Michael Burch-Pesses is director of bands at Pacific University. He teaches conducting, music education and MIDI technology. His enjoyed a distinguished career as a bandmaster in the U.S. Navy and is conductor of the Oregon Symphonic Band.
Dijana Ihas is a professor of music education at Pacific University; founder, director and master teacher of the String Project; and a veteran of the Sarajevo String Quartet.
Shelly R. Zeiser, MA, MT-BC is an assistant professor of music therapy and the clinical coordinator at Pacific University. She received her MA from the University of Iowa and BM from University of the Pacific and is pursuing a PhD in Education and Leadership from Pacific University. Prior to working at Pacific, she served as a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Iowa.
Cessaries Galusha earned a Bachelors of Music in Piano Performance from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and a Masters of Music in Piano Performance from the University of OR.
Born in Russia, bass Konstantin Kvach has enjoyed recognition as one of the Pacific Northwest's leading basses. He has performed as a soloist in Germany, the Czech Republic and in the Baltic States.
Hailed as a "barnstorming violin exponent" (Flying Inkpot, Singapore), violinist Kevin A. Lefohn maintains an internaBonal career as recital soloist, chamber musician, and pedagogue.
Rebecca Towers is a free-lance flutist in the Portland and Vancouver areas and plays regularly with many chamber ensembles. Along with teaching flute at Pacific University, she also teaches in Southwest Washington.
A native of Staten Island, Louis DeMartino is the principal clarinetist of the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, as well as the principal clarinetist of the Portland Opera, Oregon Ballet Theatre Orchestras, and the principal clarinetist of the Colorado Music Festival in Boulder, CO.
Michael Hettwer has been a freelance horn player in the Pacific Northwest for 35 years. He is principal horn with the Portland Opera Orchestra and Third Horn with the Oregon Ballet Theatre Orchestra. He also frequently plays with the Oregon Symphony and Eugene Symphony orchestras.
Will has performed with the Oregon Symphony, Eugene Symphony, Portland Chamber Orchestra, Bach Cantata Choir, Portland Columbia Symphony Orchestra, and many other local groups and orchestras. Will has also toured with the American Wind Symphony Orchestra and performed with artists such as Andrea Boccelli and The Who.
Bassoonist Samuel Rhoton has enjoyed a diverse career as a chamber musician, educator, orchestral musician, and administrator. Originally from Salem Oregon, he has toured internationally in Latin America and across the United States. After a successful audition in 2023, Samuel was appointed principal bassoon of the Portland Opera in Portland Oregon.
Christine Korb is an experienced Music Therapy Program Director and has been involved with program development, initiating and implementing program curriculum and strategies, is actively involved with the program assessment process and collaborates with community professionals as she increases the numbers of music therapists practicing and employed nationwide.
