Peterson Jenks
Ensembles, Wild Rose, Wis.
Ms. Jenks has just retired as owner and operator the largest private percussion studio in Wisconsin (Madison) and is Percussion Program Ensemble Director with the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras. She is Artist Clinician for Yamaha Band & Orchestral Division and Sabian Cymbals and endorses Vic Firth Sticks and Mike Balter Mallets.
Dan Moore
Jazz Mallets, Iowa City, Iowa
Dr. Moore performs as a soloist and with the Britain/Moore Duo. He is professor of music and percussion area head at the University of Iowa.
Ben Runkel
Ensembles, Associate Faculty, Elkhart, Ind.
Mr. Runkel teaches at Concord Community Schools, Elkhart, Ind., as a Percussion Specialist. He attended Birch Creek as a student from 2002 through 2004 and as a TA in 2007 and 2008.
Tim Rush
Steelpan, World Percussion, Associate Faculty, Elkhorn, Wis.
Mr. Rush teaches privately in the Milwaukee area and is affiliated with the Drum Instructors' Guild of Milwaukee. He is also co-director of CALYPSO, the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra's new Steel Band program. He performs with Caribbean Eclipse, Alpha Transit, and freelances in southeast Wisconsin.
Jeff Stitely
Drum Set, Chicago, Ill. Mr. Stitely performs with the Jeff Stitely Orchestra, the Bobby Lewis Quintet, Fulcrumpoint, and the Revolution Ensemble. He also teaches privately.
Brad Stirtz
Jazz Mallets, Naperville, Ill.
Mr. Stirtz attended Birch Creek as a student in 1978 and 1979, and joined the faculty in 1980. He is Director of Music at Peace Lutheran Church.
Ben Wahlund
Ensembles, Aurora, Ill.
Ben Wahlund is an internationally recognized composer and music educator. Ben is the percussion specialist for Naperville School District 203 and St. Charles North High School, teaches at North Central College, and is owner of Black Dog Music Studio in Aurora, Illinois. Additionally, Ben performs in The Screaming Norwegians percussion duo and directs Naperville Central High School's annual percussion concert Drumshow which brings over 3,000 audience members in one weekend. Mr. Wahlund's compositions are published by HoneyRock Publications and Bachovich Publications, and he proudly endorses Innovative Percussion Sticks & Mallets, Sabian Cymbals, and Remo Percussion.
Web site: www.blackdogmusicstudio.com
