DuPage Symphony Orchestra

Meet the Players...

Bill Allmart

Instrument : Violin
Years with DSO : 5
Other Intruments : None
Began Training at age : Age 8
Occupation : Consultant - International Development
Family : Two kids - not musicians though.
Hometown : Wayne, IN
Current town : Wheaton, IL
Favorite Composer or Musical Work : I try to listen to Bach, usually solo violin or cello sonatas, early each day. I'm currently exploring all the different ways of playing the Beethoven Violin Concerto; and am just getting acquainted with Bartok's string quartets.
Piece of Advice to Young Musicians : Music is about technique and discipline, since it is so hard to do well; but it is also about the power of beauty to lift your life out of the everyday and commonplace.

After studying violin performance in college Bill moved to Chile, where he played professionally for four years. Married and with a family, he moved back to the U.S. to obtain a Master's Degree in Music Education at Indiana University/Bloomington. An injury to his left hand forced him to reconsider that career path, ultimately leading to a business degree from the same school and a position in the international lending department of Northern Trust Company in Chicago.

The violin was relegated to a closet for most of the next fifteen years as Bill pursued his career, first at Northern and then at the Baha'i National Center in Evanston. During that time Bill was an international banker, a fundraiser and a finance officer, and then a national project director for the Baha'i community of the U.S.

But when Bill's wife Amelia was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, she insisted that he take the violin out of the closet and get it repaired. He began playing again and in 2004 played with the DuPage Symphony for the first time. "Returning to music has been a real life-saver," Bill says. "Amelia knew I would need something to fill the void after her passing, and coming back to the violin has proven to be one of the greatest gifts she ever gave me."

Today Bill is starting a new career as a consultant in international development but tries never to miss a rehearsal or a concert. In some of his spare time he has also been researching the history of a famous Stradivari violin and the biographies of those who have owned it. "These amazing instruments are, to me, utterly fascinating. Every detail of their shape and design is functional in ways that, acoustically and structurally, are still not fully understood after nearly 400 years of study."

Music is a big part of Bill's life these days. "It's a lot more for me than a pleasant way to pass an evening. Music is really the breath of life for me, something deeply meaningful at the same time it's just a lot of fun!"

Julin Webb

Instrument : Bass
Years with DSO : 1
Other Intruments : Does Electric Bass Count?
Began Training at age : Age 8
Occupation : Global Product Manager for SKF
(www.skf.com)
Family : Wife and 2 year old daughter, Vivian who is just starting to play on the piano.
Hometown : Maywood, IL
Current town : Aurora, IL
Favorite Composer or Musical Work : Vivaldi, Prokofiev, most Jazz
Piece of Advice to Young Musicians : Unpack your instrument!

Want to guess where daughter Vivian got her name? Note the first favorite composer - Vivaldi... Vivian. Pretty cool, eh?

Julian played with the Peoria Symphony during college where he got bachelor degrees in mechanical engineering and music. Hes currently working on MBA. His father was also a musician (clarinetist) with a doctorate in music education.
When not making music, Julian enjoys sharing his passion for radio controlled cars with his daughter.

Andy Struble

Instrument : Violin
Years with DSO : Over 20
Other Intruments : None
Began Training at age : Age 10
Occupation : Software Engineer for Alcotel/Lucent
Family : Dad still plays cello in chamber ensembles. Two sisters who since.
Hometown : Eugene, OR
Current town : Woodridge, IL
Favorite Composer or Musical Work : Dvorak's New World Symphony
Piece of Advice to Young Musicians : Dont stop during college - even if you dont play with a college group, play somewhere.

(Credit to Dad and his chamber groups for keeping Andy in music during this time.)

Dont tell our conductor, but along with his commitment to the orchestra, Andy plays volleyball on a weekly basis.

Rachel Shannon

Instrument : Cello
Years with DSO : 4
Other Intruments : Viola
Began Training at age : Age 8
Occupation : Orchestra Teacher in St. Charles and Private Instructor
(email rachelshannon@d303.org for lessons)
Family : Fiance used to play Sax.
Hometown : Elgin, IL
Current town : Elgin, IL
Favorite Composer or Musical Work : Beethoven or Tchaikovsky
Piece of Advice to Young Musicians : Learn good practice habits and enjoy getting to make music.

Rachel makes a point of laughing multiple times a day. In fact, she says "everything makes me laugh" which probably helps her survive as an educator. The best part of being a teacher is helping students discover that they can make music at any level.

Wed all like to congratulate Rachel on her pending nuptuals (December 2009). It is going to be a big deal because both she and her fiance come from large families - but hes the youngest of his siblings and shes the eldest of hers. They plan to spend their honeymoon at the SuperBowl in Miami. Talk about a well-rounded couple.

Rachel hopes that everyone who attends our concerts have as much fun listening as we have playing.

Michelle McCallough

Instrument : Violin
Years with DSO : 6
Other Intruments : Piano, Guitar, Percussion
Began Training at age : Age 7
Occupation : Stay-at-Home Mom, certified in special ed and music therapy.
Family : Husband, daughter, and another on the way :)
Hometown : West Chicago, IL
Current town : Oswego, IL
Favorite Composer or Musical Work : Shostakovich
Piece of Advice to Young Musicians : Keep it fun - or at least find the fun - when you play.

Michelle is our resident chocoholic, eating Hershey bars during rehearsals. Quality family time is the most important part of her life and she credits her parents for her passion for music. They are regular CSO patrons and have always been supportive.

Gary Greene

Instrument : Horn
Years with DSO : about10
Other Intruments :
Began Training at age : Age 9
Occupation : Professional Staff at the Illinois State Board of Education, also writer/lecturer on musical topics, occasionally teach private students.
Family :
Hometown : Danville, IL
Current town : Berwyn, IL
Favorite Composer or Musical Work : Really impossible to say a number one piece or composer
Piece of Advice to Young Musicians : Everything you will use constantly as a musician you learned in the first few days of beginning band/orchestra, count notes full value, play with a good sound, watch the conductor, etc.

Have a backyard goldfish pond.

Andrew P. Simco

Instrument : Timpani
Years with DSO : 10
Other Intruments : Percussion
Began Training at age : Age 9
Occupation : Adjunct Instructor of Percussion, Joliet Junior College, Principal Timpanist, The Des Moines Metro Opera Festival, Principal Timpanist, The Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, Principal Timpanist, The Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra, Substitute Teacher, PC technician/Web Site Builder
Family : Wife: Joy Marie - piano & organ; Maureen, 27 (married); Margy, 23 - once played French Horn
Hometown : Bronx, New York
Current town : Joliet, Illinois
Favorite Composer or Musical Work : Richard Wagner, Der Ring des Nibelungen
Piece of Advice to Young Musicians : Once you identify your goal, and decide that it is what you want to pursue, focus on it with gazelle intensity and work hard to reach it. Make a list of steps that you need to take in order to reach it and focus, focus, focus!

Reading History - Military, Political; Biography, Historical Novels.

Deb Zelman

Instrument : Clarinet (and Eb clarinet)
Years with DSO : 2
Other Intruments : Vocals, Piano
Began Training at age : Age 8, Piano
Occupation : Private Clarinet instructor (630) 778-7062 (home phone) and Director of Childrens Choirs at St. Johns Episcopal Church in Naperville.
Family : John, husband, sings bass in church choir and Naperville Chorus, Natalie, 14 years old, sings and plays electric bass, John, 9 years old, sings and plays trumpet.
Hometown : Lombard, IL
Current town : Naperville, IL
Favorite Composer or Musical Work : Operas by Puccini - La Boheme and Gianni Schicchi
Piece of Advice to Young Musicians : Practice regularly and ask for help when you have difficulty playing or singing something.

I started studying jazz a couple of years ago. This was brand new for me. I had never played in my high school jazz band or anything like that. Im fascinated by the complexity of the art form and how much there is to learn and do. I play clarinet and sing vocals, and Ive also written some arrangements and transcriptions of vocal standards for small combos. Im currently enrolled in the small group jazz program at College of DuPage and I play and sing in a local jazz quintet called Zazz.

Barbara Berdahl

Instrument : French Horn
Years with DSO : 12
Other Intruments : Cornet
Began Training at age : Age 9
Occupation : Executive Administrator
Family : Son Eric and daughter Randi
Hometown : Cedar Rapids, IA
Current town : Wheaton, IL
Favorite Composer or Musical Work : Mozart
Piece of Advice to Young Musicians :

I was a member of the University of Iowa Symphony Band that went to Europe and Russia in 1966 as part of the United States cultural exchange program with Russia. We toured for four months playing concerts in 8 countries. It was one of the most memorable experiences of my life.

Kristi Sur

Instrument : Viola
Years with DSO : 5, I think.
Other Intruments : I sing and am currently learning the guitar.
Began Training at age : Age 9
Occupation : General Music Teacher and choir director in Romeoville, private viola and violin lessons in Bolingbrook.
Family : Ive been married to my husband, Tom, for 3 years.
Hometown : Naperville, IL
Current town : Bolingbrook, IL
Favorite Composer or Musical Work : "Rhapsody in Blue" by Gershwin
Piece of Advice to Young Musicians : Keep it up! Dont give up on your dreams. The road to success is not always perfectly paved, sometimes its really bumpy!

Im hoping to start a masters in music education program this summer.

Larry Tomko

Instrument : Trombone
Years with DSO : about 25 or so
Other Intruments :
Began Training at age : Age 10
Occupation : Semi-Retired Electrical Engineer
Family : Semi-Retired Electrical Engineer
Hometown : Midwest City, OK
Current town : Warrenville, IL
Favorite Composer or Musical Work : Sibelius 2nd Symphony
Piece of Advice to Young Musicians : Have a plan B.

Garth Kennedy

Instrument : Viola
Years with DSO : 8
Other Intruments : A long time ago - Violin
Began Training at age : Age 12 - Violin
Occupation : Unemployed/"Retired"
Family : Wife - Sue
Hometown : Bethany/Greenwood, NE
Current town : Naperville, IL
Favorite Composer or Musical Work :
Piece of Advice to Young Musicians :

Kerry McLaren

Instrument : Trumpet
Years with DSO : 20
Other Intruments : Piano
Began Training at age : in 1980
Occupation : Manager, Logistics Services
Family : Maternal Grandmother was a college graduate/music major in piano performance in 1924.
Hometown : Glen Ellyn, IL
Current town : Glendale Heights, IL
Favorite Composer or Musical Work : Puccinis "Nessun Dorma", Pavarotti's theme song.
Piece of Advice to Young Musicians : Find a musical instrument youre passionate about learning to play. With a positive support group (teacher, parents, peers) you will thank yourself that you committed to practicing early in your young life, so you can enjoy music for as long as you want. Music has demonstrated in studies that young people who study music seriously excel in life all around.

I enjoy playing golf and am a threat to be reckoned with when it comes to competing against men. I am interested in learning more about how music therapy can be beneficial to treating neurological diseases, such as Parkinsons, Alzheimers and Autism. I will be anybodys coach and support system as long as their interested in pursuing a goal/dream.

Carrie Provost

Instrument : 1st Violin
Years with DSO : 3 months
Other Intruments : all of the stringed instruments, piano
Began Training at age : Age 5
Occupation : Orchestra Teacher, School District 200, Wheaton
Family : Husband Bob - orchestra teacher in District 204, Daughter Lucy, 28, cellist, mother of Brett (almost 2), and another on the way, Dan, 26, husband of Lucy, Laurie, 20, pianist, cosmetologist, Sara, 14, violinist, freshman at Wheaton North High School
Hometown : Dekalb, IL
Current town : Wheaton, IL
Favorite Composer or Musical Work : Berlioz; Symphonie Fantastique
Piece of Advice to Young Musicians : Listen to your director, and have fun!

I love yoga and biking. My husband and I rode bikes across Austria two summers ago. My life goal is to be a contestant on Jeopardy!