Lesson Teachers
Neenah High School is proud to include a comprehensive 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.
Beth Kinzel
Flute
Mrs. Kinzel is a local flutist who has taught and performed in the region for over 25 years. A member of 2 regional orchestras and a wind ensemble, she loves to perform flute and piccolo on a variety of genres and styles. Having previously taught in the studios at Lawrence Community School and in her home, she’s excited to get back to working with young flutists and supporting the next generation of musicians now that she is retired from teaching classroom music in Kimberly.
Laurel Marchinowski
Flute
Mrs. 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.
Jenny Snedeker
Flute
Ms. 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.
Woodwinds
Penny 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.
Jason Reisdorf
Woodwinds
Mr. Reisdorf is a saxophonist, composer, and educator based in Menasha. After graduating from UW-Stevens Point with a jazz performance degree, Jason moved to the fox valley and quickly integrated into the local jazz scene.
Jason performs locally and regionally with his bands, Natural Satellite, and Son Reis Project. He also is a top call recording artist and performed in a variety of contexts. When Jason is not performing, recording, or teaching, he is spending time with his two wonderful children, Naima, and Ira.
Kaitlyn Green
Saxophone
Hailing from Reno NV, Ms. Green is studying music education, viola performance, and saxophone performance at Lawrence University ('28). Kat can be caught currently performing with the Lawrence Symphony Orchestra, their string quartet (Tall Man and Other Strangers), the Lawrence Wind Ensemble, and their saxophone quartet (MNM). At Lawrence University, Kat holds the positions of Co-President for the LU Pep Band and LU Swing Dance, and previously served as VP for the National Association for Music Education. For the Dean’s Advisory Council, Kat serves as the Music Education Chair to advocate for music education students and plans arts projects and events for the conservatory. Kat spends her summers gigging, performing at festivals, and interning to build skills as an educator.
Saxophone
Dr. Drew Whiting
Dr. Whiting is a dedicated, passionate, and vibrant educator. As a Vandoren Artist-Clinician, he 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. He 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 and is a proud Yamaha Performing Artist and Vandoren Artist-Clinician.
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 at UW-Madison. While at Madison, she was a member of UW's faculty-ensemble-in-residence, the Wisconsin Brass Quintet.
Currently, Dr. Jensen leads the applied brass studio at Ripon College where she teaches trumpet, french horn, trombone, euphonium and tuba, as well as co-directing the trumpet studio at Lawrence University.
Brad Curran
Trumpet
Mr. 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, The San Diego Concert Jazz Band, The Temptations and many more! Mr. Curran currently is a featured jazz soloist with Big Band Reunion and the Lighthouse Big Band. 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 Brass
Mr. Sawall toured internationally with The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra under the direction of famed trombonist Buddy Morrow. Currently, Mr. Sawall is a top call trombonist at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center in Appleton. He has performed with many New York touring Broadway shows including The Producers, Beauty and the Beast, Lion King, West Side Story, and Wicked. He has also performed with many celebrities including Franki Valli, Kenny Rogers, Manhattan Transfer, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Aretha Franklin and many more!
Steve Wilda
Low Brass
Mr. Wilda is a graduate of St Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin where he minored in instrumental and vocal performance. His performing career spans 40+ years and includes time with many of northeast Wisconsin’s concert bands, wind ensembles, orchestras, pit orchestras, brass quintets, brass bands and dixie bands.
Austin Gafner
Percussion
Mr. 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.
Mike Malone
Percussion
Mike Malone is a performer and educator based out of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. He attended University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire to study classical and jazz percussion. Mike has toured across North America with The Glenn Miller Orchestra, 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.