President
Cornelia (Corky) Watkins, has taught cello lessons most of her life. She received a bachelor’s degree in performance at the Hartt School of Music, studying cello with David Wells. After a few wonderful “gap” years teaching and performing in southern Vermont, she moved to Houston TX to complete a master’s in performance at the University of Houston, where she studied with Hans Jorgen Jensen. Freelancing, teaching (including pedagogy at Shepherd School of Music), marriage to cellist Max Dyer, and three children held her captive in Houston, but after 36 years she and Max escaped, trading miles of concrete and relentless heat for four seasons and corn fields. Corky is happy to be affiliated with two excellent 3-letter organizations here: IST and CMP. She also teaches pedagogy and preparatory cello at the Bienen School of Music, Northwestern University, and has written two books about the intersection of teaching, learning, and performing: “Rosindust” and “From the Stage to the Studio.” (back)
Vice President
A violin once owned by Maureen McCarty‘s great-great-grandfather piqued her interest when she was young, prompting her to join strings class at Shorewood Hills Elementary School in Madison, WI. She received her violin degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison while working as a musician at American Players Theatre in Spring Green, WI, therefore at times studying at the university during spring semesters only, when the theatre was closed. Vartan Manoogian was her violin professor at UW-Madison. After graduation she traveled to Europe, where she found employment playing the violin with two Spanish orchestras: in Barcelona and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. After returning from Spain, she pursued a Master’s in Spanish Literature from the University of Illinois, Chicago. As a Spanish TA and lecturer she discovered her great love of teaching, and eventually pursued a teaching certificate in string education. She taught orchestra classes in the Monona Grove School District for fifteen years, and now enjoys teaching a variety of students, ranging in age from 9 to 84, in private lessons at her home. (back)
Secretary
George Teague is a cellist and teacher in the Madison area. He completed his Master’s degree in Cello Performance at the Chicago College of Performing Arts under renowned pedagogue Dr. Tanya Carey. He completed his undergraduate degree at Northern Arizona University under Dr. Mary Ann Ramos. While at NAU, he was the recipient of the Nadene Bean Performance Scholarship. He currently sits principal cello for the Lake Geneva Symphony Orchestra, and has held principal seats in the CCPA Symphony and NAU Symphony Orchestras. As an active performer, he has performed with groups such as the Kenosha Symphony Orchestra, Lake County Symphony Orchestra, and Metropolitan Chamber Players.
George enjoys performing and teaching in a variety of styles, and has completed training in Suzuki Cello books 1-10 under Drs. Alice Ann O’Neill and Tanya Carey. His current performance projects with the Chicago-based ensemble Otherminded include works and improvisations that examine the role of the musician in current society, and those that break down the barrier between performer and audience. (back)
Treasurer
Benjamin Whitcomb is a Professor of Cello and Music Theory at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he has received awards for his teaching, research, and service. An active recitalist and chamber musician, he performs frequently throughout the country and abroad. He is a member of the Ancora String Quartet and the UW-Whitewater Piano Trio. His solo CDs are available from MSR Classics.
Benjamin is a prolific author, having published dozens of articles in six different journals and presented over thirty papers at national and international conferences. He has contributed to three books and published ten, including The Advancing String Player’s Handbook series, Cello Fingerings, and Bass Fingerings, all of which have received rave reviews from Strings magazine plus the journals of ASTA and AUSTA. More recent books include the Compendium of Chords series and the Guide to Practicing the Popper Etudes.
Benjamin’s cello students have won numerous awards locally and nationally and have pursued graduate degrees at leading institutions. Benjamin is very active in the American String Teachers Association, having served as Wisconsin state president, national Secretary, Chair of several committees, and Articles Reviewer for the American String Teacher.
At UW-Whitewater, Benjamin initiated and continues to coordinate the Theory/History Colloquium speaker series, the Musical Mosaics Concert Series, and the Summer String Camp. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and Oklahoma State University, and he has studied with Phyllis Young, George Neikrug, and Evan Tonsing. (back)
Webmaster
Charlene Adzima is an energetic powerhouse on Irish fiddle both on stage and in the classroom. Concurrent with her Suzuki training as a child in Columbus, Ohio, Charlene fell in love with Irish music and ravenously sought out opportunities to study at workshops and camps with All-Ireland fiddle champions Liz Carroll, Seamus Connolly, and Oisin Mac Diarmada. Collecting the title of Senior Fiddle Champion at the 2005 Midwest Fleadh Cheoil (Irish music competition), Charlene has been warmly accepted into the Irish music community and is known for her danceable, pulsing rhythm and newly-composed tunes. Charlene performs regularly with guitarist Rick Nelson and The Lilies of the Midwest. A former Irish step dancer, she is also in demand as a musician for Irish step dance competitions (feiseanna).
As a teacher, Charlene maintains a full studio in the Madison, Wisconsin area and has successfully applied Suzuki pedagogy to the teaching of authentic traditional folk styles. She is certified with the Suzuki Association of the Americas to teach violin books 1, 2, and 3. Additionally, Charlene teaches in MadFiddle, a youth fiddle performing group directed by Shauncey Ali. (back)