Applied Music Lessons

NMC offers private lessons for strings, brass, woodwinds, guitar, piano, voice, organ and percussion.
To request information or schedule lessons, click here.

Private lessons for strings, brass, woodwinds, guitar, piano, voice, organ, and percussion are offered. Students may enroll for 1.0 credit (for a 30 minute, weekly lesson) or for 2.0 credits (for a 60 minute, weekly lesson). To register, please complete this form (Google form). Questions? Please contact Jeffrey Cobb, Director of Music Programs at jecobb@nmc.edu, or 995-1338. 

Instructor Biographies

Diane Clark, Voice
Diane Clark is a native of Memphis, Tennessee, and holds the rank of Associate Professor Emerita of Music at Rhodes College in Memphis, where she taught for thirty-two years. Before that she taught for three years at Texas Tech University. She holds the Bachelor of Music degree with distinction from Rhodes College, the Master of Music degree in voice pedagogy from Indiana University, and the Doctor of Arts degree in voice pedagogy from the University of Mississippi. Clark has been a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing for over fifty years. She served as founding president of the Memphis Chapter of NATS and served two terms as Tennessee Governor of the organization.  As a vocal performer, Clark has been heard in recital, opera, oratorio and sacred music, music theatre, jazz, and barbershop venues.  She served as Artist-in-Residence for the city of Germantown, Tennessee. She served as guest faculty for the Taos Opera Institute (New Mexico) and the Up North Vocal Institute (Michigan). Clark moved to Traverse City in 2006 to become director of the Grand Traverse Show Chorus of Sweet Adelines International.  She held this position for five years. A barbershopper since 1992, Clark is currently Coordinator for the Arranger Certification Program in Border Lakes Region 2 of Sweet Adelines. She is in demand regionally as a teacher and coach for barbershop choruses and quartets. In the summer of 2017 she and co-author Bill Biffle completed a book entitled So You Want to Sing Barbershop, which is part of a major book series published by NATS and Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. She currently maintains a small private voice studio in her home. Currently, Clark and NMC colleague Melanie Stoll perform in the northern Michigan area as a jazz duo called Vive le Jazz!


Susan Steele, Voice
Susan Steele teaches applied voice at NMC. Susan is also an active vocalist singing with Canticum Novum and as soloist and recitalist in the Traverse City area. She has a Bachelor of Music Education and a Master of Vocal Performance from Northern Illinois University. Susan has performed with the Providence Opera Theater, Providence Rhode Island, with the Chicago Symphony Chorus, under the direction of Margaret Hillis, in Kalamazoo, Mi., with the Kalamazoo Singers, Bach Festival Chorus and Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, and in Plattsburgh New York, with the Champlain Valley Oratorio Society. She has taught applied voice as an Adjunct Instructor at Western Michigan University, Nazareth College, Kalamazoo College, and Plattsburgh State University of New York.


David Husser, Piano
David Husser is a pianist and teacher living in Traverse City, Michigan, where he maintains a large independent studio. He collaborates as a pianist with numerous area soloists and ensembles, including the choirs of Traverse City West Senior High School and the Northwestern Michigan College Children's Choirs and Canticum Novum. He also teaches group and applied piano at both NMC and Interlochen Arts Camp. Mr. Husser's compositions have been performed by pianists and choral ensembles in multiple states. His articles have been published by American Music Teacher, and he has served as a presenter and panelist at a variety of national conferences. He holds a Master of Music Education degree from the University of Oklahoma and a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Illinois.


Peggy Johnson, Piano
Peggy Johnson, B.A. MusEd., is an Adjunct Faculty member of Applied Piano at NMC, private music educator, coach/collaborator and free-lance musician and has accompanied many choral organizations and soloists in the GT area. Performance venues have included Vienna, Salzburg, Chicago, New York, Michigan (Ann Arbor, Lansing, Flint, Mackinac Island, Detroit, etc., etc.) and, most recently, Carnegie Hall and The Kennedy Center. Peggy is also a member of the Michigan chapter of the Music Teacher's National Association and the National Guild of Piano Teachers.


David Chown, Jazz Piano
David has been playing piano professionally for over 25 years. He has released 7 CD’s on his own label. David’s latest CD, “Somewhere Only We Know”, is his second collaboration with singer Miriam Picó. It was produced at David’s Lookout Music Productions Studio in Traverse City. In addition to solo piano concerts and club appearances, David leads a variety band, the “Pico & Chown Band”, which features some of Traverse City’s top musicians. David received a Bachelors of Music degree in Jazz Studies from Western Michigan University in, and a Bachelors of Music in Piano Technology from Michigan State University. In between his college stints, David toured Europe for a year, playing concerts and clubs. David performed for three years at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island Michigan. He appears regularly with Miriam Picó at Chateau Grand Traverse Winerey, the Parlor, and Traverse City Golf and Country Club. 
Since settling in Traverse City, David started his company “Lookout Music Productions”, and owns and operates “Lookout Music Productions Studio”, which is located at Building 50 at the Village Center, where he teaches over 30 students and records and publishes music. David is also adjunct professor at Northwestern Michigan College, where he has been teaching in the Audio Technology Department since 2013.  David resides in Acme with his wife Janet, son Dawson, and daughter Kaysen, and cat “Millie.”


Paul Sonner, Violin
(biography coming)


Sam Boase-Miller, Cello
Sam Boase-Miller started his professional career after graduating from Interlochen Arts Academy. This included teaching, performing, and studying at Ithaca College, DePaul University, and Western Michigan University. Sam spent two years performing on several cruise lines, in string trios and quartets. As the former Associate-Principal Cellist of the Manhattan Symphonie, he toured China twice and performed regularly in the great venues of New York City including Lincoln Center, Bargemusic, and Carnegie Hall. Notable performances included chamber music and concertos with violinists Nina Beilina and Mark Peskanov, and Verdi's Requiem with the Yokohama City Choir. While in NYC, Sam founded the production company Amity Bros. with his two best friends Dan Lovley and Erik Saras. You can hear their current project, the award-winning sci-fi podcast Marsfall on iTunes. Sam's cellistic lineage includes such noted pedagogues as Grace Field, Bruce Uchimura, Cris Campbell, Elizabeth Simkin, Brant Taylor, and Steve Balderston. Sam records, teaches, composes, and lives in Traverse City, Michigan.


Tara Schwab, Flute
A versatile soloist, chamber musician, recording artist, and orchestral player, Tara Schwab’s flute playing is described as “haunting” and “transcendent” (Sequenza 21), “excellent” and “commanding” (Fanfare Magazine). Her renderings of virtuosic modern solos are hailed as “splendid, accomplished, and totally committed... performance of the highest level” (Shulamit Ran), possessing “perfect energy, pacing, balance, and precision” (Frank Ticheli).
As a chamber and orchestral musician, Tara has performed in concert series and venues throughout the country, including REDCAT, Capitol Records, Paramount Studios, the Hult Center in Eugene, the Interlochen Center for the Arts, and the Cranbrook Music Guild. She has played with ensembles such as the Eugene Symphony, Corvallis Symphony, MidAtlantic Symphony, and Traverse Symphony, and has been a featured guest artist at CalArts, Chapman Conservatory, University of Southern California, Loyola University Chicago, UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke University, UNC School of the Arts, and Baldwin Wallace Conservatory. 
Dr. Schwab is currently on faculty at Northwestern Michigan College and has previously held professorships at Arkansas State University and the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point. She has also taught at the Interlochen Arts Academy and the University of Oregon where she was a Graduate Teaching Fellow. 


Laurie Sears, Flute and Saxophone
Laurie Marino Sears is the Director of Jazz Bands and an Adjunct Instructor of Saxophone and Woodwinds at Northwestern Michigan College since 2014. Laurie is also a faculty member of the Interlochen College of Creative Arts Adult Band Camp and has taught saxophone at Grand Valley State University. While in Chicago, she taught at Columbia College, Concordia University, the American Conservatory of Music and Triton College. As a performer on saxophone, flute and clarinet, Laurie works with numerous jazz groups, Broadway Grand Rapids, Broadway Wharton (East Lansing and Traverse City) and with the Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo and Traverse Symphony Orchestras. Some of the national jazz and popular artists that Laurie has shared the stage with include Sarah Vaughan, Mel Torme, Frank Sinatra, Natalie Cole, Aretha Franklin, Liza Minelli, Julie Andrews, Bernadette Peters, Johnny Mathis, Henry Mancini, Smokey Robinson, The Temptations and The Four Tops. While in Chicago, Laurie performed on the Chicago Jazz Festival, with orchestral pops presentations at  Ravinia, with entertainers at the Chicago Theater and at numerous musical theaters venues. Degrees and awards include a Bachelor of Music in Saxophone, a Master of Music in Woodwinds and a Performer’s Certificate from the Indiana University School of Music. Teachers include Eugene Rousseau, Fred Hemke and David Baker.


Mezraq Ramli, Oboe
A native of Singapore, Dr. Mezraq Ramli is an active freelancer, enjoying a diverse career as a teacher, recitalist, orchestral and chamber musician. Prior to relocating to northern Michigan, he was oboe instructor at Lubbock Christian University. He now serves as oboe instructor at Northwestern Michigan College. Dr. Ramli has appeared with several ensembles including the Traverse Symphony, Lubbock Symphony, Big Spring Symphony, Middletown Symphony and Holland Symphony. In 2005, he was the featured soloist at the World Police Bands Concert performing Rimsky-Korsakov’s Variations on a Theme of Glinka, at the Tokyo City Opera Hall in Japan. Dr. Ramli holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Texas Tech University, a Master of Music degree from Miami University and a Bachelor of Music degree from Grand Valley State University. His principal oboe teachers include Amy Anderson, Andrea Ridilla, Marlen Vav?íková and Carolyn Hollier. Principal bassoon teachers include Richard Meek and John Clapp.


Jeanmarie Riccobono, Clarinet
Jeanmarie Riccobono joined the Traverse Symphony Orchestra in 1996 and is currently the orchestra’s principal clarinetist. She has performed with scores of American orchestras including the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Grand Rapids Symphony, Jacksonville Symphony and has participated in the Spoleto, Aspen, Sarasota, and Chautauqua music festivals.  She has been on faculty of the Interlochen Arts Academy, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp and the Interlochen Arts Camp.  An active recitalist and chamber musician, Ms. Riccobono was the 1996 grand prize winner of the Boosey and Hawkes/Buffet North American clarinet competition, culminating in a solo recital at the ‘Musicora’ Festival of the Paris Conservatory.  She currently performs with Trio Joyeaux, a clarinet, harp cello ensemble and performs educational outreach and a new series of community concerts called “The Melodious Adventurers” combining the aspect of open rehearsals, concerts, artful cuisine and social gatherings with the Traverse Woodwind Quintet.  Ms. Riccobono studied clarinet performance and earned her Bachelor’s and Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music and Master’s from Northwestern University.  Her major teachers include Robert Marcellus, Frank Kowalsky, John Bruce Yeh, Charles Neidich and Stanley Hasty.  Interested in all aspects of music performance, she has served as fundraiser, personnel manager and orchestra manager for the Traverse Symphony Orchestra and Traverse Youth Orchestras and currently serves as fundraising and tour coordinator for Traverse City West High School Orchestra.  She established the ‘Music on Monday’ performing artist series at the Traverse Children’s House where she taught music classes to young children for ten years.  Active at all levels of music education, she is an in-demand clarinet clinician and currently teaches clarinet at her private studio and at numerous schools in the Grand Traverse area.  


Robert Pavelek, Horn
Robert Pavelek (Bob) is a native of Detroit, Michigan. He studied horn with Marvin Howe and was mentored by Karl Hill. Bob was principal horn in the Traverse Symphony Orchestra for 28 years. Bob is currently an adjunct professor at Northwest Michigan College in Traverse City, Michigan.
He moved to Traverse City in 1973 and performed throughout Northern Michigan and Canada. His experiences include performing with the Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, Midland Symphony, Traverse Symphony Orchestra Brass Quintet, Baroque on Beaver Music Festival , WestSide Winds, Encore Winds and Sault Symphony Orchestra in Ontario, Canada. Bob has also performed in a variety of musicals at The Old Town Playhouse in Traverse City Michigan. Also, playing alongside such notables as Johnny Mathis, Doc Severinsen, Matt Guitar Murphy and did a run of the musical Miss Saigon at the Fisher Theater in Detroit.
Presently Bob is a member of the NMC Big Jazz Band and the NMC concert Band.  He continues to offer his expertise to horn students in  private lessons. Bob is proud to play exclusively on Kortesmaki horns.


Josh Wagner, Trumpet
Joshua Wagner is in high demand as a trumpet player, clinician, soloist, and teacher. From the beginning he has been setting himself apart from his peers with his huge sound, soaring high register, and ability to feel at home in a variety of music genres.
Mr. Wagner has performed with Phil Smith, Everette Green, Delores King Williams, Brandon Ridenour, Rich Ridenour, Vince DiMartino, Joey Tartell, Pat Harbison, Wayne Bergeron, Bobby Shew, Tom Walsh, Terri Lyne Carrington, Bill Carothers, Phil Woods, Cyrus Chestnut, Robbie Smith, Danny Barber, Kevin Good, William Camp, and many more.
Equally at home as a teacher, he serves on both the Brass Faculty and Jazz Faculty of Blue Lake International Fine Arts Camp, music faculty for both Northwestern Michigan College and Southwestern Michigan College, adjudicator/clinician for the Michigan School Band & Orchestra Association, and adjudicator for the Central Michigan University Jazz Weekend.


Jerry Young, Tuba
Dr. Jerry A. Young, adjunct instructor of low brass at NMC since 2018, is also Professor Emeritus of Music at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire where he worked from 1983 to 2016.   His former students enjoy successful careers as music educators, in music industry and in leading orchestras and military bands in the U.S., Europe and Asia.
Jerry was president of the International Tuba – Euphonium Association from 2013 – 2015 and formerly served as editor-in-chief of the Association’s quarterly journal.  He is also a  long-time member of the Board of Trustees for the Leonard Falcone International Euphonium and Tuba Festival.  His edition of the Arban Complete Method for Tuba (co-edited by  Wesley Jacobs and published by Encore Music Publishing) has been the best-selling tuba method in the world for over twenty-five years.  In 1999 he was recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Arkansas Department of Music and was appointed a Fellow of the Fulbright Academy of the University of Arkansas.  In 2016 he was the recipient of the Orpheus Award (from Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia) for significant and lasting contributions to the cause of music in America.  Young has appeared across the U.S., Europe and Japan as a soloist, chamber musician, clinician, and adjudicator. Jerry performs regularly in the Grand Traverse region with the Northern Lower Brass Quartet, Encore Winds, and Rags to Riches Ragtime Quartet and is principal tubist with the Baroque on Beaver Festival Chamber Orchestra and the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra Brass Quintet.  Former faculty members at the Interlochen Arts Camp, Jerry and his wife, Dr. Barbara Young, a widely sought-after collaborative pianist, live in Leelanau County, Michigan.  


Michael Kudirka, Guitar/Electric Bass
Hailed by Classical Guitar Magazine as “a leading proponent of new directions in classical guitar music”, Michael Kudirka specializes in both contemporary works and in the field of microtonality with his interchangeable fretboard system, developed by the company he co-founded, MicroTone Guitars. An avid and long-time advocate of cutting-edge new music, Kudirka has maintained a close collaboration with Los Angeles-based composer Jeffrey Holmes since 2002, and a retrospective album of Holmes’s microtonal guitar works titled May the Bridges I Burn Light My Way has been released by MicroFest Records (USA) in 2019. In the same year Kudirka also released the world-premiere recording of Bryan Johanson’s epic album-length composition 13 Ways of Looking at 12 Strings with Eric Benzant-Feldra on Les Productions d’OZ (Canada).
He has taught at the Idyllwild Arts Academy, California Institute of the Arts, University of Southern California, Interlochen Arts Academy, and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. He is currently a faculty member at Northwestern Michigan College.


Brad Novak, Applied Percussion
Brad Novak is a performer/educator based in Traverse City, MI. His performance/recording credits include: The Accidentals, Joe Welsh, Sommerson, The Amanda Waggener Band, Kristine Seeley, and Dominic Fortuna, Brian Whitscell, Tuesday Radio, Miriam Pico, and David Chown among others. Brad is also the owner/operator of The Beat Lab, an educational facility that educates over 200 students each week in the area of drums and percussion, guitar, bass, ukulele, etc. He is the percussion instructor for the beginning band at the Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools and is an instructor of drums and percussion for Northwestern Michigan College. Brad has been playing drums and percussion for over 30 years. In that time he has studied with Larry Finn at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, Dave Zerbe and Robert Hohner at Central Michigan University, Chester Thompson, and Russ Miller via Drum and Percussion University. Brad is on the Vic Firth Education team, a Soultone cymbal artist, and a member of the Hudson Music Education Team.