Woodwind Teachers

Woodwind Instruments

Woodwind Teachers

The Music Shoppe of Champaign

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Ai Yamaguchi

Flute Instructor | Champaign, IL

Ai Tamaguchi, flute lesson teacher at The Music Shoppe of Champaign, Illinois

A native of Tokyo, Japan, Ai Yamaguchi is a doctoral candidate in flute performance and literature at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. She also holds a Master of Music degree in flute performance from University of Southern Mississippi and a bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Wright State University. Recently named principal flutist of the Urbana Pops Orchestra, Ms. Yamaguchi has also performed as a second flutist in the Gulf Coast Symphony in 2008-2010 season and the Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra in Ohio.

Ms. Yamaguchi has performed in masterclasses for Fabio Angelo Colajanni, Tadeo Coelho, Ervin Monroe, and Kristen Stoner and recently, she was selected to perform in the master class held at the Eastern Kentucky University for the world renowned flutist, Sir James Galway. Her principal teachers include Dr. Jonathan Keeble, Dr, Danilo Mezzadri, Rachel Taratoot-Ciraldo, Dr. Christopher Chaffee, and Dr. Leslie Goldman Maaser.

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Kaitlyn Dunn

Oboe Instructor | Champaign, IL

Kaitlyn Dunn, oboe lesson teacher at The Music Shoppe of Champaign, Illinois

Kaitlyn Dunn is currently pursuing her master's degree in oboe performance at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  She holds two bachelor's degrees in music from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, in oboe performance and flute performance, and a diploma in audio engineering from the School of Audio Engineering institute.

Kaitlyn's primary oboe teachers include Professor John Dee, Dr. Ashley Barret and Dr. Keith Sorrels.  She has participated in masterclasses with Professor Celeste Johnson and Dr. Margaret Marco.  She has played with the Champaign-Urbana Symphony, Sinfonia da Camera, Illinois Bach Society, the UIUC Wind Symphony, the UIUC Symphony Orchestra and the Danville Symphony.  

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Annie Mason

Bassoon Instructor | Champaign, IL

Annie Mason, bassoon lesson teacher at The Music Shoppe of Champaign, Illinois

Annie Lyle Mason teaches bassoon lessons and bassoon reed making lessons. She welcomes musicians of all ages and abilities into her studio. Her school-aged students participate in area youth symphonies, perform at Solo and Ensemble Contest, and win positions to play in ILMEA District and All-State bands and orchestras. Past students have earned scholarships to play in college. Annie’s adult students range from complete beginners to experienced hobbyists and perform in community ensembles. Abiding by the philosophy of ‘the complete musician’ of the 21st Century, Annie is driven by a fundamental desire to be a passionate and innovative teaching artist and performer.

With a strong foundation and love of all repertoire, Ms. Mason is an orchestral and chamber musician, soloist, pedagogue, reed maker, contemporary and collaborative music specialist. She has performed with the Danville Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia da Camera, Champaign-Urbana Symphony, and the Urbana Pops Orchestra. As a sought after bassoonist in New York City’s entertainment and theater world, she’s performed with Matthew Broderick and the company of Brigadoon on Broadway, and with singer-songwriter Randy Newman. In addition, she’s played with New York based orchestras including Ensemble 212, Mimesis Ensemble, and The Chelsea Symphony of TV’s Mozart in the Jungle fame.
 
Ms. Mason can be heard on recordings including Music for a Golden Sky, Winds of a Higher Order, and Dreams and Achievements with the University of Illinois Wind Symphony. She recorded Augusta Read Thomas’ work Astral Canticle with the University of Illinois Symphony Orchestra and Oedipe with Sinfonia da Camera. 

Annie Lyle Mason holds master’s degrees in both Bassoon Performance and Contemporary Music from Louisiana State University and Manhattan School of Music respectively, and a Bachelor of Music from the University of Illinois. Her teachers include Timothy McGovern, William Ludwig, Martin Kuuskmann, and Grant Gillett. She is currently studying for her Doctorate in Bassoon Performance and Literature at the University of Illinois and is Instructor of Bassoon at Eastern Illinois University.

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Nathan Balestar

Clarinet Instructor | Champaign, IL

Nathan Balestar, clarinet lesson teacher at The Music Shoppe of Champaign, Illinois

Nathan Balester enjoys an active career teaching and performing throughout the Northeast and Midwest. As an orchestral musician, he performs regularly with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Peoria Symphony Orchestra, Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra, as well as numerous other regional orchestras around Illinois. With experience in both modern techniques and folk music, Nathan also plays informally with several improvisational ensembles as well as Klezmer and Balkan ensembles. 

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Nathan began studying both clarinet and saxophone in grade school studying with a variety of teachers in the greater Cleveland area. He participated in pre-college programs through the Cleveland Institute of Music and the Jazz at the Music Settlement (JAMS) program.

In 2012, Nathan enrolled at Ithaca College where he earned a Bachelor of Music in Music Education (2016) and studied with Richard Faria as well as Richard MacDowell. He went on to earn a Master of Music at SIU Carbondale under Eric Mandat. He is currently in the final phase of his Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he studied with J. David Harris and Janice Minor.

Nathan is based in Champaign where he is working on his dissertation examining pedagogical approaches to extended techniques. Currently, he works as a freelance clarinetist and is on the teaching faculty at the local branch of The Music Shoppe. When not teaching or making music, Nathan enjoys exploring state parks, kayaking, and swimming.

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Peter Loverink

Saxophone Instructor | Champaign, IL

Peter Loverink, saxophone teacher at The Music Shoppe of Champaign

A native of Northeast Ohio, Peter Loverink enjoys giving private lessons for both saxophone and clarinet. He has worked with beginners both young and retired, up to and including the high school level.

Peter strives for musicality not only in his own performance but also in teaching others how to take the next step in their own playing capabilities. Offering high-quality one-on-one music instruction is important because it helps get directly to the root of the problem that the individual musician can face in getting better. Whether the student plays casually or strives to work towards making it a career. He wants to see to it that they get there in a timely manner.

Peter Loverink earned his bachelor's degree in Music Education at Kent State University and is an Ohio-licensed music educator. He studied saxophone with Dr. Noa Even and Dr. Perry Roth during his undergrad.

Peter invites you to grab a saxophone and enjoy music-making while learning as much as possible along the way.

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