• Melinda Kellerstrass French Horn Instructor, Chamber Orchestra French Horn

    30 years of studio teaching. My students have been accepted in colleges all over the US as music majors and non. They consistently receive excellent and superior ratings at OMEA solo and ens. Many of my students have been accepted to area ensembles including All state groups and Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra. I have a Bachelor of Music Education and a Masters in Instrumental Pedagogy. A retired band director I am currently adjunct faculty for Kent State working with their student teachers. I have also done studio work for Tri C and presented workshops around the state of Ohio, including OMEA convention, in assessment in the arts. My typical lesson includes fundamentals of playing along with basic theory, solo work and duets to improve independent playing.

  • James Traxler Trumpet Instructor

    Ohio Wesleyan University, 1962; Concentrations: Theory and Composition Director, TrueNorth Symphonies, 2004 – 2010 Brass Choir Director, John Knox Presbyterian Church, 2010 – present Leader, Elders of Jazz, 1980 – Present Music director and trumpeter for Dixieland band playing hymns and spirituals Composer Highly proficient in both classical and jazz literature.

  • Jon Borgetti Trombone Instructor

    Jon is a local musician and low brass instructor working in the greater Cleveland area. He has performed with various regional orchestras and ensembles including the Akron Symphony Orchestra, the Akron Symphonic Winds, and the Erie Chamber Orchestra. He has been teaching low brass students since graduating from the Cleveland Institute of Music with a Master’s Degree in Bass Trombone Performance, studying with both Massimo La Rosa and Rick Stout of the Cleveland Orchestra.

  • John Olsson Trombone Instructor

    John is the former Principal Solo Trombone player for the River City Brass Band (2005-2013) and is the former Instructor of Trombone at Youngstown State University’s Dana school of Music (2003-20015) and The University of Mount Union.

    Olsson holds the Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from Youngstown State University's Dana School of Music and the Master of Fine Arts Degree (IP) in Trombone Orchestral Performance from Carnegie-Mellon University.

    He has been a featured soloist with the River City Brass, Sounds of Sousa Band and guest solo recitals at numerous colleges and Universities and was a 25 year member of the Canton Symphony Orchestra and a 28 year member of the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra; the Jazz Heritage Orchestra, the Canton Concert Band and First Class Big Band. He has performed with the Cleveland Light Opera; Cleveland Opera and Ballet Orchestra; Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra; the Akron, Youngstown and Westmoreland Symphony Orchestras; Akron, Canton, and Carnegie Brass Quintets; the YSU-Dana School of Music Alumni Jazz Ensemble; the Allegheny Summer Music Festival Jazz Ensemble; the Canton Players Guild and Lyric Opera and the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra. Mr. Olsson is a member of the International Trombone Association and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia International Music Fraternity.

  • Eric Dregne Big Band Director / Music Instructor - Brass

    A staple of the Cleveland music community, Eric studied bass and tenor trombone with Dave Taylor, John Rojak, Michael Crist and Gary Sexton.  He studied music and music education at Youngstown State and Cleveland State Universities and participated in the Aspen Summer Music Festival.

    Eric was a member and leader of the award winning Roberto Ocasio Latin Jazz Project for nine years and served as Musical Director and Lead Instructor for the Roberto Ocasio Summer Latin Jazz Camp for seven years.  He has assisted many local high schools for their marching and jazz programs.  A well known performer in the local big band and salsa communities, Eric also runs and directs some of the top musical performing groups in Cleveland.   He has taught privately brass students (trumpet, trombone, french horn, baritone and tuba) for over 25 years on the east and west sides of Cleveland. Eric is Director of TrueNorth’s Big Band.