Lesson Teachers
Neenah High School is proud to include a fully-fledged private lesson program with amazing staff! In the block schedule, students can meet with their lesson teacher during band class, study hall, STAR Time or any other free period.
Laurel Marchinowski
FluteMrs. Marchinowski has taught band and orchestra for 40+ years in the Menasha and Neenah Public School districts and surrounding systems at all levels. Graduating from UW-Oshkosh with a BA and MA, she majored in Music Education with emphasis on church organ and flute. In her community, she is member of the UW Oshkosh Symphony, Wisconsin Symphonic Winds, Vento Winds, FV Concert Band, Valley Flute Club, Appleton City Band, VFW Band, has a small private studio, and is an active member of her church’s music team and is a professional level student of Patricia George. A Neenah native, Mrs. Marchinowski enjoys playing the hammered dulcimer, serious gardening, photography and all things animal.
Jenny Snedeker
FluteMs. Snedeker earned her master's degree in music performance from the University of New Mexico, where she earned a graduate assistantship studying with professor of flute Valerie Potter. She received her bachelor's degree in music performance from Butler University, studying flute with Karen Moratz.
In 2023 she was appointed to the position of Lecturer of Music in Flute at the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music and as a private instructor at the Lawrence Community Music School.
Clarinet, Saxophone, BassoonPenny Paiser-Wilson
Mrs. Paiser-Wilson holds a Bachelors of Music Education degree from Saint Norbert College and the Masters degree in Woodwind Pedagogy from The Ohio State University. Her teaching career began for one year in the Green Bay Area School District and afterwards she joined the music faculty in Neenah where she taught for 25 years in the elementary and middle schools.
Mrs. Paiser-Wilson is the librarian and principal bass clarinetist in the Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra.
SaxophoneDr. Drew Whiting
Drew is a dedicated, passionate, and vibrant educator. As a Vandoren Artist-Clinician, Dr. Whiting has presented clinics at schools across Wisconsin, as well as universities across the nation. Dr. Whiting serves as Associate Professor of Saxophone at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh.
Drew received his Bachelors's and Master of Music degrees from the Michigan State University. He earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Drew is a proud Yamaha Performing Artist and Vandoren Artist-Clinician, performing exclusively on Yamaha saxophones and Vandoren woodwind products.
Dr. Jessica Jensen
Brass
Dr. Jensen earned her Bachelor's degree from Lawrence University in Appleton and later completed her Master's and Doctorate in trumpet performance from UW-Madison.
While at Madison, she was a member of UW's faculty-ensemble-in-residence, the Wisconsin Brass Quintet.
Currently, Jessica leads the applied brass studio at Ripon College where she teaches trumpet, french horn, trombone, euphonium and tuba.
Brad Curran
TrumpetMr. Curran is a seasoned educator and performer who’s career spans nearly four decades in the schools as a band director and clinician. His professional trumpet career is vast with major credits including Clark Terry, Dizzy Gillespie, Med Flory and Supersax, Conte Candoli, Bill Watrous, Buddy DeFranco, The San Diego Concert Jazz Band and The Temptations.
Mr. Curran currently is a featured jazz soloist with the 18 piece Appleton-based Big Band Reunion and the 16 piece Lighthouse Big Band in Fond du Lac. He also leads a variety of groups, including the Jazz Quartet DIG , the Mid-West Coast Jazz Octet, and the "Birth of the Cool"Revisited.
Keith Powell
Horn
Mr. Powell is a prolific horn player and composer who’s work has taken him all around the united states.
He received his Master’s Degree in Music Composition from Carnegie Mellon University in 1994. Keith was a horn student of Douglas Hill, Paul Ingraham, and William Caballero.
Mr. Powell is Principal Horn with the Central Wisconsin Symphony and Second Horn in Marquette. He was a member of the Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra, Renaissance City Winds, and Ceremonial Brass in Pittsburgh.
Mr. Powell lives in Appleton, Wisconsin, and has made his living as a free-lance horn player and teacher for over 45 years.
Dave Sawall
Low BrassMr. Sawall toured internationally with The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra under the direction of famed trombonist Buddy Morrow.
Currently, Dave is a top call trombonist at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center in Appleton. He has performed for many New York touring Broadway shows including The Producers, Beauty and the Beast, Lion King, West Side Story, and Wicked. He has also performed for many celebrities including Bobby Vinton, Franki Valli, Kenny Rogers, Wayne Newton, Johnny Mathis, Marie Osmond, Manhattan Transfer, Frank Sinatra Jr, Don Rickles, Bob Newhart, The Temptations, The Four Tops, and Aretha Franklin to name a few.
Even though Dave resides in Appleton he also performs in Milwaukee and Chicago as well.
Mike Malone
Percussion
Mike Malone is performer and educator based out of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. He attended University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire to study
classical and jazz percussion. In 2013 Mike was invited to join The Glenn Miller Orchestra and tour across North America. After returning
to UWEC to finish his degree in 2014, Mike began touring with groups including jazz vocalist, Ray Brown Jr, and vocal jazz group, Five By Design.
As a recording musician Mike can be heard on dozens of albums as both a supporting musician and leader. His debut album as a leader "Overalls & Airplanes" was released in 2013.
Named "Drummer Of The Year" by the Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) Awards in 2021. Mike is also a performing artists for Evans Drumheads.
Austin Gafner
PercussionMr. Gafner has been a percussionist for over twenty years, playing music across the country for several different groups and acts.
Austin has also taught musically in the Fox Valley for the past decade, teaching students of all ages how to apply themselves in multiple musical settings.
Mr. Gafner is a proud graduate of the Oshkosh West and UW Stevens Point music programs.