Faculty

Gary Gratz
Gary.Gratz@mcnallysmith.edu
Chair, Music Studies; Department Head, Keyboards
Primary Department: Keyboard
Secondary Department: Music Theory
Formal Education:MM in Music Education from Boston University; BA in Music from Augsburg College

Professional Experience: Gary has been a professional musician for 30+ years, working throughout the industry as a performer, composer, arranger and programmer. He studied with Lorna Michelson, Herb Wigley, Manfredo Fest and Jill Dawe. Gary has performed with Tony Sandler, Marilyn McCoo, and Othello Molineaux, Tim Ries, Brian Duncan and the Minnesota Vikings Band. He continues to perform regularly with Marv Dahlgren, Yolanda Bruce, Cynthia Johnson, the Sevilles and others. As a composer/ synthesist with Herb Pilhofer Music, Gary composed music and designed sounds for numerous national TV ads including spots for Coca Cola, Discover Card, Target, and Porsche. He also performed on the soundtrack for the movie "Beautiful Girls" and coached the lead actor, Timothy Hutton, in piano technique.

Linda Chacholiades
Linda.Chacholiades@mcnallysmith.edu
Faculty Member Since: 2007
Primary Department: Music Theory
Secondary Department: Keyboard
Tertiary Department: General Education
Formal Education: M.M. Cleveland Institute of Music; B.M. University of Georgia.

Professional Experience: Linda Chacholiades studied at the University of Georgia, Mozarteum Conservatory, Salzburg, Austria, and holds a Master of Music Degree in Piano Performance from Cleveland Institute of Music. She has performed in several piano competitions including the 1998 Gerschefski Competition where she was awarded honorable mention. She was a finalist in both the 2001 Greek Women’s University Club Music Competition, Chicago, IL, and in the 2001 Ludmilla Knezkova-Hussey International Piano Competition, Bathurst, Canada.

Ms. Chacholiades has studied piano with Jerome Rose, Evgeny Rivkin, Anita Pontremoli, Daniel Shapiro, and harpsichord with Egbert Ennulat. She formerly served on the faculty of Berkshire Community College, Georgia Perimeter College, and Gainesville State College where she was in demand as an accompanist and chamber musician, as well as a solo pianist. She currently teaches courses in Music History, Music Theory, and Keyboard at McNally Smith College of Music.

Since relocating to the Twin Cities area, Ms. Chacholiades has maintained a very active private piano studio. Her students have received awards in competitions and performed in Master classes with world-renowned musicians such as Dr. Maurice Hinson. Ms. Chacholiades is frequently called upon to judge young artist competitions.

Ms. Chacholiades has continued to pursue her own musical interests as a post graduate student at University of Minnesota and is an active member of College Music Society, Saint Paul Piano Teachers Association, and the Minnesota chapter of Music Teachers National Association.

Joe Chouinard
Joe.Chouinard@mcnallysmith.edu
Faculty Member Since: 2010
Primary Department: Keyboard
Formal Education: BS, St. John's University

Professional Experience: Joe comes from a musical family with roots in the Twin Cities. He graduated from St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota with a Bachelor’s degree in piano performance. He also studied jazz at what is now University of North Texas, working with great teachers such as Mike Steinel.

Settling back into the Twin Cities, Joe furthered his experience in teaching, performing and arranging. He has played in various bands such as the R-Factor, Power of Ten, and is currently with a variety band called Popluxe. He has done two recordings of his own piano material and has put together various concerts.

Joe has been involved with several other recording projects including projects with artists, ranging from Gospel singer Robert Robinson to the KC Gospel Orchestra, and music and sound effects for various video projects, including a series for toddlers called Baby Babble.

Joe is currently on staff at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church in Minneapolis where he plays keyboards, arranges music and more. To top it off, he’s also sung in barbershop quartets, including a father/son quartet called Relative Pitch.

Lori Dokken
Lori.Dokken@mcnallysmith.edu
Faculty Member Since: 2001
Primary Department: Voice
Secondary Department: Keyboard
Formal Education: Concordia College, Moorhead; University of Minnesota, Morris and Minneapolis; Augsburg College; MacPhail Center for the Arts; and The Voice Center.

Professional Experience: Lori Dokken has played and appealed to the patrons of every major and minor music venue in Minneapolis and St. Paul. The “Beloved Twin Cities singer and pianist” (Minneapolis StarTribune, June ‘96) entertains with an eccentric charm, talent and wit that embraces an audience like an old friend. Writer and Publishing Member of ASCAP. Wrote two songs recorded on “The Girls.” Vocal Arranger for Three Hits And A Miss 2002 CD . Musical Director and Arranger for hit cabaret shows. Executive Producer and Producer of 2001 CD release - “The Girls.”  Producer, Musical Director, and Arranger for six RSVP Cruise Vacations Main stage Productions. Headliner for two RSVP Cruise Vacations Main Stage Productions. Executive Producer, Vocalist & Pianist for 2 CD releases in 2005:  Worked with or opened for Bobby McFerrin, Jane Oliver, Beatrice Arthur, Jennifer Holiday, Lucie Arnaz, Sally Struthers, Sandy Duncan, Eartha Kitt, Carole King and Tony Bennett. Self-employed vocalist, pianist, arranger, performance coach and producer for the past 27 years. Other teaching experience: Adjunct Professor - Teaching Specialist - University of Minnesota – 1996; Music Director at Minnehaha U.C.C. (1998 - 2006);  Co-teaches Monday Night Vocal Performance Workshop with Judi Donaghy;  Independent Vocal and Performance Coach.

Sarah Hohenstein Burk
sarah.burk@mcnallysmith.edu
Faculty Member Since: 1994
Primary Department: Music Theory
Secondary Department: Keyboard
Formal Education: Bachelor of Music, University of Minnesota, emphasis in Theory/Composition and a minor in Jazz Studies, Master of Liberal Studies (in progress)

Professional Experience: A performer and recording artist on keyboards, vocals and violin, Sarah has toured the U.S., Europe and the Middle East with a variety of ensembles and theatre troupes, and has performed on National Public Radio with Salsa Del Soul.  Other endeavors keep her active in African and international dance music, jazz, R&B, gospel, big band, classical chamber music and variety ensembles. She has been involved in more than 30 theatre productions in Europe and America serving in roles of music director, conductor, composer, pianist, violinist and arranger. Other Training: Salsa and Latin Jazz Studies with Nachito Herrera.

Liz Kuivinen
Liz.Kuivinen@mcnallysmith.edu
Faculty Member Since: 1994
Primary Department: Keyboard
Secondary Department: Music Theory

Professional Experience: Liz began her career as a professional musician in New York City, performing with artists Patti LaBelle, Loretta Devine (star of the hit Broadway musical Dreamgirls), Maurice Hines, Andy Warhol, John Sex, Pete Morgan’s Big Band, Sandra Caldwell, L.E. Howell, and Tina Cinero.  Liz has also performed at such famed Manhattan venues as the Palladium, Studio 54, the Cat Club, and Dancetaria.  While in New York, Liz also worked in theater, scored a feature film (“Czechs and Balances”), and operated her own production company.

Peter Schimke
Peter.Schimke@mcnallysmith.edu
Faculty Member Since: 2008
Primary Department: Keyboard
Secondary Department: Music Theory
Formal Education:BM in Jazz Performance from William Paterson University

Professional Experience: Peter began playing piano and drums at the age of eight. The music collection of his older brother, which included records by artists like B.B. King, Johnny Winter, Jimmy Hendrix, and the Beatles, provided his earliest rock influences. By the age of twelve he was playing boogie-woogie and blues piano, while singing with his older brother’s blues band. ?After sitting in on vocals, keyboards and drums with bands throughout his teens, Peter’s first professional gig was with the New Psychenauts.

He went on to be lead singer for the Swingin’ Combo; both bands were part of the early MPLS rock scene that launched the Replacements and Husker Du. It was about this time that he played his first professional rock gigs on keyboard, most notably with Hammond organ with blues harmonica legend Charlie Musselwhite at the Blue Max on Maui. He is a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Grant and a scholarship to the Banff Arts Centre. Peter has also studied classical piano with James D. Johnson and Gary Kirkpatrick of the Verdehr Trio. He studied jazz piano with Brazilian pianist Manfredo Fest, Jim McNeely and Memphis born Harold Mabern.

Over the years Peter has either toured, performed or recorded with, among others, Iffy, Likehell, Art Farmer, Tom Harrell, Fareed Haque, Mark Murphy (co-produced “The Latin Porter” for Ben Sidran’s Go Jazz label, Julee Cruise of “Twin Peaks”, El Buho, Jeff Sipe, Victor Wooten, Estaire Godinez ,Rita Coolidge and many more. Most recently, Peter has recorded a live concert with saxophonist Jerry Bergonzie that will be released on DVD as well as collaboration with Marcos Casal to be released on the label Universal Spain. He is also singing, playing and composing for his own new solo project that is currently in production.

Kristin Sponcia
Kristin.Sponcia@mcnallysmith.edu
Faculty Member Since: 2005
Primary Department: Keyboard
Secondary Department: Music Theory
Formal Education:M.M. Roosevelt University in Chicago, B.A. University of Wisconsin, Green Bay

Professional Experience: Kristin Sponcia, originally from Milwaukee, WI, is an active pianist, vocalist, arranger and composer. She has studied with Christine and John Salerno, Arthur Cohrs, Jim Trompeter, Mike Molloy, Laurence Hobgood. She specializes in unique interpretations of jazz standards and contemporary favorites. Ms. Sponcia also has played piano with jazz ensembles featuring Ingrid Jensen, Todd Buffa, David Liebman, Melton Mustafa and Bryan Lynch.  She was also chosen to perform in master classes with Kenny Werner and Eric Reed.  In 2003 she was a featured artist at Milwaukee’s Third Ward Jazz Festival.  Additionally, Kristin sings and plays solo at the Nicollet Island Inn regularly and accompanies several of the Twin Cities’ well-known singers such as Arne Fogel, Lee Engele and Nancy Harms.  Her most recent musical accomplishment is singing in the Phil Mattson Singers.

Sean Turner
Sean.Turner@mcnallysmith.edu
Faculty Member Since: 2000
Primary Department: Keyboard
Formal Education: Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Performance from Arizona State University

Professional Experience: Sean’s compositions and orchestrations have been utilized by Sony, Oprah Winfrey, Lifetime Network, Discovery Channel, American Express, Target, Chicken Soup For The Soul, and he has been a featured artist for
Getty Images among many others.

Sean has written and produced three cd’s, one of which received a “Parent’s Choice Award” for children’s music, and authored two instructional texts.

Sean began his professional music career performing as a vocal soloist with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and Metropolitan Opera soprano Lucy Shelton in the world premier of twentieth century composer George
Crumb's "Ancient Voices of Children."

Sean Earned a Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Performance from Arizona State University and was awarded a Jazz Study Grant from the National Endowment For The Arts to study in New York with JoAnne Brackeen.