North Central College Music Workshops and ILMEA Clinics
August 23, 2025 1:00pm
All 9-12 grade instrumentalists and singers are invited to participate in our Music Workshop and ILMEA Clinics on August 23, 2025. Students will take part in informational sessions and masterclasses focused on maximizing their potential in auditions (centered on the ILMEA audition materials), performances, and more! All sessions are taught by North Central College's esteemed faculty. This event is free of charge, but spots are limited. Please register as soon as you can!
What's New This Year
- The workshops are also open to students who are not preparing for ILMEA auditions
- Singers are invited! There will be three vocal workshops (non-ILMEA)
- Strings ILMEA workshops will cover District IX and District I independently
- Private lessons with NCC faculty available upon request
- Option to eat lunch at NCC cafeteria
Registration Link (coming soon)
Registration after the deadlines will only be accepted based on availability.
Workshop Schedule
Morning Workshops
10:30-11:45am (Optional. Both sessions welcome all instrumentalist and singers!)
How to Practice for Auditions - Prof. Paul Lowry
Latin Jazz Experience - Prof. Juan Pastor
12:00-12:45pm (Optional)
Lunch at NCC Cafeteria for Purchase
Welcome Meeting
1:00-1:20pm Welcome Meeting (Required for all participants)
Workshops for Winds, Percussion and Jazz
1:30-2:45pm
ILMEA Classical Instrumental Clinics - All NCC instrumental Faculty
Jazz Harmony - Dr. Christopher White
Introduction to Scat Singing - Prof. Abigail Riccards
3:00-4:15pm
ILMEA Jazz Clinics - All NCC Jazz Faculty
Breathing for Brass - Dr. Maxwell Briggs
How to Play in an Orchestra Woodwind Section - Prof. Ember Miller
4:30-5:45pm
Jazz Jam with NCC Jazz Faculty
I Just Got a Music Degree. Now What? - NCC Faculty Panel
Workshops for Strings
1:30-2:15pm
District I ILMEA String Clinics
Chamber Orchestra Reading with NCC Faculty and Students
2:30-3:15pm
District IX ILMEA String Clinics
More Chamber Orchestra Reading with NCC Faculty and Students
3:30-4:15pm
ILMEA All State String Clinics
String Techniques for Orchestra - Prof. Nadel and Prof. LaFranzo
4:30-5:45pm
I Just Got a Music Degree. Now What? - NCC Faculty Panel
If you are a student preparing for the District I ILMEA audition, you will sign up for the District I Clinic at 1:30pm, Chamber Orchestra Reading at 2:30pm, and the State String Clinic at 3:30pm. If you are a student preparing for the District IX ILMEA audition, you will sign up for the Chamber Orchestra Reading at 1:30pm, District IX Clinics at 2:30, and the State String Clinic at 3:30pm. If you are not preparing for any ILMEA audition, you can sign up for both Orchestra Reading sessions and the String Techniques for Orchestra workshop. Mix and match!
Workshops for Singers
1:30-2:45pm
Vocal Health - Prof. Jennifer Barrett
Introduction to Scat Singing - Prof. Abigail Riccards
3:00-4:15pm
Voice Masterclass - Prof. Angela Korbitz
4:30-5:45pm
I Just Got a Music Degree. Now What? - NCC Faculty Panel
Harp, Piano and Composition
Please contact Dr. Susan Chou directly: schou@noctrl.edu
Participating NCC Faculty
Jazz
Abigail Riccards - Vocal Jazz
Mitch Paliga - Saxophone
Tim Coffman - Trombone
Juan Pastor - Drum Set/Rhythm Section
Chris White - Piano
Dakarai Barclay - Trumpet
Dan Anderson - Bass
Concert/Classical
Ellen Huntington - Flute
Tricia Wlazlo - Oboe
Kimberlie Visconti Richter - Bassoon
Walt Puyear - Saxophone
Dan O'Connell - Horn
Paul Lowry - Trumpet
Maxell Briggs - Euphonium and Tuba
Ember Miller - Clarinet
Andrew Rozsa - Trombone
TBD - Percussion
Mara Gallagher - Violin
TBD - Viola
Claire Langenberg - Cello
Dan Anderson - Double Bass
Other Faculty
Nichole Young - Harp, by appointment
Jonathon Kirk - Composition, by appointment
Lawrence Van Oyen - Director of Bands
Benjamin Nadel - Director of Orchestra
Andrea LaFranzo - Conducting
Susan Chou - Piano and Department Chair of Music
Faculty Bios
Maxwell Briggs
Having earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Illinois Wesleyan University, followed by a Master of Music degree and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Northwestern University, Dr. Briggs possesses a solid foundation of academic excellence, studying under the guidance of Ed Risinger, Rex Martin, and Gene Pokorny. Dr. Briggs play with several ensembles in the Chicago area and has won the Falcone Solo Competition, the Chicago Brass Festival Solo Competition, and performed as a featured soloist with the VanderCook College Symphonic Band at the 2022 Midwest Clinic. Dr. Briggs teaches at various institutions, including North Central College, VanderCook College of Music, and Lake Forest College. His teaching approach is rooted in the pedagogy of Arnold Jacobs, emphasizing the development of a resonant tone, solid technique, and a deep understanding of musicianship. By instilling these foundations in his students, he equips them with the tools to excel in their musical endeavors.
Timothy Coffman
Tim Coffman is one of the most active trombonists and teachers in the Chicago area. A graduate of the prestigious Jazz Studies program at Indiana University, Mr. Coffman worked closely with David Baker and Keith Brown. He was awarded the Performer’s Certificate following his Senior Recital.
Mr. Coffman is in demand for studio and show work and has performed with Frank Sinatra, Andy Williams, Natalie Cole, Lou Rawls, Louie Bellson, Aretha Franklin and many others. In 2009, Mr. Coffman performed with the WDR Big Band in Cologne, Germany for two weeks, with special guest Arturo Sanduval. In 2022 Mr. Coffman toured with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. He is a former member of the Chicago Jazz Ensemble and The Rob Parton Big Band and is currently a member of the New Standard Jazz Orchestra, The Bob Lark Alumni Big Band and the Bob Lark Septet. Mr. Coffman was on the Jazz Studies faculty at DePaul University from 1997-2021. He is now on the faculty and is the Jazz Studies Coordinator at North Central College in Naperville, IL. During the summer, he has been a faculty member at the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshop at the University of Louisville since 1992.
Ellen Huntington
Ellen Huntington has appeared internationally as a soloist and chamber musician. She holds the second flute position with the Quad City Symphony Orchestra, and has performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, New Philharmonic, Rockford Symphony, and others. As a chamber musician, she is a founder of the Lyrebird Ensemble, and has recorded the CD Taking Flight, which presents a unique variety of virtuosic music for the flute and harp duo from the modern era. Dr. Huntington previously taught at North Park University and Loyola University Chicago. She is the director of the Naperville Youth Symphony Orchestra Flute Choir. Dr. Huntington studied in Stuttgart, Germany as a Fulbright Scholar, received her Doctor of Music and Bachelor of Music degrees from Northwestern University, and Masters of Music from The Ohio State University. She has served secretary of the National Flute Association, she is currently treasurer of the Chicago Flute Club and on the editorial board of the Flutist Quarterly.
Claire Langenberg
Originally from Lancaster, PA, cellist Claire Langenberg has performed throughout the United States as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player. She is a member of the New Philharmonic and Quad City Symphony. In addition to her orchestral playing, Claire is an active freelance musician and has performed with Josh Groban, Barry Manilow, Peter Gabriel, The Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Kristin Chenoweth, and Paul Potts, and is also the artistic director of Windy City Chamber Musicians, performing for weddings and corporate events throughout the Chicago area. Claire also teaches cello at her home in Aurora as well as North Central College. Her primary teachers were Laurien Laufman, David Wells, and Richard Hirshl, and she holds performance degrees from the University of Illinois and the New England Conservatory of Music.
Ember Miller
Ember Miller holds a Bachelor of Music Performance from Michigan State University and a Master of Music Performance and Literature from Northwestern University, studying under Caroline Hartig and Steve Cohen, respectively. After her studies, Ember freelanced throughout the Midwest, performing with orchestras like the Green Bay Symphony, Illinois Symphony, Kankakee Valley Symphony, and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. However, she soon found her true passion in teaching and sharing her love for the clarinet with students.
The Ember Miller Clarinet Studio comprises approximately 60 students, many of whom secure top chairs in ILMEA district and state competitions, Midwest Young Artists Conservatory, and the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra. Her students have won national competitions and college scholarships, earning spots in some of the most competitive college clarinet studios in the country.
Ember also serves on the faculties of North Central College and Lake Forest College, where she continues to mentor the next generation of clarinetists. Currently, she is the Principal Clarinetist with the Chicago Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra and the Lake Shore Symphony Orchestra and enjoys performing in chamber ensembles. In her spare time, Ember loves walking her two French Bulldogs, traveling, exploring Chicago with her husband Luke.
Mitch Paliga
Mitch Paliga has a Master’s Degree in jazz pedagogy from Northwestern University and a Bachelor’s Degree in music from Eastern New Mexico University. In 1993, he received a National Endowment of the Arts grant for individual study with master jazz musician David Liebman. In 2002 he received a City of Chicago Community Arts Assistance Program Grant.
In 2007 Mitch joined actor Gary Sinise’s Lt. Dan Band. Since joining the band, he has performed on U.S. military bases and hospitals in the U.S., Afghanistan, South Korea, Japan, Europe, Guantanamo Bay Cuba, Puerto Rico and Kuwait as well as the National Memorial Day Concert, Pentagon, the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, West Point, Air Force, Naval and Coast Guard Academies, and CBS Television City.
In 2008 he performed with the band Kimotion at the Ho Chi Minh Conservatory of Music and the Hue Festival in Vietnam. He has also performed with Vinnie Colaiuta, Christopher Cross, Danny Gottlieb, Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, California Transit Authority (Danny Seraphine and Bill Champlin), Steve Rodby, The Temptations, Bob Newhart, Marie Osmond, the Nelson Riddle Orchestra. In 1993, he received a National Endowment of the Arts grant for individual study with master jazz musician David Liebman. In 2002 he received a City of Chicago Community Arts Assistance Program Grant.
He has two recordings under his own name, Blithe Moments and Fall Night, on the Origin label. He has recorded over 30 original compositions and arrangements with a variety of artists, and is a founding member of the Chicago Jazz Composers Collective. Mitch Paliga endorses Theo Wanne Mouthpieces, AMT Microphones and is a D’Addario artist.
Juan Pastor
Juan Daniel Pastor is a renowned jazz percussionist, composer, and educator from Lima, Peru. His work blends Afro-Peruvian rhythms with modern jazz, leading to international acclaim. Juan studied jazz at Northern Illinois University and DePaul University, where he was mentored by Greg Beyer and Dana Hall. In 2013, he founded Chinchano, an ensemble that combines Peruvian folk music with North American jazz. Chinchano has released several albums, including "Chinchano," "Un Cambio," "El Regreso," and "Cachito," with a fifth album underway, supported by a DCASE Grant from Chicago. Juan has performed globally, including at the North Sea Jazz Festival and Chicago Latin Jazz Festival, and is the Coordinator of the Jazz Program at North Central College. He is also the author of the upcoming book Batería Peruana, exploring Peruvian polyrhythms. His collaborations span across notable figures such as Fareed Haque, Makaya McCraven, Marquis Hill, Miguel Zenón, Paquito de Rivera, Howard Levy, and Kurt Elling.
Dan O'Connell
Dan O’Connell is the horn instructor at North Central College, Birch Creek Music Center, and maintains a private studio. He's proud that many of his students have gone on to careers in music, and equally happy when others maintain a practice that keeps them involved in music making. As a performer, he has played with most of the Chicago area’s great orchestras and ensembles. He attended Western Illinois University, received a BM from The New England Conservatory, and an MM from DePaul University.
Andrew Rozsa
Dr. Andrew Rózsa is bass trombonist with the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra and the Quad City Symphony Orchestra, and is applied faculty at College of DuPage, Elgin Community College, and North Central College.
A frequent guest musician, he has performed with the Montréal Symphony, Madison Symphony, Chicago Philharmonic, Millar Brass Ensemble, Des Moines Symphony, Orchestra Iowa, Elgin Symphony, Northwest Indiana Symphony, Thunder Bay (Ontario) Symphony, Illinois Symphony Orchestra, New Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Rockford Symphony, among others.
Dr. Rózsa is also an active classroom educator; he currently lectures in music theory, ear training, and history at the College of DuPage. Previously, he served on the classroom faculty at McGill University, the applied faculty at McGill Conservatory, and numerous high schools in the suburban Chicago area.
Rózsa earned a Doctor of Music degree in 2015 from McGill University in Montréal, Québec, Canada. He also holds a Performers’ Certificate from DePaul University and a Master of Music degree in performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music; he completed his Bachelor of Music in composition and theory at the Baldwin-Wallace College Conservatory of Music. His major trombone teachers were Doug Bennett, Allen Kofsky, Thomas Klaber, Charles Vernon, Mark Fisher, Floyd Cooley, James Box, and Pierre Beaudry.
Chris White
Originally from Toronto, Chris White has gained recognition as a leader with the albums Young at Heart and Tributaries. At home in a host of genres and settings, he has made his name as a go-to freelance pianist, arranger and accompanist in the Chicago area. His performance credits include the Chicago Jazz Festival, The Jazz Showcase, The Green Mill, Winter’s Jazz Club, Cliff Bell’s, Catalina Jazz Club (LA) and Feinstein’s/54 Below (NYC) among others. He earned his Master’s in Jazz Studies at Indiana University’s prestigious Jacobs School of Music, studying with the late renowned educator David Baker, and went on to complete his DMA in Jazz Performance at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has studied piano with Barry Harris, Joanne Brackeen and Hal Galper among other greats, and performed with Miguel Zenón, Ira Sullivan, Russell Malone and Oliver Nelson, Jr.
Nichole Young
Nichole Young’s love for the harp and her stellar performances have made her one of the most highly sought-after harpists in Chicago and northern Illinois. As an active harp teacher, Nichole loves passing along her passion for the harp while guiding others. She is the harp instructor at North Central College in Naperville, at Chicago Academy for the Arts in Chicago, IL, and at Fox River Academy of Music and Art in Oswego, IL.
Nichole performs regularly with many orchestras throughout Illinois and Iowa—and she has been the principal harpist for the Peoria Symphony, New Philharmonic, and the DuPage Symphony. As an orchestral musician, Nichole has had the opportunity to perform with Itzhak Perlman, the Beachboys, Audra McDonald, Joshua Bell, Rachel Barton Pine, the Celtic Women, Van Dyke Parks, & Lisa Vroman, amongst others. Nichole earned both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Harp Performance, at Northern Illinois University and at Northwestern University, studying with the acclaimed Elizabeth Cifani, the former principal harpist with the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
(more bios to be updated soon!)
