Anne Wilkinson, Director
Anne Wilkinson holds a Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance from Western Michigan University. She has been a member of the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, Youngstown Symphony Orchestra and the Warren Chamber Orchestra, all in the Midwest. After moving to Maine in 1984, she developed a string program in the Saco Schools which now numbers nearly 200 students. She has been on the faculty at UMO Summer Youth Music Camp and the Thornton Academy Arts Camp. In addition to her position as Orchestra Director for Saco Schools, she is part-time faculty at the University of Southern Maine, and is the Orchestra co-chair for the York County Junior High Festival and the District 1 Honors Music Festival. She is a frequent guest conductor for regional music festivals, low string adjudicator for the All-State Music Festival, plays in a string quartet and performs regularly in local orchestras and chamber music ensembles. Anne was on the faculty of the Southern Maine String Academy since 1993 and has served as the Director since 2000. When not getting ready for string camp, you will find Anne tending to her bees.

Robert Smith, Senior Orchestra Conductor
Robert Smith grew up playing viola and composing music in Spartanburg, SC. At Florida State University, Robert studied composition with Ladislav Kubik and viola with Pamela Ryan. He performed with the University Symphony Orchestra, the FSU Opera Orchestra and the Tallahassee Symphony, working with Robert Shaw, Robert Spano, and Gunther Schuller. Mr. Smith also served as Orchestra camp director for the FSU Summer Music camps for three years and sectional coach with the Tallahassee Symphony Youth Orchestra. Upon receiving his master's degree in music education, Robert taught for seven years in public and private schools in Atlanta, GA, founding a strings program at Pace Academy and serving as conductor of the Atlanta Philharmonic Orchestra. Robert then moved to the Upper West Side and joined the Manhattan Chamber Orchestra and the Hunter College Orchestra. Last year, he accepted a position at The Hopkins School in New Haven, CT as their Director of Instrumental Music. There, he teaches classes in orchestra, jazz, and music theory.

Dan Keller, Intermediate Orchestra Conductor
Dan Keller has been a string player since 1962. His instrument has taken him to many interesting places and he has met musicians from all over the world. Being a string player creates a huge circle of friends. Dan teaches in the Waterville Public Schools where he is the current string specialist. He also is the Portland Youth Junior Ensemble conductor. Dan's favorite time of the year is the summer string's camp. He is very eager to share music with you!

 

 

 

Lynne White McMahon, Junior Orchestra Conductor
Lynne White McMahon graduated from Smith College with a BA in violin performance and Med. in Elementary Education. She has performed professionally throughout New England in many chamber groups including the NH Philharmonic, the NE Festival Orchestra and the Artful Noise String Quartet. She directs the Bow Street Youth Ensemble in Portsmouth, NH, and is a frequent conductor at Maine and NH String Festivals. Lynne has taught at Berwick Academy and River Tree Arts in Kennebunk. Currently she teachers in the York Public Schools and at her private studio.

 

 

Margaret Hopkins, Director of Chamber Music
Margaret Bruziak Hopkins was born in Poland and began violin studies at age seven, and piano at age twelve.  Ms. Hopkins received a BM in Performance from U. Mass. at Lowell where she also pursued Music Education.  Ms. Hopkins received extensive Suzuki training at Ithaca College in NY, Hartt College at University of CT , New York State University in Buffalo and Capital University in Ohio .  She has performed in her native Poland , Switzerland , Israel , England , Scotland , Wales , Canada and in the United States .  She is a member of the Suzuki Association of Americas and past president of the Maine Suzuki Association.  Ms Hopkins is the secretary of Maine ASTA w/NSOA and serves on the board of Maine Music Educators Association as Orchestra VP.  Ms. Hopkins teaches at Old Orchard Beach School , at the Portland Conservatory of Music and at her private home-based studio.

Alyson Ciechomski, (nee Smith),
Head Counselor and String Bass Faculty
Allison grew up in the New York City area and was educated at the University of New Hampshire. She is a school music teacher and has played double bass with the Nashua Symphony Orchestra, the Indian Hill Chamber Orchestra, the Maine Chamber Ensemble, the Bangor Symphony, the Portland String Quartet, the Maine State Ballet Orchestra, the Maine State Music Theater, and the Edith Jones Project. Alyson is the proud mother of two fine young musicians, Kallie and Hannah, and is married to musician/ teacher/ arranger Brad Ciechomski.

 

 

Patricia Garrett, BSN, RN,C (AKA: “Nurse Pat”)
String Camp Nurse:5 Years. Camp Photographer: 2 Years
Graduate of Muhlenberg Hospital School of Nursing, Plainfield, NJ, and Wayne State University, Detroit, MI. American Nurses’ Association Certifications in both Medical-Surgical Nursing and Gerontological Nursing. Currently employed at Maine Medical Center as an RN and educator. I started playing violin in a school music program when I was in 3rd grade and continued through high school. I still have the violin my parents gave me 56 years ago! It had not “touched” for over 30 years when I began playing again in 1990. I play second violin with the Southern Maine Symphony Orchestra. I am a doting grandmother; my “summer” car is a1972, blue, MGB convertible; my husband and I have travelled to many interesting places AND….I LOVE STRING CAMP!

Michaele Black, Counselor
Who likes to have fun? {ooooo, ooo, oh pick me! PICK ME !-} Since I was fifteen I’ve been playing the violin. I know, it’s a much shorter amount of time than most, but that doesn’t diminish my passion for the music. After taking violin for six months I added on the cello and have never looked back. My instruments are the best extension of myself (even with the stage-fright) I’m currently attending USM for Music Education. It’s the best of everything! When I’m done, I’ll get to do the two things I love most: making music and chillin’ with the young folk. They have so much energy and life and everything is ahead of them. Watching the excitement and satisfaction on their faces after accomplishing something huge (such as performing in front of people) makes it all worth it. What else can be said? I will be strict, but only on the side of safety. With a watchful eye, I’ll never say no to playing basketball, baseball, kickball, and volleyball. Give me anything that ends with “ball” and I’m there.

Ashley Iwans, Counselor
Ashley Iwans is a senior music education major at the University of Southern Maine studying violin with Dr. Robert Lehmann. Upon graduating, Ashley hopes to obtain a job as an elementary school teacher and/or high school orchestra and music theory teacher. She enjoys playing as an accompanist, performing in weddings and in chamber ensembles. This marks her second year as a camp counselor and her eleventh year playing violin. She is eager for camp to begin and cannot wait to see all of the campers!

Julia Castellanos, Counselor
Julia Castellanos is a recent graduate of the University of New Hampshire, majoring in music performance. There, she served as concert master of the UNH symphony for two years, in addition to various other UNH groups, under the direction of William Kempster and Christopher Hill. Julia has been studying violin privately since age 9; her teachers include Leslie Webster (Madison, NJ), Paul MacDowell of the Boston Ballet, and Pamela Hentges of the National Symphony. She hopes to seriously pursue performing, learning, and teaching music in the near future.

 

Kevin Oates, Counselor, Faculty Orchestra Conductor
Kevin Oates is a recent graduate from the University of Southern Maine School of Music where he received his Bachelor Degree in Music Education, with a concentration in cello. Currently teaching in the Cobleskill-Richmondville Central School in Cobleskill, NY, Kevin is the Kindergarten and 1st Grade general music teacher, as well as the orchestral lessons teacher at the high school level. He has worked with multiple Maine and national bands, recording, composing and arranging string accompaniment for upcoming albums. This will be his 4th year on the faculty of the Maine ASTA String Academy, both as a counselor and a cello coach.


Kallie Ciechomski, Counselor
Kallie Ciechomski is a senior at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music where she is pursuing a degree in viola performance. She made her Carnegie Hall debut in 2006 with the Oberon Sextet and has also performed at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, The Kennedy Center, Merrill Auditorium, Boston Symphony Hall, NEC’s Jordan Hall, and on National Public Radio’s “From the Top”. Recent engagements have included “Air”, a recording for Telarc with the Oberlin 21 (released in October), performances at the Sarasota Music Festival, work with the Oberlin Contemporary Music Ensemble and a semester studying music in France. In addition to her classical studies, she enjoys performing and recording with several New England rock groups, playing soccer, learning languages, and dressing like a lobster.

Andria Chase, Counselor
Andria graduated from the University of Maine Orono with a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education with a concentration in cello. She worked in RSU #25 (Orland) as a music teacher for three years and currently teaches instrumental music grades 5-12 and general music grades 3-5 in M.S.A.D. No. 64 (Corinth). Andria is in a string trio, Opus Trio, in which they play weddings, receptions, and other events. She also teaches privately in the Bangor area. Andria attended the Southern Maine String Camp for 5 years and this will be her second summer as a camp counselor.

Evan Cuddy, Counselor
A recent graduate from Susquehanna University, Evan holds a degree in viola performance and is currently working on his master’s degree in music at the University of Southern Maine. While studying at Susquehanna, Evan was a resident member of the Williamsport Symphony Orchestra and has had experience performing with the Susquehanna Valley Chorale Orchestra. In addition to his orchestra experience, Evan has studied with Julia Adams, violist of the Portland String Quartet, Marcus Smolenksy, and Robert Lehmann. He has also participated in master classes with Timothy Deighton, viola professor at Penn State, as well as world-renowned violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg. In Addition to music, Evan enjoys swimming, biking and tennis. As a seasoned “Mainah” Evan also enjoys being by the ocean and always enjoys a nice red “lobstah.”