Musicians and Staff

Photo of Chris Wilhjelm

Dr. Christian Wilhjelm – Conductor and Music Director

Dr. Christian Wilhjelm has been the Conductor and Music Director of the New Jersey Wind Symphony (formerly the Ridgewood Concert Band) since its founding in 1983. Under his direction, the NJWS has become widely recognized as one of the leading wind orchestras in the nation.

Dr. Wilhjelm graduated from the New England Conservatory where he studied with Harry Shapiro of the Boston Symphony. He was the principal hornist with the Conservatory Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Gunther Schuller and the Conservatory Wind Ensemble under the direction of Frank Battisti. While a student, he spent three summers performing in the Fellowship Orchestra at Tanglewood where he had the distinction of being named a Leonard Bernstein Fellow. He received a Master of Music degree from The College of New Jersey and a Doctor of Education degree from Teachers’ College, Columbia University.

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Woodwinds

Piccolo
Max Taylor*

Flutes
Chrysten Angderson
Patricia Barlow
Lisandra Hernandez
Annette Lieb
David Stedge
Kristin Bacchiocchi-Stewart*
Tomomi Takamoto
Jennifer Thornton

Oboes
Emily Douglas
Ruth Diamond Fabes
Robert LeClair*

Bassoons
Aly Berkowitz
Kenneth Brown
Robert Gray
Jason Stier*

Contrabasson
Robert Gray

Clarinets
Jeffery Bittner
Suzanne Coletta
Naomi Freshwater
Anne Glerum
Laurie Kunzle
Joe Mariany
Lyn Martorano
Natalie McCarter
Marcie Phelan
Jean Roughgarden
Beth Seavers
Neil Sheehan
Karen Summers
Richard Summers*
Sabrina Tempesta
Janet Vidovich
David Walsh

Alto Clarinet
Dave Walsh

E Flat Clarinet
Sabrina Tempesta

Bass Clarinets
Brendan Hughes
Joel Kolk*
Lynne Montella
Dave Walsh

Soprano Saxophone
Ryan Mantell

Alto Saxophone
Andre Baruch
Ryan Mantell*
Matthew Salisbury
Jacqueline Sarracco

Tenor Saxophone
Lisa Freitas
Matthew Salisbury

Baritone Saxophone
Michael DePompeo

Brass

Cornets
Trumpets
Dave Bychek
Mike Connor
Ryan Dore
David Hurd
Tamara McLaughlin
Daniel Osorio
Richard Roberts
Jen Rupert
Thomas Siebenhuhner
Ann Sirinides
Tony Spinuzzi
Joseph Stella
Roger Widicus*

French Horns
Alejandro Castillo
John Harley
Carolyn Kirby*
Collette Mather
Brian McLaughlin
Bryan Meyer
Samantha Slackbower

Trombones
Tom Abbate
Lee Anderson
Noreen Baer
Stephanie Dutcher
Rob Paustian
Federico Perez
Nathaniel Rensink
Emri Shintani
Kristen Siebenhuhner
Robert Tiedemann*

Euphoniums
Garrett Dexter
Max Dichter
Robyn Keyes
John Palatucci*
Donald Van Teyens

Tubas
Mike Gould
Billy Hughes
Robert Sacchi*

Percussion, Keyboard and Strings

Percussion
Ross Chu
Casey Dziuba
Ryan Jaccoi
Paul Kirby
Adrienne Ostrander
Wesley Ostrander
Spencer Pigg
Mike Sasson
Luke Short
Yuto Takamoto
Chris Tarantino
Mark Zettler*

Harp
Irene Bressler

Piano
Don Dean
Alison Meyer

String Bass
Todd Coolman
David Marks

Staff and Volunteers

Associate Conductors
John Palatucci
Richard Summers

Librarian
Lisandra Hernandez

Personnel Coordinator
Richard Summers

Marketing Manager
Beth Seavers

House Manager
Lisandra Hernandez

Photography
Andy Lieb

Program Layout
Beth Seavers

Ticket Office
John Butler
Darel DePompeo
Sylvia Devries
Debbie Levenson
Kathryn Smith
Keiji Takamoto
Nancy Zwiel

Youth Soloist Representatives
Michael Connor
Laurie Kunzle

Side By Side Concert Representatives
Michael Connor
Laurie Kunzle

Stage Manager
Rick Roberts