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Faculty
Anne Wilkinson, Director
Anne Wilkinson holds a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance from Western Michigan University. She has been a member of the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, Youngstown Symphony Orchestra and the Warren Chamber Orchestra, all in the Midwest. After moving to Maine in 1984, she developed a string program in the Saco Schools which now numbers nearly 200 students. She has been on the faculty at UMO Summer Youth Music Camp and the Thornton Academy Arts Camp. In addition to her position as Orchestra Director for Saco Schools, she is part-time faculty at the University of Southern Maine, and is the Orchestra co-chair for the York County Junior High Festival and the District 1 Honors Music Festival. She is a frequent guest conductor for regional music festivals, low string adjudicator for the All-State Music Festival, plays in a string quartet and performs regularly in local orchestras and chamber music ensembles. Anne was on the faculty of the Southern Maine String Academy since 1993 and has served as the Director since 2000.
Graybert Beacham, Senior Orchestra Conductor
Graybert Beacham holds a MM in Violin Performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music and has studied conducting with Kenneth Kiesler, Lawrence Golan and Max Bragado-Darman. He has recorded for Albany Records and the Cambridge University Press; performed with the Mexico City, Tulsa, Kansas City and Vermont Symphony Orchestras. He has been a guest artist with the Portland String Quartet, Opera Boston and Maine Chamber Ensemble. Faculty positions have included the Cleveland Institute of Music Preparatory Department, Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute, Sunriver Institute for Strings, Music Festival of Arkansas, USM, Bay Chamber Concerts Next Generation Program, and the New England Suzuki Institute. He served as conductor for the UMF Community Orchestra, has been guest conductor for the Midcoast Symphony Orchestra and is an active conductor/clinician at various educational festivals in Maine and Massachusetts. Currently, Graybert teaches violin, viola and chamber music at Colby and College, is the Concertmaster for the Colby Symphony Orchestra, and teaches violin at Bates College. He maintains an active performing schedule with the Nordica Trio.
Dan Keller, Intermediate Orchestra Conductor
Dan Keller received his BME from the University of Wisconsin and holds a MM and CAS from the University of Maine. Presently, he is the Visual and Performing Arts Chair and Orchestra Director for the Waterville Public Schools. He has been past principal violist of the Colby College Symphony Orchestra and past conductor of the Bangor Youth Symphony Orchestra. Currently, he is the Portland Youth Ensemble Junior Orchestra conductor. Along with serving as the low string adjudicator for the All-State Music Festival, Mr. Keller is also seen throughout the state of Maine conducting at district and state music festivals. He has also served as the Orchestra Program Director at the University of Maine Music Summer Youth Camp. Dan is active as Drama Tech Director, set designer and K-12 Visual and Performing Arts Curriculum Coordinator for Waterville Public Schools.
Lynne White McMahon, Junior Orchestra Conductor
Lynne White McMahon graduated from Smith College with a BA in violin performance and Med. in Elementary Education. She has performed professionally throughout New England in many chamber groups including the NH Philharmonic, the NE Festival Orchestra and the Artful Noise String Quartet. She directs the Bow Street Youth Ensemble in Portsmouth, NH, and is a frequent conductor at Maine and NH String Festivals. Lynne has taught at Berwick Academy and River Tree Arts in Kennebunk. Currently she teachers in the York School District and at her private studio.
Margaret Hopkins, Director of Chamber Music
Margaret Bruziak Hopkins was born in Poland and began violin studies at age seven, and piano at age twelve. Ms. Hopkins received a BM in Performance from U. Mass. at Lowell where she also pursued Music Education. Ms. Hopkins received extensive Suzuki training at Ithaca College in NY, Hartt College at University of CT , New York State University in Buffalo and Capital University in Ohio . She has performed in her native Poland , Switzerland , Israel , England , Scotland , Wales , Canada and in the United States . She is a member of the Suzuki Association of Americas and past president of the Maine Suzuki Association. Ms Hopkins is the secretary of Maine ASTA w/NSOA and serves on the board of Maine Music Educators Association as Orchestra VP. Ms. Hopkins teaches at Old Orchard Beach School , at the Portland Conservatory of Music and at her private home-based studio.
Matthew Murray, Southern Maine String Academy Chorus
Matt Murray is Choral Director and Music Theory Teacher at Kennebunk High School in Kennebunk, Maine. Mr. Murray holds a BME degree with a voice major and trumpet minor from the University of Maine. He is a frequent conductor for district and regional sixth grade, middle school and high school honors choirs in Maine and New Hampshire. Mr. Murray has served as Choral Director for the Southern Maine Junior High Music Academy. Under his direction, the Kennebunk High School Chamber Choir has been the featured performance ensemble at the Maine Principals Association Fall Conference, the MMEA In-service Conference and the York County Retired Teachers Association Spring Meeting. |
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