Applied Instructors
Christopher Badami (Music Technology)
Christopher Badami is a Grammy-nominated producer and engineer with over 20 years experience and 4 RIAA Certified Gold records. He is the owner and Chief Producer / Engineer at Portrait Recording Studios, in Pompton, NJ, and has taught production and music technology at Lafayette College (PA) and County Colleges of Morris (NJ).
Lewis Baratz (Chamber Orchestra, Harpsichord)
Lewis Baratz is a harpsichordist, recorder player, and music historian. He has performed with Abendmusik, The Academy of Sacred Drama, Bethlehem Baroque, Biber Baroque, Brandywine Baroque, The Queens Consort, Voices Chorale, Vox Ama Deus, the Voyces Ensemble, and as artistic director of the period instrument ensemble La Fiocco. He was a Fellow of the Belgian American Educational Foundation and a Fulbright Scholar, and earned his Ph.D. in musicology/historical performance practice from Case Western Reserve University. Lewis was a visiting professor Seton Hall University and adjunct associate professor of music history and theory at Mercer Community College. At Lafayette College, Lewis is director of the chamber orchestra, and teaches harpsichord and recorder.
Susan Charlton (Flute)
A native of St. Paul, Minnesota, Susan Charlton received the Bachelor of Music degree in flute performance and the Master of Fine Arts degree in chamber music study and performance from the University of Wisconsin. She has appeared as a soloist and as an orchestral and chamber musician with various performing ensembles throughout the Midwest, greater New York area, the Delaware Valley, and the Lehigh Valley. Her flute studies have included lessons and masterclasses with Julius Baker, Thomas Nyfenger, Paula Robison, Carol Wincenc, Robert Cole, Ernestine Whitman and Mary Robert Wilson, and she has coached with many instrumental and vocal artists throughout the United States. Ms. Charlton has been a member of the Lafayette College Department of Music faculty since 1992, teaching flute and coaching wind and string chamber ensembles. She performs with musicians in a variety of ensembles and colleges throughout the Lehigh Valley.
Todd Collins (Mandolin and Banjo)
Todd Collins has been teaching private lessons on mandolin and clawhammer banjo for over thirty years developing a comprehensive approach. Depending on the student, lessons can include fretboard study, solo construction, improvisational concepts, harmony, sight reading, solo analysis and developing repertoire. He performs in a variety of styles ranging from traditional and progressive bluegrass (Tom Hanway’s Blue Horizon) to swing (Blueswing Trio), contemporary jazz, acoustic blues (The Booglerizers), rock (The Humphries), and classical. His original bluegrass CD “Blue Soul” received national and international airplay. He has published several books with Mel Bay, including “Classic Bluegrass Solos (of Bill Monroe)” and “Fretboard Studies for the Improvising Mandolinist”. Todd was the mandolin instructor for the “Bluegrass Masters Workshops” at the popular Big Apple Bluegrass Festival in New York City. Currently, he is associate professor at County College of Morris in Randolph, New Jersey, where he coordinated the music recording program and developed the popular music history class American Roots Music. He earned a Master of Music in Jazz Studies from Rutgers University and a Bachelor of Music from Montclair State University.
Beverly Roberts Curnow (Accordion)
Beverly Curnow, a student of Carmen Carrozza, holds the B.S. and M.S. degrees in Music Education from New York University. She first gained international recognition by winning the AAA national competition at the Confederation of International accordionists Competition in Valletta, Malta (the first female contestant to do so). Remaining an active performer throughout her teaching career, she continues to make guest appearances for the American Accordionists’ Association and numerous other venues.
Tom DiCarlo (String/Electric Bass; Director of Jazz Combos)
Bassist Tom DiCarlo obtained a Bachelor of Music Education degree and a Master of Music degree from Rutgers University. He has performed with world-renowned musicians Claudio Roditi, Norman Simmons, Dave Schnitter, Ralph Bowen, Roseanna Vitro, Jim Ridl, Don Braden, Mark Sherman, Tim Horner, David ‘Fathead’ Newman, Larry McKenna, Jerry Weldon, Tia Fuller, Gap Mangione, Pat LaBarbara, Joe LaBarbara, Sean Jones, Frank Lacy, Orrin Evans, Richard Wyands, Bob DeVos, Joe Magnarelli, and Steve Johns. Tom has appeared on Cablevision television with groups such as the Ralph Peterson Quintet, Gordon Lane Trio, and his own quintet. He has performed at a variety of music festivals including the Morges Music Festival in Morges, Switzerland, Rochester International Jazz Festival, Billy Strayhorn Jazz Festival, and the induction of the Duke Ellington Day in New York City. Tom was recently selected by Jazz at Lincoln Center for the 2010 ‘Rhythm Road’ tour of Russia, China, South Korea, and the Philippines for the U.S. State Department.
Tom DiGiovanni (Piano, Collaborative Pianist)
Bio coming soon.
Alexis Fisher (Piano)
A native of Yonkers, New York, Alexis Firstenberg Fisher has taught piano at Lafayette College since 1986. She received her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from Manhattan School of Music and also attended Indiana University School of Music in Bloomington, Indiana. She was a member of the piano faculty at the University of Wisconsin—Eau Claire and also taught piano at Santa Clara University and San Jose City College. Fisher studied with pianists Adolph Baller, Leander Dell’Anno, Constance Keene, and Abbey Simon. She has appeared as a piano soloist in performances in California, Wisconsin, and throughout the Lehigh Valley. Ms. Fisher has extensive chamber music experience, most especially including recitals of flute and cello repertoire.
Frank Flandorffer (Guitar)
Frank Flandorffer (Guitar) received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Performance and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Composition and Arranging from the Greenwich conservatory (a division of New York University), and has studied with Watts Clarke, Dennis Sandole, Howard Roberts, and the eminent maestro Alberto Valdes Blain. Currently, he performs with the Pennsylvania Guitar Quintet and with the Pennsylvania String Ensemble. Additionally, Frank has toured with Sonny and Cher, Bobbie Vinton, Tom Jones, Bob Hope, and Tony Orlando. He has made several recordings, commercials, and videos as a studio musician. He teaches guitar and directs guitar ensembles at Lafayette College, Easton, PA, and DeSales University, Center Valley, PA.
E-mail Frank Flandorffer | Personal Website
Alejandra Garrido (Voice)
Alejandra Garrido (Alex) is a lyric Mezzo-Soprano who has performed in various operas & oratorios throughout NJ & PA. She has also performed in several musicals. Favorite roles are Mother Abbess (The Sound of Music) & Madame de la Grande Bouche in (Beauty and the Beast). Alejandra received her Bachelors in Music, vocal performance, from Rutgers University (Mason Gross School of the Arts) & her Masters in Opera Performance from New Jersey City University. She has a private voice studio in Hunterdon County, NJ & also teaches voice lessons at Lafayette & Muhlenberg Colleges. Her passion for all things, musical theater and contemporary music has brought her to the directorial side of things. For the past several years, she has enjoyed music directing shows for the Pennsylvania in Playhouse, Show Kids, Invitational Theater, and Centenary Stage Company. Ms. Garrido is the Treasurer for the Lehigh Valley Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing.
Sean Gough (Jazz Piano)
Sean Gough is a pianist, teacher, and writer who has appeared in concert from New York City to San Francisco. He has taught in classroom and in lessons, and has had his writing featured at NPR.org and JazzTimes. As a member of several improvising bands, he appears most frequently with Go Trio, “a shining example of both a trio’s tightness and its elasticity” (Washington City Paper). As a freelancing jazz musician, he plays mainly with veteran musicians of the New York scene. As a solo pianist, he plays completely improvised music, as well as improvising through the American Songbook and popular songs. Sean also accompanies widely, from musical theater, to premieres by composer-performers, to various classical ensembles, particularly voice and piano. He is a graduate of the M.A. program in Jazz History and Research at Rutgers University, and of Lafayette College (B.A. music and history).
Heath Hitchcock (Ukulele)
Heath teaches ukulele at Lafayette College and guitar at his studio in Bethlehem. He holds a Master of Music in Classical Guitar from The Peabody Conservatory, of The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD and a BSED in Music from West Chester University, Pennsylvania. At Peabody, Heath studied under Julian Gray. While working toward his degrees, Heath studied briefly with lutenist Ronn McFarlane, guitarist Benjamin Verdery, and took lessons from Jason Vieaux and the late Aaron Brock. Heath performed widely in the Baltimore area as part of the flute and guitar duets, Calliope and Windwood. . Heath has a solo album “Five Centuries of the Guitar”. Heath also holds a student concert once a year and performance classes semi-monthly, with student talents ranging from classical to electric guitar, singer songwriters, and ukulele. Heathhitchcockguitar is on instagram and youtube.
E-mail Heath Hitchcock | Personal Website
Linda Kistler (Violin, Viola)
Linda Louise Kistler, violin, holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Oberlin College Conservatory, and received a Master of Music from the Juilliard School, where her teacher was Ivan Galamian. She has been a soloist and concert master with the Lehigh Valley Chamber Orchestra, the Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra and the Bethlehem Bach Festival Orchestra, and is a frequent guest artist with the Gabriel Chamber Ensemble of Schuykill County, Pennsylvania. In addition to her work at Lafayette, her teaching engagements have included the Lehigh Valley Charter School for the Performing Arts, Kutztown University, Lehigh University and Cedar Crest College.
Nobuo Kitagawa (Oboe)
Nobuo Kitagawa, a graduate of Tokyo University of Arts, received Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from Yale University. He was the winner of the Woolsey Hall Competition, NHK Young Artists’ Audition, and Katz Young Musicians’ Competition which sponsored his debut recital in New York City. He is a member of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem Festival Orchestra. He appeared as a concerto soloist with the Denver Symphony, Yale Philharmonia, Orchestra New England, and Pennsylvania Sinfonia. He has recorded for Koch International, Delos, and New World Records. On Broadway, he has been heard in Phantom of the Opera, Beauty And The Beast, and Miss Saigon. For two years, he served as the principal oboist for the national tour of Music Of Andrew Lloyd Weber. Morning Call described his performance as “sweet, velvety sound simply melted into every corner of the hall.” He taught at Connecticut College and Queens College (New York). He serves as the woodwind section coach for Lehigh University Philharmonic Orchestra and Kinhaven Adult Chamber Music Workshop. He has given master classes and lectures at Wesleyan University, Harlem School of Performing Arts, Kutztown University and Kinhaven Music School. His YouTube channel, NK Music Lab, has over 800 instrumental exercises that attracts world-wide audience. He has been creating modern performance editions of works by Georg Philipp Telemann and they were premiered by Bach Choir of Bethlehem Festival Orchestra.
E-mail Nobuo Kitagawa | Personal Website
Tom Kozic (Guitar)
Tom Kozic is an experienced teacher and lecturer on contemporary guitar styles and jazz improvisation. He toured for four years as lead-guitarist with Eddie Rabbit. Other performing credits include: Eddie Fisher, Frankie Lane, Jerry Vale, Vic Damone, Phil Woods, and many others.
Chase Morrison (Cello)
Chase Morrison is a cello, composition, and theory instructor at Moravian and Rider Universities, has been a cello instructor at Lafayette College since 2022, and is the director of orchestras at Moravian Academy. She has served as principal cellist with the Melbourne and Tasmanian Symphonies (Australia), the Tallahassee Symphony, and with the Spoleto Festival Orchestra (Italy). In addition, she has toured with Joni Mitchell and with Barbara Streisand, and has performed and recorded as an original member of the Ron Carter Nonet.
Laura Oltman (Classical Guitar)
Laura Oltman has received acclaim for her recital and chamber music performances throughout the world. The New York Times described her debut performance at Carnegie Recital Hall as “remarkably successful–sensitive, well proportioned, and large on lyrical feeling.” Laura was chosen to perform in a nationally televised master class conducted by Andrės Segovia at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. In addition to her position at Lafayette College, Laura is guitar instructor at Princeton University, partner in the Newman & Oltman Guitar Duo—Ensemble-in-Residence at New York’s Mannes College of Music since 1987.
E-Mail Laura Oltman | Personal Website
Holly Roadfeldt (Director of Keyboard Studies, Piano)
Few musicians balance the new opposite the old quite like American pianist Holly Roadfeldt. Recently deemed a “perfect pairing of technical prowess and innate sensitivity” (American Record Guide), Roadfeldt has established herself as one of contemporary music’s most prolific ambassadors—to date, she has made over 150 world premieres by more than four dozen composers. Recognized by audiences and critics for both her technical facility and distinctive interpretation of music from all eras, Roadfeldt has appeared on stages and venues across Canada, Europe, Asia, and over 30 U.S. states.
Roadfeldt tirelessly searches for like-minded composers who share her obsession with creating opportunities for listeners to relate to the music they hear. Best demonstrating this ethos is her three-year artistic flagship, “The Preludes Project,” which saw Holly premiere 65 new preludes by 16 composers. In touring the concept across 17 states, her lecture-recitals connected the present and the past, pairing the newly composed preludes with curated works within the standard repertoire. The concept drew rave reviews and attention across the industry, leading to Holly’s debut album, a collaboration with multi-GRAMMY® award winning producer Andreas Meyer. The Preludes Project CD (2016) released on PARMA Recordings, pairing Chopin’s Op. 28 Preludes with composer Kirk O’Riordan’s Twenty-Six Preludes for Solo Piano (2014). The album complements her numerous PARMA album collaborations with composers, including Mara Gibson’s Sky-Born (2017), and two other albums with O’Riordan: Strange Flowers (2013) and the recent release of Autumn Winds (2020), her second collaboration with Andreas Meyer.
Music critics across the United States, Canada, Italy, U.K., and Spain have taken notice, including American Record Guide, whose Autumn Winds review simply remarked that “Holly Roadfeldt is on fire.” Gramophone’s Donald Rosenberg praised her as “a vivid pianist” with “beautiful playing”, while for The Preludes Project CD, she received accolades from World Music Report for an “utterly convincing, breathtaking sense of elation” with “a varied touch that perfectly matches the mood of each piece.” Sonograma deemed the album worthy of “all of our highest praise,” joining other colorful superlatives like “jaw-dropping” (Mainly Piano) and “exquisite” (Cinemusical).
Holly’s first professional performance came at 13 years old, performing with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra. Her fire in pursuing contemporary music ignited at the Eastman School of Music, where she was first able to collaborate with composers—Roadfeldt would go on to win First Prize in the Frinna Awerbuch International Piano Competition in its Contemporary Music category. She holds faculty positions at Muhlenberg College and Lafayette College, where she is the Director of Keyboard Studies.
Holly received performance degrees from the Eastman School of Music (B.M.), Indiana University (M.M.) and the University of Colorado in Boulder (D.M.A.).
E-mail Dr. Roadfeldt | Personal Website
John Schwartz (Clarinet)
John Schwartz received his bachelor’s degree from West Chester State and a master’s degree from Temple University. His principal clarinet teacher was Anthony Liberio, a protege’ of Gino Cioffi, former principal clarinetist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. John’s tenure in the Bethlehem School District included teaching at Freedom High School. During that time, he also taught clarinet and woodwind techniques at Moravian College. Currently, he teaches at the Community Music School in Allentown. Mr. Schwartz Is principal clarinetist with the Allentown Symphony Orchestra. He has also performed with the Allentown Band, Pottstown Symphony, Reading Symphony, and the Pennsylvania Sinfonia. Additionally, he performed in the following chamber ensembles: Leval Woodwind Quintet, Chaleureux Trio, and the Allentown Symphony Woodwind Quintet. Most recently, he performed the Mozart Quintet with the Copeland String Quartet.
William Smith (Trombone and Low Brass)
Bill Smith, a native of Bethlehem, PA, has been a professional musician and educator for most of his life and served for over 23 years as a jazz and classical trombonist in the U.S. Air Force. He has performed with many top artists, including Phil Woods, Bill Watrous, Toots Thielemans, Conrad Herwig and the New York Voices to name a few. Bill has been a featured jazz soloist at many U.S. and International jazz festivals including the North Sea Jazz Festival (Holland), Montreux Jazz Festival (Switzerland), Guinness Jazz Festival (Ireland), Berks Jazz Fest and Hampton Roads Jazz Festival. In the classical music genre Bill has served as Principal Trombonist in the Concert Bands of The Air Force Band of the East (NJ) and the Air Force Heritage of America Band (VA). He was appointed by Air Force Bands Branch in Washington, D.C. as the trombone SME (Subject Matter Expert) from 1999 to 2007, overseeing the audition requirements for all prospective Air Force trombonists. He has also performed with the Richmond Symphony Orchestra and the Virginia Symphony. Bill has also been a clinician and educator throughout his career, for both private students and seminars. Most recently he presented “100 Years of Jazz Trombone” at the PAJAZZ/Moravian College November (2015) Jazz Series, performed as a clinician for the 2015 Music in the Schools program in Berks county and was a clinician/guest artist with the Lehigh Valley Charter School for the Arts (2014).
Eric van Hoven (Voice, Vocal Coach)
A Mississippi native, Eric van Hoven debuted at three of NYC’s prestigious music venues within twelve consecutive months. His New York City Opera debut was Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, followed by his concert debut at Avery Fisher Hall with American Symphony Orchestra singing the roles of Hermes in Bruch’s Odysseus, 3rd Soldier in Hindemith’s Murderer Hope of Women, and 2nd Player in Weill’s The Protagonist, and then his Broadway debut in Candide directed by Hal Prince. Mr. van Hoven has performed principal roles with Opera De Las Americas, Portland Opera, Opera Omaha, Chautauqua Opera, South Carolina Opera, Hawaii Opera Theatre, Knoxville Opera, Sacramento Opera, and Augusta Opera. Recent engagements include performances with the Atlanta Symphony, Sioux City Symphony, Mobile Opera Orchestra, and Lake George Opera. Eric is a vocal instructor at Lafayette College.
Laura Watts (Trumpet, Horn)
Bio coming soon.
Matthew Wells (Percussion Ensemble, Concert Percussion)
Bio coming soon.
Dan Wilkins (Jazz Saxophone)
Dan Wilkins, saxophonist and composer, based in the Lehigh Valley Pennsylvania, studied jazz saxophone at Manhattan School of Music, BMus 2013. Wilkins’ original project, Horizons Quartet, featuring Gene Perla, Byron Landham and James Collins. Their self-titled album released in 2021, featuring eight of Wilkins’ compositions. The quartet has performed regionally, at Miller Symphony Hall, Chris’ Jazz Cafe with special guest Benny Benack III, the Deer Head Inn, COTA Jazz Fest, and Musikfest. Wilkins also performs regularly with his father, jazz pianist Skip Wilkins, interpreting music from the Great American Songbook, having recorded two albums on Deer Head Records, with a third in production. The father-son duo has toured internationally in Czech Republic, Greece, and Germany. Additionally, Wilkins performs regularly with vocalist Nancy Reed, and with the Water Gap Jazz Orchestra. Wilkins’ latest sextet project, recorded in August 2023, and currently in production awaits release next year. Wilkins has been an active educator, privately to all age groups from kids to college students and professionals for over ten years emphasizing saxophone fundamentals, jazz
improvisation, theory and ear training.